Barbarians who walk the Path of the Giant draw strength from the same primal forces as giants. As they rage, these barbarians surge with elemental power and grow in size, taking on forms that evoke the glory of giants. Some barbarians look like oversized versions of themselves, perhaps with a hint of elemental energy flaring in their eyes and around their weapons. Others transform more dramatically, taking on the appearance of an actual giant or a form similar to an Elemental, wreathed in fire, frost, or lightning.
Our Goals of this Build are to:
- rage to become large to huge sized tanks in combat
- Have an incredible melee combat reach of 25 ft with a polearm
- Utilize giant themed background and feats from Glory of the Giants
- Select Bugbear race to maximize our reach and surprise attack
- control enemy movement for everyone in our 20-25 ft aura
This Path of the Giant Barbarian guide is aimed at levels 1 through 14. If you want to see PDFs for this character build at levels 3, 6, 8, and 10, you can find those below.
- Path of the Giant Barbarian Build Level 3
- Path of the Giant Barbarian Build Level 6
- Path of the Giant Barbarian Build Level 8
- Path of the Giant Barbarian Build Level 10
If you would like to watch the video with full analysis of advancing in levels 1 through 14 here is the link, otherwise scroll down to continue reading this guide below.
Path of the Giant Character Build
I am still working on this guide. Check back soon!
Ability Scores, Background and Skills
For ability scores we need to focus on Strength as it fuels our attacks and damage. Our secondary focus will be on Constitution as it not only juices our hit point total but also contributes to our Armor Class with the Barbarian’s Unarmored Defense ability. We’ll put the remaining chunk of point buy into Dexterity for Armor Class and Initiative bonuses.
STR: 17 (15 + 2 for racial bonus)
DEX: 14
CON: 16 (15 + 1 for racial bonus)
INT: 8
WIS: 10
CHA: 8For starting class proficiencies,
Bonus Feats
If the DM decides to allow the giant foundling and rune carver backgrounds, all characters in the campaign gain access to a bonus feat. If you select one of those backgrounds, you gain the bonus feat specified in that background. If the background you choose doesn’t provide a feat, you gain a bonus feat of your choice from the following list (these feats appear in the Player’s Handbook):Skilled
ToughThough you aren’t a Giant, you grew up among giants. Maybe you were an orphan taken in by a sympathetic family of stone giants who raised you as one of their own. Or perhaps you lived in a lost prehistoric pocket of the world, surrounded by giants and fearsome behemoths or hulking dinosaurs.
Something about your environment—perhaps the food or water that sustained you, elemental magic inherent in the site of your home, or some verdant blessing of growth placed on you—caused you to grow to a remarkable size for your kind. With the aid of this magic, you have learned how to embody the might of giants. You are used to moving through a world much bigger than you, and that is reflected in your skills, attitude, and perspective on life.
Skill Proficiencies: Intimidation, Survival
Languages: Giant and one other language of your choice
Strike of the Giants
Prerequisite: Martial Weapon Proficiency or Giant Foundling BackgroundYou have absorbed primeval magic that gives you an echo of the might of giants. When you take this feat, choose one of the benefits listed below. Once per turn, when you hit a target with a melee weapon attack or a ranged weapon attack using a thrown weapon, you can imbue the attack with an additional effect depending on the benefit you chose:
Cloud Strike. The target takes an extra 1d4 thunder damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw, or you become invisible to it until the start of your next turn or until immediately after you make an attack roll or cast a spell.
Fire Strike. The target takes an extra 1d10 fire damage.
Frost Strike. The target takes an extra 1d6 cold damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw, or its speed is reduced to 0 until the start of your next turn.
Hill Strike. The target takes an extra 1d6 damage of the weapon’s type. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a Strength saving throw or have the prone condition.
Stone Strike. The target takes an extra 1d6 force damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be pushed 10 feet from you in a straight line.
Storm Strike. The target takes an extra 1d6 lightning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw, or it has disadvantage on attack rolls until the start of your next turn.
The saving throw DC for these effects equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Constitution modifier.
You can use this feat a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Soul of the Storm Giant
Prerequisite: 4th Level, Strike of the Giants (Storm Strike) FeatYou’ve manifested the tempest magic emblematic of storm giants, granting you the following benefits:
Ability Score Increase. Increase your Strength, Wisdom, or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
Maelstrom Aura. As a bonus action, you surround yourself with an aura of magical wind and lightning that extends 10 feet from you in every direction but not through total cover. The aura lasts until the start of your next turn or until you are incapacitated. While the aura is active, you have resistance to lightning and thunder damage. In addition, attack rolls against you have disadvantage, and whenever another creature starts its turn within the aura, you can force the creature to make a Strength saving throw (DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + the modifier of the ability increased by this feat). On a failed save, the creature’s speed is halved until the start of its next turn. You can use this bonus action a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
GIANT BEGINS HERE
Giant’s Power
3rd-Level Path of the Giant FeatureWhen you choose this path, you learn to speak, read, and write Giant or one other language of your choice if you already know Giant. Additionally, you learn a cantrip of your choice: either druidcraft or thaumaturgy. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
Giant’s Havoc
3rd-Level Path of the Giant FeatureYour rages pull strength from the primal might of giants, transforming you into a hulking force of destruction. While raging, you gain the following benefits:
Crushing Throw. When you make a successful ranged attack with a thrown weapon using Strength, you can add your Rage Damage bonus to the attack’s damage roll.
Giant Stature. Your reach increases by 5 feet, and if you are smaller than Large, you become Large, along with anything you are wearing. If there isn’t enough room for you to increase your size, your size doesn’t change.
Elemental Cleaver
6th-Level Path of the Giant FeatureYour bond with the elemental might of giants grows, and you learn to infuse weapons with primordial energy.
When you enter your rage, you can choose one weapon that you are holding and infuse it with one of the following damage types: acid, cold, fire, thunder, or lightning. While you wield the infused weapon during your rage, the weapon’s damage type changes to the chosen type, it deals an extra 1d6 damage of the chosen type when it hits, and it gains the thrown property, with a normal range of 20 feet and a long range of 60 feet. If you throw the weapon, it reappears in your hand the instant after it hits or misses a target. The infused weapon’s benefits are suppressed while a creature other than you wields it.
While raging and holding the infused weapon, you can use a bonus action to change the infused weapon’s current damage type to another one from the damage type options above.
Mighty Impel
10th-Level Path of the Giant FeatureYour connection to giant strength allows you to hurl both allies and enemies on the battlefield. As a bonus action while raging, you can choose one Medium or smaller creature within your reach and move it to an unoccupied space you can see within 30 feet of yourself. An unwilling creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier) to avoid the effect.
If, at the end of this movement, the thrown creature isn’t on a surface or liquid that can support it, the creature falls, taking damage as normal and landing prone.
Demiurgic Colossus
14th-Level Path of the Giant FeatureThe primordial power of your rage intensifies. When you rage, your reach increases by 10 feet, your size can increase to Large or Huge (your choice), and you can use your Mighty Impel to move creatures that are Large or smaller.
In addition, the extra damage dealt by your Elemental Cleaver feature increases to 2d6.
ENDS HERE
What are your thoughts on this character build for Dungeons and Dragons™ 5E? What are some choices that you would make when building this character. Hope you enjoyed this guide.
On to the next!
—wallydm
