Rules edition: This build uses the legacy Tabaxi from Volo’s Guide to Monsters and the 2014 Barbarian and Warlock. The later MotM Tabaxi and 2024 class rules have different features. Multiclassing is optional; ask your DM before using it.
What clashes—and what still works
The main rules conflict is Rage. While raging, a Barbarian cannot cast spells or concentrate on them. If you are concentrating when you enter Rage, that concentration ends. This means a Warlock cannot maintain Hex, Darkness, or another concentration spell through a Rage. Non-concentration effects you already cast can continue if their spell description allows it: Armor of Agathys needs no concentration, so its temporary hit points and retaliation can remain while you rage.
Rage and some Warlock features also compete for your bonus action. Hexblade’s Curse, Hex, and Rage each take a bonus action to start. You can use them on different turns, but cannot start two of them with the same bonus action. When you are raging, you cannot cast the Hex spell at all. The build therefore works best when you decide whether a fight calls for spellcasting from range or a melee Rage turn.
Legacy Tabaxi traits
The Volo’s Tabaxi has +2 Dexterity and +1 Charisma, Cat’s Talent (Perception and Stealth proficiency), Cat’s Claws, and Feline Agility. Cat’s Claws are natural weapons that deal 1d4 plus your Strength modifier slashing damage, but a weapon may be better for a character who wants to use Rage’s damage bonus. Feline Agility doubles your speed until the end of your turn after you move on your turn in combat. You regain its use after a turn when you move 0 feet. This can help you close a gap or reposition; it does not grant an extra action or Disengage.
Meet multiclass requirements and budget scores
Under the 2014 multiclassing rules, you need Strength 13 to multiclass as a Barbarian and Charisma 13 to multiclass as a Warlock, regardless of which class you start in. The legacy species has fixed ability-score increases: +2 Dexterity and +1 Charisma. They do not increase Strength. Both classes benefit from Constitution, while the class you expect to use most should determine whether Strength or Charisma is your highest score.
A legal 27-point Barbarian-primary spread before racial increases is Strength 15, Dexterity 12, Constitution 14, Intelligence 8, Wisdom 10, Charisma 13. After Tabaxi increases, Dexterity is 14 and Charisma is 14. A legal Warlock-primary spread is Strength 15, Dexterity 10, Constitution 13, Intelligence 8, Wisdom 10, Charisma 15; after the Tabaxi increases, Dexterity is 12 and Charisma is 16. These examples meet both multiclass prerequisites and spend exactly 27 points before racial increases. If you use a different point-buy or rolled array, verify the prerequisites after applying the correct legacy traits.
The Skeleton Ceramic Dice Set suits a character shifting between pact magic and primal fury; view the Skeleton set.
Choose a primary class
Barbarian-primary keeps Extra Attack and Rage progression closer to their normal levels. Two Warlock levels add Pact Magic and Eldritch Invocations, including Agonizing Blast if you meet its requirements. That gives you an attack option for situations where you cannot reach a target or do not want to rage. Those spells and invocations do not make the character cast spells while raging.
Warlock-primary keeps spell progression and patron features moving, but several Barbarian levels delay Warlock features. Barbarian 2 adds Reckless Attack and Danger Sense; Barbarian 3 adds a Primal Path; Barbarian 5 adds Extra Attack. Choose the break point for a particular feature rather than assuming three to five Barbarian levels are free. Rage uses a bonus action and has a limited number of uses in the 2014 class table.
Using Hexblade without mixing its rules
The Hexblade patron from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything grants medium armor, shields, and martial weapon proficiency. Hex Warrior lets you use Charisma for attacks and damage with one eligible weapon that lacks the two-handed property. At Warlock level 3, Pact of the Blade extends Hex Warrior to your pact weapon regardless of weapon type. A character using a two-handed weapon should not assume Charisma applies before gaining that feature.
Hexblade’s Curse is a bonus action and works against one chosen target for its duration. It adds your Proficiency Bonus to damage rolls against that target, improves your critical range against it, and can heal you if the target dies. It does not require concentration, so its effect can continue during Rage after you activate it on an earlier turn. Rage and Hexblade’s Curse still compete for the same bonus action on the turn you start either feature.
Other patrons can work if you want their story or features. Fiendish temporary hit points, Great Old One telepathy, or another patron’s non-concentration feature may complement the character, but inspect each feature’s wording. Do not assume every Warlock feature functions while raging or that every patron benefits melee attacks.
Combat choices and feats
When you want to rage, move into position and use weapon attacks. Reckless Attack grants advantage on melee weapon attack rolls using Strength on your turn, but it also gives enemies advantage against you until your next turn. It does not grant advantage to a Charisma-based Hex Warrior attack. Great Weapon Master’s 2014 power attack also applies only when you attack with a heavy weapon; assess the accuracy cost, especially if you are not using Strength and Reckless Attack together.
When you want to cast, remain out of Rage and use Warlock spells, Eldritch Blast, and invocations normally. Armor of Agathys can be cast before a fight and does not require concentration. By contrast, casting Hex before combat does not preserve Hex through a Rage: concentration ends when Rage begins. Devil’s Sight can see through magical and nonmagical darkness within 120 feet, but the Darkness spell requires concentration. You can’t maintain Darkness while raging, and a two-level Warlock dip is needed to choose an Eldritch Invocation under the 2014 Warlock progression.
Feline Agility can help you enter or leave a dangerous area, but it does not replace Disengage. Mobile can help avoid opportunity attacks from a creature you attacked that turn. Resilient (Wisdom) can improve a weak save, while War Caster is relevant when you are casting and maintaining concentration outside Rage. Select feats after deciding whether this character spends more sessions casting or fighting in melee.
Official Rules Sources
- Volo’s Guide to Monsters: legacy Tabaxi
- Volo’s Guide to Monsters errata
- D&D Beyond Basic Rules (2014): Barbarian and Warlock features
- D&D Beyond Basic Rules (2014): multiclassing prerequisites
- D&D Beyond Basic Rules (2014): Armor of Agathys, Hex, and Darkness
- Xanathar’s Guide to Everything: Hexblade patron and invocations
- D&D Beyond Basic Rules (2014): feats
