The man who stood before him was no stripling, and there was strength in his heavy chest and shoulders. But he looked no different than a dozen other dirt-streaked warriors who had taken the field that day. With his wild hair and thorny beard, there was nothing unusual about him at a glance. Certainly nothing that would warrant the reverence of those who parted to let him stand within the Ring of Skulls.
"No," the man said, shaking his head. "My name is Einar. I am but a vessel."
The Great Fang snorted, and spat, he hefted his ax high, and charged across the circle, bellowing his war cry. As the ax came down, though, there was a shift in the wind. A tension in the air, like the calm just before a storm. Faster than the eye could blink, the man called Einar drew his blade, and crashed it into the ax. The steel head creaked, then exploded in shards of burning metal. The Fang staggered back, his eyes wide. The man followed him, walking calmly. The steel fragments had bounced off his skin, and his eyes burned with a bright, white light.
"I am the Sword," the man said, his voice booming like thunder. "And now you, too, shall know the storm."
 |
| Do not challenge the gods. They may accept. |
The Wrath of The Gods
When most of us picture a barbarian, we imagine someone like Conan or Kull. Warriors who rely on their own wits and strength, with no concern for the gods and spirits of the world around them. They believe in steel and strength, not in magic or in the aid of the divine.
The Righteous Barbarian, though, has dedicated themselves to the service of a god... or gods.
What form this dedication takes can vary wildly, depending on the origin and style of the character. For example, the character may be a member of a holy order of knights who is filled with righteous fury when taking the field in service of their god. They might be a tribal protector, tattooed with the sigils of their clan totem in order to summon the power of that spirit in defense of their people. In some cases, the warrior may even be possessed by a spirit, being dragged into situations it demands whether they want to be involved or not.
Whether it's simply a cultural or religious belief, an oath the character has sworn, a mechanical implication of their rage powers (as I mentioned back in 50 Shades of Rage: Flavoring The Barbarian's Signature Class Feature), or some combination of all of them, the Righteous Barbarian is the sword of the gods.
Build Recommendations
The first thing you need to ask yourself for this concept is how big a part of the character's life the divine plays a hand. On the smaller end of the scale, the Righteous Barbarian is simply a faithful warrior who shapes their life, morality, and what sort of causes they support. Larger forms of divine involvement include things like celestial totem rage powers, or for those who want to go the bloodrager route taking appropriate bloodline powers to tie you to the greater powers (including the celestial bloodline, or taking something like the abyssal or infernal bloodline and turning those powers against evil). The character may receive dreams from the divine, or see signs of the gods' displeasure much like a cleric would, but it's more of an occasional, instinctual call from their patron than a direct connection.
The most extreme version of the Righteous Barbarian is when the character is a direct instrument of the divine... willingly, or not. A character with the trait possessed for example has a spirit that lives within them, and whispers to them. Someone who gains a cohort, or who acquires an unusual mount or familiar (through the Eldritch Heritage feat tree, or by taking the Familiar Bond feat tree) could use that creature as a conduit to their deity, listening to what they demand of them. Characters who are at the most extreme end of this concept may even go into fugue states when they Rage, channeling the powers of the divine through themselves, having little to no memory of who they were (or what they did) during combat. These characters may even be prone to black outs, finding the gods control them when they attempt to go against their wishes, dragging them forcibly into adventures.
How deeply the concept runs in your character is entirely up to you!
Also, for more tips on making your barbarians unique, make sure you check out 5 Tips For Playing Better Barbarians, along with the rest of my ongoing 5 Tips series!
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That's all for this installment of Unusual Character Concepts. Hopefully this one gave you something to chew over, whether you're a player, or a dungeon master.
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I dont know whats going on with all the crazies in this comments section... but, what sort of build I would love to see is a Tactician Barbarian, like a general of an army. Seems like a stark contrast, but I'm sure you could find a way to make it work!
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