The Revised Barbarian Subclasses
Introduction
Aim
Barbarian is the typical tanky class for DnD and it fufills that role fairly well. However, the subclasses are really all over the place; totem and zelot being the clear best for the class and then also having berserker and battleranger, which are contenders for the worst subclasses in the entire game. This is just to bring each subclass up to the level of Totem and zelot to make every subclass worth playing.
Design
The changes that have been made will most likely be reworks and buffs with a few optional features since I normally play in heavily homebrewed campaigns. These abilities may be a little powerful for lower power level games. A lot of this is done in the form of a table with people who like optimization and giving those people more options to consider when creating a viable build. Also since I am British, I felt the need to translate all the subclasses into proper English.
Key
The following table is a key for the subclass feature Section
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| * | New |
| ! | Rework |
| ^ | Buff |
Document Layout
The subclasses are all listed alphabetically. In the features table for each subclass, the features may be prefixed with one of the symbols above. If it isn't, no change has been made to the ability.
Path of the Ancestral Guardian
Some barbarians hail from cultures that revere their ancestors. These tribes teach that the warriors of the past linger in the world as mighty spirits, who can guide and protect the living. When a barbarian who follows this path rages, the barbarian contacts the spirit world and calls on these guardian spirits for aid.
Barbarians who draw on their ancestral guardians can better fight to protect their tribes and their allies. In order to cement ties to their ancestral guardians, barbarians who follow this path cover themselves in elaborate tattoos that celebrate their ancestors’ deeds. These tattoos tell sagas of victories against terrible monsters and other fearsome rivals.
Path of the Ancestral Guardian Features
| Barbarian Level | Features |
|---|---|
| 3rd | (^)Ancestral Protectors |
| 6th | (^)Spirit Shield |
| 10th | Consult the Spirits #(^)Vengeful Ancestors |
| 14th | *Warding Spirits |
#Moved to 10th level
Ancestral Protectors
3rd-level Ancestral Guardian feature
Spectral warriors appear when you enter your rage. While you’re raging, the first creature you hit with an attack on your turn becomes the target of the warriors, which hinder its attacks. Until the start of your next turn, that target has disadvantage on any attack roll that isn’t against you, and when the target hits a creature other than you with an attack, that creature takes half damage from the attack. The effect on the target ends early if your rage ends.
Spirit Shield
6th-level Ancestral Guardian feature
The guardian spirits that aid you can provide supernatural protection to those you defend. If you are raging and you or another creature you can see within 30 feet of you takes damage, you can use your reaction to reduce that damage by 2d6.
When you reach certain levels in this class, you can reduce the damage by more: by 3d6 at 10th level and by 4d6 at 14th level.
Consult the Spirits
10th-level Ancestral Guardian feature
You gain the ability to consult with your ancestral spirits. When you do so, you cast the augury or clairvoyance spell, without using a spell slot or material components. Rather than creating a spherical sensor, this use of clairvoyance invisibly summons one of your ancestral spirits to the chosen location. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
After you cast either spell in this way, you can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.
Vengeful Ancestors
10th-level Ancestral Guardian feature
Your ancestral spirits grow powerful enough to retaliate. When you use your Spirit Shield to reduce the damage of an attack, the attacker takes an amount of force damage equal to the damage that your Spirit Shield prevents
Warding Spirits
14th-level Ancestral Guardian feature
Your ancestral spirits grant you additional protection. When you use your Spirit Shield to reduce the damage of an attack, you gain temporary hit points equal to the damage that your Spirit Shield prevents.
Additionally, you gain an additional reaction that you can each turn. This action can only be used to use your Spirit Shield or make an Attack of Opportunity.
Path of the Battlerager
Known as Kuldjargh (literally “axe idiot”) in Dwarvish, battleragers are dwarf followers of the gods of war and take the Path of the Battlerager. They specialize in wearing bulky, spiked armor and throwing themselves into combat, striking with their body itself and giving themselves over to the fury of battle.
