One Page 2024 Berserker Tier 1 (Levels 1-4)

Playstyle Summary

Primal rage meets brute strength. The Berserker Barbarian is a frontline punisher who thrives in the thick of combat. Your job is simple: soak hits, dish out punishment, and control the battlefield. Just don’t burn yourself out too early.

Tier 1 Identity

• Role: Frontline bruiser and damage sponge
• Core Mechanics: Rage (Level 1), Reckless Attack (Level 2), Frenzy (Level 3)

General Strategy

• Don’t stress over defense — your job is to take hits, not avoid them.
  • A party member with bonus action heals (such as Healing Word or Lay on Hands) is a great complement.
• Rage + Reckless Attack + Positioning = your trifecta.
• Use your body to block fragile allies and force enemies to go through you.
• Opportunity Attacks benefit from Reckless Attack (advantage and rage damage, but not Frenzy’s bonus damage).

Action Economy

• Action: 99% of the time, you'll use Attack.
• Bonus Action:
  • If not raging → Rage.
  • If you didn’t attack this turn → Use a bonus action to maintain Rage.
• Reaction: Mostly for Opportunity Attacks. Some species (e.g., Infernal Tiefling’s Hellish Rebuke) may have additional uses.
• Movement: Close the gap and get into melee. Use weapon mastery positioning:
  • Cleave near two targets
  • Topple against high-value foes

Sample Turn

1. Bonus Action: Rage (if not already raging).
2. Declare Reckless Attack: Required to activate Frenzy's bonus damage. Unless you're near 0 HP, it's usually worth it. (No action or bonus action cost.)
3. Action: Attack. Don’t forget Rage and Frenzy bonus damage.
   • Cleave: if positioned well
   • Topple: if knocking someone prone benefits your party

Pro Tip: Remember, sheathing a weapon is a free action, and you can draw a weapon as part of the attack action. Try to keep 2-3 different weapons that you can switch to depending on the best mastery for the situation. Weapon masteries are your bag of tricks.