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Barbarian

Playstyle: Offensive · Complexity: 1/6 · Season 1

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Who is this character?

Pure aggression: Smack almost every turn, stun chains for extra attacks.

How to play Barbarian

If after roll 1 3× Sword + 2× Pow for Overpower are reachable. Keep 3× Sword + 2× Pow and reroll all dice not needed, aiming at Overpower (5 dice). If fewer than 5 matching dice remain after roll 1, switch to Rage!. Overpower deals a documented 18 damage and applies Concussion/Concussion, so the 5 committed dice stay on the table.

Early game: Run safe Smack turns and stabilise health via Fortitude.

Mid game: Use Overpower on good rolls for burst damage.

Late game: Aim for Crit Bash / Rage! for a stun window and ultimate damage.

If after roll 1 5× Pow for Rage! are reachable. Keep 5× Pow and reroll all dice not needed, aiming at Rage! (5 dice). If fewer than 5 matching dice remain after roll 1, switch to Overpower. Rage! deals a documented 15 damage and applies Stun/Stun, so the 5 committed dice stay on the table.

Sturdy Blow (2 swords + 2 pows) deals 4 undefendable damage – take it against strong defenders instead of a 4-damage Smack.

After a stun, use the bonus attack phase immediately: even a small Smack is free damage.

Reckless (large straight, 15 damage) costs you 4 health – only take it when it puts the opponent in kill range.

Overpower with a 14+ on 3 dice inflicts concussion: the opponent loses their entire income phase (CP + card).

Fishing for the large straight (only ~25% chance) while 3 swords are already banked.

Strengths

  • Smack lands very reliably on 3+ swords (half the die faces are swords)
  • Stun (Crit Bash, Rage!) grants an immediate extra attack phase
  • Fortitude heals 4–6 on heart-heavy rolls

Weaknesses

  • No real damage prevention – Thick Skin only heals afterwards

Key attacks

  • Smack
    Standard route

    Reliable damage route for turns without special setup.

    Take it as soon as 3× ⚔ Sword is mostly on the table after roll 1 (98% across all three rolls): safe damage beats rerolling working dice for a harder route.

    3× ⚔ Sword · 4 damage

  • Sturdy Blow
    Burst

    High single-turn damage that locks several dice.

    Only go for it when at most one symbol of 2× ⚔ Sword + 2× ✶ Pow is missing after roll 1 (49% across all three rolls); otherwise you give up an already safe route.

    2× ⚔ Sword + 2× ✶ Pow · 4 damage

  • Fortitude
    Healing

    Healing instead of damage this turn.

    Only take it once you have taken enough damage for the healing to land in full – at full health the turn is wasted.

    3× ♥ Heart · healing: 4 health

  • Overpower
    Control

    Control route: damage plus an effect against the opponent's next turn.

    Worth it when the opponent is hunting their strong route next turn (31% across all three rolls): the effect beats a few extra damage points there.

    3× ⚔ Sword + 2× ✶ Pow · Sum of 3 dice · concussion

  • Mighty Blow
    Burst

    High single-turn damage that locks several dice.

    Only go for it when at most one symbol of Small straight (4 in a row) is missing after roll 1 (59% across all three rolls); otherwise you give up an already safe route.

    Small straight (4 in a row) · 9 damage

  • Crit Bash
    Control

    Control route: damage plus an effect against the opponent's next turn.

    Worth it when the opponent is hunting their strong route next turn (10% across all three rolls): the effect beats a few extra damage points there.

    4× ✶ Pow · 5 damage · stun

  • Reckless
    Burst

    High single-turn damage that locks several dice.

    Only go for it when at most one symbol of Large straight (5 in a row) is missing after roll 1 (25% across all three rolls); otherwise you give up an already safe route.

    Large straight (5 in a row) · 15 damage · 4 self damage

  • Rage!
    Finisher

    Ultimate: the board's highest damage value with the hardest requirement.

    Do not force 5× ✶ Pow (1% across all three rolls): only when the requirement is reachable after roll 1 is giving up the safe route worth it.

