The barbarian's extraordinary physical abilities-leaping, springing, climbing, and quick movement-aren't reserved for special occasions. They‘re components of everyday life, used naturally and continuously. A barbarian may prefer swinging from tree to tree over walking. Scaling a wall and popping through a window may be a more comfortable way to enter a building than opening a door.
To rule-play a barbarian effectively, the player should incorporate these physical skills into routine activities whenever possible. Keep his background in mind; a barbarian from the arctic probably won't be as enthusiastic about tree swinging as a barbarian from the jungle. Some ideas:
- A barbarian may mimic the physical actions of animals from his homeland. When stalking prey, he may creep on all fours like a wolf. Sensing danger, he may freeze like a deer, neck erect, discreetly sniffing the air. He may sprint like a gazelle, spring through the grass like a kangaroo, even strike like a serpent to sink his teeth in a victim's neck.
- He may be in constant motion, too restless to stay put for more than a few moments. He leaps from boulder to boulder for the sheer fun of it, darts through the brush in playful pursuit of a rabbit, springs into the air in a futile effort to snag a passing bird. He may sleep in short naps, rising every hour or two to scout for strangers or hunt for something to eat.
- Because of the advantages of elevation-the higher you are, the more you can see; irs easier to pounce from a height-he may avoid the ground. While his companions break for a rest, he leaps atop a boulder to survey the area. He sleeps in the bow of a tree, eats his meals while squatting on a stump, clambers up a friend's shoulder to get a better look at a passing buffalo herd.
- In combat situations, he may be a blur of hands and feet. He hurls himself through the air to deliver two powerful kicks to an ogre's stomach. He springs over a crouched goblin to smack him on the back of the head. He jumps from the brush, pummels a mage with a flurry of punches, then dives back to his hiding place.
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