The Champion Barbarian

“I heard you just fine,” Einar said, taking a step toward the trio.

“So you can speak,” the man said. His companions sniggered, and the man on the left lifted his own bottle to his lips. “My friends and I were wondering, what do you need such a large sword for?”

“It's a tool of my trade,” Einar said.

“And what trade is that?” the drunkard asked, sneering before swigging again.

“Champion.”

All three of them laughed. Einar frowned, but said nothing while the riffraff guffawed. As their laughter grew louder, the street grew emptier. Travelers slipped down alleys or turned onto cross streets, eager to be away whatever was about to happen. By the time the black-banded brigands had finished, Einar stood alone in the late afternoon sun.

“A champion,” the leader said, putting a falsetto trill into his voice. “What kind of coward fights with a sword like that, eh?”

“Some men's tools are bigger than others,” Einar said with a shrug. “It's nothing for you to be ashamed of.”

The man to the left of the door sputtered, coughing cheap wine onto the dusty boards. The other door guard goggled. The third man stared, as if the northman had started barking at him.

“What did you say to me?” he demanded.

Einar smiled, showing square, white teeth. “I think you heard me well enough, friend. Or are you deaf, as well as ugly?”

The leader dropped his bottle, snatching at the butt of his cudgel. His stubby fingers were stupid with wine, and it took him a second longer than it might have had he been sober. In that lost moment Einar stepped onto the inn's porch, cupped the side of the man's neck, and heaved. The leader's head slammed into the support beam hard enough to shiver the timber, and he went down like he'd been poleaxed. With no lost motion Einar stepped over the leader, driving a heavy right hand into the second man's face. The guard's head smacked the solid wood wall, rattling his brains and rolling his eyes up to the whites.

“Inbred swine,” the last man spat. He threw his empty bottle aside, snatching his knife from its sheathe. “I'll take that out of your hide!”

He slashed, and the dagger's edge dug a shallow trench across Einar's brigandine. Metal screeched against metal, and Einar grabbed the man's knife wrist. The knife fighter let go of the knife, catching it in his free hand as he drew back for another blow. Einar drove his forehead down into the daggerman's face, and blood spurted as the smaller man's nose broke. The man with the black band shook the stars from his eyes, trying to stab Einar. Einar shifted his weight, and threw his opponent bodily into the street. The daggerman sprawled, the knife went flying, and before he could scramble to his feet Einar leaped after him. The northerner brought his boot down hard; ribs cracked, and the sprawled head cracker let out a howl choked with blood.

Before you call the tune, be sure you're ready to dance.

This week's character concept and into segment is brought to you by my latest book, The Rejects. The segment is from the story titled Champion For Hire, and if you're a fan of gritty, barbaric brawls I highly recommend giving it a look.

Who Do You Stand For?

Barbarians are terrifying warriors, able to call on reserves of strength and strange powers the likes of which other combatants simply cannot match. However, while some barbarians hone their skills through long practice and many battles, others may be given their powers in order to stand as champions. As I pointed out in 50 Shades of Rage: Flavoring The Barbarian's Signature Ability, Rage Powers can have all sorts of origins in a character's story... so why not as a gift so they may defend a people, or a cause?

None dare face the Dragon Prince in single combat when he takes his war form.

As an example, a barbarian with the dragon totem Rage Powers might have grown into them naturally, being selected to stand as the royal champion to the Dragon Throne. Perhaps they are the latest in a long line of warriors to develop such potent abilities, or perhaps the Great Dragon chooses them at random, bestowing their blessing on the warriors they see fit. Alternatively, your champion may have been raised in the Faith of Bones, undergoing a ritual where they drink the black blood of the champions who came before them, filling them with the spirits of departed warriors who fight alongside them when they let forth their Rage in the form of the spirit totem rage powers. They may have made a deal with powers of the fey for strength and savagery, but they are now tied to the forces of the First World with abilities like Spring Rage, allowing their ferocity to ignore the passage of time and the wasting of their bodies, fighting as if they were in the prime of their youth until the day they die.

