Revised Barbarian Totems [Archive] - Wizards Community

Revised Barbarian Totems [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Xyplex
06-23-04, 03:05 AM Hello all.

I took a crack at the Barbarian Totems a while back, and in the mean time I've looked at what I've done and produced ... this. Please provide feedback as to what areas might need tweaking ... I've run them by another DM already, so it's been polished a little ... but my basic premise is that the Totems as presented in the Unearthed Arcana are too weak, unfocused, or lack description, and here are my attempts to fix that.

******

My new logic in going through this is that Fast Movement is a 'utility feat' worth about 1.5 feat equivalents (using Dash (+5 ft in Light armour or load), a relatively weak Feat as a basis), Trap Sense is a defensive feat (which, depending on your campaign style may get more or less usage ... I tend to have traps evenly spaced between 'fixed obvious things' like doors and chests, and location based, like unobtrusively placed in hallways, chambers, etc. so they're a danger to everyone, not just the Rogue ... I initially considered this a 2 feat equivalent, but it's probably more inline with 1.5 feats, compared to Lightning Reflexes and Mobility), and the Uncanny Dodge 'track' (that has comparisons in Blindfighting and Eyes in the Back of your Head (which is a relatively weak Feat as it stands)) but in the end I considered it to be worth in the order of 3 to 3.5 feat equivalents.

Further I figured that most offensive feats are worth about twice that of a defensive feats (the number of times I've heard people compare feats that are obviously offensive to obviously defensive feats, the offensive feats beat the defensive feats hands down ... I guess it's part of the D&D 3.x system to make it a 'best defence is a good offence' world).

(Note: After finishing them up, I'm not sure I stuck to the formula I describe above ... some things I didn't think translated well to feats, and some were useful only under certain circumstances, and hence I looked for something balanced)

******

Ape Totem

'Fixed' - Take 2
1st Level - Climb speed equal to half land move (can take 10 under any circumstance, +8 to climb checks, no loss of Dex Bonus to AC while climbing), Replace Swim with Tumble as a Class Skill
2nd Level - Dodge (+1 to Dodge AC against one opponent)
3rd Level - Slowfall 10 ft
4th Level - Evasion (successful Ref save does no damage as opposed to half damage)
5th Level - Climb speed increases to full land move
6th Level - Elusive Target [Tactical] (negate Power attacks, make flanking opponents hit one another, trip creatures that attack you due to reach), Slowfall 20 ft
9th Level - Slowfall 30 ft

A very defensive Totem ... Climb replaces Fast Movement, Slowfall replaces Trap Sense, and Dodge, Elusive Target, and Evasion replaces the Uncanny Dodge 'track'.

******

Bear Totem

'Fixed' - Take 2

1st Level - Chose Toughness (+3 HP) or Improved Toughness (+1 HP / Level), Heal replaces Handle Animal as a Class Skill
2nd Level - Self Sufficient (+2 to Heal and Survival)
3rd Level - Level / 3 = Bonus to Fort saves, Improved Grapple (+4 Grapple, does not provoke an attack of opportunity)
4th Level - Close Quarters Fighting (grapple attempts against you provoke attacks of opportunity to thwart them)
5th Level - Grapple Mobility *New Ability* (you retain your Dex bonus to AC while grappling)

Grapple Mobility, Improved Grapple and Close Quarters Fighting replace the Uncanny Dodge 'track' ... Toughness / Improved Toughness and the Bonus to Fort saves replace Fast Movement ... and Self Sufficient replaces Trap Sense. I realize that this is not as defensive as the Jaguar Totem ... but I believe that it isn't overly offensive either.

******

Boar Totem

'Fixed' Take 2
1st Level - Diehard (automatically stabilize, partial actions while below 0 HP)
2nd Level - Destructive Rage (+8 bonus on Strength checks to break objects while raging)
3rd Level - Improved Bull Rush (+4 to bull rush, does not provoke an attack of opportunity)
4th Level - Extend Rage (+5 rounds to rage)
5th Level - Fleet of Foot (can change direction up to 90 degrees while charging)
6th Level - Instantaneous Rage (Rage even when it isn't your turn)
7th Level - Greater Resiliency (+1 DR)

Diehard and Extend Rage replace Trap Sense ... Great Resiliency, Instantaneous Rage, and Improved Bull Rush replace the Uncanny Dodge 'track' ... Fleet of Foot and Destructive Rage replace Fast Movement.