Restriction: Dwarves Only. Only dwarves can follow the Path of the Battlerager. The battlerager fills a particular niche in dwarven society and culture.
Your DM can lift this restriction to better suit the campaign. The restriction exists for the Forgotten Realms. It might not apply to your DM’s setting or your DM’s version of the Realms.
Path of the Battlerager Features
| Barbarian Level | Features |
|---|---|
| 3rd | (^)Battlerager Armour |
| 6th | (^)Reckless Abandon |
| 10th | (^)Battlerager Charge) |
| 14th | #(!)Spiked Juggernaught |
#14th level ability reworked (buffed really) and renamed
Battlerager Armor
3rd-level Battlerager feature
You gain the ability to create and use Battlerager Armour, a unique spiked armour used by battleragers.
You gain proficiency in Smith’s Tools or Leatherworker’s Tools. If you already have proficiency in both of these you instead gain proficiency in another Artisan’s Tool of your choice.
You gain the ability to both make and wear Battlerager Armour. During a long rest, you can convert any suit of medium armour to Battlerager Armour. You need 50 gp in raw materials and smith's or leatherworker's tools to hand (depending on the primary material of the armour). The armour then becomes Battlerager Armour and it weighs 5 pounds more. If the armour is magical, then the gold required is increased by 50 GP for each rarity level (common to legendary), and the damage caused from your Battlerager Armour becomes magical. The armour retains its original properties (including enchantments and magical effects, if any).
While wearing Battlerager Armour, Battleragers gain a number of benefits:
- You can add your Constitution Modifier to your armour class.
- You can make special attacks with your armours spikes. You are proficient with the armour spike and they count as strength based simple melee weapons that do 1d6 plus your Strength modifier piercing damage. If your armour is magical, the damage also becomes magical. If your armour has any additional bonus to AC, you can add this bonus to the attack and damage rolls with your armour spikes.
- While raging, when you take the attack action, you can make one additional strikes with your armour strikes as apart of the same action.
- Any creature that is grappling you or being grappled by you takes piercing damage equal to 1 + your proficiency bonus at the start of each it its turns.
Reckless Abandon
6th-level Battlerager feature
When you use Reckless Attack feature, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Proficiency bonus plus your constitution modifier (minimum of 1). These temporary hit points stack together with existing ones from this source and they vanish if any of them are left when your rage ends.
Battlerager Charge
10th-level Battlerager feature
You can take the Dash action as a bonus action on each of your turns. Whenever you take the Dash action you can also do one of the following:
- You can make one attack with your armour strikes. If you move at least 10 feet before the attack, you add a +5 bonus to the damage roll for this attack.
- You can attempt to grapple one creature. You can add a +5 bonus to the roll for this grapple attempt.
- You can attempt to a shove creature, shoving an enemy creature up to 10ft away if successful.
Spiked Juggernaut
14th-level Battlerager feature
When a creature within 5 feet of you hits you with a melee attack, the attacker takes piercing damage equal to 1 plus your proficiency bonus if you aren’t incapacitated and are wearing spiked armour.
Additionally, you move through another creatures space that is the same size as you or smaller, as if it where difficult terrain, although you cannot end your turn in another creatures space. When you do, the creature you move though takes piercing damage equal to 1 plus your proficiency bonus. A creature can only take this damage once per turn.
Path of the Beast
Barbarians who walk the Path of the Beast draw their rage from a bestial spark burning within their souls. That beast bursts forth in the throes of rage, physically transforming the barbarian.
Such a barbarian might be inhabited by a primal spirit or be descended from shape-shifters. You can choose the origin of your feral might or determine it by rolling on the Origin of the Beast table.
