Barbarian Character Handbook
The Simple Approach Edition November 2024
The Barbarian Character Handbook isn’t your typical hack-and-slash. It’s a system-agnostic sourcebook that takes the savage archetype you know and love, then cranks it up to eleven with an emphasis on storytelling, character growth, and narrative choice. This is heroic fantasy for people who want to do more than mindlessly swing a big sword. It's about adding layers to the character, their motivations, their beliefs, the struggles that drive them. Sure, they’re probably good in a fight, but what happens when their back’s against the wall, and it’s more than just steel on steel?
This book isn’t here to tell you how to roll dice. It’s here to make sure you care about the dice you’re rolling. Every decision, every action, every blood-soaked victory or brutal defeat shapes the narrative around the character and their journey. Think of it as adding flesh and bone to the skeleton of a typical barbarian character, making them a force of nature and a fully realized personality who affects the world in meaningful ways.
What's special about Barbarian is how it plays with imagination and collaboration. The emphasis is on creating moments where player agency shines. No two characters built using this book will feel the same. You’re not stuck with the same old clichés; you get to mold something new, shaped by the interactions and relationships your barbarian forms in the setting. The creativity isn’t just in the swing of the axe, but in how the character navigates the world, makes alliances, and faces consequences.
This sourcebook works for any fantasy roleplaying setting. It’s flexible, it’s fun, and most importantly, it’s designed for people who don’t want to be boxed in by rigid systems or rules. The barbarian becomes more than just a class, it’s an identity that evolves with the story. For those of you who enjoy heroic fantasy but want something that brings the familiar barbarian trope into a fresh new light, this is your go-to.
Ready to dive into a roleplaying experience that’s character-forward and story-driven? Barbarian is your key to turning a brutal warrior into a complex, compelling figure at the center of your campaign. Whether they’re an unstoppable force of vengeance or a reluctant hero struggling to balance rage with responsibility, you’ve got all the tools you need to craft a barbarian that’ll be remembered long after the campaign ends.
A Universal Sourcebook
An earlier edition of this book was originally created as a system-agnostic toolkit, and retails that function in this edition. However, it’s now fully compliant with The Simple Approach and games using that system and philosophy, including The Foragers Guild. You don’t need it to play one of our games to use this material, so feel free to throw its elements into any other roleplaying system your choice.
If you’re looking to use it with a different roleplaying system, don’t worry. For advice on translating material between systems, grab the Lightspress Handbook,available wherever you found this book.
Navigating This Book
Inside these pages you’ll find the following information.
Background: This section explores what makes the Barbarian profession so captivating. It delves into the appeal of these characters, highlighting why modern roleplaying enthusiasts are drawn to them. Barbarians represent both raw power and the tension between civilization and chaos, which makes them fascinating figures in any setting.
Traits: Here, you'll find a collection of common abilities associated with barbarian characters. These traits aren’t just for reference, they’re tools you can use directly in your game or as inspiration to create new abilities that suit the unique barbarian you're developing.
Resources: Barbarians need more than just muscles and a sharp weapon. This section covers equipment, contacts, and other key resources a barbarian might have. Whether it’s survival gear or alliances with powerful figures, these resources help flesh out the character and offer practical in-game advantages.
Variants: This section takes the standard barbarian archetype and breaks it wide open. You’ll find different spins on the barbarian concept, showcasing how versatile and adaptable this character type can be across various settings. Get ready to shake off the stereotypes and explore new directions for this powerful class.
Worldbuilding: Barbarians don’t exist in isolation, they need a world that reflects their untamed spirit. This section helps you develop the elements of your setting that are necessary to support barbarian characters, from rugged environments to the societal structures that may accept or oppose them.
Factions: Barbarians aren’t lone wolves; they belong to clans, clans, or organizations that shape their goals and motivations. This section provides insight into the groups your barbarian might be part of or come into conflict with, offering rich opportunities for storytelling and character interaction.
Adventures: Want to design adventures that are tailor-made for barbarian characters? This section is packed with tips and strategies for crafting engaging stories centered around the unique traits and struggles of a barbarian. These aren’t just typical quests; they’re gritty, survival-based tales where raw strength and cunning are the only tools that matter.
Artifacts & Relics: A collection of powerful arcane, sacred, and cultural magic items of significance to Barbarian characters, offering objects to add to your worldbuilding and interesting MacGuffins for your fantasy adventures.
Creatures of Rage: The interactions of Barbarians with a variety of creature types, as both allies and enemies, and the affect they have on one another and how that can impact your worldbuild and adventures.
Reference: Finally, the Reference section serves as a quick and easy guide for converting this material to the system of your choice. It includes stock characters, factions, creatures, and equipment, along with a glossary of terms we use frequently and a bibliography for further reading. Everything you need to make the barbarian an integral part of your world is right here.