******

Demon Totem (I only designed this one because in my campaign setting, the Barbarian's ability to rage comes from realizing the full potential of the latent demon blood in their veins ... and those Barbarians who were closer to the Demons directly revered them as a result)

'New'
2nd Level - Thrall to Demon (+1 luck bonus on any one roll per day)
3rd Level - Level / 3 = Bonus to save vs. Poisons
4th Level - Brand of Evil (+2 to Intimidate, +2 Diplomacy with evil creatures)
5th Level - Fiendish Companion (Vrock - Using Savage Species advancement, it advances at Level - 2)

The Bonus to save vs. Poisons replaces Trap Sense ... the Fiendish Companion replaces the Uncanny Dodge 'track' ... and Thrall to Demon and Brand of Evil replace Fast Movement.

******

Dragon Totem

'Fixed' Take 2
1st Level - Blindfight (melee attacks that miss due to concealment get to check concealment again, invisible melee attackers do not make you lose your Dex bonus, move at ž speed in darkness or poor visibility rather than ˝)
3rd Level - Level / 3 = Bonus to save vs. Paralysis and Sleep effects
4th Level - Blindsight 5ft Radius
5th Level - Modified Frightful Presence (Will save vs DC 10 + ˝ Barbarian level + Cha modifier only if you have fewer HD or levels than the Barbarian or be shaken, range 30 ft when Barbarian chooses and also attacks, charges, or otherwise is threatening, duration 1d6 round, any particular victim can be affected three times a day by a Barbarian's Frightful Presence so three successful saves or failed saves will grant immunity - the Barbarian may choose when to try to scare any particular individual or group using the methods listed above)

Blindfight and Blindsight replace Fast movement ... the Bonus vs. Paralysis and Sleep effects replaces Trap Sense ... and the Frightful Presence replaces the Uncanny Dodge 'track'.

******

Eagle Totem

'Fixed' Take 2
1st Level - +3 Spot (Skill Focus: Spot), Spot becomes a class skill
2nd Level - Uncanny Dodge (retain Dex bonus to AC if flatfooted or if attacked by an invisible attacker)
3rd Level - Level / 3 = Bonus to Ref saves
5th Level - Improved Uncanny Dodge (can no longer be flanked)

The Bonus to Ref saves is significant, in my mind, so it replaces most of Fast Movement and Trap Sense ... the leftover is given to Skill Focus: Spot ... and the Uncanny Dodge track remains intact.

******

Horse Totem

'Fixed' Take 2
1st Level - Fast Movement (+10 ft while wearing Medium armour or carrying a Medium load)
2nd Level - Run (Run at x5 normal speed, +4 running jump checks), Mobility (+4 AC against movement related attacks of opportunity)
3rd Level - Animal Affinity (+2 Handle Animal and Ride)
4th Level - Spring Attack (Move before and after melee attack)
5th Level - Endurance (+4 on checks or saves to resist non-lethal damage)

Mobility and Spring attack replace the Uncanny Dodge track ... Run, Animal Affinity, and Endurance replace Trap Sense.

******

Lion Totem

'Fixed' Take 2
1st Level - +3 Hide (Skill Focus: Hide), Hide becomes a class skill
2nd Level - Run (Run at x5 normal speed, +4 running jump checks), Improved Initiative (+4 on initiative checks)
3rd Level - Trap Sense (Level / 3 = Bonus to AC and Ref save vs. Traps)
4th Level - Two Weapon Fighting (reduce two-weapon fighting penalties by 2)
6th Level - Double blow charge *New Ability* (if you are armed with two weapons, but not a double weapon, you may make an attack with your off hand when charging)

Two Weapon Fighting and Double blow charge replace the Uncanny Dodge track ... Skill Focus: Hide, Run, and Improved Initiative replace Fast Movement.