Origin of the Beast
| d4 | Origin |
|---|---|
| 1 | One of your parents is a lycanthrope, and you’ve inherited some of their curse. |
| 2 | You are descended from an archdruid and inherited the ability to partially change shape. |
| 3 | A fey spirit gifted you with the ability to adopt different bestial aspects. |
| 4 | An ancient animal spirit dwells within you, allowing you to walk this path. |
Path of the Beast Features
| Barbarian Level | Features |
|---|---|
| 3rd | (^)Form of the Beast |
| 6th | Bestial Soul |
| 10th | Infectious Fury |
| 14th | (^)Call the Hunt |
Form of the Beast
3rd-level Beast feature
When you enter your rage, you can transform, revealing the bestial power within you. Until the rage ends, you manifest a natural weapon. It counts as a simple melee weapon for you, and you add your Strength modifier to the attack and damage rolls when you attack with it, as normal. You choose the weapon’s form each time you rage:
Bite. Your mouth transforms into a bestial muzzle or great mandibles (your choice). It deals 1d8 piercing damage on a hit. Once on each of your turns when you damage a creature with this bite, you regain a number of hit points equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1).
Claws. Each of your hands transforms into a claw, which you can use as a weapon if it’s empty. It deals 1d6 slashing damage on a hit. Once on each of your turns when you attack with a claw using the Attack action, you can make one additional claw attack as part of the same action.
Tail. You grow a lashing, spiny tail, which deals 1d8 piercing damage on a hit and has the reach property. If a creature you can see within 10 feet of you hits you with an attack roll, you can use your reaction to swipe your tail and roll a d8, applying a bonus to your AC equal to the number rolled, potentially causing the attack to miss you.
Bestial Soul
6th-level Beast feature
The feral power within you increases, causing the natural weapons of your Form of the Beast to count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
You can also alter your form to help you adapt to your surroundings. When you finish a short or long rest, choose one of the following benefits, which lasts until you finish your next short or long rest:
Climbing. You gain a climbing speed equal to your walking speed, and you can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Jumping. When you jump, you can make a Strength (Athletics) check and extend your jump by a number of feet equal to the check’s total. You can make this special check only once per turn.
Swimming. You gain a swimming speed equal to your walking speed, and you can breathe underwater.
Infectious Fury
10th-level Beast feature
When you hit a creature with your natural weapons while you are raging, the beast within you can curse your target with rabid fury. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus) or suffer one of the following effects (your choice):
- The target must use its reaction to make a melee attack against another creature of your choice that you can see.
- The target takes 2d12 psychic damage.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Call the Hunt
14th-level Beast feature
The beast within you grows so powerful that you can spread its ferocity to others and gain resilience from them joining your hunt. When you enter your rage, you can choose a number of other willing creatures you can see within 30 feet of you equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of one creature). You gain 5 temporary hit points for each creature that accepts this feature. Until the rage ends, the chosen creatures can each use the following benefit: when the creature hits a target with an attack roll and deals damage to it, the creature can roll a d8 and gain a bonus to the damage equal to the number rolled.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Path of the Berserker
For some barbarians, rage is a means to an end—that end being violence. The Path of the Berserker is a path of untrammelled fury, slick with blood. As you enter the berserker’s rage, you thrill in the chaos of battle, heedless of your own health or well-being.
Path of the Berserker Features
| Barbarian Level | Features |
|---|---|
| 3rd | (^)Frenzy |
| 6th | (^)Mindless Rage |
| 10th | (!)Intimidating Presence |
| 14th | (^)Retaliation |
Frenzy
3rd-level Berserker feautre
You can go into a frenzy when you rage. If you do so, for the duration of your rage, whenever you make an attack, you can make a single weapon attack as apart of the same attack and any weapon attack that you make gets your proficiency bonus added to the damage. When your rage ends, you suffer one level of exhaustion.
Mindless Rage
6th-level Berserker feature
You can’t be charmed or frightened while raging. While you are raging, you ignore the effects of exhaustion
Intimidating Presence
10th-level Berserker feature
When you enter a rage, you can frighten people with your menacing presence. When you do so, choose any number of creatures that you can see within 30 feet of you. The creature(s) must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier) or be frightened of you for one minute.
