Aasimar Barbarian 5e D&D Guide

Born with the blood of angels coursing through their veins, Aasimar Barbarians are like celestial hammers, capable of unleashing devastating blows upon their foes. 

When an Aasimar Barbarian enters battle, it’s as if the heavens themselves rain down upon their enemies. Each swing of their weapon is a symphony of destruction, obliterating adversaries with celestial fury.

But don’t let their radiant appearance fool you, for beneath their divine facade lies an unyielding spirit of primal rage. Like a tempest unleashed, their celestial blood boils, igniting an inner fire that fuels their relentless assault.

Prepare yourself for a celestial storm of unparalleled power, for the Aasimar Barbarian is a divine symphony of wrath and grace – a force to be reckoned with.

Creating an Aasimar Barbarian

Aasimar

Aasimar have the light of the heavens in their soul as they descended from humans who were touched by the power of Mount Celestia, the divine realm where many lawful good deities reside.

The Aasimar are born to serve the gods as champions, and their births are hailed as blessed events. These people have an otherworldly visage with luminous features that present their celestial heritage.

Aasimar always have a link to an angelic being, except for when one has turned evil. The (usually a deva) will guide the Aasimar, although be it only in dreams. These dreams will never be direct commands and will always be received as feelings, prophecies, and visions.

Note: These features can be slightly changed or modified if some variations don’t fit your character.

Aasimar Subraces

Aasimar have 4 different subraces you can choose from, each having its own advantages, disadvantages, and preferred playstyles.

Protector Aasimar – Protector Aasimar are identical to normal Aasimar. However, they have access to a Radiant Soul upon reaching level 3.

When used, they unleash powerful divine energy, sprouting luminous, incorporeal wings and obtaining glimmering eyes. While in this transformation, they can fly and deal extra Radiant damage to one target.

Scourge Aasimar – Scourge Aasimar have the Radiant Consumption ability, which unleashes their divine energy, causing searing light to pour out of their mouth and eyes, threatening to char them.

The transformation makes the Scourge Aasimar shed bright light for a 10-foot radius and dim light for another 10-foot. It also makes those who are within 10 feet of them take Radiant damage, also dealing extra Radiant damage on an attack or spell.

Fallen Aasimar – Much like the Protector and Scourge Aasimar, a Fallen Aasimar unlocks their own ability at level 3, called Necrotic Shroud.

When activated, the ability transforms them, turning their eyes into pools of endless darkness and sprouting skeletal, ghostly wings from their back.

Upon activation, creatures will have to make a Charisma save, or else they become frightened. The transformation also allows them to deal extra Necrotic damage when they attack or cast a spell.

Aasimar (DMG) – DMG Aasimar are the most similar to traditional Aasimarm, but the main difference is their stats and the new ability Celestial Legacy.

Celestial Legacy unlocks not only the Light cantrip but the Lesser Restoration and Daylight spell at their respective levels.

Barbarian Class Features

Hit Points

Proficiencies

Barbarian Primal Paths

Arriving at level 3 allows you to choose from 8 different Barbarian Primal Paths. Each path has a different playstyle, so choose the one that you find specifically interesting, or that fits your character most.

Ancestral Guardian – Ancestral Guardians revere their ancestors, using ancestral guardian spirits for aid. These spirits bolster their fighting spirits and strengthen them physically, allowing them to fight off even the toughest foes.

Battlerager (Dwarfs only) – Called Kuldjargh (translating to “axe idiot”) by the dwarfs, Battleragers worship the gods of war. 

They wear bulky armor adorned with spikes, needlessly throwing themselves into battle, using even their body as a weapon, and surrendering their sanity to the fury of battle.

Beast – Path of the Beast Barbarians draw their fury from the beast dwelling deep within their soul. If they let it take over, they physically transform, gaining many benefits.

Note: You may describe the origin of your bestial powers or roll for it.

Berserker – Berserkers use their rage to become unfathomably violent, entering a frenzy and getting a thrill like no other from battle. 

In many cases, their fury overwhelms their rational thoughts, causing them to ignore their health and well-being.

Storm Herald – Storm Heralds are taught to transform their rage into a mantle of primal magic that whirls around them, and when enraged, they create powerful magical effects.

These Barbarians are known as nature’s protectors and are often found in the far reaches of the world, where they train with druids and rangers, keeping nature safe from those who would harm it.

Totem Warrior – Totem Warriors go on a spiritual journey, accepting a spirit animal as their guide, inspiration, and protector. In battle, the spirit fills them with magical power, giving them magical fuel for their rage.