******

Serpent Totem

'Fixed' Take 2
1st Level - +3 Move Silently (Skill Focus: Move Silently), +3 Hide (Skill Focus: Hide), Move Silently and Hide become a class skills
2nd Level - Prone Attack (no penalties from attacking while prone, may become standing upon successful melee attack, attackers gain no bonus to attack you while you are prone)
3rd Level - Level / 3 = Bonus to save vs. Poison.
4th Level - Slither *NEW Ability* (can move at one half normal speed while crawling, does not provoke attacks of opportunity while doing so, and may move through a space they would normally need to squeeze through at no penalty to movement, attack or AC)
5th Level - Sneak attack 1d6
6th Level - Poison Use (does not accidentally poison oneself when applying poisons)

The bonus to save vs. Poison replaces Trap sense ... Prone Attack and Slither replace Fast Movement ... and the Skill Foci, Sneak attack, and Poison replace the Uncanny Dodge track.

******

Wolf Totem

'Fixed' Take 2
1st Level - Fast Movement (+10 ft while wearing Medium armour or carrying a Medium load)
2nd Level - Improved Trip (+4 on trip attempts, does not provoke an attack of opportunity, immediately get to attack successfully tripped opponents)
4th Level - Improved Flanking *New Ability* (You gain a +4 to attack when you flank an opponent as opposed to the regular +2)
5th Level - Track
6th Level - Exhaust Opponent (After attacking a specific opponent three rounds in a row, each additional round requires a Fort save vs DC 15 + 1 per round after the third round, or they suffer 1d6 subdual damage from exhaustion)

Track and Improved Flanking replace Trap Sense ... Improved Trip and Exhaust Opponent replace the Uncanny Dodge track.
Pagan priest
06-23-04, 04:15 PM Saved to hard drive! Thanks.
Masterful_Norg
06-23-04, 04:16 PM I think these are pretty good and in a majority of cases better than the ones in the book, both from a flavor and power perspective.

