If optimized for AC & durability (IMO a barbarian should be), using Standard Array or Point Buy, a level 1 barb can easily begin with 16 AC before considering a shield, bumping that up to 17 AC with their first ASI. While the +1 to wisdom is going to be wasted on almost every build for this class you can utilize the origin customizations from Tashas Cauldron of Everything to throw that +1 into constitution and round out the perfect barbarian. elsewhere. The original was published in The Tortle Package and then reprinted in Explorers Guide to Wildemount. That would make them a better tank than any heavy armor wearer that I can think of. It really makes no sense from a Realism standpoint that a racial AC and a Class based AC don't staack. The Tortles high base AC is a fun novelty, but thats Its Time For a Ride-By Stabbing, An Easy Guide to How How Drowning Works in D&D 5e, A Guide to D&D 5es Rules on Suffocation & Holding Breath, A New Players Guide to How Climbing in D&D 5e Works, A Complete Players Guide to Using Ball Bearings in D&D 5e, A Beginners Guide to Dealing Nonlethal Damage in D&D 5e. My Wildfire Spirit can make a ranged Flame Seed attack and teleport allies away from danger, leaving flames to burn surrounding enemies. We will not include 3rd-party content, including content from DMs Guild, in handbooks for official content because we cant assume that your game will allow 3rd-party content or homebrew. Even if you add that proficiency bonus, you still count as being unarmored, however. Here are some Backgrounds their Tortle can take full advantage of: Since 2011 Norse Foundry has soughtto enhance your gaming experience and provide quality accessories in hopes of invoking imaginative and memorable moments around your table. Would homebrew something. Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. You can also choose to be either medium or small. Their shells account for roughly one-third of their weight. Barbarians are free and wild. 3.3K Views. Shell Defense. This feature alone is going to allow you to disregard dexterity as a useful barbarian skill and focus everything on your strength and constitution. Youll also get Navigators tools and water vehicle proficiencies. Naturally, my basic fighter build will utilize a katana (1d8 slashing), using the versatile property (1d10 +STR). The cookies store information anonymously and assign a randomly generated number to identify unique visitors. This section assumes that youre not using the option Customizing Your Origin rules presented in Tashas Cauldron of Everything or the updated version of the race published in Mordenkainens Monsters of the Multiverse. A Tortle Barbarian's Rage is shaped by their chosen Primal Path, which gives them unique bonuses and features that they can use in battle. Therefore, a tortle character is likely to be a lonergiving me a perfect excuse to lean into elemental classes like druids and tempest clerics. Their arms reflect this bulkiness and tend to be very wide, differing just enough from their feet to receive a different classification. Those who already have this advantage instead gain advantage in Intelligence or Charisma saving throws. In general it allows a Barbarian with a Con of 14 or 16 and Dex 14 to have the equivalent of Hide or Chain shirt without armor. Your email address will not be published. There just isnt a fighter build that makes good use Moreover, their added Wisdom enables them to withstand spells and abilities that would otherwise hinder their performance in battle. Weirdly, this background is more cerebral than youd think. And, more than likely, youll hunt them down, beat them up, and turn them in for whatever reward. Oftentimes they will sport similar patterns on the crest of their heads. Players might want to take advantage of the rather friendly or even careful nature of the Tortle to get more acquainted with the lands they try to explore. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Wizards of the Coast LLC. One hand has a shield, then other pins and grapples Baba Yaga or some shit. Their eyes will echo these tones. Hell, if you're going to ignore obvious rules & rationality, why not just play a Heavy Plating Warforged Barbarian then? Im looking at using a battleaxe (1d8 + STR slashing) to enhance my damage output. Natural armor, like regular armor, is an AC calculation. Your claws are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. axe barbarian dragons dungeons fantasy player rpg turtle warrior character miniature boardgame tabletop adventure DnD npc Tortle 5E supported epicsnstuffs. They are an excellent race with one of the best defensive features youll gain as a racial bonus. Do not kill. The point of the Far Traveler background is to make a "Fish-Out-of-Water" character. Indeed. Read More, In case of sale of your personal information, you may opt out by using the link Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Basically, you grew up on the outskirts of civilization. Tortle in my example build for the The Folk Hero background is a really fun option. Moreover, their features are uniquely tailored to ensure the Tortle Druid can perform well both in and out of combat, thanks in part to various traits and features that maximize their use of spells and Wild Shape. A single unexpected moment or action in a D&D session can be enough to a create lasting impact for the rest of your campaign. Whenever I use my