The base character classes in the latest editions of Dungeons and Dragons are both limiting and exceptional, for the same reasons. There is no denying the fact that characters like the raging barbarian, sneaky rogue, just and noble paladin, and serene monk are essentially archetypes everyone can relate to. Most players, especially those a bit seasoned, work hard to prove that there is a lot of freedom within those archetypes. However, due to a lot of unique factors in the latest edition, these characters have far more freedom than anyone seems to give them credit for without even a need for cross-classing.
Unfortunately, one of the most seemingly restricting classes to play is the barbarian, one of the third edition's most well-thought out additions. Far more than the fighter, whose wide selection of feats and generally cosmopolitan background leads to a variety of ideas, most barbarians tend to be pretty similar. Born on the fringes of normal culture, frequently with an abandonment or dark past tossed in for good measure, the barbarian sits on the front lines and rages away, dealing as much damage as possibly with that heavy, two-handed weapon until the fatigue sets in.
So, it seems appropriate that my task to help break out of these stereotypes alphabetically, with every class, begins here at barbarian. I will give a few suggestions for keeping the Barbarian class open, focusing both on combat and social skills, and then give two examples that differ from the standard rough-and-tumble barbarian - the Berserker-Priest and Nature's Child.
Unlike fighters, who tend to specialize in combat thanks to their amazing feat progression, barbarians tend to consolidate. They grab a couple of neat but standard feats in things like Power Attack, Cleave, Blind-Fight, and Improved Initiative, pick a nasty two-handed weapon to take advantage of that strength, and then go at it. As far as sheer damage goes, Barbarian's can't be matched when taking this strategy. Still, is that all that can be done?
Feats and skills, as always, are the saving grace of any major barbarian character. Obviously, in feats the fighter will always win, hands down. However, because the barbarian has infinitely more room as far as class abilities go, she can always pick and choose a few feats to really offset her abilities. In skills, however, the barbarian trumps the fighter with double the skill points per level. A few interesting options with skills in combat that benefit a barbarian well?
Intimidate comes to mind almost immediately, being an in-class skill. By playing up ranks in Intimidate every level, you stand a great chance to demoralize the opponent. Demoralizing for the barbarian is an excellent tactic; the -2 to Attack they receive completely negates your AC penalty, and the fact that the penalty extends to ability checks and saving throws is just plain mean, especially if your party has some spellcasting support. Going cross-class, Bluff has decent synergy with Intimidate, allowing the ability to feint in combat (normally a rogue tactic for the sneak attack bonus, but once again still effective), and enough ranks in Bluff can give you a bonus to your Intimidate checks - even when rage prevents use of Bluff.
Switching over to the feat side of things, there are a couple of more neglected feats that tend to work better with barbarians sporting non-traditional ability scores. Combat Expertise opens up fun alternatives like Improved Trip (which can also lead to the frightening Knock Down feat from Sword and Fist, and fun ways to use the spiked chain). With the Barbarian's increased movement, Spring Attack can also be absolutely brutal, with the Dodge-based feats helping out on the defensive end of things. Following that up is Whirlwind Attack, once again an Expertise feat - a whirlwind attack during a rage can easily turn the tides of an entire battle.
On the social end of things, the barbarian's increase in skills can actually make them much better socially than most fighters. Intimidate and Bluff were a combination mentioned in the combat section, but they probably excel even more as social maneuvers. Barbarians tend to be played as socially awkward, which is fine, but this can show up in many ways. A barbarian raised on the fringes of society may still be intelligent, and this perspective can give him a certain kind of wisdom. If you are choosing to play an outcast barbarian, figure out exactly where these social difficulties come into play, and your driving motivation is a good place to start.
To do that, let's look beyond the stereotypes. A half-orc raised by orcs grows up in bloodshed, but always found something fundamentally wrong with the orcish lifestyle, and left to be a traveler. There is a fine start to any character, and a common one for barbarians. But, this half-orc can have this background show up in a number of different ways. Perhaps the blood has hardened him, and his hatred for his orcish brethren results in shame of his own orcish blood. Because of this, he is especially sensitive to the jibes he receives for being half orcish himself.
This is fairly simple, but I always find the strongest characters come from life. Things are rarely so cut and dry in life, so there is no reason why they should be in a role-playing session. Maybe in response to his horrible upbringing, this half-orc goes to great lengths to hide his orcish blood as best as possible. Though a roamer, he watches outside most communities and tends to dress in a way familiar to them, although more conservative to hide his less human features. He is nervous around humans, eager to please, loathe to do anything that might make himself noticed. He envies humans for their purity, feeling that the orc blood is a taint, a fire that drives him wild at the sight of blood, and strives not just to be accepted by them, but to become one.
