How Sunderfolk’s Berserker Compares to a Dungeons and Dragons Barbarian

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home November 28, 2024 2 Views 6 Min Read
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The Barbarian is a classic in any RPG, with the Dungeons and Dragons version of the classic being iconic in its own right. The very name explains to players what they should expect: light-armored, heavy-hitting, simple-to-play, and otherwise endurable characters. In Dungeons and Dragons 5E, the Barbarian thrives thanks to its Rage mechanic, its ability to reduce incoming damage, its Reckless Attack options, and its wealth of hit points. It is arguably the simplest class in Dungeons and Dragons, although the 2024 changes added more strategic elements to the class. With more options for Reckless Attack, a more persistent Rage, better skill options, and general improvements, players can keep the simplicity of the Barbarian but have more options for that expression.




Interestingly, Sunderfolk‘s Berserker seems to be more in line with the improved Barbarian from Dungeons and Dragons 5E‘s 2024 revisions rather than the original. That’s because it retains all of the beloved simple elements—the rage, the hit and tank strategies—while tying into Sunderfolk‘s more strategic gameplay. The result is a class that’s easy to recommend whenever Sunderfolk releases in 2025.

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Sunderfolk quickly proves itself as a worthy inheritor of tabletop and video game design, bringing out the best of both mediums.

Sunderfolk’s Berserker vs. DnD 5E’s Barbarian

To get this out of the way, the most obvious difference comes from racial customization. While there are plenty of races that perfectly complement the Barbarian in Dungeons and Dragons, Sunderfolk classes have set races; in this instance, the Berserker is a Bear. In general, customization is going to be different because of the way each game expresses the class. There are plenty of magic items, weapons, and armor to really hone in on the DnD Barbarian, and while Sunderfolk has its fair share of equipment (namely Weapons and Trinkets), it’s going to be a little different. Obviously, a tabletop game limited only by imagination is going to be different from a video game, but the difference is small enough that it’s just a matter of expression.


For example, instead of a D20, Sunderfolk characters use Fate Decks. It aids the same element of randomness that keeps tabletop fresh, but players are able to customize bonuses and penalties with additional effects. Weapons give players unique abilities to express their class, some of which will trigger outside of normal turn order, while trinkets unlock small abilities like certain throwables, creating vines in locations, and so forth. The class expression and customization are perhaps the biggest differences between Sunderfolk‘s class and the Dungeons and Dragons equivalent, but they both hit that same fantasy of hit-and-tank tactics with some elements of strategy.


Sunderfolk Berserker Class Abilities Are Barbaric

Nowhere is this more strategic element obvious than in the Sunderfolk’s class abilities for the Berserker, as the game recently showed off some on its official Twitter account.

  • The passive ability is called Protector’s Fury, which is its Rage mechanic. Similar to its Dungeons and Dragons equivalent, the Berserker’s rage makes it deal 2 extra damage and take 1 less extra damage when active. Uniquely, a Berserker’s Rage is activated for 1 turn whenever the Berserker takes damage, meaning players want to keep this constantly popped by being on the frontline and provoking enemies.
  • Bulwark is an ability that lets the Berserker move 4 spaces, attack for 4 DMG (pre-Rage), and triggers Provoke (so the enemy attacks the Berserker, making it a proc for Rage) and Shield (which lessens the damage the Berserker will take).
  • Fling is an ability that lets the Berserker move 2, Throw something (or someone, including friendlies) 2 spaces, and move another 2. It’s a simple ability inherent of the class expression, but one that also echoes the more strategic options of the 2024 Barbarian in DnD 5E.


During my preview of Sunderfolk earlier this year, I also got a closer look at a couple of other abilities. I gained a Whirlwind attack to target a handful of enemies, which is pretty much a 1:1 ability equivalent to the Whirlwind Attack feat in Dungeons and Dragons. It’s pretty standard fare, but it exemplifies the Berserker/Barbarian class expression perfectly. Furthermore, I had another ability focused on moving and provoking as many enemies as possible, again tapping into the strategic elements of the class.

Ultimately, the Sunderfolk Berserker is easy to recommend to anyone who likes the Dungeons and Dragons Barbarian, but it also removes the most common complaint of the pre-2024 revisions of the Barbarian. Sunderfolk‘s Berserker is simple to play and hits all marks required for the class expression, but it is not oversimplistic with a one-size-fits-all combat strategy. The added strategy goes a long way for the Berserker, just as it does for the Barbarian.


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