187 pages. PDF and epub files included.
The Simple Approach Edition November 2024
The Barbarian Character Handbook isn’t your typical hack-and-slash. It’s a system-agnostic sourcebook that takes the savage archetype you know and love, then cranks it up to eleven with an emphasis on storytelling, character growth, and narrative choice. This is heroic fantasy for people who want to do more than mindlessly swing a big sword. It's about adding layers to the character, their motivations, their beliefs, the struggles that drive them. Sure, they’re probably good in a fight, but what happens when their back’s against the wall, and it’s more than just steel on steel?
This book isn’t here to tell you how to roll dice. It’s here to make sure you care about the dice you’re rolling. Every decision, every action, every blood-soaked victory or brutal defeat shapes the narrative around the character and their journey. Think of it as adding flesh and bone to the skeleton of a typical barbarian character, making them a force of nature and a fully realized personality who affects the world in meaningful ways.
What's special about Barbarian is how it plays with imagination and collaboration. The emphasis is on creating moments where player agency shines. No two characters built using this book will feel the same. You’re not stuck with the same old clichés; you get to mold something new, shaped by the interactions and relationships your barbarian forms in the setting. The creativity isn’t just in the swing of the axe, but in how the character navigates the world, makes alliances, and faces consequences.
This sourcebook works for any fantasy roleplaying setting. It’s flexible, it’s fun, and most importantly, it’s designed for people who don’t want to be boxed in by rigid systems or rules. The barbarian becomes more than just a class, it’s an identity that evolves with the story. For those of you who enjoy heroic fantasy but want something that brings the familiar barbarian trope into a fresh new light, this is your go-to.
Ready to dive into a roleplaying experience that’s character-forward and story-driven? Barbarian is your key to turning a brutal warrior into a complex, compelling figure at the center of your campaign. Whether they’re an unstoppable force of vengeance or a reluctant hero struggling to balance rage with responsibility, you’ve got all the tools you need to craft a barbarian that’ll be remembered long after the campaign ends.
A Universal Sourcebook
An earlier edition of this book was originally created as a system-agnostic toolkit, and retails that function in this edition. However, it’s now fully compliant with The Simple Approach and games using that system and philosophy, including The Foragers Guild. You don’t need it to play one of our games to use this material, so feel free to throw its elements into any other roleplaying system your choice.
If you’re looking to use it with a different roleplaying system, don’t worry. For advice on translating material between systems, grab the Lightspress Handbook,available wherever you found this book.
Navigating This Book
Inside these pages you’ll find the following information.
Background: This section explores what makes the Barbarian profession so captivating. It delves into the appeal of these characters, highlighting why modern roleplaying enthusiasts are drawn to them. Barbarians represent both raw power and the tension between civilization and chaos, which makes them fascinating figures in any setting.
Traits: Here, you'll find a collection of common abilities associated with barbarian characters. These traits aren’t just for reference, they’re tools you can use directly in your game or as inspiration to create new abilities that suit the unique barbarian you're developing.
Resources: Barbarians need more than just muscles and a sharp weapon. This section covers equipment, contacts, and other key resources a barbarian might have. Whether it’s survival gear or alliances with powerful figures, these resources help flesh out the character and offer practical in-game advantages.
Variants: This section takes the standard barbarian archetype and breaks it wide open. You’ll find different spins on the barbarian concept, showcasing how versatile and adaptable this character type can be across various settings. Get ready to shake off the stereotypes and explore new directions for this powerful class.
Worldbuilding: Barbarians don’t exist in isolation, they need a world that reflects their untamed spirit. This section helps you develop the elements of your setting that are necessary to support barbarian characters, from rugged environments to the societal structures that may accept or oppose them.
Factions: Barbarians aren’t lone wolves; they belong to clans, clans, or organizations that shape their goals and motivations. This section provides insight into the groups your barbarian might be part of or come into conflict with, offering rich opportunities for storytelling and character interaction.
Adventures: Want to design adventures that are tailor-made for barbarian characters? This section is packed with tips and strategies for crafting engaging stories centered around the unique traits and struggles of a barbarian. These aren’t just typical quests; they’re gritty, survival-based tales where raw strength and cunning are the only tools that matter.
Artifacts & Relics: A collection of powerful arcane, sacred, and cultural magic items of significance to Barbarian characters, offering objects to add to your worldbuilding and interesting MacGuffins for your fantasy adventures.
Creatures of Rage: The interactions of Barbarians with a variety of creature types, as both allies and enemies, and the affect they have on one another and how that can impact your worldbuild and adventures.
Reference: Finally, the Reference section serves as a quick and easy guide for converting this material to the system of your choice. It includes stock characters, factions, creatures, and equipment, along with a glossary of terms we use frequently and a bibliography for further reading. Everything you need to make the barbarian an integral part of your world is right here.
187 pages. PDF and epub files included.
