Barbarian Guide (Unchained or Chained)?

Unchained Barbarian? So the question for this guide is whether you should play an unchained barbarian or the original version?  I will try to keep this guide short and to the point giving you the need-to-know / straight-to-the-point information and nothing more.

Oddly enough, before answering what kind of barbarian you should play, you should ask whether a Bloodrager is what you really want to play.  If the Primalist Archetype Bloodrager is available to you, then you should just be a Bloodrager that substitutes desirable rage powers in the place of some of his Bloodline Powers. The only exception is if you are playing the Invulnerable and/or Urban Barbarian Archetype builds (whether it’s the Thrown Weapon, Archer or Invincible Barbarian).

Now the Primalist Bloodrager is a popular archetype to banned for some GMs.  In such a case, there are additional optimal barbarians to consider: Bestial Leaper; Terrifying Howl; and Unarmed / Natural Weapon Barbarian

First, let’s address the Bestial Leaper Barbarian.  The Bestial Leaper Rage Power is not available to the unchained barbarian – so a standard Barbarian is not only optimal for such a build, it’s necessary.  Of course, this is only relevant if the Primalist Bloodrager is not allowed by your GM.  If it is, then you should be a Bestial Leaper Primalist Bloodrager.

Second, lets address the Terrifying Howl Barbarian. The modified Terrifying Howl available to the unchained barbarian stinks in comparison the Terrifying Howl of the standard barbarian -so a standard Barbarian is optimal.  Of course, this is only relevant if the Primalist Bloodrager is not allowed by your GM.  If it is, then you should be a Terrifying Howl Primalist Bloodrager. 

Third, let’s address the Unarmed / Natural Weapon Barbarian.  This build is always better as an Aberrant or Abyssal Bloodrager whether or not the Primalist Bloodrager is available.  So no to any kind of barbarian build.   

Fourth, let’s address the Invincible Barbarian.  It requires the Invulnerable Barbarian Archetype – which is obviously not available to a Primalist Bloodrager.  It also requires the Guarded Life and Greater Guarded Life Rage Powers.  The archetype and these rage powers are open to the Unchained Barbarian.  You lose access to Reckless Abandon.  However, you gain access to Reckless Stance, which does work like Reckless Abandon at the unfortunate cost of a move action.  With that said, I do not like the general trade-offs you must make going from a standard barbarian to an unchained barbarian.  They are too many to name, but the main thing you gain from playing unchained is temporary hitpoints.  However, you lose far too much for the temporary hitpoints to make up for.  Furthermore, there are no unchained barbarian rage stances that make the Invincible Barbarian any better.  Consequently, I would not recommend the Invincible Unchained Barbarian.

Fifth, let’s address the Archer Barbarian.  To be an optimal barbarian archer, you want to be as deadly accurate with a bow as possible.  What fuels the standard Archer Barbarian’s deadly accuracy is the combination of the Reckless Abandon Rage Power and Deadly Aim and taking the Urban Barbarian Archetype (which is obviously not available to the Primalist Bloodrager) for increased dexterity.  However, the unchained barbarian cannot choose Reckless Abandon, though it can choose Reckless Stance which behaves as Reckless Abandon at the unfortunate cost of a move action.  Further, the Unchained Barbarian probably cannot take the Urban Barbarian Archetype.  Finally, the analysis regarding the trade-offs between the unchained and the standard barbarian discussed with regard to the Invincible Barbarian apply here as well.  Accordingly, from an optimization standpoint, the optimal Archer Barbarian is a standard Invulnerable/Urban Barbarian.

Sixth, let’s address the Thrown Weapon Barbarian.  The Thrown Weapon Barbarian takes a similar enough path to the Archer Barbarian for the purposes of this guide.  Accordingly, the analysis used for the Archer Barbarian bears out for the Thrown Weapon Barbarian, as well.  Go Standard Barbarian Urban/Invulnerable.

In summary, the Primalist Bloodrager has already curtailed the type of Optimal Barbarians anyone can play.  Out of the Optimal Barbarians that are left, none of them are more optimal as an Unchained Barbarian.  Even if Primalist Bloodrager is not available to you, there is no barbarian build that is better as a Unchained Barbarian.  Accordingly, one should never play an Unchained Barbarian from an optimization standpoint.  It is false advertising.  They should be called the Chained Barbarian.  These shackles on my feet won’t let me dance.