The most recent patch for Baldur's Gate 3 now has three warrior classes and the barbarian is one of the most simple classes in the entire game, as it's all about hitting the enemy as hard as possible.
The barbarian class uses the Rage feature to drastically increase its strength in combat, while also making it harder to kill. This extra power comes with limitations, as Rage can only be used a few times per long rest and it can only be maintained for a minute. The Rage effect is also broken if the barbarian hasn't attacked an enemy or been attacked by the end of the turn, or if they're incapacitated in any way. The extra damage and the resistances provided by Rage more than make up for its limitations, as a minute should be more than enough time to grind enemies into the dust.
The response to the barbarian coming to Baldur's Gate 3 was mixed, but its abilities were probably the easiest of the remaining classes to develop for the game. Baldur's Gate 3 has altered many of the D&D classes to make them better fit the video game format, making them stronger in the process. The barbarian is no exception, as its subclasses are stronger in Baldur's Gate 3 than they are in the Player's Handbook.
Frenzy Is Way Better In Baldur's Gate 3 Than In D&D
The Path of the Berserker is a barbarian subclass that is present in Baldur's Gate 3, where it's called the Berserker. The Berserker's Rage feature is upgraded into Frenzy, which allows them to make an additional attack using a bonus action on their turn. In D&D, Frenzy inflicts a point of exhaustion, which can be extremely debilitating. As the exhaustion rules don't exist in Baldur's Gate 3, the barbarian doesn't suffer them while using Frenzy. The Frenzy mode also allows the character to use the Enraged Throw ability, allowing them to throw items or small creatures at an enemy, knocking them prone.
The Totem Warrior From D&D Has Been Overhauled For BG3
In D&D, there is a barbarian archetype called Path of the Totem Warrior. This subclass is in Baldur's Gate 3, but it has undergone a number of changes. For one thing, the class is now called the Wildheart, which might tie into how D&D has changed aspects of its lore in recent times. The Wildheart has retained the ability to cast speak with animals, but the Totem Spirits have changed and are now called Hearts. In D&D, the player can choose from the Bear, Eagle, and Wolf. These are present in Baldur's Gate 3, but they have new abilities, and there are two new spirits in the group - Elk and Tiger.
The Bear Heart grants the barbarian an ability called Unrelenting Ferocity while raging, which heals 1d8+2 hit points. The Eagle Heart now grants the Diving Strike action, which allows the barbarian to perform a leaping attack against the enemy. The Wolf Heart has the Inciting Howl ability, which grants allies extra movement speed. These abilities drastically improve the Path of the Totem Warrior and it wouldn't be surprising to see them appear in the 5.5 D&D rules update. The barbarians in Baldur's Gate 3 more than live up to barbarians of Dungeons & Dragons in of ferocity.