The Simple Approach Edition November 2024
The Barbarian Character Handbook isn’t your typical hack-and-slash. It’s a system-agnostic sourcebook that takes the savage archetype you know and love, then cranks it up to eleven with an emphasis on storytelling, character growth, and narrative choice. This is heroic fantasy for people who want to do more than mindlessly swing a big sword. It's about adding layers to the character, their motivations, their beliefs, the struggles that drive them. Sure, they’re probably good in a fight, but what happens when their back’s against the wall, and it’s more than just steel on steel?
This book isn’t here to tell you how to roll dice. It’s here to make sure you care about the dice you’re rolling. Every decision, every action, every blood-soaked victory or brutal defeat shapes the narrative around the character and their journey. Think of it as adding flesh and bone to the skeleton of a typical barbarian character, making them a force of nature and a fully realized personality who affects the world in meaningful ways.
What's special about Barbarian is how it plays with imagination and collaboration. The emphasis is on creating moments where player agency shines. No two characters built using this book will feel the same. You’re not stuck with the same old clichés; you get to mold something new, shaped by the interactions and relationships your barbarian forms in the setting. The creativity isn’t just in the swing of the axe, but in how the character navigates the world, makes alliances, and faces consequences.
This sourcebook works for any fantasy roleplaying setting. It’s flexible, it’s fun, and most importantly, it’s designed for people who don’t want to be boxed in by rigid systems or rules. The barbarian becomes more than just a class, it’s an identity that evolves with the story. For those of you who enjoy heroic fantasy but want something that brings the familiar barbarian trope into a fresh new light, this is your go-to.
Ready to dive into a roleplaying experience that’s character-forward and story-driven? Barbarian is your key to turning a brutal warrior into a complex, compelling figure at the center of your campaign. Whether they’re an unstoppable force of vengeance or a reluctant hero struggling to balance rage with responsibility, you’ve got all the tools you need to craft a barbarian that’ll be remembered long after the campaign ends.
A Universal Sourcebook
An earlier edition of this book was originally created as a system-agnostic toolkit, and retails that function in this edition. However, it’s now fully compliant with The Simple Approach and games using that system and philosophy, including The Foragers Guild. You don’t need it to play one of our games to use this material, so feel free to throw its elements into any other roleplaying system your choice.
If you’re looking to use it with a different roleplaying system, don’t worry. For advice on translating material between systems, grab the Lightspress Handbook,available wherever you found this book.
Navigating This Book
Inside these pages you’ll find the following information.
Background: This section explores what makes the Barbarian profession so captivating. It delves into the appeal of these characters, highlighting why modern roleplaying enthusiasts are drawn to them. Barbarians represent both raw power and the tension between civilization and chaos, which makes them fascinating figures in any setting.
Traits: Here, you'll find a collection of common abilities associated with barbarian characters. These traits aren’t just for reference, they’re tools you can use directly in your game or as inspiration to create new abilities that suit the unique barbarian you're developing.
Resources: Barbarians need more than just muscles and a sharp weapon. This section covers equipment, contacts, and other key resources a barbarian might have. Whether it’s survival gear or alliances with powerful figures, these resources help flesh out the character and offer practical in-game advantages.
Variants: This section takes the standard barbarian archetype and breaks it wide open. You’ll find different spins on the barbarian concept, showcasing how versatile and adaptable this character type can be across various settings. Get ready to shake off the stereotypes and explore new directions for this powerful class.
Worldbuilding: Barbarians don’t exist in isolation, they need a world that reflects their untamed spirit. This section helps you develop the elements of your setting that are necessary to support barbarian characters, from rugged environments to the societal structures that may accept or oppose them.
Factions: Barbarians aren’t lone wolves; they belong to clans, clans, or organizations that shape their goals and motivations. This section provides insight into the groups your barbarian might be part of or come into conflict with, offering rich opportunities for storytelling and character interaction.
Adventures: Want to design adventures that are tailor-made for barbarian characters? This section is packed with tips and strategies for crafting engaging stories centered around the unique traits and struggles of a barbarian. These aren’t just typical quests; they’re gritty, survival-based tales where raw strength and cunning are the only tools that matter.
Artifacts & Relics: A collection of powerful arcane, sacred, and cultural magic items of significance to Barbarian characters, offering objects to add to your worldbuilding and interesting MacGuffins for your fantasy adventures.
Creatures of Rage: The interactions of Barbarians with a variety of creature types, as both allies and enemies, and the affect they have on one another and how that can impact your worldbuild and adventures.
Reference: Finally, the Reference section serves as a quick and easy guide for converting this material to the system of your choice. It includes stock characters, factions, creatures, and equipment, along with a glossary of terms we use frequently and a bibliography for further reading. Everything you need to make the barbarian an integral part of your world is right here.
187 pages. PDF and epub files included.