This article is part of a directory: Dungeons & Dragons Builds Guide: Subclasses & Popular Characters
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In Dungeons & Dragons, Barbarians are well known for being the heavy-hitting tanks who power through battle encounters through their sheer strength and rage, standing as a wall against the game's fodder enemies, and the Ancestral Guardian Barbarian is no exception. The Ancestral Guardian Barbarian will, for the most part, be up close and personal in combat, though this subclass does have a few special abilities that partially give it the feel of a Support class. These include imposing disadvantage on enemies and shielding allies from damage once per round, which can really help when the rolls aren't going in the party's favor. This manages to make the Ancestral Guardian subclass stand apart from other Barbarian subclasses and feel fresh.

Due to the ways that the Ancestral Guardian subclass is unique, players who are interested in trying it out might find themselves at a loss for how to start building their new character. This guide will show players where they can start while also offering a few more expanded suggestions.

Ancestral Guardian Barbarian Build Summary

Race

Human, Half-Orc, Goliath, or Gem Dragonborn

Ability Scores (in order of importance)

Strength, Constitution, Wisdom or Dexterity, Charisma, Intelligence

Feats

Sentinel, Mobile, Shield Master, Great Weapon Master, Orcish Fury

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Strength and Constitution Are Vital

DnD Barbarian attacking a fire giant

Since the Ancestral Guardian Barbarian is constantly in the middle of combat, Strength and Constitution should be their primary stats. Strength is needed to attack enemies, and Constitution is needed to raise overall Hit Points and stay in the battle for much longer. Because of the Unarmored Defense feature of the class, many Barbarians tend to have a lower Armor Class and should make up for this with more Hit Points.

The third most important stat can be either Dexterity or Wisdom, but it's largely up to the player's preferences. At Level 10, the Ancestral Guardian learns two ritual spells, Augury and Clairvoyance, and uses the Wisdom stat for their spellcasting. However, the player can boost the aforementioned Unarmored Defense feature by investing in Dexterity, so it depends on the player's preference for better spellcasting or better defense.

The final two stats are Charisma and Intelligence, and neither will particularly do a lot for a Barbarian character on a mechanical level. Choosing which is better for use as a dump stat may rely on role-play choices, though it's worth mentioning that Intimidation, a solid skill for Barbarians, is tied to Charisma. However, many tables use house rules that tie Intimidation to Strength, so this may not even be a factor in some cases.

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The Best Races for an Ancestral Guardian Barbarian

A Dragonborn Barbarian attacking with a flaming axe in DnD.

Choosing to play a Human is, of course, always a great choice. They're versatile but also simple for new players or even veteran players who want something a little easier than their last character. However, there are other races that might even be better suited to the Ancestral Guardian Barbarian, for those looking to get a bit more complex.

Goliaths and Half-Orcs mesh well with any melee class, as both get an increase in Strength from their racial ability scores. Goliaths have the Stone's Endurance trait and Half-Orcs the Relentless Endurance trait, both of which can be used to push a melee character like a Barbarian far past their limits and stay in combat longer.

However, for players looking to step away from more standard content, there is one race that might stand above the rest. Found in Fizban's Treasury of Dragons, the Gem Dragonborn might just be the perfect 5e race for Barbarians. The Gem Dragonborn allows for more versatility when building stats, as well as the ability to choose Radiant, Necrotic, or even Force Damage as the type associated with their Dragon ancestry, allowing for some amazing resistances and breath weapon utility. Further, starting at the 5th level, the Gem Dragonborn can grow temporary wings and fly across the battlefield, which takes care of one of the greatest weaknesses of the Barbarian class: flying enemies.

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The Best Feats for an Ancestral Guardian Barbarian

A DnD berserker barbarian facing a wolf in single combat

The Ancestral Guardian Barbarian will want to stay in the middle of the action, and the potential feats they take should reflect this. For example, the Sentinel feat can stop enemies who are trying to leave the player's attack range, keeping them right next to the Barbarian for another turn. On the opposite end of that, choosing the Mobile feat can greatly increase the Barbarian's speed, allowing them to catch up to where the action is much faster if they get separated from it.

The Shield Master feat is another great option, as it not only increases defense but also improves Dexterity saving throws. However, this feat does require the Barbarian to be wielding a shield, which not every Barbarian player is inclined to do as it removes the ability to use two-handed or versatile weapons. These weapons are often the best for Barbarians. Alternatively, taking the Great Weapon Master feat does the opposite, granting much more powerful strikes from heavier weapons but taking away the ability to use a shield. Choosing between Shield Master and Great Weapon Master is therefore ultimately down to a player's personal playstyle.

Finally, for players who chose Half-Orc as their Barbarian's race, the feat Orcish Fury builds upon the Half-Orc's strengths, giving them extra power behind an attack once per short or long rest. The feat even improves the Relentless Endurance racial trait by adding attack power behind it.