A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Retaliation
14th-level Berserker feature
When you take damage from a creature that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to make an Attack of Opportunity against that creature.
Path of the Storm Herald
All barbarians harbor a fury within. Their rage grants them superior strength, durability, and speed. Barbarians who follow the Path of the Storm Herald learn to transform that rage into a mantle of primal magic, which swirls around them. When in a fury, a barbarian of this path taps into the forces of nature to create powerful magical effects.
Storm heralds are typically elite champions who train alongside druids, rangers, and others sworn to protect nature. Other storm heralds hone their craft in lodges in regions wracked by storms, in the frozen reaches at the world’s end, or deep in the hottest deserts.
Path of the Storm Herald Features
| Barbarian Level | Features |
|---|---|
| 3rd | (^)Storm Aura |
| 6th | (^)Storm Soul |
| 10th | Shielding Storm |
| 14th | (!)Raging Storm |
Storm Aura
3rd-level Storm Herald feature
You emanate a stormy, magical aura while you rage. The aura extends 15 feet from you in every direction, but not through total cover.
Your aura has an effect that activates when you enter your rage, and you can activate the effect again on each of your turns as a bonus action. Choose desert, sea, or tundra. Your aura’s effect depends on that chosen environment, as detailed below. You can change your environment choice whenever you finish a long rest.
- Desert. When this effect is activated, all other creatures in your aura take fire damage equal to your level in this class.
- Sea. When this effect is activated, you can choose one other creature you can see in your aura. The target must make a Dexterity saving throw. The target takes lightning damage equal to your proficiency bonus d8 on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
- Tundra. When this effect is activated, each creature of your choice in your aura gains temporary hit points equal to your level in this class, and each creature of your choice has its movement speed reduced by an amount equal to your level divided by 5 (rounded up), as icy spirits inure it to suffering or hinder its movement.
If your aura’s effects require a saving throw, the DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier.
Storm Soul
6th-level Storm Herald feature
The storm grants you benefits even when your aura isn’t active. The benefits are based on the environment you chose for your Storm Aura.
- Desert. You gain resistance to fire damage, and you don’t suffer the effects of extreme heat, as described in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Moreover, as an action, you can touch a flammable object that isn’t being worn or carried by anyone else and set it on fire.
- Sea. You gain resistance to lightning damage, and you can breathe underwater. You also gain a swimming speed equal to your walking speed.
- Tundra. You gain resistance to cold damage, and you don’t suffer the effects of extreme cold, as described in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Moreover, as an action, you can touch water and turn a 5-foot cube of it into ice, which melts after 1 minute. This action fails if a creature is in the cube.
Shielding Storm
10th-level Storm Herald feature
You learn to use your mastery of the storm to protect others. Each creature of your choice has the damage resistance you gained from the Storm Soul feature while the creature is in your Storm Aura.
Raging Storm
14th-level Storm Herald feature
The power of the storm you channel grows mightier, lashing out at your foes. The effect is based on the environment you chose for your Storm Aura.
- Desert. Immediately after a creature in your aura hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to force that creature to make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 2d12 fire damage and it is set on fire. Until a creature uses an action to put the flames out it takes 2d6 fire damage at the start of each of its turns. On a success a creature takes half as much damage and isn't set ablaze.
- Sea. When you hit a creature in your aura with an attack, you can use your reaction to force that creature to make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 2d12 bludgeoning damage and is knocked prone, as if struck by a wave, or half damage on a success and it is not knocked prone.
- Tundra. Whenever the effect of your Storm Aura is activated, you can choose one creature you can see in the aura. That creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw, or take 2d12 cold damage and become restrained until the start of your next turn, as magical frost covers it.
Path of the Totem Warrior
The Path of the Totem Warrior is a spiritual journey, as the barbarian accepts a spirit animal as guide, protector, and inspiration. In battle, your totem spirit fills you with supernatural might, adding magical fuel to your barbarian rage.
Most barbarian tribes consider a totem animal to be kin to a particular clan. In such cases, it is unusual for an individual to have more than one totem animal spirit, though exceptions exist.
Path of the Totem Warrior Features
| Barbarian Level | Features |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Spirit Seeker, #(!)Totem Spirit |
| 6th | #(!)Aspect of the Beast |
| 10th | Spirit Walker |
| 14th | #(!)Totemic Attunement |
#More options to choose from
Spirit Seeker
3rd-level Totem Warrior feature
Yours is a path that seeks attunement with the natural world, giving you a kinship with beasts. You gain the ability to cast the beast sense and speak with animals spells, but only as rituals, as described in the Spellcasting section.
Totem Spirit
3rd-level Totem Warrior feature
When you adopt this path, you choose a totem spirit and gain its feature. You must make or acquire a physical totem object — an amulet or similar adornment — that incorporates fur or feathers, claws, teeth, or bones of the totem animal. At your option, you also gain minor physical attributes that are reminiscent of your totem spirit. For example, if you have a bear totem spirit, you might be unusually hairy and thick-skinned, or if your totem is the eagle, your eyes turn bright yellow.
Your totem animal might be an animal related to those listed here but more appropriate to your homeland. For example, you could choose a hawk or vulture in place of an eagle.
- Badger. While raging, you are immune to poison damage and the poisoned condition. The spirit of the badger makes you tough.
- Bat. While raging, you have blindsight to a range of 30 feet while not deafened. The spirit of the bat lets you sense your enemies' presence.
- Bear. While raging, you have resistance to all damage except psychic damage. The spirit of the bear makes you tough enough to stand up to any punishment.
- Boar. Once per short rest, while raging, if you take damage that would reduce you to 0 hit points, you are reduced to 1 hit point instead. The spirit of the boar makes you relentless.
- Bull. While raging, you have improved resistance to piercing damage. Once per turn, you may further reduce the damage from a piercing attack by an amount equal to your proficiency modifier + your Barbarian level. The spirit of the bull makes you fast and deadly.
- Camel While raging, as part of a melee attack you can make a spit attack to blind your opponent. The range is 5 feet and the target must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC = 8 + your Strength bonus + your proficiency bonus) or be at disadvantage on its next attack. Creatures immune to the blinded condition are also immune to this attack. The spirit of the camel encourages you to fight dirty.
- Crocodile. While raging, after a successful melee attack you may, as a part of one attack per round, attempt to grapple the target. The spirit of the crocodile allows you to get a grip on your prey.
- Eagle. While you’re raging, other creatures have disadvantage on opportunity attack rolls against you, and you can use the Dash action as a bonus action on your turn. The spirit of the eagle makes you into a predator who can weave through the fray with ease.
- Elk. While you are raging and aren't wearing heavy armor, your walking speed increases by 15 feet. The spirit of the elk makes you extraordinarily swift.
- Lion. While raging, you have advantage on one melee attack per turn if the target is within 10 feet of another hostile creature that is friendly to you or has been hit with a ranged weapon attack since your last turn. The spirit of the lion lets you exploit the strength of the pride.
- Rhinoceros. While raging, you can take the Dash action as a bonus action and you have advantage on attacks of opportunity. The spirit of the rhinoceros lets you react with agility that belies your bulk.
- Shark. While raging, you do extra damage equal to your proficiency modifier on a successful hit. The spirit of the shark allows you to be a vicious attacker.
- Snake. While raging, your melee weapon attacks you make are made as though the weapon has the Reach (5 feet) property. If you are already wielding a weapon with the Reach property, its reach is extended by 5 feet. The spirit of the snake lets you reach out and strike your enemies.
- Tiger. While raging, you can add 10 feet to your long jump distance and 3 feet to your high jump distance. The spirit of the tiger empowers your leaps.
- Wolf. While you’re raging, your friends have advantage on melee attack rolls against any creature within 5 feet of you that is hostile to you. If an ally is within 5 feet of you, you gain advantage on your melee attack rolls. The spirit of the wolf makes you a leader of hunters.
Aspect of the Beast
6th-level Totem Warrior feature
You gain a magical benefit based on the totem animal of your choice. You can choose the same animal you selected at 3rd level or a different one.
- Badger. You gain the comfort in tight quarters of a badger. Moving through a space big enough for a creature one size smaller than you does not cost you extra movement. Medium creatures are considered Small creatures for the purpose of applying this aspect.
- Bat. You gain the hearing of a bat. You can pick out the details and direction of particular sounds even with heavy background noise and are not fooled by echos. You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks relying on hearing.
- Bear. You gain the might of a bear. Your carrying capacity (including maximum load and maximum lift) is doubled, and you have advantage on Strength checks made to push, pull, lift, or break objects.
- Boar. You gain the tenacity of a boar. You can move through difficult terrain as though it were normal terrain.
- Bull. You gain the courage of a bull. Add your Strength or Constitution modifier, your choice, to saving throws against fear effects instead of your Wisdom modifier.
- Camel. You gain the resilience of a camel. You can go up to a week without water provided you had access to at least one gallon of water at the start of the week.
- Crocodile. You gain the swiftness of a charging crocodile. Water that is no higher than your chest does not impede your movement and you have advantage on Dexeterity (Stealth) checks while in the water.
- Eagle. You gain the eyesight of an eagle. You can see up to 1 mile away with no difficulty, able to discern even fine details as though looking at something no more than 100 feet away from you. Additionally, dim light doesn’t impose disadvantage on your Wisdom (Perception) checks.
- Elk. Whether mounted or on foot, your travel pace is doubled, as is the travel pace of up to ten companions while they’re within 60 feet of you and you’re not incapacitated (see “Adventuring,” for rules on travel pace). The elk spirit helps you roam far and fast.
- Lion. You gain the ability to command the respect a lion demands. You gain advantage on Intimidation checks and may use either your Strength or Charisma modifier.
- Rhinoceros. You gain the protectiveness of the rhinocerous. You have advantage on Persuasion checks against those that perceive you as stronger than them.
- Shark. You gain the swiftness of a shark. While not wearing heavy armor, you gain a swim speed equal to your walking speed.
- Snake. You gain the sveltness of a snake. You have advantage on Acrobatics checks.
- Tiger. You gain proficiency in two skills from the following list: Athletics, Acrobatics, Stealth, and Survival. The cat spirit hones your survival instincts.
- Wolf. You gain the hunting sensibilities of a wolf. You can track other creatures while traveling at a fast pace, and you can move stealthily while traveling at a normal pace (see “Adventuring,” for rules on travel pace).
Spirit Walker
10th-level Totem Warrior feature
You can cast the commune with nature spell, but only as a ritual. When you do so, a spiritual version of one of the animals you chose for Totem Spirit or Aspect of the Beast appears to you to convey the information you seek.
Totemic Attunement
14th-level Totem Warrior feature
You gain a magical benefit based on a totem animal of your choice. You can choose the same animal you selected previously or a different one.
- Badger. While raging, you can fight in a space for a creature one size smaller without penalty and cannot be grappled or restrained by any single attack or effect for more than one round. One grapple is automatically broken at the end of your round.
- Bat. While raging, you can move through a hostile creatures space, but cannot end your turn there. Additionally, you do not provoke attacks of opportunity if another creature hostile to the target but friendly to you is in a space adjacent to the target.
- Bear. While you’re raging, any creature within 5 feet of you that’s hostile to you has disadvantage on attack rolls against targets other than you or another character with this feature. An enemy is immune to this effect if it can’t see or hear you or if it can’t be frightened.
- Boar. While raging, if you move at least 20 feet in a straight line toward a target and then hit with melee weapon attacks against it in the same round, the target takes an extra 1d6 damage of the same type as the weapon damage. This damage counts as weapon damage for critical hits.
- Bull. While raging, you can wield two-handed weapons with one hand without penalty and weapons with the Versatile property do two-handed damage while wielded with one hand.