Wild Magic – Wild Magic Barbarians feel the rampant magic of the Feywild and the Upper Planes, transforming them and manifesting the otherworldly magic of their ancestors.

Note: Elves, tieflings, aasimar, and genasi Barbarians often walk this path.

Zealot – Zealots are Barbarians who fight ferocious battles in the name of their deity, channeling their rage into powerful exhibits of divine power. Deities who inspire Zealots are usually gods of violence, destruction, and combat.

Combining Barbarian With Aasimar

Determining Your Barbarian Subclass

Choosing your ideal subclass is subjective, but if your objective is optimization, try understanding what your character wants to do and what stats fit best with their subclass.

Optimal Aasimar Subrace

Normal Aasimar (VGtM) have a bonus to their Charisma (2), which isn’t really beneficial for Barbarians.

Either the Scourge Aasimar (bonus to Constitution (1) or Fallen Aasimar (bonus to Strength (1)) subrace would be best for a Barbarian. 

Both have their divine abilities, but the Scourge Aasimar’s Radiant Consumption will fit best with the playstyle of a Barbarian, especially those who love running into a fight and decimating everything in their way.

However, if you want a higher Strength score, choosing the Fallen Aasimar will provide your Barbarian with better stats, so it all depends on what you want and how cool you want your Barbarian to look when they transform!

Your Aasimar Barbarian Background

Your Aasimar Barbarian needs a unique background that will affect its choices, as well as the way it sees the world and what it wants to achieve.

Start by asking yourself some basic questions: Where were they born, and where did they come from? Do they have any goals, bonds, or ideals, and what are their flaws? Where do they belong in social circles and society as a whole? What inspires them?

Place of Birth

Think of the environment an Aasimar Barbarian grew up in and how it affected them physically and emotionally and eventually shaped their view of the world.

Try to make their place of birth and upbringing correspond with their personality traits, ideals, bonds, and flaws – this will truly bring their character alive.

Note: The birthplaces of races are usually mentioned in the Player’s Handbook or some of its expansion books.

Characteristics and Personality Traits

(Short outline of characteristics; are they proud, violent, or angry, and how does their class affect their personality).

Aasimar Barbarian Examples:

• I sleep with my back to a tree or wall, with everything I own wrapped in a bundle in my arms.

• I’m full of cautionary and inspiring tales from my military experience, which are relevant to almost every combat situation.

Ideals, Bonds, and Flaws

Ideal – Express one ideal that is a driving force in an Aasimar Barbarian’s life – their conviction, ethical principle, and moral standing (probably something about nature).

If we all do the work, we will share the rewards.

Bonds – Think of a single bond that your Aasimar Barbarian has to an event, person, or place. Bonds will tie them to their background and can inspire bravery or stimulate memories driving them against their ideals.

I worked the land, I love the land, and I will protect the land.

Flaws – Choose a single flaw for an Aasimar Barbarian – their unhealthy compulsion, greatest fear/weakness, or most vile vice.

I judge others harshly and myself even more severely.

Inspiration

Inspiration can be used by the DM to reward you for playing according to your bond, personality traits, ideals, and flaw.

I have come to judge those who are unfit to do good. I will judge everyone the same, even if those who do harm are in my party. Their actions will not go unanswered!

Note: If you’re struggling to create your background or just don’t want to think, the Player’s Handbook has well-thought-through backgrounds that you can use for your character or use as a mold.

Supplies and Gear For Aasimar Barbarians

Barbarians start with the following equipment, together with the equipment from their background. Choosing equipment based on your situation and your character’s proficiencies is the easiest way to go about things.

• (a) Greataxe or (b) Any martial melee weapon
• (a) Two handaxes or (b) Any simple weapon
• Explorer’s pack and four javelins

You can decide how your character came about these goods – whether they stole, inherited, or purchased them some time back – adding to your character’s background.

Note: By using your starting wealth, you can buy your own equipment (2d4 x 10 GP for Barbarians).

Final Thoughts

Aasimar Barbarians are a strange mix between primal fury and divine justice. While they are born with magical gifts, Aasimar Barbarians forsake that and focus on melee prowess combined with their divine radiance.

There are very few Aasimar, so if you see an Aasimar Barbarian be sure to greet them courteously, treading carefully to not anger their primal side and have them unleash their divine radiance.

You might also be interested in the following:

• Kenku Monk
• Kenku Rogue
• Kenku Wizard