It could be taken the other direction, too. That envy of humans could result in a resentment towards them, which in turn could mean anything from surliness to flat out racial hatred. There are no limits to the options one has with almost every possible scenario. You'll see some examples of these in the sample barbarians I've put together.
The Berserker-Priest:
Drisys holds his sword out, hilt-first, in the traditional pose of offering. He focuses on the point, the silvered half-moon engraved on the hilt, and allows the glory of the Creator of all Elves to fill his mind. He holds the position, arms out, legs crossed, until the last star blinks into place. The nightly rituals are taxing, as always - beyond the physical cramping and soreness from the earlier battles, he is left with a mental fatigue that could only be washed away with prayer. Correllon Larethian has entrusted Drisys with the defense of the Golden City, and he will stay there, every night if need be, until the last vile beast is cleared from the land.
The Berserker-Priest is a concept I've toyed with many times before, and in fact one of my favorite recurring characters holds this title. These "priests" are frequently literate, very often born and raised in cities or other large communities, and possess a number of other characteristics that barbarians stereotypically do not. They are outsiders in the way that any priest is an outsider - anyone who devotes her life to a religious ideal for so long can never completely be a part of the society she protects. The Berserker-Priest is never a traditional part of a religious order, but may very well have been taught by that order, and almost always respected by it.
Berserker-Priests are especially well-suited to deities like Kord, Erythnull, and Gruumsh, but any chaotic deity could boast one. Elven followers of the Protector, Correllon Larethian, may want to serve but find no place in the traditional order, and even fun-loving, roguish servants of Olidamma may be found. In these cases, it is best to think of the class abilities of the barbarian as physical strengths deriving from strong faith. Drisys' intense love of his elven brethren and their god lets him move faster, go for longer, ignore wounds, and so on. In fact, I like to think of the rages not as rages, but rather as religious frenzies inspired by prayer. This could open up lots of interesting options - the meditating "monk" of Kord, an evil priest muttering a mantra and being filled with the blind fury of Erythnull, or perhaps even a Dionysian, reckless dance to the love of Olidamma.
For a decent example of how this could play out, check out Drisys, a tenth-level Berserker-Priest of Corellon Larethian:
Drisys, Male elf Barb10; CR10; Medium-size humanoid; HD 10d12+10; hp 77; Init +1; Spd 40 ft.; AC 18, touch 11, ff 17; Atk +15/+10 melee (1d8+4/17-20, +1 Keen longsword) or +12 ranged (1d8+3/x3, mwk. composite longbow); Improved Uncanny Dodge, Trap Sense +3, DR 2/--, Rage 3/day (+4 Att/Con, +2 Will saves, -2 AC), elf traits; AL CG; SV Fort +8, Ref +4, Will +3; Str16, Dex13, Con12, Int12, Wis10, Cha9.
Skills and Feats: 2 Skill Points spent for literacy, Intimidate +12, Listen +8, Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) +5, Knowledge (Religion) +7, Search +5, Spot +6; Weapon Focus (Longsword), Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack.
Not half bad at all. That AC, by the way, is the result of a heavy shield and elven chain armor. Drisys could be an incredibly fun character to play, and certainly not what most expect. Remember that in playing a Berserker-Priest like Drisys, think of the extra abilities from the barbarian class as gifts of the gods (in Drisys' case, Corellon Larethian). Drisys is chaotic, terrifying with a weapon in hand, can go into a horrible frenzy, all of the great parts of the barbarian class - without carrying over those other stereotypes. He's also very sophisticated and intelligent, with a decent knowledge of the inner workings of the Elven nobles, carries a killer Intimidate check despite the -1 to Charisma, and should be a fairly impressive addition to any combat sequence. Note how big of a change keeping Drisys rather intelligent was; in addition to having the extra skill points to burn for literacy (a must for a character like Drisys), he was also able to take what he needed in the important stats for adventuring and then go on to take the skills necessary for his religion.
Nature's Child:
Karm is a wild thing. He runs naked through the woods, tracking his prey with reckless abandon. His nails are long and hard, his body is caked with mud, his hair is wild. He is wild, and the forest intruders will be great prey for Karm. He will crack open their metal shells and spill their blood for spilling the blood of his forest. Karm stalks behind them, his bare feet making almost no noise in the wilderness. He hears them talking, knows their tongue from the whispers he has heard echoing through his head, shreds of humanity that fade when the wild takes over. And there he sees them, chopping at the great tree. The wild soul of the wood fills his head, and as the world turns blindly red, he hears himself screaming.