All barbarians can fight, but the key for a champion is that they fight for someone, or something. It could be an individual they represent in duels (the very literal sense of a champion), or they could be chosen by a greater power. It might be a lineage, a kingdom, a knightly order, or even a god. What makes a champion really stand out, though, is that the powers they wield are often tied to the cause they fight for thematically, if not mechanically.

The barbarian in question may not even know they've been made a champion at first. But if word of their abilities spreads through their Small Legend, then they may find themselves being sought by faiths, orders, or families who expect them to take up arms in their name. Alternatively, a barbarian may have given a vow to become a champion, but turned away from those they once stood for... in these instances, that betrayal is not likely to be forgotten any time soon.

Position, Privilege, and Plot

Champion barbarians are some of the easiest characters to pull into plots, and they can be some of the more engaging characters to play. However, it's important for the player to know (and to work out with their DM) some of the following points:

- Whose Champion Are You?: Whether it's a martial order, a noble family, a town, a city, a religious sect, a cult, or an actual god, you should know whose interests you're fighting for.

- How Do Your Powers Reflect This?: Not all these powers are flashy. A barbarian champion of Cayden Cailean may take the Rage Powers roaring drunk and good for what ails you to reflect their communion with the drunken god of bravery. However, a champion of the fire lords might have the elemental rage powers instead, their wrath manifesting in blue flames leaping from their fists and weapons, and eventually healing them as it fuels their inner furnace.

- How Did You Acquire Your Powers?: This can be as involved or not as your story dictates. You may have been a weak foundling taken in by the Brotherhood of Blood, crippled and starved until you endured the Rites of The Beast. This made you strong and fast, but also granted you the beast totem Rage Powers as you grew into the savage ferocity of what the rite did to you. Alternatively, your Rage may have manifested spontaneously, the jutting horns and armored carapace allowing you to transform into a devil's champion due to a curse in your blood, or a vow given by your parents or grandparents.

- Do You Fight For The Same Person Who Gave You Your Powers?: While your powers may come from one source, that doesn't necessarily mean it's the person you fight for now. Whether the infernal champion turns their wrath upon demons and devils to protect the innocent, or the beast brother seeks to turn back the agents of the Brotherhood, just because your powers are derived from one place doesn't mean you're bound to serve those interests if you don't wish to. However, that conflict could also provide ripe story for the DM, as well as a potential source of NPCs on the hunt to make an example of your barbarian (or people who fear them because of where their powers come from, even if they depend on the champion's strength to protect them).

Once you have answers to these questions, and you've worked out the details with your DM, you should be on the way to creating a champion barbarian. Also, for more inspiration, don't forget to check out 5 Tips For Playing Better Barbarians!

Like, Follow, and Stay Tuned For More!

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.

For more of my work, check out my Vocal and Gamers archives, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my most recent collection of short stories The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

The Unexpected Barbarian

Alvin Dragonborn is one of the most infamous of the realm's crown princes. A tall, broad-shouldered youth, his handsome face is nearly as famed as the powerful sword arm he loves to show off at tournaments. That dragon on his shield and armor isn't just for show, however. Those who've come to grips with the princeling in field melees have said that when the horn blows and battle is joined, his eyes glow bright within his helm. Scales and claws spring out over his arms, and his roars are more those of a beast than of a man.

Because, contrary to popular belief, you can find barbarians anywhere. If you look hard enough for them.

Sometimes you don't even have to look very hard.

How Can You Do That?

The example I opened with isn't some unusual archetype, or some multiclass concept. As long as you take a feat like Noble Scion at level one, or even a trait like Prince/Princess, you have the character's noble background taken care of. At that point all you need to do is take barbarian levels, the same as you would with any other warrior of passion.

Problem?

I can hear the clearing of throats, and the, "actually, you can't," warm-ups already, so allow me to quote Pathfinder's core rule book. On page 31, the barbarian class description boasts this line, "These brutal warriors might rise from all walks of life, both civilized and savage..."

