Gnome Path of the Wild Heart Barbarian Build Guide
Combining the raw fury of the Path of the Wild Heart with Gnomish resilience creates an unexpectedly durable, animal-attuned frontline Striker.
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Why Path of the Wild Heart?
Becoming a Gnome Barbarian of the Path of the Wild Heart makes you a tiny engine of natural fury. As a Striker, your main job is to charge into battle and shred enemies. While Barbarians are famous for their high physical durability, they often struggle against magical mental attacks. That is where your Gnomish Cunning trait comes in, giving you advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws against magic to patch up your biggest weakness.
At level 3, you unlock Rage of the Wilds, allowing you to channel animal spirits to boost your combat prowess. Whether you choose the resilience of the Bear or the aggressive mobility of the Eagle, your rage transforms you into a versatile threat. Meanwhile, your Gnome Darkvision ensures you can stalk prey through pitch-black dungeons or dense forests without giving away your position with a torch.
Out of combat, features like Animal Speaker allow you to communicate with forest creatures, adding great utility to a class usually known only for fighting. With a high starting Strength of 15 and a solid Constitution of 14, you can easily leap into the fray, confident that your physical and mental defenses are virtually impenetrable.
Path of the Wild Heart Features
Animal Speaker
Level 3You can cast the Beast Sense and Speak with Animals spells, but only as Rituals. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for them.
Rage of the Wilds
Level 3Your Rage draws on the primal might of animals. Each time you activate your Rage, you gain one of the following abilities of your choice: Bear: While your Rage is active, you have Resistance to all damage except Force, Necrotic, Psychic, and Radiant. Eagle: When you activate your Rage, you can use a Bonus Action to gain a Fly Speed equal to your Walking Speed until your Rage ends. Wolf: While your Rage is active, Creatures within 5 feet of you have Disadvantage on opportunity attack rolls against targets other than you.
Aspect of the Wilds
Level 6You gain one of the following options of your choice. Each time you finish a Long Rest, you can change your choice.
Nature Speaker
Level 10You can cast the Commune with Nature spell, but only as a Ritual. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for it.
Power of the Wilds
Level 14Each time you activate your Rage, you gain one of the following options of your choice: Aspect of the Bear: You gain a Climb Speed equal to your Walking Speed. Aspect of the Eagle: When you activate your Rage, you can use a Bonus Action on the same turn to make a melee weapon attack, and you don't provoke opportunity attacks when you fly away from a creature. Aspect of the Wolf: You gain a Burrow Speed equal to half your Walking Speed.
Recommended Ability Scores
Gnome Traits That Benefit Path of the Wild Heart Barbarian
Gnomish Cunning
Extra saving throw advantages protect against debilitating spells and effects.
Darkvision
Gnome Darkvision helps Barbarians scout ahead and fight in darkness without needing a torch.
Combat Effectiveness
| Level | HP | Melee DPR | Ranged DPR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 5 | 50 | 7.8 | 6.05 |
| Level 11 | 104 | 7.15 | 5.5 |
| Level 17 | 158 | 7.15 | 5.5 |
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Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
- ♦ Path of the Wild Heart grants Animal Speaker at level 3
- ♦ High hit points for frontline durability
- ♦ Highest possible hit die (d12)
- ♦ Darkvision for dungeon exploration
- ♦ Strong melee damage output
Weaknesses
- ♦ Low Charisma limits social interactions
- ♦ Limited ranged and magical options without multiclassing
- ♦ Small size limits heavy weapon usage
Pro Tips
Leverage Gnomish Cunning to confidently charge enemy spellcasters, knowing your mental defenses are secure while you prepare to strike.
Choose the Eagle spirit during Rage of the Wilds to dart across the battlefield, utilizing your small size to slip past heavy guards.
Utilize Animal Speaker to gather battlefield intelligence from local wildlife before launching an ambush with your party.
Combine Darkvision with the Bear spirit's defenses to lead your team into pitch-black caverns, serving as a fearless, unyielding vanguard.
Other Barbarian Subclasses for Gnome
Other Races for Path of the Wild Heart Barbarian
Frequently Asked Questions
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What makes Path of the Wild Heart different from other Barbarian subclasses?
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