The Nature's Child is perhaps my favorite idea for a barbarian, although I haven't playtested it as a PC. It makes an excellent NPC, though, which is a good test, and I may very well incorporate one as a PC some time in the future. Above we saw the Berserker-Priest, who could be just as cosmopolitan as the next. The Berserker-Priest is probably literate, frequently highly intelligent, and driven by an intense religious fervor. The Nature's Child is so far from that concept as to be almost a different class entirely.
The Nature's Child is a wild man, someone perhaps with vague backgrounds in a normal society, but whose memories consist of the wild and the woods. They are always illiterate, using their fragments of common (and whatever other language they have perhaps learned) to converse with trees and rocks. They revere nature above all else, and seek to become a part of it. The character should be played as two characters, really - a strange, abandoned ranger-like character with very few ties to humanity, and a wild force of nature, who especially comes out during rages.
This can also lead to neat concepts for how your rage starts. It could be voluntary, as always - but a wild man may go berserk at the sight of injury, or the smell of blood. Or it can be something more esoteric, such as the animal in you rising up, like a wolverine.
For a Nature's Child type barbarian, consider alternatives to the standard weapons. Things that can be improvised or crafted from the woods would be ideal. Clubs work well, as do quarterstaffs, with two-weapon fighting working well. Improvised ranged weapons from slings to hurled stones work, too. Most of the druid weapons are appropriate, although I would consider shying away from things like scimitars and possibly even daggers, A stone axe is another neat alternative. In the example I used above, Karm carries no weapons besides a sling he devised from dried hide scrapings. He has let his nails grow long and tough, and fights with claws like a beast of the wild (Toughness and Improved Unarmed Strike work well here). Sword and Fist has tons of neat options as far as this goes, such as Fists of Iron - though obviously intended for a monk, it suits the Nature's Child class as well. Feign Weakness looks nice, too...
Armor is a little bit simpler. Hide armor is the most obvious choice, or you can go my route and choose no armor at all (granted, Karm is an extreme choice, used more for the roleplaying he provides than being the most effective barbarian in combat). Simple shields and bucklers could work as well. Just think of the options you could have in roleplaying a character like Karm - a wild man of the forest, a man with two souls. Perhaps he tracks the party as they go through his forest, or they attempt to humanize him. Perhaps he needs something that can't be found in the forest, or the more human side of him is seeking out his roots. You will find that the Nature's Child will be played like anything but the stereotypical barbarian - and that change can be excellent.
So, here's Karm, my tenth-level Nature's Child.
Karm, Male human Barb10; CR10; Medium-size humanoid; HD 10d12 +43; hp 108; Init +2; Spd 40 ft.; AC 12, touch 12, ff 10; Atk +13/+8 melee (1d6+2, fist) or +12 ranged (1d4+2, sling); Improved Uncanny Dodge, Trap Sense +3, DR 2/--, Rage 3/day (+4 Att/Con, +2 Will saves, -2 AC); AL CN; SV Fort +11, Ref +5, Will +3; Str14, Dex14, Con18, Int8, Wis10, Cha8.
Skills and Feats: Climb +12, Jump +8, Listen +9, Survival +12; Toughness, Improved Unarmed Strike, Weapon Focus (Unarmed), Deflect Arrows, Track.
There we go - interesting for a start, though obviously it'll need a lot of fine tuning that will only come out of playtesting. Sure, it won't be able to do as much damage as that 10th-level fighter wielding a magic greatsword, but you've got an original, non-stereotypical barbarian that could make any campaign interesting.
Anyways, that includes the first installment of Breaking Through Stereotypes. If there's a desire, I'll continue through the classes, alphabetically. Bard is next...
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"My death waits there, between your thighs..."
I also really like the examples you gave, but I thought they could be fleshed out a little bit more in the future. Not so much in the character ideas, but rather their creation. All you really tell us is a vague new look at the archetype (like the Berserker-Priest), then immediately create a new character to show us. It might be better if you went into the creation process with it.
Why add a VoP to this? As a character of the wild, you could normally associate little with others, but you will be very aware of what one needs in life. He will only need a sling, a lump of bread and a little sak to carry the sling and bread in. He sees the riches his companions gather, but does not care for them. Remembering how he himself was once nurtured (by whatever creature or human), he knows that such love is the best for someone else. Hence he asks his companions to 'give it to those who need it most', since he doesn't need it. He is very willing to help others, making sure his forests are save for all those who pass it.