However, the boar, eagle, and horse totems still seem a bit wimpy, though slightly improved when compared to the versions found in UA.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Xyplex 06-23-04, 03:05 AM	Hello all. I took a crack at the Barbarian Totems a while back, and in the mean time I've looked at what I've done and produced ... this. Please provide feedback as to what areas might need tweaking ... I've run them by another DM already, so it's been polished a little ... but my basic premise is that the Totems as presented in the Unearthed Arcana are too weak, unfocused, or lack description, and here are my attempts to fix that. **** My new logic in going through this is that Fast Movement is a 'utility feat' worth about 1.5 feat equivalents (using Dash (+5 ft in Light armour or load), a relatively weak Feat as a basis), Trap Sense is a defensive feat (which, depending on your campaign style may get more or less usage ... I tend to have traps evenly spaced between 'fixed obvious things' like doors and chests, and location based, like unobtrusively placed in hallways, chambers, etc. so they're a danger to everyone, not just the Rogue ... I initially considered this a 2 feat equivalent, but it's probably more inline with 1.5 feats, compared to Lightning Reflexes and Mobility), and the Uncanny Dodge 'track' (that has comparisons in Blindfighting and Eyes in the Back of your Head (which is a relatively weak Feat as it stands)) but in the end I considered it to be worth in the order of 3 to 3.5 feat equivalents. Further I figured that most offensive feats are worth about twice that of a defensive feats (the number of times I've heard people compare feats that are obviously offensive to obviously defensive feats, the offensive feats beat the defensive feats hands down ... I guess it's part of the D&D 3.x system to make it a 'best defence is a good offence' world). (Note: After finishing them up, I'm not sure I stuck to the formula I describe above ... some things I didn't think translated well to feats, and some were useful only under certain circumstances, and hence I looked for something balanced) ** Ape Totem 'Fixed' - Take 2 1st Level - Climb speed equal to half land move (can take 10 under any circumstance, +8 to climb checks, no loss of Dex Bonus to AC while climbing), Replace Swim with Tumble as a Class Skill 2nd Level - Dodge (+1 to Dodge AC against one opponent) 3rd Level - Slowfall 10 ft 4th Level - Evasion (successful Ref save does no damage as opposed to half damage) 5th Level - Climb speed increases to full land move 6th Level - Elusive Target [Tactical] (negate Power attacks, make flanking opponents hit one another, trip creatures that attack you due to reach), Slowfall 20 ft 9th Level - Slowfall 30 ft A very defensive Totem ... Climb replaces Fast Movement, Slowfall replaces Trap Sense, and Dodge, Elusive Target, and Evasion replaces the Uncanny Dodge 'track'. **** Bear Totem 'Fixed' - Take 2 1st Level - Chose Toughness (+3 HP) or Improved Toughness (+1 HP / Level), Heal replaces Handle Animal as a Class Skill 2nd Level - Self Sufficient (+2 to Heal and Survival) 3rd Level - Level / 3 = Bonus to Fort saves, Improved Grapple (+4 Grapple, does not provoke an attack of opportunity) 4th Level - Close Quarters Fighting (grapple attempts against you provoke attacks of opportunity to thwart them) 5th Level - Grapple Mobility New Ability (you retain your Dex bonus to AC while grappling) Grapple Mobility, Improved Grapple and Close Quarters Fighting replace the Uncanny Dodge 'track' ... Toughness / Improved Toughness and the Bonus to Fort saves replace Fast Movement ... and Self Sufficient replaces Trap Sense. I realize that this is not as defensive as the Jaguar Totem ... but I believe that it isn't overly offensive either. **** Boar Totem 'Fixed' Take 2 1st Level - Diehard (automatically stabilize, partial actions while below 0 HP) 2nd Level - Destructive Rage (+8 bonus on Strength checks to break objects while raging) 3rd Level - Improved Bull Rush (+4 to bull rush, does not provoke an attack of opportunity) 4th Level - Extend Rage (+5 rounds to rage) 5th Level - Fleet of Foot (can change direction up to 90 degrees while charging) 6th Level - Instantaneous Rage (Rage even when it isn't your turn) 7th Level - Greater Resiliency (+1 DR) Diehard and Extend Rage replace Trap Sense ... Great Resiliency, Instantaneous Rage, and Improved Bull Rush replace the Uncanny Dodge 'track' ... Fleet of Foot and Destructive Rage replace Fast Movement. ** Demon Totem (I only designed this one because in my campaign setting, the Barbarian's ability to rage comes from realizing the full potential of the latent demon blood in their veins ... and those Barbarians who were closer to the Demons directly revered them as a result) 'New' 2nd Level - Thrall to Demon (+1 luck bonus on any one roll per day) 3rd Level - Level / 3 = Bonus to save vs. Poisons 4th Level - Brand of Evil (+2 to Intimidate, +2 Diplomacy with evil creatures) 5th Level - Fiendish Companion (Vrock - Using Savage Species advancement, it