Unleash Fury: A Comprehensive Guide to Reckless Attack in D&D 5e

Reckless Attack is a defining feature of the Barbarian class in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition. It’s an ability that embodies the barbarian’s willingness to trade defense for raw offensive power. This guide provides an in-depth look at Reckless Attack, covering its mechanics, strategic implications, and how to use it effectively to dominate your D&D encounters.

## What is Reckless Attack?

Reckless Attack is a class feature available to Barbarians starting at 2nd level. It allows a barbarian to gain advantage on attack rolls during their turn, but at a cost: enemies gain advantage on attack rolls against the barbarian until their next turn. It is a core component of the Barbarian’s high-risk, high-reward combat style.

**Here’s the official wording from the Player’s Handbook:**

> Starting at 2nd level, you can throw aside all concern for defense to attack with fierce desperation. When you make your first attack on your turn, you can decide to attack recklessly. Doing so gives you advantage on melee weapon attack rolls using Strength during this turn, but attack rolls against you have advantage until the start of your next turn.

## Understanding the Mechanics

To fully utilize Reckless Attack, it’s crucial to understand its nuances:

* **Activation:** Reckless Attack is a *choice* you make at the beginning of your turn when you make your *first* attack. You don’t have to use it every turn. You can decide whether or not to use it based on the specific circumstances of the combat.
* **Advantage on Attack Rolls:** When you choose to use Reckless Attack, you gain advantage on all melee weapon attack rolls using Strength during your turn. This means you roll two d20s for each attack roll and take the higher result, significantly increasing your chance of hitting your target. Notably, it only applies to attacks using Strength. Attacks made with Dexterity, such as with a finesse weapon, do not benefit.
* **Vulnerability:** The downside of Reckless Attack is that attack rolls against you have advantage until the *start* of your next turn. This means any enemy attacking you before your next turn has a greater chance of hitting you. The vulnerability lasts for the duration of the *turn* not the round. If you attack recklessly on your turn, the enemy will have advantage on the attack until your next turn.
* **One Attack Activation:** You choose to activate Reckless Attack when you make your *first* attack on your turn. The advantage applies to *all* subsequent Strength-based melee attacks you make during that turn. This is important for Barbarians who have Extra Attack (gained at 5th level) or abilities that grant bonus action attacks, such as the Polearm Master feat or Frenzy (Berserker subclass).
* **Strength-Based Melee Weapons:** Reckless Attack only works with melee weapon attacks that use Strength. This includes weapons like greatswords, greataxes, mauls, warhammers, and spears (when used in melee). It *doesn’t* work with ranged weapons or finesse weapons used with Dexterity.
* **Once per turn:** You can use Reckless Attack only once per turn. Even if you have multiple attacks or opportunities to attack on the same turn, the advantage and disadvantage conditions only apply once.

## Who Benefits Most from Reckless Attack?

Reckless Attack is most effective for Barbarians who:

* **Deal High Damage:** The risk of taking more damage is offset by the increased chance of landing powerful attacks. Barbarians wielding two-handed weapons with Great Weapon Master, or those using the Frenzy feature of the Berserker subclass, are prime examples.
* **Have High Hit Points and Armor Class:** The more hit points and damage resistance a Barbarian has, the better they can withstand the increased incoming damage. High Constitution scores and class features like Rage that grant resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage are crucial.
* **Engage in Frontline Combat:** Barbarians are typically in the thick of the battle, drawing enemy attention. Reckless Attack enhances their role as damage dealers while drawing aggro.
* **Have Ways to Mitigate Damage:** Feats, spells (cast by allies), or class features that reduce or negate incoming damage can significantly improve the survivability of a Barbarian using Reckless Attack. Examples include the Tough feat, spells like *Shield* or *Blur* cast by a friendly wizard, or abilities like the Bear Totem Barbarian’s resistance to all damage except psychic damage while raging.

## Strategic Considerations

Using Reckless Attack effectively requires careful consideration of the battlefield and your character’s capabilities. Here’s a breakdown of key strategic elements:

### Assessing the Risk

* **Number of Enemies:** If you’re facing a horde of enemies, using Reckless Attack can be extremely risky. Each enemy gains advantage on their attacks against you, potentially leading to a quick demise. In these situations, consider using Reckless Attack only if you can quickly eliminate a significant number of enemies.
* **Enemy Attack Bonus:** Consider the attack bonus of the enemies you’re facing. Against enemies with low attack bonuses, the advantage they gain from Reckless Attack may not be significant. However, against enemies with high attack bonuses, the advantage can be devastating.
* **Allied Support:** Do you have allies who can support you? Healers, buffers, or crowd control specialists can significantly mitigate the risk of using Reckless Attack. A cleric casting *Bless* on you, a wizard casting *Shield* on you when you get attacked, or a paladin using *Aura of Protection* can all make you much more resilient.
* **Your Current Hit Points:** Be mindful of your remaining hit points. If you’re already low on health, using Reckless Attack can be a dangerous gamble. Make sure to consider your hit points and any healing options available before activating it.

