Barbarian

13th Age, p.77

13 Vaults currently only has information for 13th Age first edition only. Information on 13 Vaults may not reflect newer editions of the game.

A fearless warrior who unleashes their primal rage to crush their enemies and overcome any challenge through their ferocity.

Ability Scores

Barbarians gain a +2 class bonus to Strength or Constitution, as long as it isn’t the same ability you increase with your +2 racial bonus.

Backgrounds

Possible backgrounds include: clan champion, caravan outrider, fur trapper, mountain tribeswoman, wasteland survivalist, and gladiator.

Gear

Gold Pieces

Barbarians may start with either 25 gp or 1d6 × 10 gp.

Armor

Armor TypeBase ACAtk Penalty
None10
Light12
Heavy13–2
Shield+1

Melee Weapons

One-HandedTwo-Handed
Small1d4 dagger1d6 club
Light or Simple1d6 hand-axe, warclub1d8 spear
Heavy or Martial1d8 longsword, battleaxe1d10 greatsword, greataxe

Ranged Weapons

ThrownCrossbowBow
Small1d4 dagger1d4 (–5 atk) hand crossbow
Light or Simple1d6 javelin, axe, spear1d6 (–5 atk) light crossbow1d6 shortbow
Heavy or Martial1d8 (–5 atk) heavy crossbow1d8 longbow

Level Progression

Barbarian LevelTotal Hit PointsTotal FeatsClass TalentsLevel-up Ability BonusesDamage Bonus from Ability Score
Level 1(7 + CON mod) x 31 adventurer3 adventurerability modifier
Level 2(7 + CON mod) x 42 adventurer3 adventurerability modifier
Level 3(7 + CON mod) x 53 adventurer3 adventurerability modifier
Level 4(7 + CON mod) x 64 adventurer3 adventurer+1 to 3 abilitiesability modifier
Level 5(7 + CON mod) x 84 adventurer1 champion3 adventurer1 champion2 x ability modifier
Level 6(7 + CON mod) x 104 adventurer2 champion3 adventurer1 champion2 x ability modifier
Level 7(7 + CON mod) x 124 adventurer3 champion3 adventurer1 champion+1 to 3 abilities2 x ability modifier
Level 8(7 + CON mod) x 164 adventurer3 champion1 epic3 adventurer1 champion1 epic3 x ability modifier
Level 9(7 + CON mod) x 204 adventurer3 champion2 epic3 adventurer1 champion1 epic3 x ability modifier
Level 10(7 + CON mod) x 244 adventurer3 champion3 epic3 adventurer1 champion1 epic+1 to 3 abilities3 x ability modifier

Stats

Initiative, AC, PD, MD, Hit Points, Recovery Dice, Feats, and some Talents are level dependent.

StatValue
Ability Bonus+2 Strength or Constitution (different from racial bonus)
InitiativeDex mod + Level
Armor Class (light armor)12 + middle mod of Con/Dex/Wis + Level
Armor Class (shield and light armor)13 + middle mod of Con/Dex/Wis + Level
Physical Defense11 + middle mod of Str/Con/Dex + Level
Mental Defense10 + middle mod of Int/Wis/Cha + Level
Hit Points(7 + Con mod) x Level modifier (see level progression chart)
Recoveries(probably) 8
Recovery Dice(1d10 x Level) + Con mod
Backgrounds8 points, max 5 in any one background
Icon Relationships3 points
Talents3 (see level progression chart)
Feats1 per Level

Basic Attacks

Melee Attack

Basic Attack

At-will


Target: One enemy

Attack: Strength + Level vs. AC

Hit: WEAPON + Strength damage

Miss: Damage equal to your level

Ranged Attack

Basic Attack

At-will


Target: One enemy

Attack: Dexterity + Level vs. AC

Hit: WEAPON + Dexterity damage

Miss:

Class Features

All barbarians have the Barbarian Rage class feature.

Barbarian Rage

Class Feature

Effect: Once per day, use a quick action to start raging. A rage lasts until the end of battle, or about 5 minutes.

While raging, you roll 2d20 to hit with your barbarian melee and thrown weapon attacks instead of 1d20. Use the higher roll for the attack. If you roll a natural 11+ with both dice and your highest attack roll is a hit, the attack is a critical hit!

Recharge 16+: After a battle in which you rage, roll a d20 and add your Constitution modifier. On a 16+, you can use Barbarian Rage again later in the day.

  • Adventurer Feat:

    Whenever the escalation die is 4+, as a quick action, you can start raging for free (it doesn’t count against your normal usage). This rage lasts until the end of the battle, as normal.

  • Champion Feat:

    You can now start raging freely when the escalation die is 3+.

  • Epic Feat:

    You can now start raging freely when the escalation die is 2+.

Talents

Adventurer Talents

Choose three of the following adventurer-tier class talents. You also get an additional barbarian class talent at 5th level and again at 8th level.