advances at Level - 2) The Bonus to save vs. Poisons replaces Trap Sense ... the Fiendish Companion replaces the Uncanny Dodge 'track' ... and Thrall to Demon and Brand of Evil replace Fast Movement. ** Dragon Totem 'Fixed' Take 2 1st Level - Blindfight (melee attacks that miss due to concealment get to check concealment again, invisible melee attackers do not make you lose your Dex bonus, move at ž speed in darkness or poor visibility rather than ˝) 3rd Level - Level / 3 = Bonus to save vs. Paralysis and Sleep effects 4th Level - Blindsight 5ft Radius 5th Level - Modified Frightful Presence (Will save vs DC 10 + ˝ Barbarian level + Cha modifier only if you have fewer HD or levels than the Barbarian or be shaken, range 30 ft when Barbarian chooses and also attacks, charges, or otherwise is threatening, duration 1d6 round, any particular victim can be affected three times a day by a Barbarian's Frightful Presence so three successful saves or failed saves will grant immunity - the Barbarian may choose when to try to scare any particular individual or group using the methods listed above) Blindfight and Blindsight replace Fast movement ... the Bonus vs. Paralysis and Sleep effects replaces Trap Sense ... and the Frightful Presence replaces the Uncanny Dodge 'track'. ** Eagle Totem 'Fixed' Take 2 1st Level - +3 Spot (Skill Focus: Spot), Spot becomes a class skill 2nd Level - Uncanny Dodge (retain Dex bonus to AC if flatfooted or if attacked by an invisible attacker) 3rd Level - Level / 3 = Bonus to Ref saves 5th Level - Improved Uncanny Dodge (can no longer be flanked) The Bonus to Ref saves is significant, in my mind, so it replaces most of Fast Movement and Trap Sense ... the leftover is given to Skill Focus: Spot ... and the Uncanny Dodge track remains intact. ** Horse Totem 'Fixed' Take 2 1st Level - Fast Movement (+10 ft while wearing Medium armour or carrying a Medium load) 2nd Level - Run (Run at x5 normal speed, +4 running jump checks), Mobility (+4 AC against movement related attacks of opportunity) 3rd Level - Animal Affinity (+2 Handle Animal and Ride) 4th Level - Spring Attack (Move before and after melee attack) 5th Level - Endurance (+4 on checks or saves to resist non-lethal damage) Mobility and Spring attack replace the Uncanny Dodge track ... Run, Animal Affinity, and Endurance replace Trap Sense. **** Lion Totem 'Fixed' Take 2 1st Level - +3 Hide (Skill Focus: Hide), Hide becomes a class skill 2nd Level - Run (Run at x5 normal speed, +4 running jump checks), Improved Initiative (+4 on initiative checks) 3rd Level - Trap Sense (Level / 3 = Bonus to AC and Ref save vs. Traps) 4th Level - Two Weapon Fighting (reduce two-weapon fighting penalties by 2) 6th Level - Double blow charge New Ability (if you are armed with two weapons, but not a double weapon, you may make an attack with your off hand when charging) Two Weapon Fighting and Double blow charge replace the Uncanny Dodge track ... Skill Focus: Hide, Run, and Improved Initiative replace Fast Movement. ****** Serpent Totem 'Fixed' Take 2 1st Level - +3 Move Silently (Skill Focus: Move Silently), +3 Hide (Skill Focus: Hide), Move Silently and Hide become a class skills 2nd Level - Prone Attack (no penalties from attacking while prone, may become standing upon successful melee attack, attackers gain no bonus to attack you while you are prone) 3rd Level - Level / 3 = Bonus to save vs. Poison. 4th Level - Slither NEW Ability (can move at one half normal speed while crawling, does not provoke attacks of opportunity while doing so, and may move through a space they would normally need to squeeze through at no penalty to movement, attack or AC) 5th Level - Sneak attack 1d6 6th Level - Poison Use (does not accidentally poison oneself when applying poisons) The bonus to save vs. Poison replaces Trap sense ... Prone Attack and Slither replace Fast Movement ... and the Skill Foci, Sneak attack, and Poison replace the Uncanny Dodge track. ****** Wolf Totem 'Fixed' Take 2 1st Level - Fast Movement (+10 ft while wearing Medium armour or carrying a Medium load) 2nd Level - Improved Trip (+4 on trip attempts, does not provoke an attack of opportunity, immediately get to attack successfully tripped opponents) 4th Level - Improved Flanking New Ability (You gain a +4 to attack when you flank an opponent as opposed to the regular +2) 5th Level - Track 6th Level - Exhaust Opponent (After attacking a specific opponent three rounds in a row, each additional round requires a Fort save vs DC 15 + 1 per round after the third round, or they suffer 1d6 subdual damage from exhaustion) Track and Improved Flanking replace Trap Sense ... Improved Trip and Exhaust Opponent replace the Uncanny Dodge track.
Pagan priest 06-23-04, 04:15 PM	Saved to hard drive! Thanks.
Masterful_Norg 06-23-04, 04:16 PM	I think these are pretty good and in a majority of cases better than the ones in the book, both from a flavor and power perspective. However, the boar, eagle, and horse totems still seem a bit wimpy, though slightly improved when compared to the versions found in UA.