Barbarian

Barbarians are one of the playable classes in and.

They are the wild, unconventional counterparts to fighters – distinguished by their recklessness, ferocity, and their predilection to substitute discipline for raw aggression. Lacking the accuracy and strong Deflection of the fighter, the barbarian makes up for this through sheer speed, savagery, and abilities tailored for fighting groups of enemies. Barbarians are a challenge to deal with on a battlefield, though they are vulnerable to exhaustion if they don't pace themselves.

Background
Barbarians come from many of the more remote cultures found across the world. In the Eastern Reach, barbarians most often come from Eir Glanfath, though some can be found in rural Dyrwoodan communities or drifting in from abroad through port cities like Defiance Bay and New Heomar. Barbarians are often used as shock troops for dealing with mobs or simply to intimidate the easily-cowed with their ferocity. As the Dyrwood has settled down over time, the regular employment of foreign barbarians has slowed significantly, but they still make up the majority of Glanfathan front-line forces. Barbarians all have a strong skill focus in Athletics and lesser focus in Survival.

List of abilities

 * Barbarian abilities (in )
 * Barbarian abilities and passives (in )

Rage
Rage is an additional "power pool" resource added in. Barbarians begin combat with full Rage (the amount of which is relative to their current level) and spend points to cast certain abilities, with more powerful abilities costing more points. After an encounter, Rage is replenished.

Talents

 * Accurate Carnage – The barbarian learns to line up his or her most savage blows, improving the Accuracy of secondary attacks from Carnage.
 * Greater Frenzy – Cultivates the barbarian's inner rage, granting additional bonuses while under the effects of Frenzy.
 * Powerful Sprint – The barbarian's charges become even more ferocious. Speed of Wild Sprint is increased.
 * Stalwart Defiance – Strengthens Savage Defiance, causing it to provide a bonus to all defenses.
 * Barbaric Blow – The barbarian deals a massive blow, causing additional critical hits and extra critical hit damage for both the blow and any resulting hits from Carnage. Carnage also hits a bigger area.

In

 * At character creation, barbarians automatically learn the passive ability Carnage.
 * Barbarians are able to select one ability at every odd level (1, 3, 5, etc.). Each time, new and more powerful abilities are unlocked and are added to the list of abilities that can be learned.
 * As with other classes, barbarians learn one talent at every even level (2, 4, 6, etc.).
 * Barbarian abilities specify their own max uses and restoration type, independent of the barbarian's level.

In

 * At character creation, barbarians select one 1st level ability (active only), and automatically learn the passive ability Carnage. This does not change for multiclass characters.
 * As with other classes, barbarians pick 2 abilities at every level where a new power level is unlocked excluding the first (3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 16, 19), and one ability at all other levels (1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20). Ability points may be spent on active or passive abilities, and on any currently-unlocked power levels.
 * Multiclass characters pick 1 ability from either the barbarian ability tree or the other class tree at all levels where a new power level isn't unlocked, and 1 ability for both classes at all levels where a new power level is unlocked (1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19).
 * Barbarians use Rage (a power pool resource) to cast abilities. As with other power pool resources, the barbarian starts with a pool of 3 rage, which is increased by 1 at every power level, capping out at 11.
 * As with other classes, new ability power levels are learned every second level from level 1 (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13), then every third level from level 13 (16, 19). Multiclass characters may only learn up to (and including) power level 7 abilities, and unlock a new power level every third level from level 1 (1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19).

Subclasses
Barbarians in are able to choose between four subclasses (or no subclass): Berserker, Corpse-Eater, Mage Slayer, and Furyshaper.

Suggestions
Barbarians are not the most accurate of available classes, but in that regard, they fall in between the melee specialists and the caster specialists. They provide superior Area of Effect damage with weapon attacks in a smaller concentrated area than a spell might possibly hit. They provide excellent damage with either ranged weapons or up close at the front line of combat. You might prefer bow types for ranged weapons, except for arbalests, if you go for a single class Barbarian. Typically as a damage dealer, a Barbarian should not wear heavy armor to keep recovery penalties low and damage coming out relatively fast. If your built group of five characters already has a tanky type, then you can employ other means to reduce incoming spell damage.

While multi-classing provides very strong options, you typically need to know ahead of time exactly what abilities you want to pair with the Barbarian class to make it stronger. Also, this eliminates Tier 8 and 9 abilities if you want to experience those. An incredibly strong multiclass build involves Barbarian (Furyshaper) / Ranger (Ghost Heart) focused towards single wielded pistols. With the Furyshaper subclass, you can go with the Frenzy ability and support your front line members with your Shape Ward totems at your discretion. The ranger subclass Ghost Heart will enable you to summon a powerful pet to Flank a target, assist your front line, or run interference from an enemy running at your character. The Ghost Heart subclass causes no penalty if you lose the pet, summoning it occurs in a near instant, and the Class Resource comes very cheap in any regard. However, you must actively choose to bring the pet into combat. If you go with the abilities of Marksman, One-Handed Style, Gunner, and Shot on the Run, then it will pair beautifully with wielding just one pistol. It can come helpful though to have a war bow or hunting bow ready in case some things, like certain skeletons, completely resist the normal piercing damage of your pistol. Lastly, the ranger class provides very good Accuracy, which is never a bad thing.

Notable characters
 Category:Pillars of Eternity s, 3  Category:The White March - Part II s, 3  Category:Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire s, 3