This would give you another look at the Barbarian (that of benefactor, healer of many) that you also do not see very often. Barbarians I have seen roleplayed would rather keep what their companions give them and continue bashing things. In addition to that, it would enable you to play rather well in a group that is high on power. The vows will have been taken in silence (rather than simply speaking them out loud, he has made them with his heart)
Ferran, Male human Barb10; CR10; Medium-size humanoid; HD 10d12 +43; hp 105; Init +2; Spd 40 ft.; AC 20, touch 20, ff 18; Atk +15/+10 melee (1d4+5 (plus Golden Ice v.s. evil creatures), fist) or +14 ranged (1d4+4, sling); Improved Uncanny Dodge, Trap Sense +3, DR 2/--, Rage 3/day (+4 Att/Con, +2 Will saves, -2 AC), DR 5/magic, Endure Elements, Sustenance, AC Bonus +7, Exalted Strike +2, Mind shielding, Natural Armor +1; AL CG; SV Fort +12, Ref +6, Will +4; Str16, Dex14, Con18, Int8, Wis10, Cha8.
Skills and Feats: Climb +12, Jump +8, Listen +9, Survival +12; Sacred Vow, Vow of Poverty, Improved Unarmed Strike, Weapon Focus (Unarmed), Track, *Touch of Golden Ice, *Nimbus of Light, *Stigmata *Righteous Wrath, *Subduing Strike.
* Exalted Feats granted by VoP
I really can't see a Barbarian--even an Exalted one, and especially a "nature's child"--having Stigmata. That's just not his style. Tt's flashy, it's inconvenient, and animals can smell it!
On top of that: This sort of an individual wouldn't really be "religious." (Yes, you can be Exalted without being religious!) What he's learned of Good, he knows instinctively, just like he lives his life by instinct. Unlike most "feral" humanoids, this guy has a good nature rather than simply a neutral one, and when he gets rid of the trappings of wealth and completely ignores the give-and-take of "civilized society", that good nature just shines out. His "vow of poverty" is not a sacrifice; it simply comes naturally to him not to carry around more than he needs--and that, considering his knowledge of the natural world allows him to survive almost any wilderness terrain, is next to nothing.
He's probably not intelligent, since retreating to the wilderness and living like an animal is a reaction someone of high intelligence is prone to show. But, chances are, he's very wise. That high Wisdom score translates into almost animal-like instincts, so that he knows what is going on around him at all times, and may understand other people without ever having training in the social arts. It also allows him to see what it is to be a good person without intellectually having to grasp it. It gives him common sense and an understanding of the world around him, even though he may not think the way others do.
If anything, he is truly child-like; not naive, because he has seen and understands the brutality of the natural world; but innocent--he cannot even conceive of doing Evil; does not understand why people would choose to do wrong; doesn't see any other way to live than helping others and doing good. Perhaps his Rage ability is something of an animalistic fury against those who would hurt others--something that is so horrible to this animal-like, child-like man that it emotionally hurts him exalted barbarian to witness it--and he fights it the only way he knows how, in defense of the Good that is his very nature.
(See also: "Noble savage" theory. This is an extreme version of that. If you've read "Tarzan"--the original book, not any of the spinoffs--you know what I'm talking about).
Wow, I really liked this! Not so much as a mechanical guide, but because it illustrates the freedom everyone has within the current system, and really encourages breaking the mold.
I also really like the examples you gave, but I thought they could be fleshed out a little bit more in the future. Not so much in the character ideas, but rather their creation. All you really tell us is a vague new look at the archetype (like the Berserker-Priest), then immediately create a new character to show us. It might be better if you went into the creation process with it.
I agree with all of this. Conan isn't the only Barbarian example.
The Berserker-Priest is an interesting idea, points out that just because a character isn't a cleric, that doesn't mean they can't have a strong connection to a deity.
On the Exalted Barbarian
I really can't see a Barbarian--even an Exalted one, and especially a "nature's child"--having Stigmata. That's just not his style. It's flashy, it's inconvenient, and animals can smell it!
The idea behind stigmata was his intuitive drive to heal things he loves as well. I would imagine that such a barbarian has a pet squirrel or something alike. I would say that the intuitive training of healing someone would be something that an exalted character, even a barbarian, would use. And who says that animals dislike the smell of stigmata?
So, how about these folks--all Barbarians:
--The professional mercenary who has learned how to completely shut himself away from any emotion--especially fear--during battle, by completely giving himself over to the chaos of the fight. (Fighter/Barbarian)
--The soldier who discovered his sorcerous powers could be triggered by his own intense rage (Rage Mage).
--The cleric of Kord who shuns heavy armor in favor of a greatclub and revels in the joy of battle (Multiclass Cleric/Barbarian).