Channel Divinity, every plant and animal creature within a 30-foot radius must make a Wisdom saving throw or become charmed. I actually had a Faction Agent Barbarian in my current game. Unlike most other animal-folk species they tend not to wear clothes, instead sporting necklaces, bracelets, or headwear to express themselves or remember people from their travels. Ability Score Increase. A level 1 Tortle with a +3 mod to Dex & Con would have a starting AC of 23, or 25 with a shield. The player will be able to Wild Shape immediately into a powerful creature, like a bear, and after adding a level in Barbarian at level three, that bear will become even more powerful as Rage fuels its every attack. Rogue. will make a more effective fighter. I am looking to play a barbarian, the race is the optional part. The Tortles signature trait is their AC, and artificers will make the Tortles natural armor obsolete almost immediately. Tortle Barb's make amazing grapplers. The Tortles natural armor helps address martial bards MAD problems, but There are effectively three versions of the Tortle. At level 1 you could easily have a +3 to both Dex & Con (or more) for a starting AC of 26. The Druids largest problem is their lack of durability, and the Tortles My Channel Divinity ability is enhanced with Destructive Wrath, which causes all lightning and thunder damage I deal to max out with Channel Divinity. In turn, their beast forms can grant Druid special abilities native to the creatures they have chosen, all of which can be an asset inside and outside battle. The naming tradition of Tortles is very relaxed, and not looked upon with much importance. A Tarrasque--the "toughest" creature in existence--has an AC of 25. We also wont cover Unearthed Arcana content because its not finalized, and we cant guarantee that it will be available to you in your games. Far Traveler (Sword Coast Adventurers Guide): A Tortle fits the Far Traveler background perfectly, especially if theyve come from a community inside a faraway region or country. The claws feature turns your unarmed strike into 1d4 + strength modifier of slashing damage instead of the normal bludgeoning damage. While this is made specifically for the Forgotten Realms setting, you can easily use the Uthgardt Tribe Member background for your setting. Now the tortle doesnt have perfect stats for barb (2str, 1 wis,) but wisdom is always good and helps against most magic so its a pretty good, Tortle shell gives a flat 17 ac, better than what you would typically have as a Barbarian and if you ever break that limit than you can just use unarmored defense. Now, why do I think this is a good background for a Barbarian? Playing a Barbarian with the Mercenary Veteran background is pretty similar to playing one as a former Soldier. That said, you really only need STR and CON for your build so you can go 15 into both of those then on your next ASI improve those both by 1 point to bump up the modifiers. First, Ill gain a bonus proficiency in Animal Handling, Nature or Survival. Tortles are one of the few 5e races to not include gendered names. Really justchange the name. Retracting a limb inside of the shell at a crucial moment to avoid the blow. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Go Storm Herald Desert to make him resistant to fire damage and douse him with oil and light him up first. Yeah. Please enable JavaScript to get the best experience from this site. I'm not sure in default lore if this works since they're basically just giant turtles but something that can live for millennia may pick up some tricks, and I love the idea of a Tortle getting power from THE GREATEST TURTLE OF THEM ALL. Basically, youre tracking down bounties and cashing in. If you want a tortle spellcaster, go for something This time, Ill be able to wield a martial shield, giving me a +2 to AC. This type of background fits a Tortle character who wants to lean on roles related to faith and religion. Copyright 2023 Genre Bomb LLC. Tortle Classes (Customizable Originsand MMoM). But, if thats what works for your Barbarian, then great. Natural Armor. A Tortles innate Strength Ability Score Bonus enables them to become efficient melee Fighters capable of eliminating enemies up close. The tortle race on it's own with it's AC calculation has learned to use it's shell to protect itself. Feats. So yeah way above 20 at level 1 without much gear cost expenditure. It embodies everything for making the unwitting, rising, or reluctant hero tropes. The Tortle brings nothing to the Artificer with the possible exception of Shell Defense, and thats simply not enough to make a tortle artificer a good idea. Your character could have had some event happen that triggers an unearthly rage such as the death of a loved one or an invading force. The changes here were minor, replacing the Tortles Ability Score Increase trait with the new standard for ability scores, allowing players to assign either +2/+1 increases or three +1 increases. Tortle characteristics and background By far one of the most solitary races, tortles venture out from their coastal birthplaces to explore the world. Your character belonged or still belongs to a clan, tribe, or small settlement far away from towns and cities. So, check with them and make sure youre both on the same page. An unarmored Warforged barbarian using the rules as I would run them Would have an AC of 11+ DEX + CON+ Proficiency.