    5× ✶ Pow · 15 damage · stun

Key statuses & resources

  • Concussion: negative, conditional side effect of Overpower per the recorded status list.
  • Stun: negative, inflicted by Crit Bash and the Rage! ultimate.
  • Only use Reckless (15 damage, 4 self-damage) with sufficient own health cushion.

Abilities & board

Health: 50 · Starting CP: 2

Dice symbols

⚔ Sword · 3/6 (faces 1, 2, 3)♥ Heart · 2/6 (faces 4, 5)✶ Pow · 1/6 (faces 6)

Level I abilities

  • Smack
    Normal
    Dice requirement:
    3× ⚔ Sword
    Damage/healing:
    4 damage
  • Sturdy Blow
    Undefendable
    Dice requirement:
    2× ⚔ Sword + 2× ✶ Pow
    Damage/healing:
    4 damage
  • Fortitude
    Dice requirement:
    3× ♥ Heart
    Damage/healing:
    healing: 4 health
  • Overpower
    Normal
    Dice requirement:
    3× ⚔ Sword + 2× ✶ Pow
    Damage/healing:
    Sum of 3 dice
    Key effects:
    concussion
  • Mighty Blow
    Normal
    Dice requirement:
    Small straight (4 in a row)
    Damage/healing:
    9 damage
  • Crit Bash
    Undefendable
    Dice requirement:
    4× ✶ Pow
    Damage/healing:
    5 damage
    Key effects:
    stun
  • Reckless
    Normal
    Dice requirement:
    Large straight (5 in a row)
    Damage/healing:
    15 damage · 4 self damage

Ultimate

  • Rage!
    Ultimate
    Dice requirement:
    5× ✶ Pow
    Damage/healing:
    15 damage
    Key effects:
    stun

Defense

Thick Skin The defense roll is made whenever you are attacked. It does not prevent damage directly. Thick Skin prevents nothing: roll 3 dice and heal 2 per heart (about 2 on average).

Special mechanics

  • Stun extra attack phase
    Board mechanic
    Inflicted Stun (Crit Bash, Rage!) costs the opponent their attack phase and immediately grants the Barbarian an additional attack phase – in team play the action loss applies regardless of who the targeting roll hits next.
  • Healing instead of damage prevention
    Board mechanic
    The Barbarian has no damage prevention: Thick Skin heals 2 health per heart (3 dice, avg ~2, max 6) only after damage is taken; Fortitude heals 4–6 as its own attack turn. Pure prevention = 0.

Upgrades & cards

What changes?

  • Smack
    Level II
    • Damage: 6 damage instead of 4 damage
    • Dice requirement: 4× ⚔ Sword instead of 3× ⚔ Sword
  • Smack
    Level III
    • Damage: 8 damage instead of 4 damage
    • Dice requirement: 5× ⚔ Sword instead of 3× ⚔ Sword
  • Fortitude
    Level II
    • Healing: 5 damage instead of 4 damage
    • Dice requirement: 4× ♥ Heart instead of 3× ♥ Heart
  • Fortitude
    Level III
    • Healing: 6 damage instead of 4 damage
    • Dice requirement: 5× ♥ Heart instead of 3× ♥ Heart

Hero-specific cards

Not sufficiently verified

Works well with

  • Tactician

    Tactician takes over support and fills the open team role.

  • Seraph

    Seraph takes over support and fills the open team role.

  • Shadow Thief

    Shadow Thief adds the attack avoidance that Barbarian lacks.

Good matchups

  • Loki

    Barbarian keeps Loki tied up with Concussion and Stun, many of Loki's effects get cancelled that way.

  • Scarlet Witch

    Barbarian keeps Scarlet Witch tied up with Concussion and Stun, many of Scarlet Witch's effects get cancelled that way.

  • Tactician

    Barbarian keeps Tactician tied up with Concussion and Stun, many of Tactician's effects get cancelled that way.

Tough matchups

  • Druid

    Druid keeps Barbarian tied up with Wound, and Barbarian already needs tight rolls.

  • Storm

    Barbarian lands spikes up to 18 damage without a long ramp – more than Tempestuous prevents.

  • Huntress

    Huntress keeps Barbarian tied up with Bleed, and Barbarian already needs tight rolls.

Buy now

Dice Throne: Season One – Battle Chest

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