### Optimizing Damage Output

* **Great Weapon Master (GWM) and Polearm Master (PAM):** These feats synergize exceptionally well with Reckless Attack. GWM allows you to take a -5 penalty to your attack roll for a +10 bonus to damage. The advantage from Reckless Attack helps offset the penalty, making it more likely to hit. PAM grants you a bonus action attack, allowing you to make more attacks per turn and further maximize the benefits of Reckless Attack.
* **Brutal Critical:** As you level up as a Barbarian, your Brutal Critical feature increases the number of damage dice you roll on a critical hit. Advantage on attack rolls greatly increases the chance of scoring a critical hit, making Brutal Critical even more potent.
* **Rage Damage:** The extra damage from Rage adds to your overall damage output, making Reckless Attack even more rewarding. Remember, the damage bonus only applies to Strength-based melee attacks.
* **Action Surge:** The Fighter’s Action Surge, especially useful when multiclassing as a Barbarian/Fighter, grants you an additional action on your turn. This allows you to make even more attacks with advantage, maximizing your damage output.

### Defensive Strategies

* **Rage:** Always Rage before engaging in combat. The damage resistance granted by Rage significantly reduces the amount of damage you take, mitigating the risk of using Reckless Attack. This damage resistance is the cornerstone of a Barbarian’s survivability.
* **High Constitution:** Invest in a high Constitution score to increase your hit point maximum. This will allow you to withstand more damage and survive longer on the front lines. Consider feats like *Tough* to further bolster your hit points.
* **Armor Class:** While Barbarians aren’t typically known for their high AC, maximizing your AC can still be beneficial. Use a shield, wear medium armor (if proficient), or consider multiclassing into a class that grants heavy armor proficiency. Alternatively, prioritize Dexterity and Constitution for Unarmored Defense.
* **Healing:** Make sure your party has a reliable source of healing. A cleric, paladin, or even a druid can keep you alive while you’re recklessly attacking your enemies. Potions of healing are also a good option, but they require an action to use, which could be better spent attacking.
* **Positioning:** Be mindful of your positioning on the battlefield. Try to avoid being surrounded by enemies. Position yourself so that you’re only facing one or two enemies at a time. This will reduce the number of attacks that are made against you.

## Class and Feat Synergies

Several classes and feats synergize particularly well with Reckless Attack, enhancing its effectiveness and mitigating its risks:

### Barbarian Subclasses

* **Berserker:** The Berserker subclass is a natural fit for Reckless Attack. Their Frenzy feature grants them an extra attack as a bonus action, allowing them to make even more attacks with advantage. However, Frenzy also causes exhaustion, so it should be used judiciously.
* **Totem Warrior (Bear Totem):** The Bear Totem Barbarian gains resistance to all damage except psychic damage while raging. This makes them incredibly durable and able to withstand the increased incoming damage from Reckless Attack.
* **Zealot:** The Zealot subclass deals extra damage on their first attack each turn. The advantage from Reckless Attack improves the chance of hitting with this boosted attack.
* **Storm Herald:** While not as directly synergistic as other subclasses, the Storm Herald can use their abilities to damage or hinder enemies, potentially reducing the number of attacks made against them.

### Feats

* **Great Weapon Master (GWM):** As mentioned earlier, GWM is a must-have feat for Barbarians who use two-handed weapons. The advantage from Reckless Attack helps offset the penalty to attack rolls, making it more likely to hit with the +10 damage bonus.
* **Polearm Master (PAM):** PAM grants you a bonus action attack, allowing you to make more attacks per turn and further maximize the benefits of Reckless Attack. It also provides an opportunity attack when an enemy enters your reach, giving you even more chances to deal damage.
* **Savage Attacker:** Savage Attacker allows you to reroll one of your weapon damage dice once per turn. This can be useful for maximizing your damage output, especially on critical hits.
* **Tough:** Tough grants you an additional 2 hit points per level. This makes you more durable and able to withstand the increased incoming damage from Reckless Attack.
* **Lucky:** Lucky allows you to reroll an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw. This can be useful for avoiding critical hits or for making sure your attacks hit.

