In Baldur’s Gate 3Barbarians are an incredibly formidable class to have in a group, as they can act as effective front lines and ranged attackers. While they can excel as tanks and deal respectable damage up close, the strongest way to play a Barbarian is to use them as throwers. They can use their bonus action for throwing attacks.which has good synergy with many equipment options.
Barbarians can gain some advantages from wearing clothing, but the strongest option will always be the one with a higher armor class. In that case, Barbarians can make use of some incredibly strong medium armorwhich, in my opinion, outweigh the benefits of using Clothes. The Barbarian Launcher also takes 3 levels in Fighter, so they can make use of Heavy Armor if they wish.
10
Cloak of Displacement
Impose disadvantage on enemies
The Cloak of Displacement can be purchased or stolen in Act 3 from Danthelon’s Dancing Ax in Wyrm’s Crossing. The Cloak of Displacement grants enemies Disadvantage on attack rolls against the user, which can prevent the player from taking damage. However, this effect will end if the target takes damage but will be reactivated at the start of the user’s next turn.
To get the most out of using a Barbarian, they will have to remain at 50% HP or less to activate the Helmet of Grit ability. This means that the Barbarian cannot afford to be hit very often, as they are already starting fights with lower HP. As such, if uncontested by another party member, Cloak of Displacement is a great option for keeping the Barbarian on his feet for as long as possible.
9
Caustic Band
THE Caustic Band
can be purchased or stolen in Act 1 from Derryth Bonecloak in the Myconid Colony in the Underdark. This ring is perfect for Barbarians, especially those who have taken the path of being a thrower. Adds 2 acid damage to each attack the user makeswhich can accumulate a lot of additional damage.
Caustic Band may not seem like an incredibly strong option at first glance, as 2 damage may seem terrible. However, with the amount of attacks a Barbarian can make per turn, 2 damage on each attack can add up quickly, especially on thrown builds. Also, there are many items that synergize with acid damagelike the Ichoric Gloves
.
8
Throwing Ring
THE Throwing Ring
It can be purchased or stolen incredibly early in Act 1 from Arron in Emerald Grove, who is often the first vendor players will encounter. Given that this ring is found at the very beginning of the game, barbarian launcher build comes online incredibly fast. Many of the Barbarian caster’s most important pieces of equipment are found significantly earlier than the equipment of other powerful builds.
Ring options for non-pitchers |
|
---|---|
Risky ring |
Advantage on attack rolls, but disadvantage on saving throws. |
Stimulated band |
When starting the turn with 50% HP or less, the user gains Momentum for 1 turn. |
Protection Ring |
+1 to Armor Class and +1 to Saving Throws. |
Ring of Evasion |
When the user fails a Dexterity Saving Throw, they can use their reaction to succeed. |
Ring of Throwing adds 1d4 to all throwing damagemeaning each attack from the Barbarian caster will do much more damage. This ring is a staple in all throwing builds and is even classified as Rare instead of Uncommon in Honor Mode. This ring should be worn by the Barbarian throughout the game as it is the best slot option.
7
Adamantina Scale Mail
Immunity to critical attacks
can be forged in Act 1 and is the best medium armor in the game until the player reaches the halfway point of Act 3. The materials required to forge this item are the Scale mail mold and a piece of mithral ore. Players must defeat Grym, an Adamantine Golem, to access the forge.
I recommend waiting until at least level 5 to face Grym, as players will want their melee characters to have Extra Attack.
This piece of armor prevents its wearer from being critically hit. and applies the Staggering condition when an enemy attack hits the user. He also has the passive Magic Plate, which reduces all damage taken by 1. There is no best piece of Medium Armor for all of Acts 1 and 2, outside of a few very select options, like the Yuan-Ti Scale Mail
.
6
Hill Giant’s Gauntlets of Strength
Sets Strength to 23
THE Hill Giant’s Gauntlets of Strength
allow barbarians to reallocate stat points as they automatically set the user’s Strength stat to 23. These gauntlets are found extremely late in the game in Raphael’s House of Hope, where they must be stolen from the pedestal on the left side of the Archive, just like the Amulet of Greater Health. Disarm the trap to steal it, or swap unwanted equipment for the gauntlets to prevent the trap from being triggered.
Respec Barbarian with gauntlets |
|
---|---|
Strength |
8 |
Dexterity |
16 |
Constitution |
17 |
Intelligence |
10 |
Wisdom |
12 |
Charisma |
10 |
These gauntlets work well for Barbarians, as 23 Strength gives them a +6 Strength boost, which is quite high. Players can respect their Barbarian to release Strength so they can put those extra stat points into Constitution and Dexterity. This allows Barbarians to have greater initiative and HP, as well as increasing their Armor Class through Agility Armor.