--The henchman of an underground crime lord... he's good at intimidating people and hitting them where it hurts--especially since his philosophy of fighting goes something like, "Don't bother protecting yourself--just hit 'em hard when they least expect it, and they'll go down before they have a chance to really hurt you". (Rogue/Barbarian)
--A monk's robes and empty hands don't always mean he was raised in a monastery. Rather, this man has discovered an innate talent that allows him to go into a sort of trance during battle, tapping into his inner energies to do more damage. He's always exhausted afterwards, though. (Barbarian focusing on unarmed attacks... I recommend VoP.)
The idea behind stigmata was his intuitive drive to heal things he loves as well. I would imagine that such a barbarian has a pet squirrel or something alike. I would say that the intuitive training of healing someone would be something that an exalted character, even a barbarian, would use. And who says that animals dislike the smell of stigmata?
I just don't think your average barbarian would think it very smart to go around in the wilderness with bleeding wounds... predators are gonna smell that.
However, it's really just flavor text; you could take the feat and say it just drains your life energy, rather than causing actual wounds. Same effect--more wilderness safety.
Lawful Barbarian
Unless you can convince the DM to let you continue progression sans rage, you're going to be an ex-Barbarian. A character that's physically tough and powerful, but grew up in a very rigid social structure where concepts like honor, authority, or survival of the fittest are held in exceptionally high esteem. Similar to Battletech's Clan warriors, a Wookie, or a Klingon. Not really primitive, or rejecting of complexity or superficiality; they just focus on physical strength more so than others.
Aboriginal
Another kind of Barbarian that wears little armor, if any, and usually hide or some non-metal armor. They concentrate largely on thrown weapons like the sling, bolas, or a throwing stick of some kind, in addition to bows. They can be fierce in melee too, wielding clubs, spears, and smaller axes.
Another idea I've been wanting to toy with, purely for novelty's sake, was a Barbarian (perhaps the next in line to lead the tribe) that was forced to go on a journey, and take with him, this gigantic weapon of some sort. Over the course of his time away, he would have to learn to master the sacred weapon after which, he could return back to his people to become the next leader. Actually, it's an excuse for me to see a Halfling Barbarian running around with a medium Greatsword or Orcish doubleax. Or a Human wielding some blade taken from a giant. Monkey grip is obviously mandatory. Probably require some levels in fighter to show the in depth training required to master the weapon. If I could get whirlwind attack and cleave, the idea of swinging a big blade around and lopping off half a dozen heads in one swing just sounds like a hoot.
This is the material I want to see in splatbooks, not more feats and Prestige Classes.
) I've been searching and haven't found any further posts... 
It's really good though.
I do want to thank you all for showing an interest in the article. Hopefully soon I'll get to the next one, assuming my internet connection actually begins working again (I'm posting this at a library).
Thanks,
Faithless the Wonder Boy
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"Yes, I always play Russian roulette in my head..."
Combat Expertise can't be used whilst raging, and that's the main benefit of the class. Combined with the lose of 2 points of AC, it doesn't work that well. Neither does trip, without an Intelligence of 13, you're not getting either and whilst Trip can help, it's detracting from your basic ability to Power attack and if it becomes redundant - it's another feat lost, worse still, Trip really needs Power Attack to back it up. Dodge, Mobility and Spring attack are long chains to take as well, whilst they can make something of it - it does come at a huge cost.
With the Fighter, these feats are only a small portion of what a Fighter can do. With the Barbarian, they're dedicated choices that limit their effectiveness. If a Barbarian takes, Dodge, Mobility, Expertise, Spring Attack, Improved Trip and Whirlwind attack - that's most of his feats gone, and some of those might be negated. Worse still is his progression, he has to try and make use of those feats or he's underperforming.
It's not so much a question of what you can Roleplay, but more how limited the class is in effectiveness for anything but Two handed poundings. It is dramatically simpler and more effective to focus on two handed weapons and focus on hitting people with it, that's more of a problem than the Roleplay limitations.
Having said that, if he doesn't do the Bard, I might have a go myself.
The idea behind stigmata was his intuitive drive to heal things he loves as well. I would imagine that such a barbarian has a pet squirrel or something alike. I would say that the intuitive training of healing someone would be something that an exalted character, even a barbarian, would use. And who says that animals dislike the smell of stigmata?
Another point of view: Stigmata could be explained in a "As a pack, we are strong. Alone, we die" kind of way. In a hostile environment, the strong give the weak some of their strength, so that the pack as a whole has better chances of survival. For a tribal barbarian, one whose tribe (or pack) is continuously surrounded by predators and low on ways of healing others quickly, Stigmata could be the 'ritual/spiritual' answer.
Outstanding post.