Berserker Barbarian Build and Guide
If you are ready and willing to get dirty (and bloody), by any means possible – then the Berserker Barbarian subclass is for you.
True to its name, the Berserker is filled with chaotic possibilities, but luckily, it is streamlined and not complicated to play.
With every level bringing more and more to the table: more damage, more health, and more action points, the Berserker calls on its rage and frenzy abilities to deal a ton of damage in multiple attacks per turn.
The Berserker is a great addition to any party and can hold its ground, more than most, offering some pretty creative and sometimes hilarious options to defeating your enemies, not limited to throwing other characters and objects around to get the job done!
Find out where the Barbarian ranks in our Baldur’s Gate 3 class tier list.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- High melee damage options with the ability to improvise and throw items for even more damage
- High survivability with a large health pool and resistant to melee damage
- Great utility – extra attacks, able to Intimidate, cheat death, and resist Charm/Frighten at higher levels
Cons
- Not likely to pass Intelligence checks and can be weak to Magic Damage
- Cannot cast magic, use scrolls, or wear heavy armor with Rage/Frenzy active
- Movement range suffers for melee combat in early levels
All Barbarian subclasses have access to Rage, but the Berserker relies on their Rage to Frenzy during combat, which is a way to enhance their Strength and improve their Strength-based damage, as well as their resistances to melee attacks.
On the other hand, the Wildheart subclass of Barbarian is limited to whichever specific animalistic heart aspect is chosen and this can become complicated depending on how you want to play your Barb, and for the most part, Wildheart is only beneficial as a situational subclass since it plays more of a supporting role rather than a high physical damage role.
Either way, Berserker is a great choice for a Barbarian since they are an excellent melee damage subclass, within melee range distances, as well as within mid-range distances.
With decent initiative, and even higher initiative by Level 7, the Berserker boasts the ability of an extra attack per turn by Level 5, and the ability to throw objects (and even other characters) at enemies while shrugging off damage like a scuffed rock.
Berserkers should use their Rage/Frenzy skill at the beginning of a fight, as it lasts for 10 turns. However, it is recommended to use it only once they can do damage or are going to be dealt damage or it will fall off and have to be initiated again. This means they may have to use Dash or use a Potion of Speed to get into the fray as quickly as possible.
As a Berserker levels, they unlock more ways to do heavy melee damage. One amazing example is at Level 9 – using the Brutal Critical Feat, a Berserker can initiate rolls on Critical Melee Hits (to have a chance at dealing extra damage on hit).
Early on, Levels 2-3, they still have access to high damage attacks like Reckless Attack and Frenzied Strike. They also have access to Enraged Throw which can make use of a melee weapon, an object, or anything they have enough strength to lift near them, and throw it at enemies. Note: Enraged Throw deals Bludgeoning damage and can knock enemies prone as well!
While enraged or frenzied, using Mindless Rage at Level 6, Berserkers cannot be charmed or frightened, which is a huge advantage when you are up against magical enemies that like to chain charm.
Even the sheer presence of a Barbarian Berserker can sway a fight with their Intimidation Proficiency, which may cause enemies to lose a turn during combat or can boost advantage during dialogue within the story. The ability to Frighten comes at level 10 with your Intimidating Presence.
Additionally, Berserkers have a chance at cheating death with Relentless Rage at Level 11, which involves a Constitution-based saving throw to stay alive with just 1 Health Point remaining so that they can turn the tide of a close-call fight.
The main downside to a Berserker is that while tapping into their primal Rage/Frenzy, they cannot use magic or scrolls, or wear Heavy Armor. They also require to be within melee range and mid-range distances to do damage, meaning they can have some trouble depending on the landscape of a battle.
Playing alone, without a party, is not recommended unless you have a lot of health potions and greater speed potions. Your companions will have to heal you but the damage you deal will be worth it.
Races, Background, and Skills
The Recommended Race for Barbarian Berserker subclass is Half-Orc.
Whatever the case, and whichever race you choose, it is recommended to start with 16+ STR and 16+ CON, while keeping your DEX and WIS reasonable and not in the negative.
Half-Orcs have a decent movement speed of 9m and later, at Level 5, Berserker gets Fast Movement which adds 3m, so you don’t need to be of an Elven race to get into melee range during combat on your first turn.
Additionally, at Level 6, Berserkers can use Mindless Rage which is triggered by being Frenzied, which you will always want to be, and while active, they cannot be Charmed or Frightened. Therefore, choosing Wood Half-Elf becomes less desirable.
Even so, the best reason for choosing Half-Orc for your Berserker, is because of the racial feature called Savage Attacks, which grants your damage dice to be tripled instead of doubled when you land a Critical Hit, and this is key – to be a mean green fighting machine!
When it comes to Backgrounds, anything with proficiency in Athletics, Intimidation, and Survival works.
Outlander and Soldier are good choices, though this may come down to your own specific preference, but do note: Athletics Proficiency is definitely preferred.
Equipment
Currently, the best equipment is limited due to the unknown additions on release, but for the most part, you want to use two-handed weapons like Greatswords/Greataxes.
Another option is taking the Dual-Wielder Feat, and using two weapons, but it is not recommended as a Berserker due to low synergy and may be more useful to a Wildheart Barb.
With Unarmoured Defense, as a Shield Dwarf, you can also choose to not wear any armor since your CON Modifier is added to your Armor Class, but if you want to wear armor, choose anything that doesn’t slow you down or doesn’t have any negative effects on your AC and movement. Note: You cannot use Heavy Armor because it will impede your ability to Rage/Frenzy.
Speaking of movement, if you wear equipment, you’ll want equipment that boosts your movement speed, your speed in general, as well as your ability to heal on hit or heal when getting hit.
Your best friends (besides your companions) will be health potions and potions of speed so that you can get into melee range during combat right away.
Personally I preferred the Everburn Blade that dropped from killing Commander Zhalk right at the beginning of the game, but you can also opt for Sword of Justice.
I would also take Lae’zel’s Githyanki Half Plate (although it may make you hostile to other Githyanki, TBD on release). Another option is the Scale Mail that also dropped from Commander Zhalk unless you have and choose to use Unarmoured Defense Proficiency.
Conclusion
Overall, the Berserker Barbarian is a really fun class that is easy to learn and fun to play.
While they are not ideal for solo play, they can definitely surprise with their ability to stay alive and out-damage the enemy.
Berserkers are a perfect match for someone who wants to jump right into combat and be at the center of the battle.
They are great for those who are ready to stop at nothing to protect their party.
And, should there be anything in their way, they can just pick it (or them) up and throw ‘em!
Though they may end up being the bloodiest in appearance, I bet their weapons will look the coolest, and who needs heavy armor when you have God-like strength and constitution?
“I think I’ll try crying and shouting and biting my way through…” – Kentaro Miura, Berserk, Vol. 16