5
Gloves of the Uninhibited Kushigo
THE Gloves of the Uninhibited Kushigo
can be acquired in Act 1 as a reward from Derryth Bonecloak for saving her husband, Baelen Bonecloak, during the quest: Finding the Mushroom Picker. These gloves cannot be obtained without mods if the player is unable to rescue Baelenso be careful around the Bibberbang. I also recommend giving Noblestalk to Derryth as it will greatly benefit players in Act 3.
These gloves come with the Kushigo’s Power passive, which causes the user to deal an additional 1d4 additional damage with thrown attacks and attacks made with improvised weapons. This stacks with the Throwing Ringwhich can lead to some absurd damage numbers when throwing weapons. I recommend using these gloves instead of the Hill Giant’s Gauntlets of Strength, as players can just use Cloud Giant’s Strength Elixirs to reach 27 Strength.
4
Agility Armor
Armor class increases with dexterity
THE Agility Armor
can be purchased or stolen in Act 3 from Gloomy Fentonson at the Stormshore Armory, near the Central Wall of the Lower City. It is a very rare piece of Medium Armor that does not limit the wearer’s Armor Class increase in Dexterity, as most Medium Armor does. It also adds +2 to all of the user’s saving throws..
Agility Armor comes with the Exotic Material passive, which allows the user to add their full Dexterity Modifier to their Armor Class. This is why Dexterity can be very important for Barbarians, not including the obvious initiative bonus. Without using this piece of armor, Barbarians often have difficulty consistently surpassing 20 AC.
3
Boots of Persistence
Increased movement speed
The Boots of Persistence are one of the best pairs of boots in the game and can be purchased or stolen in Act 3 of Dammon in the Forge of Nine. If Dammon never reaches Baldur’s Gate, whether due to the party’s actions or otherwise, this item cannot be obtained without the use of mods. If that’s the case, I recommend using the Helldusk Boots for critical hit immunity.
Other boot options |
|
---|---|
Hell’s Twilight Boots |
Hellcrawler Class Action Steadfast – Cannot be forcibly moved by an enemy’s spells or actions and ignores difficult terrain effects. |
Genial Step Boots |
The user’s movement speed is not hampered by difficult terrain. |
Bonespike boots |
Brutal Leap Class Action Evasive Instinct – +1 to AC and saving throws while not wearing shield armor Refined Jump – Jump distance increased by 5 feet |
Blackguard Greaves |
Athletics +1 Strider Movement – Gain Longstrider |
The Boots of Persistence grant the wearer the effects of Freedom of Movement and Longstrider permanently. This means that the user is no longer hindered by difficult terrain, cannot be paralyzed or containedand gains an additional 10 feet of movement speed. If the player is using camp buffs to give the entire party Longstrider anyway, players can use the Bonespike Boots to have Brutal Leap as a mobility option.
2
Amulet of Greater Health
Sets the Constitution to 23
is found at the very end of the game in Raphael’s House of Hope, in the Archive. To explore the Archive, players will need to pass a dialogue check in order to move around. They will be located on a pedestal on the right side of the room, triggering a trap if the amulet is stolen before the trap is disarmed.
If the player decides to use this amulet, I recommend respecting and discarding the Constitution stat points to put those extra points into Dexterity in order to increase Armor Class through Agility Armor.
The amulet of better health sets the user’s Constitution stat to 23which is perfect for a Barbarian who uses the Helmet of Courage. This is a significant increase in the user’s health and is even more important for characters who need to stay below 50% HP. If the player is using a Barbarian Throwzerker, this amulet must be used by that character.
1
Helm of Grit
THE Grain Helmet
can be looted in Act 3 from an opulent locked chest in Cazador’s Szarr Palace, in the room with Victoria’s cursed corpse. This item comes with the Grit passive, which grants the user an additional bonus action when below 50% HP. It also provides +1 on Dexterity saving throws.
Get 3 levels in Fighter for Action Surge and the Eldritch Knight subclass for the Bound Weapon skill.
This is the most important item for a throwing Barbarian, as Barbarians can use the Enraged Throw ability, which uses their bonus action. Getting 3 levels in Rogue for The Thief subclass gives the character an extra bonus actionmeaning that when below 50% HP, the Barbarian will have three bonus actions. This means that Barbarians can do 4-8 throwing attacks per turn, which can easily decimate even the toughest boss fights in the game. Baldur’s Gate 3.