D&D Barbarian Level Up – a step by step guide (5e)

I always found the level-up process to be one of the most enjoyable and rewarding nuances of any RPG, including Dungeons & Dragons.

It’s the feeling of seeing your character finally getting stronger after you spent so many hours slaying ferocious beasts, exploring dark dungeons, making new acquaintances, escaping from situations you couldn’t handle at your previous level, opening treasure chests filled with coins and jewels (and sometimes empty ones), and so on, that makes this part of the game so exciting.

When it comes to progress through levels in D&D there are quite a few things to remember and all the information you need are scattered on different pages of the Player’s Handbook (and sometimes on other manuals).

I’m pretty sure most of the players have already memorized all the pages they need to look at to level up their alter-ego, but for all the new players, for my friends that constantly ask me what to do when they have to level up and even for veterans who just want a tidy recap, I thought it would be handy to have a step by step guide to follow that will hopefully make the whole level-up process faster.

In this article, I’ll dive deep into the D&D Barbarian level up process, and in particular what new abilities and feats you’d unlock, as well as any change of the character’s stats.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I will get a commission at no extra cost to you. See our Affiliate Disclosure.

D&D Barbarian Level Up Advancement Table

Here’s a quick overview of the Barbarian level up advancement if you want to get a sneak peek or if you need a quick recap.

Keep scrolling for a deeper description of each level.

1st Level – Barbarian Starting Features & Abilities

Hit Points

• Basic Hit Points: 12 + Constitution (CON) modifier.
• Hit Dice: 1d12.

Proficiencies

• Armour: Light armour, Medium armour, Shields.
• Weapons: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons.
• Tools: None.
• Proficiency bonus: +2
• Saving Throws: Strength (STR) and Constitution (CON).
• Skills: Choose 2 skills between Animal Handling, Athletics, Intimidation, Nature, Perception and Survival. 

Class Features

• Rage
  You gain an advantage on Strength (STR) checks and Saving Throws, a +2 bonus to strength melee damage roll and resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
  Rage Damage: +2.
  Rage Uses: 2.
• Unarmored Defense
  While you aren’t wearing any armour, your Armour Class will be 10 + your Dexterity (DEX) modifier + your Constitution (CON) modifier. If you use a Shield you won’t lose this benefit.

2nd Level

• Hit Points: add 1d12 (roll or 7) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d12.
• Danger Sense
  Advantage on Dexterity (DEX) Saving Throws against any effect that you can see, such as traps and spells.
• Reckless Attack
  When you make your first attack on your turn gain advantage on strength melee weapon rolls, but attacks against you will also have advantage until your next turn.

3rd Level

• Hit Points: add 1d12 (roll or 7) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d12.
• Rage Uses: +1.
• Primal Path
  You can choose your subclass between the Ancestral Guardian, the Battlerager, the Beast, the Berserker, the Storm Herald, the Totem Warrior, the Wild Magic and the Zealot.

4th Level

• Hit Points: add 1d12 (roll or 7) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d12.
• Ability Score Improvement: you can increase one ability score by 2 or increase two ability scores by 1. If you use the optional feats rule you can instead choose a Feat of your choice.

5th Level

• Hit Points: add 1d12 (roll or 7) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d12.
• Proficiency bonus: +1.
• Extra Attack
  You can attack twice when you use the Attack action on your turn.
• Fast Movement
  Your speed increases by 10 feet if you aren’t wearing heavy armor.

6th Level

• Hit Points: add 1d12 (roll or 7) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d12.
• Rage Uses: +1.
• New Primal Path subclass feature: this depends on which Primal Path you have chosen for your Barbarian.

7th Level

• Hit Points: add 1d12 (roll or 7) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d12.
• Feral Instinct
  You gain advantage on initiative rolls and you can’t be surprised by enemies if you enter in rage.

8th Level

• Hit Points: add 1d12 (roll or 7) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d12.
• Ability Score Improvement: you can increase one ability score by 2 or increase two ability scores by 1. If you use the optional feats rule you can instead choose a Feat of your choice.

9th Level

• Hit Points: add 1d12 (roll or 7) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d12.
• Proficiency bonus: +1.
• Rage Damage: +1.
• Brutal Critical (1)
  You can roll 1 additional die when determining the extra damage for a critical hit.

10th Level

• Hit Points: add 1d12 (roll or 7) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d12.
• New Primal Path subclass feature: this depends on which Primal Path you have chosen for your Barbarian.

11th Level

• Hit Points: add 1d12 (roll or 7) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d12.
• Relentless Rage
  If your hit points reach 0 while you’re raging, you can make a DC 10 Constitution (CON) saving throw to drop to 1 hit point instead.

12th Level

• Hit Points: add 1d12 (roll or 7) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d12.
• Rage Uses: +1.
• Ability Score Improvement: you can increase one ability score by 2 or increase two ability scores by 1. If you use the optional feats rule you can instead choose a Feat of your choice.

13th Level

• Hit Points: add 1d12 (roll or 7) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d12.
• Proficiency bonus: +1.
• Brutal Critical (2)
  You can roll 2 additional dice when determining the extra damage for a critical hit.

14th Level

• Hit Points: add 1d12 (roll or 7) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d12.
• New Primal Path subclass feature: this depends on which Primal Path you have chosen for your Barbarian.

15th Level

• Hit Points: add 1d12 (roll or 7) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d12.
• Persistent Rage
  Your rage only ends if you become unconscious or if you decide to end it.

16th Level

• Hit Points: add 1d12 (roll or 7) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d12.
• Rage Damage: +1.
• Ability Score Improvement: you can increase one ability score by 2 or increase two ability scores by 1. If you use the optional feats rule you can instead choose a Feat of your choice.

17th Level

• Hit Points: add 1d12 (roll or 7) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d12.
• Proficiency bonus: +1.
• Rage Uses: +1.
• Brutal Critical (3)
  You can roll 3 additional dice when determining the extra damage for a critical hit.

18th Level

• Hit Points: add 1d12 (roll or 7) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d12.
• Indomitable Might
  When rolling a Strength (STR) check if the total is less than your Strength (STR) score, you can use that score instead.

19th Level

• Hit Points: add 1d12 (roll or 7) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d12.
• Ability Score Improvement: you can increase one ability score by 2 or increase two ability scores by 1. If you use the optional feats rule you can instead choose a Feat of your choice.

20th Level

• Hit Points: add 1d12 (roll or 7) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d12.
• Rage Uses: Unlimited.
• Primal Champion
  Your Strength (STR) and Consitution (CON) scores are increased by 4.