Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Cadburylion Jun 21, 2015 9:12:18	I just started my first Barbarian. He's a tough, raised-by-lions Totem Barbarian who learned how to fight with whatever happened to be nearby.   He's Variant Human, starting with the Tavern Brawler feat. This feat is so much fun, and exactly what my concept needed. As well, wanting to be as tough as the lions that raised him, he is learning how to fight with a shield.   I want him to be an extremely tough bruiser who grapples the big-bad, and beats him to death with his shield (or some other random object).   My question is this:   Can I strike with an improvised weapon (my DM is letting me use my shield) or unarmed strike, and use the Tavern Brawler feat to grapple, then on my next turn use my bonus action from Shield Master to knock my grappled target prone, then attack again?   It seems to make sense, as I've read everything. This gives me (before Extra Attacks; I'm level 3), two hits, a grapple, and prone effect on a single target in two turns. If I want to rage, I have to extend this to three turns, or sacrifice an attack.   Thanks!
#2 drizzt_zylo Jun 21, 2015 9:40:32	As far as I can tell as long as you hit with an attack you can use your bonus action to either grapple or shove. If I were you I'd pick up rogue levels for bonus action movement to get close first expertise on athletics and a little bit of sneak attack (maybe swashbuckler I know doesn't feel barbarian) for when you get improved grapple to get advantage on grappled targets. My reasoning is to max grapple to have speed of lion and if sneak attack don't work with grapple (thinking of like a rake) then as long as you in melee you deal extra damage once per round.
#3 Cadburylion Jun 21, 2015 9:48:55	Ah, thank you!   Rogue sounds very interesting. There are a lot of excellent perks I can get with just a several-level dip, and lions are very sneaky creatures. Not at all out of concept!
#4 drizzt_zylo Jun 21, 2015 10:39:07	I'd look up the grapplers handbook if I were u. Idk how you feel bout this but what would be cooler then being able to become a lion as well. You may lose your personal physical stats however you get to retain your class features use your spell slots to heal your form extra toughness due to other form idk if you'd be able to fit it but just a thought. Just brainstorming there's other classes that might add extra toughness or other wow factor like a lion companion or steed. Some of this may be achievable with feats and reflavoring that's the great thing bout 5ed
#5 drizzt_zylo Jun 21, 2015 10:44:26	Also depending on how u divide up your levels I think you'll get between 5-7 feats/asi
#6 Vivaldi Jun 21, 2015 10:47:39	what's more important?  feats or stats?
#7 Yunru Jun 21, 2015 10:57:23	Stats are more important, feats are more interesting.
(Reply to #4) Cadburylion	drizzt_zylo wrote:
#9 drizzt_zylo Jun 21, 2015 13:29:51	If you can get DM permission you may be allowed a lion for find steed. Why do u need cr 6 lions are cr 1? U don't really need any familiar or anything cause barb grants advantage on str based checks I believe while raging and you can grant yourself advantage to attacks by granting everybody else advantage against you and may allow u to sneak attack as well. Monk will give you similar mobility extra beat down and effects but you wouldn't get expertise or sneak attack and instead of reducing any attacks damage you'll only reduce ranged attacks. Abjuration wizard (toughness not flavor) gives you rechargeable temp HP as well as warlock. Fighter will give you more attacks a bonus action healing and your choice of extravbeatdown+effects or extra chance of crit (don't think you'd want ek) I don't think pally offers much or cleric or bard or sorc but who knows have fun with it. I was gonna build a grappler something similar with trickster and knight allowing allsorts of combinations of actions.
#10 Cadburylion Jun 21, 2015 13:53:40	You make some really good points. I have a lot to consider there!   Right now multiclassing into Druid, Ranger, Fighter, or Rogue all seem to have a lot to offer. Ranger only if I can reskin a panther into a young or something, but I haven't looked into that class at all.
#11 drizzt_zylo Jun 21, 2015 14:12:39	The beast master ranger is considered by many a lackluster option and if it shines anywhere its later in levels. I have a thread somewhere about tweaking it some and I haven't been bumping it lately due to lack of responses but if you do find it you may add a line somewhere about action economy to where if you attack you allow your companion an attack once per round or something but regardless if you go this route talk with your DM about it if you agree the beast master needs some tweaking
#12 Macv12 Jun 21, 2015 16:53:13	Cadburylion wrote: