Primal Path of the Demon Heart
Either through a voluntary and dark ritual or through accidental corruption you are now infused with demonic powers, these powers change you at your core, sometimes physically and sometimes mentally. Regardless, you are now on the path of a Demon Heart, one who's very body twists and warps with every violent outburst in new and horrific ways.
Mutant Nature
Starting at 3rd level, demonic corruption erupts from you as you rage. When you enter your rage, roll on the mutation table to determine the magical effect produced. If the mutation requires a saving throw, the DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier.
| d6 | Mutation |
|---|---|
| 1 | You explode with chaotic energy, choose between acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison. Each creature within 10 ft. of you must make a dexterity saving throw, on a failure they take an amount of the chosen damage type equal to your barbarian level, taking no damage on a success. |
| 2 | You grow an extra limb such as a spiked tentacle or clawed hand. For the duration of the rage when you take the attack action you may make an additional special attack with your limb. You are considered proficient with the limb and it deals 1d8 piercing damage plus your strength modifier. The limb is too uncontrollable to hold weapons or perform delicate tasks. |
| 3 | You gain horrible spikes throughout your body. Creatures of the same size category as you or smaller have disadvantage on grappling you. You deal 1d8 piercing damage to any creature you are grappling or are grappled by at the start of each of your turns. |
| 4 | Demonic spirits erupt from you. A number of creatures equal to your constitution modifier of your choice within 30 ft. must make strength saving throws or become grappled for the duration of your rage. Grappled creatures may repeat the save at the end of each of their turns, ending the effect on themselves on a success. |
| 5 | You grow in size and gain red fur throughout your body, for the duration of the rage you are affected by the enlarge effect of the enlarge reduce spell. |
| 6 | Your muscles swell and glow from within your body, for the duration of the rage, once per turn, when you hit with a weapon attack using strength and the target is a creature that is no more than one size category larger then you they must succeed a strength saving throw or be knocked prone. |
Ghastly Visage
Starting at 6th level your demonic influence is visible for all to see, invoking a supernatural fear deep within the hearts of those who gaze upon you. You gain advantage on intimidation checks and are immune to the frightened condition.
Sacrifical Strikes
Starting at 10th level you can sacrifice your vitality to empower your attacks. When you hit with a Reckless Attack while raging you may choose to take 4d6 damage that cannot be reduced in any way, and add the damage to your attack. If an attack empowered in this way kills a creature you gain temporary hitpoints equal to the extra damage you dealt.
If you use this ability on a critical strike you roll the damage you inflict on yourself as per normal but double the damage rolled, instead of doubling the dice.
Heightened Chaos
Starting at level 14, when you roll on the mutation table, you may roll twice instead of once, gaining the effects of both mutations at once for their specified durations. You may not gain the effects of the same mutation twice, instead rerolling one of the die until you have different mutation effects.
Art Credit
Art of Tzeentch Maruader belongs to Ted Beargeon and Games Workshop
Demon Heart Origins
The following are a series of tables in order to help and inspire unique and interesting origins for how you became a Demon Heart Barbarian. These origins are designed to work regardless of what level barbarian you start your campaign as. Choose from either the accidental or purposeful origins.
Accidental Corruption
| d6 | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | You were nearly killed by a swarm of demons, their chaotic magic has manifested within you and given your trauma of that event new life in the form of your rage. |
| 2 | An incubus toyed with your mind for years, after discovering the demons true origins you are overcome with a scorned abyss fueled, rage. |
| 3 | You were stranded in the Abyss for a short time and forced to eat the flesh of a dead demon, you have been touched by the rage of the Abyss ever since. |
| 4 | You encountered a demon lord, gazing upon such power has invoked power within you. Your eyes are now scorched black as coal. A permanent reminder of the horrors you have witnessed. |
| 5 | You were taken prisoner by a demonic cult and sacrificed to summon a demon. The ritual went wrong and you were instead fused with the demons soul. |
| 6 | You were used in a demonic ritual to summon a demon, for as long as that demon walks the material plain your souls are linked, slowly corrupting eachother. |
Purposeful Corruption
| d6 | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | You married a demon such as a succubus, Balor, or a Babau. Your rage manifests as a semi controlled battle glee. |
| 2 | You are part of a dark order of Demon Hunters who use their enemies powers to level the playing field. You ate a portion of a Balor's heart as part of an innitiation ritual. |
| 3 | You hail from a clan of reclusive demon worshipping mountain folk. You were chosen by a dark prophecy and given the power of demons in order to fulfill your destiny |
| 4 | You were once a paladin, but after a demon attacked your clergy you used a dark artifact to absorb its soul and save your people, though you did so at the cost of your divine oath and powers. |
| 5 | A high ranking mage payed you handsomely to partake in a super soldier experiment. The experiment was either a success or a failure, resulting in you as you are now. |
| 6 | You attempted to become a warlock of a demon lord, but your brawn was deemed more favorable then your force of personality by the demigod and they blessed you with a different power than you expected. |
Demonic Flavor
You are permanently marked by what has made you what you are. Below are examples meant to inspire you and help build a ground work for more personalized marks.
| d10 | Mark |
|---|---|
| 1 | Your chest bears a sigil, scarred into your flesh depicting a ring filled with Abyssal runes, in the center of which is a pentagram. |
| 2 | A blackish red crystal is slowly growing out of your head. |
| 3 | from the base of your neck all the way down your spine are small prehensile quills |
| 4 | two large tusks grow from your lower jaw, if you already have tusks they grow like antlers. |
| 5 | The whites of your eyes are purple and glow faintly in the dark. |
| 6 | Spikes grow on various parts of your body. |
| 7 | You have a permanent vestigial arm growing out of your shoulder. |
| 8 | You have multiple rows of shark like teeth. |
| 9 | Your tongue is a foot and half long. |
| 10 | You have small vestigial wings. |
Be Tasteful
Demons, as a story telling device, evoke the darkest parts of human nature, and it is very easy to revel in such dark, perverse, "badass" things. But please be mindful of the table your at and talk to people about what topics they are comfortable exploring with you.
I say this because this subclass explores themes of corruption, loss of humanity, and self harm, each is a difficult subject matter that not everyone is comfortable with. If such things are not suitable for your table and your group please exclude all but their mechanical implications from your games.
And please, if your table is not comfortable with this at all, to the point that it could ruin other peoples enjoyement of the game then please, play a different subclass.
Thank you for reading this little ol' creation of mine, critique and feedback is always welcome!