A Barbarian can rip the door off without using the tadpole :P.
I have reservations about this. I understand it's enjoyable for the barbarian player, but it leaves me wondering why the barbarian can't do the same thing on the next pod in the other room.
The dazed woman is there to illustrate what the change looks like to the player, so I understand her role in the opening. It's important. It establishes the stakes in a visual way that can't be denied.
But the whole thing is undermined by the barbarian. I'm left asking myself why the barbarian can't save this woman, or failing to save her, why the barbarian can't rip the pod open and kill the newborn mind flayer within. Which makes the entire scene feel heavy handed and forced.
