Whirlwind-Barbarian
This build from reddit user Holiday-Driver-9439 is focused on a barbarian/warlock who uses the Aspect of the Tiger to target as many people as possible with a bound weapon.
Overview of the build
The creator describes this build as:
Are you looking to play a barbarian who's a whirlwind of attacks just like in another video game? Or perhaps you just wanted to see the most # of attacks a martial can do? or maybe you just have this image of a raging warrior instilling fear as they cut through enemy lines? if yes, this is the right place!
Stats
Str: 15 (+2) Dex: 12 Con: 13 Int: 8 Wis: 10 Cha: 15 (+1) +2 ASI
Level breakdown and order
The Great Old One Warlock 5/Wildheart Barbarian 5/Fighter 2
Important selections or benefits are listed by level. If a feature isn't indicated any can be picked.
Race: Duergar for non-concentration Enlarge and Invisibility
Warlock 1 - Great Old One. Cantrips: Minor Illusion. Spells: Hellish Rebuke Armour of Agathys
Warlock 2 -
Warlock 3 - Pact: Pact of the Blade, Spell: Mirror Image
Barbarian 1
Barbarian 2 - Wildheart, select Tiger for Tiger's Bloodlust
Barbarian 3
Barbarian 4 - Feat: Great Weapon Master or Feat: Alert
Barbarian 5 - Extra Attack
Warlock 4 - Feat: Ability score improvement for Charisma +2
Warlock 5 - Pact blade Extra Attack for 3 total attacks, Spell: Counterspell
Fighter 1 - Fighting Style: Great Weapon Fighting
Fighter 2 - Action Surge
Important Basic Equipment
Simple Toxin coating
A Piercing weapon - Versatile weapon like a Trident if using Great Weapon Master or any other if not.
Key Magic Items
Nyrulna this weapon has nice base dmg and helps you move from one enemy to the next with Veil of the wind and Zephyr Flash (Weapon Action). Zephyr Break (Weapon Action) gives you a ranged option for when you run out of movement.
Bhaalist Armour for Aura of Murder (Condition) to grant Vulnerable to piercing damage. With lots of attacks, dmg bonuses and a piercing weapon, this was a no-brainer.
The Dead Shot grants Improved Critical Hit - While the author doesn't advocate crit-fisher builds, this type of build would be the exception due to the sheer number of attacks that can help trigger crits for 2 benefits: GWM bonus attack and Mortal Reminder Feared (Condition)
Additional helpful items/buffs
This build will be making a significant number of attacks so anything that adds damage per hit will have a large impact such as:
Dark Justiciar Gauntlets (Rare)
Tactics
Pre-combat
- Cast L3 Armour of Agathys
- Use Minor Illusion to group up enemies.
- Apply Simple Toxinpre-combat if possible.
- Cast Mirror Image pre-combat if possible.
- Toggle great weapon master as needed.
1st Turn
- Reaction: Counterspell or Hellish Rebuke as needed if enemies go first.
- Move: Approach a cluster of enemies
- Bonus Action: Rage: Tiger Heart
- Action: Tiger's Bloodlust 3x with Reckless Attack
- Action Surge: Tiger's Bloodlust 3x with Reckless Attack
2nd turn and Beyond
- Move: Approach a cluster of enemies
- Action: Tiger's Bloodlust 3x with Reckless Attack
- Bonus Action: Great Weapon Master: Bonus Attack or Use potions/oils/toxins
Damage Breakdowns
Burst
6 Trident attacks, each 1d8 + 5 Cha + 10 Great Weapon Master: All In + 2 Rage: Tiger Heart for an average of 4.5 + 5 + 10 + 2 = 21.5 per attack for 129 total if all hit due to Reckless Attack
Assuming 3 targets for Tiger's Bloodlust, total of 387 damage if all hit.
Additional damage items will stack on top.
Sustained
3 Trident attacks, each 1d8 + 5 Cha + 10 Great Weapon Master: All In + 2 Rage: Tiger Heart for an average of 4.5 + 5 + 10 + 2 = 21.5 per attack for 64.5 total if all hit due to Reckless Attack
Assuming 3 targets for Tiger's Bloodlust, total of 387 damage if all hit.
Additional damage items will stack on top.
Resource Usage
Assuming a 3 combat baseline before long resting with 2 short rests in between.
Armour of Agathys x3 (we will assume AOA gets depleted every combat)
Rage charges x3
6 L3 pact slots (3 spares) and 3 rages (no spare).
Each combat there will be 1 Warlock slot free for Hellish Rebuke, Counterspell, etc.
Variant
The Great Old One Warlock 5/Wildheart Barbarian 6/Fighter 1 or The Great Old One Warlock 5/Wildheart Barbarian 7 or The Great Old One Warlock 5/Wildheart Barbarian 6/War Domain Cleric 1
Select Aspect of the Beast (Wolverine) to add Maimed (Condition) to each attack with Bleeding (Condition) which is granted by Tiger's Bloodlust. Instead of an ASI, take the Mobile feat to avoid an Opportunity Attack from an enemy.
This version sacrifices a nova round and Second Wind healing for additional control by reducing enemy speed to 0. With a companion who can apply Prone (Condition) enemies will be unable to act because they have 0 movement, and thus cannot stand up from prone. Without applying Prone, enemies can make ranged or magic attacks, but cannot melee attack. Stepping out of range after attacking by using Mobile avoids an Opportunity Attack and leaves an enemy without ranged attacks or magic without any actions to take. However, this variant requires additional support from a second character for full effect and relies on items to increase Charisma, rather than an Ability Improvement. Fighter 1 still grants a Fighting Style. War Cleric 1 grants an additional attack from War Priest to replace the full Action Surge.