Barbaric Cleave

Talent

Effect: Once per battle, as a free action, you can make a standard melee attack after having dropped any enemy to 0 hp with a standard melee attack. Mooks do not count for this, unless the mook you dropped was the last of its mook mob.

  • Adventurer Feat:

    You gain a +2 attack bonus with Barbaric Cleave attacks. If the cleave attack hits, you can heal using a recovery.

  • Champion Feat:

    If there is no foe engaged with you to use your Barbaric Cleave attack against, as a free action you can move to a nearby foe before making the attack.

  • Epic Feat:

    While raging, you can use Barbaric Cleave as many times as you like during a battle, but only once per round.

Building Frenzy

Talent

Effect: One battle per day, as a free action after you have missed an attack, gain +1d4 damage to each successful melee attack until the end of the battle. For each missed attack following this, add another +1d4 damage, up to a maximum of +4d4 damage.

  • Adventurer Feat:

    Bonus damage dice are now d6s.

  • Champion Feat:

    Bonus damage dice are now d10s.

  • Epic Feat:

    You can use Building Frenzy twice a day.

Slayer

Talent

Effect: During your turn, when you attack a staggered enemy you were not engaged with at the start of your turn, deal +1d6 damage per level to that creature if you hit.

  • Adventurer Feat:

    You gain a +2 bonus to Slayer attacks.

  • Champion Feat:

    Once per battle, when you miss with a Slayer attack, deal the additional +1d6-per-level damage to the target instead of normal miss damage.

  • Epic Feat:

    Whenever one of your Slayer attacks drops a non-mook enemy to 0 hp, you gain 20 temporary hit points.

Strongheart

Talent

Effect: Your recovery dice are d12s instead of d10s.

  • Adventurer Feat:

    Increase your total number of recoveries by 1.

  • Champion Feat:

    You gain +1 PD. When you heal using a recovery, you can roll a save against a save ends effect.

  • Epic Feat:

    Increase your total number of recoveries by 1 (making a total of +2 from this talent).

Whirlwind

Talent

Effect: You can make a Whirlwind attack as the first action of your turn when you are engaged by two or more enemies.

You take a –4 penalty to your AC and PD until the start of your next turn. Then roll a separate melee attack against each enemy you are engaged with. You deal no miss damage with these attacks.

  • Adventurer Feat:

    You now deal normal miss damage with missed Whirlwind attacks.

  • Champion Feat:

    The penalty to your AC and PD is reduced to –2. In addition, disengage checks you make the same turn as using Whirlwind automatically succeed.

  • Epic Feat:

    You can use Whirlwind anytime during your turn, not just as the first action.

Unstoppable

Talent

Effect: Once per battle, declare you’re using Unstoppable before making a barbarian melee attack. If your attack hits at least one target, you can heal using a recovery.

  • Adventurer Feat:

    The Unstoppable recovery is free.

  • Champion Feat:

    Add double your Constitution modifier to the healing the recovery provides.

  • Epic Feat:

    You can use Unstoppable twice per battle.

Champion Talents

At 5th level, you gain an additional barbarian class talent. Choose one of these champion-tier talents or take another adventurer-tier talent.

Natural Will

Talent

Effect: One battle per day as a quick action, you gain a +2 bonus to your Mental Defense until the end of the battle.

  • Adventurer Feat:

    You can now use Natural Will in two battles per day.

  • Champion Feat:

    The bonus increases to +4 Mental Defense.

  • Epic Feat:

    You can now use Natural Will as a free action when an enemy attacks you.

Violence

Talent

Effect: Once per battle, add a +1d4 bonus to a barbarian melee attack roll after finding out whether you hit or missed.

  • Champion Feat:

    If the attack still misses, deal half damage.

  • Epic Feat:

    The bonus increases to +1d6.

Epic Talents

At 8th level, you gain an additional barbarian class talent. Choose one of these epic-tier talents, or take another adventurer-tier or champion-tier talent instead.

Ancestral Warband

Talent

Effect: One battle per day as a quick action, you can call the spirits of your ancestors to fight alongside you. Your ancestors can’t be hurt or affected by the creatures of this world.

At the end of each of your turns, if you are conscious, roll a d6. If you roll less than or equal to the escalation die, a member of your spirit warband strikes from the spirit realm into the world. Make a melee attack against a nearby enemy as if you were making the attack yourself, using any talents, feats, or magic items as you see fit. This attack doesn’t take any of your actions.

  • Epic Feat:

    Your Ancestral Warband spirits are always raging, even if you are not, and continue to fight for a single round while you are unconscious.

Relentless

Talent

Effect: While raging, you have resist damage 12+ (when an attack targets you, the attacker must roll a natural 12 or higher on the attack roll or it only deals half damage).

  • Epic Feat:

    Even when not raging, whenever you score a critical hit against an enemy, you have resist damage 12+ until the start of your next turn.