What that means, ladies and gentlemen of the dice cup, is that there is no restriction on where barbarians come from. While you can take the Urban Barbarian archetype if you want to change-up your Rage, you aren't required to do so just to play a city character with barbarian levels. If you want to play a back-alley bruiser, a war hero, a noble champion, or even a fist of the church (a role typically fulfilled by a paladin, warpriest, or cleric), you can do it with the barbarian class. In fact, with the right traits, and perhaps a level dip in another class, it's possible to make up for the barbarian's lack of skills, while still enjoying Rage Powers, a banging Fortitude save, decent armor proficiencies, and the ability to swing one hell of a big ax.

It's also important to remember that the barbarian class isn't reserved specifically for humans. Sure, we've seen our share of barbarian half-orcs, but what else could you do with it? Make a dwarven shield captain, whose Rage Powers are all about goading his enemies into attacking (which is a nasty combination when put together with the Stalwart Defender prestige class)? Perhaps you'd prefer an elven dervish that's part of Kyonin's elite guards, and who turns into a whirlwind of steel when battle is joined, sundering enemies' shields and armor with hammer blows from her curved blade? Perhaps a tiefling barbarian enlisted in the Worldwound crusade, turning his passions and deadly inherited powers, against the forces of the abyss who helped birth him?

Barbarian is Not a Job Description

As I mentioned in What's in a Name? How Your Character's Class is Limiting Your Creativity, no one goes around calling himself a barbarian. This is especially true if someone says, "so, what skills do you bring to this endeavor?"

There are so many different ways you can describe yourself.

 

The thing that barbarians all share, based on the class description, is a passion, and a fury, that is only truly unleashed in combat. However, the places barbarians come from are as wide and varied as the forms their Rage takes, once it's let loose to ravage the battlefield.

If you enjoyed this post, but you're still looking for inspiration, you might want to check out 5 Tips For Playing Better Barbarians, as well as 50 Shades of Rage: Flavoring The Barbarian's Signature Power.

Also, for those who are interested, Prince Alvin Dragonsborn is now a part of Dungeon Keeper Radio! Check out his debut in the first episode of Mythconceptions monthly, "Barbaric Assumptions."

Like, Follow, and Stay Tuned For More!

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 game master.

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my alley cat noir novel Marked Territory, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my most recent collection of short stories The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

The Barbarian Samurai

This entry marks the third in my unusual character concept series, along with previous titles like The Barbarian Android and The Risen Antipaladin. So, would you like to see this continue as an on-again-off-again feature on the Table Talk page, or would you prefer to see Character Concepts as a page unto itself with more regular updates? Leave a comment below and tell me your thoughts on this potential alteration to Improved Initiative's lineup.

And now, without further delay, let's talk about...

The Barbarian Samurai

Rarely are two classes considered more at opposite ends of the spectrum than these two. On the one end, we have warriors with the wrath of totemic spirits and ancient powers flowing through their veins, and on the other we have disciplined soldiers who have spent a lifetime mastering the arts of war. They're lions and tigers... and the Babarian Samurai is the terrifying liger you get as a result.

Don't make him angry. You won't like him when he's angry.

Let's start with the mechanical end of this concept. Contrary to popular belief, samurai can be of any alignment. Their loyalty to their lord doesn't require them to obey any other laws, which means that a barbarian's ban against a lawful alignment is not a barrier to this mash-up.

Now, as with any other classes, you will get the most power by taking a straight samurai, or a straight barbarian. By mixing the two you're going to have weakness in your reflex and fortitude saves (which you may want to offset with feats and/or magic items), and your class-dependent abilities (certain Rage Powers and class features like Mount or Challenge) are never going to reach their full potential. Your base attack bonus won't suffer, though, and several of your abilities are going to fit together like a hand and a glove.

Specifically your two big Rs: Rage and Resolve.