- Camel. While raging, you automatically succeed on ability checks and saving throws to avoid being pushed or pulled.
- Crocodile. While raging, when you have grappled an enemy your movement is not halved. Also while raging, you can bite for 1d8 damage as a bonus action.
- Eagle. While raging, you have a flying speed equal to your current walking speed. This benefit works only in short bursts; you fall if you end your turn in the air and nothing else is holding you aloft.
- Elk. While raging, you can use a bonus action during your move to pass through the space of a Large or smaller creature. That creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC 8 + your Strength bonus + your proficiency bonus) or be knocked prone and take bludgeoning damage equal to 1d12 + your Strength modifier.
- Lion. While raging, you can let out a fearsome roar. Hostile creatures within 30 feet must succeed Wisdom saving throw (DC = 8 + your Charisma modifier + your proficiency modifier) or be frightened. The effect lasts until they move more than 30 feet from you or they make the save on a subsequent round. If the creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to this fear effect for the next 24 hours.
- Rhinoceros. While raging, you can force an opponent to re-roll damage done to you when they make a successful melee attack. The results of the second roll must be used.
- Shark. While raging, if you have advantage on an attack roll, you may re-roll your damage. The results of the second roll must be used.
- Snake. While raging, regardless of where you fall in the initiative order, you can make a melee attack at initiative count 20.
- Tiger. While you’re raging, if you move at least 20 feet in a straight line toward a Large or smaller target right before making a melee weapon attack against it, you can use a bonus action to make an additional melee weapon attack against it.
- Wolf. While you’re raging, you can use a bonus action on your turn to knock a Large or smaller creature prone when you hit it with melee weapon attack.
Path of the Zealot
Some deities inspire their followers to pitch themselves into a ferocious battle fury. These barbarians are zealots — warriors who channel their rage into powerful displays of divine power.
A variety of gods across the worlds of D&D inspire their followers to embrace this path. Tempus from the Forgotten Realms and Hextor and Erythnul of Greyhawk are all prime examples. In general, the gods who inspire zealots are deities of combat, destruction, and violence. Not all are evil, but few are good.
Path of the Zealot Features
| Barbarian Level | Features |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Divine Fury, Warrior of the Gods |
| 6th | (^)Fanatical Focus |
| 10th | (^)Zealous Presence |
| 14th | Rage Beyond Death |
Divine Fury
3rd-level Zealot feature
You can channel divine fury into your weapon strikes. While you’re raging, the first creature you hit on each of your turns with a weapon attack takes extra damage equal to 1d6 + your barbarian level. The extra damage is necrotic or radiant; you choose the type of damage when you gain this feature.
Warrior of the Gods
3rd-level Zealot feature
Your soul is marked for endless battle. If a spell, such as raise dead, has the sole effect of restoring you to life (but not undeath), the caster doesn’t need material components to cast the spell on you.
Fanatical Focus
6th-level Zealot feature
The divine power that fuels your rage can protect you. If you fail a saving throw while you’re raging, you can instead choose to succeed. You can use this ability only once per rage.
Zealous Presence
10th-level Zealot feature
You learn to channel divine power to inspire zealotry in others. As a bonus action, you unleash a battle cry infused with divine energy. Up to ten other creatures of your choice within 60 feet of you that can hear you gain advantage on attack rolls and saving throws until the start of your next turn.
You can use this feature, once per rage, or until you land a critical hit.
Rage beyond Death
14th-level Zealot feature
The divine power that fuels your rage allows you to shrug off fatal blows.
While you’re raging, having 0 hit points doesn’t knock you unconscious. You still must make death saving throws, and you suffer the normal effects of taking damage while at 0 hit points. However, if you would die due to failing death saving throws, you don’t die until your rage ends, and you die then only if you still have 0 hit points.