### Multiclassing

* **Fighter:** Multiclassing into Fighter can provide several benefits, including Action Surge (for additional attacks), Fighting Style (for improved damage or defense), and Second Wind (for self-healing).
* **Paladin:** A Paladin multiclass provides Divine Smite, which can be used to add significant damage to attacks. The advantage from Reckless Attack makes it more likely to land a critical hit, maximizing the damage from Divine Smite. Remember you can’t cast spells while raging, so the Paladin spellcasting is less useful while raging.
* **Rogue:** While less common, a Rogue multiclass can provide Sneak Attack damage. However, it can be difficult to consistently trigger Sneak Attack while using Reckless Attack, as it requires advantage or an ally within 5 feet of the target. A Barbarian Rogue might be useful in a stealth-focused campaign or against targets who are already engaged with other allies.

## Practical Examples

Let’s look at a few practical examples of how Reckless Attack can be used in different scenarios:

* **Scenario 1: Facing a Single, Powerful Enemy:** You’re facing a powerful enemy with a high AC and a significant damage output. You Rage and activate Reckless Attack, increasing your chance of hitting while accepting the risk of taking more damage. You use Great Weapon Master to deal massive damage on each hit, quickly bringing down the enemy.
* **Scenario 2: Surrounded by Weak Enemies:** You’re surrounded by a horde of weak goblins. You decide *not* to use Reckless Attack, as the advantage they would gain on their attacks against you would outweigh the benefit of having advantage on your attacks. Instead, you focus on using area-of-effect attacks or carefully positioning yourself to minimize the number of attacks made against you. You might choose to use Reckless Attack against a higher AC Goblin leader who is buffing the other goblins.
* **Scenario 3: Allied Support:** You’re fighting alongside a cleric and a wizard. The cleric casts *Bless* on you, increasing your attack rolls and saving throws. The wizard casts *Shield* on you, protecting you from incoming attacks. With their support, you feel confident using Reckless Attack to deal massive damage to the enemy, knowing that they have your back.
* **Scenario 4: Low on Hit Points:** You’re low on hit points and facing a dangerous enemy. You decide *not* to use Reckless Attack, as the risk of taking more damage is too great. Instead, you focus on dodging attacks and using hit-and-run tactics. If the party healer is near, you might use Reckless Attack for one round to quickly finish the fight, knowing you can get healed afterward.

## Common Mistakes to Avoid

* **Using Reckless Attack in Every Situation:** Reckless Attack is a powerful tool, but it’s not always the right choice. Assess the risk and reward before activating it.
* **Forgetting About the Disadvantage:** It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of having advantage on your attacks and forget about the disadvantage on incoming attacks. Always be mindful of the risk.
* **Not Maximizing Damage Output:** If you’re going to use Reckless Attack, make sure you’re maximizing your damage output. Use feats like Great Weapon Master and Polearm Master to deal as much damage as possible.
* **Ignoring Allied Support:** Don’t be afraid to ask your allies for help. A cleric’s *Bless* or a wizard’s *Shield* can significantly mitigate the risk of using Reckless Attack.
* **Underestimating Enemy Attack Bonuses:** Be aware of the attack bonuses of the enemies you’re facing. The higher their attack bonus, the greater the risk of using Reckless Attack.

## Alternatives to Reckless Attack

While Reckless Attack is a signature Barbarian ability, there are situations where it’s better to avoid using it. Here are some alternative strategies:

* **Staying Defensive:** Focus on dodging attacks and using your Action to Disengage if you are surrounded. This is especially useful when you are low on hit points or facing a large number of enemies.
* **Using Crowd Control:** Spells like *Web*, *Entangle*, or *Hypnotic Pattern* can hinder or incapacitate enemies, reducing the number of attacks made against you.
* **Ranged Attacks:** If you have proficiency with ranged weapons, you can attack from a distance, avoiding melee combat altogether. This is a good option if you are facing enemies with high attack bonuses or if you are low on hit points.
* **Strategic Positioning:** Carefully position yourself on the battlefield to minimize the number of attacks made against you. Use cover and terrain to your advantage.

## Conclusion

Reckless Attack is a powerful and defining feature of the Barbarian class in D&D 5e. When used strategically, it can significantly increase your damage output and make you a formidable force on the battlefield. However, it’s important to understand the risks involved and to use it judiciously. By carefully assessing the situation, optimizing your damage output, and utilizing allied support, you can unleash the full potential of Reckless Attack and dominate your D&D encounters. Remember to consider your hit points, the number of enemies, and the potential for allied assistance before choosing to attack recklessly! And always… have fun!