Path of the Clenched Fist
Barbarian Primal Path
Barbarians who follow the path of the clenched fist seek power through its most literal meaning— sheer physical strength. As the barbarian pushes its body beyond normal limits, it loses its reliance on cumbersome weaponry and armor, preferring to use its own body as a weapon.
Unlike fighters and monks that rely on carefully executed maneuvers, these barbarians have a complete disregard for such finesse. Instead they throw around their mass without caution, quickly overpowering the toughest foes.
Path of the Clenched Fist Features
| Level | Feature |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Powerful Build, Strong Armed Savage |
| 6th | Feats of Strength |
| 10th | Herculean Endurance |
| 14th | Lights Out |
Powerful Build
When you select this path at 3rd level, your physique becomes primarily defined by your massive bulk. You count as if you were one size larger when determining your carrying capacity.
Strong Armed Savage
Also at 3rd level, your savage ferocity is unleashed when you engage in close quarters combat. Any part of your body can be used as a natural weapon. When you hit with it you deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d10 + your Strength modifier. If you strike with two free hands, the d10 becomes a d12.
Immediately after you hit a creature with this natural weapon while raging, you can attempt to grapple or shove the creature as a bonus action. If you succeed, the target also takes bludgeoning damage equal to half your barbarian level, rounded up.
Author's note: The wording used here is very specific. While these attacks are made using your body, they do not count as unarmed strikes.
Feats of Strength
At 6th level, you can perform feats of colossal strength known as brutish maneuvers. Damage from a brutish maneuver ignores resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks, as you use the target's own body against it. If a maneuver requires a saving throw, its save DC is calculated as follows.
Brutish Maneuver save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier
When you take the Attack action, you can forgo one attack to perform one of the following brutish maneuvers instead.
Brace. You brace yourself against harm. The next time you are hit by an attack you can see, before the start of your next turn, you reduce the attack's damage by 1d12 + your Constitution modifier (minimum reduction of 1).
Hurl. You lift a target within reach, which can be a creature grappled by you or an object no larger than 10 feet, and throw it up to 20 feet in a direction of your choice, landing prone. A creature can avoid being thrown by succeeding on a Strength save, but remains grappled on success. If the target would strike another creature, that creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be struck as well. The target and anything it strikes each take 1d12 bludgeoning damage.
Smash. You crush, slam, or otherwise batter a creature already grappled by you, dealing 1d12 bludgeoning damage to it.
Herculean Endurance
At 10th level, your massive build anchors you to the ground. While you have firm footing, you cannot be moved against your will— such as movement from being grappled, from a thunderwave spell, or from a warlock's repelling blast.
Lights Out
At 14th level, you can forgo both attacks from your Attack action to instead subdue a target within reach, doing so as a brutish maneuver. The target must make a Constitution saving throw, and has disadvantage on the roll if it's also grappled by you. A target that can't be grappled automatically succeeds instead.
The target takes 4d12 bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much on success. Also on failure, the target becomes stunned until the end of its next turn, and if it fails its save by 5 or more, it falls unconscious for 1 minute. The unconscious target can make a Constitution saving throw whenever it takes damage and at the end of its turns, waking up on success.
After you've used this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.
Credits
Art Credit
nJoo — Gipsy vs Ogre
Version 3.19