Rage, as we all know, is a barbarian's bread and butter. It boosts your strength, gives you access to additional Rage Powers, and gives you temporary hit points. It does, however, leave you fatigued after you've finished. While you could take the Roused Anger Rage Power to Rage while you're fatigued, you're going to be exhausted for 10 minutes per round you raged when you come out of it. An easier solution is to burn your Resolve to remove the fatigued condition. This lets you cycle back into fighting form a certain number of times per day without any draw back.

While that's the main trick for this combination, there are other benefits. For example, the extra damage you deal from your increased strength, combined with extra damage from Rage Powers, combined with extra damage from feats like Weapon Specialization (thanks to the Weapon Expertise ability of the Samurai) is going to quickly make you a terror on the battlefield.

With all of that said, it is very important for you to figure out which class you're going to take more levels of, and why. For example, you might only take 4 levels of samurai, and take the rest of your progression in barbarian to focus on gaining the Spirit Totem Rage Powers. Maybe you decide to take two levels of barbarian for Uncanny Dodge and a Rage Power that has a simple, flat use (like Smasher, Advanced Player's Guide 76, which lets you ignore an object's hardness when making a sunder), and build the rest of the character as a samurai. That decision is up to you, and it will depend on what you want to accomplish with your character's story.

Honor and Glory

So, now that we've explored the mechanical benefits of this multiclass concept, how would you make it work in your campaign? After all, these two archetypes don't really make sense together... do they?

You've obviously not read this book, BUT YOU SHOULD!

As I said in What's In A Name? How Your Character Class Is Limiting Your Creativity, we tend to get hung up on what we think a class should be because of the name. No one in your game world goes around describing someone's job as a barbarian, and just because someone introduces himself as a samurai, that doesn't mean he isn't just a noble from Tian Xia with nothing but Magus levels on his sheet. So let's leave the labels aside, and ask what someone who possesses great battle fury, dedication to a leader, and who draws strength from honor could be.

Is this character, for example, a sworn sword to a barbarian chief or orc warlord? Characters like Khal Drogo's blood riders in A Game of Thrones would fit this mold quite nicely; mounted furies who fight with their own strength, and for the strength of the man they've sworn their allegiance to. Perhaps the PC is young, and has been sent on a quest by his leader to prove himself, which gives the DM a more than adequate plot hook to pull the character into the plot, even if his lord is from a far-away place.

Let's flip the coin and look at it from the other angle. Say that your character is a sworn soldier in the service of the emperor, fulfilling the look and feel of a traditional samurai. While he has personal discipline, and follows orders, there is something that lives in him that fuels his sword arm beyond Honor and a desire to serve his liege. Perhaps it's the spirits of his ancestors (made manifest by the Spirit Totem Rage Power), or perhaps it's an ancient bloodline traced back to the oni who dwell in his family's lands (represented by the Fiend Totem Rage Power). The emperor values him for his strength and his strange gifts, even if those very powers make his commanders whisper behind their hands, and his allies look at him askance. This is the kind of warrior who would be sent on missions alone, trusting to his fury and bizarre abilities to complete missions where lesser men would fail.

Or, perhaps you do away with the Eastern iconography entirely and follow the suggestions I made in my post Want To Play A Samurai, But Your DM Said No? Try Calling It A Knight Instead! After all, there are very few reasons for someone to come to the Inner Sea all the way from Tian Xia, but it would be pretty common for a mercenary from the Land of the Linnorm Kings to be risen to knighthood in Taldor for his deeds in the field. Nidalese field commanders may well be trained and tortured until they have merged brute ferocity with sheer determination, becoming black-clad heralds of the agonies of Zon Kuthon.

If you like this concept, you should also check out the following posts for additional inspiration:

- 5 Tips For Playing Better Barbarians
- 50 Shades of Rage: Flavoring The Barbarian's Signature Power

Wrapping Up

In short, there is a lot of cool flavor you can get from merging these two classes. Maybe you want to play a ferocious mounted warlord, but don't care for the Mounted Fury archetype. Maybe you want a barbarian with a katana who specializes in single-stroke kills. Or perhaps you haven't quite doped out where you want to go, but you think this mix has potential.

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.

For more of my work, check out my Vocal and Gamers archives, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!