Path of Wild Magic
Many places in the multiverse abound with beauty, intense emotion, and rampant magic; the Feywild, the Upper Planes, and other realms of supernatural power radiate with such forces and can profoundly influence people. As folk of deep feeling, barbarians are especially susceptible to these wild influences, with some barbarians being transformed by the magic. These magic-suffused barbarians walk the Path of Wild Magic. Elf, tiefling, aasimar, and genasi barbarians often seek this path, eager to manifest the otherworldly magic of their ancestors.
Path of Wild Magic Features
| Barbarian Level | Features |
|---|---|
| 3rd | (^)Magic Awareness, (^)Wild Surge |
| 6th | (^)Bolstering Magic |
| 10th | (!)Unstable Backlash |
| 14th | #(!)Empowered Surge |
#renamed from Controlled Surge
Magic Awareness
3rd-level Wild Magic feature
As an action, you can open your awareness to the presence of concentrated magic. For the next 1 minute, you know the location of any spell or magic item within 60 feet of you. When you sense a spell, you learn which school of magic it belongs to.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Wild Surge
3rd-level Wild Magic feature
The magical energy roiling inside you sometimes erupts from you. When you enter your rage, roll on the Wild Magic table to determine the magical effect produced.
If the effect requires a saving throw, the DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier.
| d8 | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | Shadowy tendrils lash around you. Each creature of your choice that you can see within 30 feet of you must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 1d12 necrotic damage. You also gain 1d12 temporary hit points per creatire you hit. |
| 2 | You teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see. Until your rage ends, you can use this effect again on each of your turns as a bonus action. |
| 3 | An intangible spirit, which looks like a flumph or a pixie (your choice), appears within 5 feet of one creature of your choice that you can see within 30 feet of you. At the end of the current turn, the spirit explodes, and each creature within 5 feet of it must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 1d8 force damage. Until your rage ends, you can use this effect again, summoning another spirit, on each of your turns as a bonus action. |
| 4 | Magic infuses one weapon of your choice that you are holding. Until your rage ends, the weapon’s damage type changes to force, and it gains the light and thrown properties, with a normal range of 20 feet and a long range of 60 feet. If the weapon leaves your hand, the weapon reappears in your hand after the attack is resolved. |
| 5 | Whenever a creature hits you with an attack roll before your rage ends, that creature takes 1d8 force damage, as magic lashes out in retribution. |
| 6 | Until your rage ends, you are surrounded by multicolored, protective lights; you gain a +2 bonus to AC, and while within 10 feet of you, your allies gain the same bonus. |
| 7 | Flowers and vines temporarily grow around you; until your rage ends, the ground within 15 feet of you is difficult terrain for your enemies. |
| 8 | A bolt of light shoots from your chest. Another creature of your choice that you can see within 30 feet of you must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 2d6 radiant damage and be blinded until the start of your next turn. Until your rage ends, you can use this effect again on each of your turns as a bonus action. |
Bolstering Magic
6th-level Wild Magic feature
You can harness your wild magic to bolster yourself or a companion. As an action, you can touch one creature (which can be yourself) and confer one of the following benefits of your choice to that creature:
- For 10 minutes, the creature can roll a d4 whenever making an attack roll or an ability check and add the number rolled to the d20 roll.
- Roll a d4. The creature regains one expended spell slot, the level of which equals the number rolled or lower (the creature’s choice). Once a creature receives this benefit, that creature can’t receive it again until after a long rest.
You can take this action a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Unstable Backlash
10th-level Wild Magic feature
When you are imperiled during your rage, the magic within you can lash out; immediately after you take damage or fail a saving throw from a creature while raging, you can use your reaction to make that creature take 3d6 force damage. If you do, roll on the Wild Magic table and immediately produce the effect rolled. This effect replaces your current Wild Magic effect.
Empowered Surge
14th-level Wild Magic feature
Whenever you roll on the Wild Magic table, you can roll the die twice and unleash both effects simultaneously. If you roll the same number on both dice, you can choose any effect on the table for the second effect.
If both effects require a bonus action to trigger the effect on subsequent turns, you can activate both effects with the same bonus action.
