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Submortimer
2015-07-21, 10:31 PM
Barbarian Primal Path: Path of Iron

http://wiki.guildwars2.com/images/thumb/2/27/Armor_10_concept_art.jpg/652px-Armor_10_concept_art.jpg

"Fire and wind come from the sky. But Crom is your god, Crom, and he lives in the Earth. Once when giants lived in the Earth, Conan.

And in the darkness of chaos, they fooled Crom, and they took from him the enigma of steel. Crom was angered, and the Earth shook. Fire and wind struck down these giants, and they threw thier bodies into the waters, but in their rage, the gods forgot the secret of steel and left it on the battlefield. We who found it are just men. Not gods, not giants; just men. The secret of steel has always carried with it a mystery.You must learn it's riddle, Conan; you must learn it's discipline. For no one...no one in this world can you trust. Not men, not women, not beasts.

Steel. Steel you can trust."

- Conan's father to Conan, Conan the Barbarian

Of all the innovations man has made over the years, one would be hard pressed to find a more significant invention than steel. With the discovery of steel, man gained a nearly unparalleled ability to carve his way into the world around him, and through the beasts and enemies that held him at bay from the darkest reaches of the world. To a barbarian of the Iron, steel isn't just what he shapes into his weapons and his armor, it lies in his very heart and soul.
Though the true secrets of steel have long since passed through the world, they were thought (in human lands, at least) to have originated from a small barbarian tribe known as Clan Ralanr. Though they have long since vanished, warriors who can trace their lineage back to the clan find themselves almost inseparably linked to forging, crafting, and fighting.


Iron Frenzy
You excel at fighting in the heaviest armor and while using the heaviest weapons, leaning to use their weight to your advantage. At 3rd level, you gain proficiency in heavy armor, and you may gain the benefits of Rage while wearing heavy armor. Additionally, While raging, once per turn you may deal an additional 1d8 damage with a melee attack from a Heavy melee weapon.

Riddle of Steel
Crafting and metalworking are in your heart, your blood, and your soul. At 6th level, You gain proficiency with Smith's Tools, and while crafting armor or weapons you make progress at a rate of 50 GP per day. Additionally, you retain your Fast Movement Bonus while wearing heavy armor.

Juggernaut
You are an unstoppable force, and no creature can impede you from your chosen path. Starting at 10th level, while wearing heavy armor, you are considered 2 size categories larger for the purposes of shoving and moving through a hostile creature's space. If you move at least ten feet in a straight line before attempting to move through a hostile creatures space, you do not treat that space as difficult terrain, and you do not provoke an opportunity attack from that creature.

Iron Giant
Though massive, your armor and weapons are but tools for your greatness; it is you who is larger than life. Starting at 14th level, while wearing heavy armor and raging, you gain the benefits of the Enlarge spell, though it is not a magical effect and cannot be dispelled. This effect ends when your rage ends.


Feat - (By Ralanr)
Brutal Grip
• +1 Str
• When wielding a versatile weapon in one hand, you may use the two-handed damage die.
• You may wield a two-handed melee weapon in one hand, though you take a -2 to hit on all attacks with that weapon.

Ralanr, here you go. Big, massive, mean, metal-clad barbarian. Hope you dig it.

Notes: I know this steps all over the Unarmored Defense ability of the baseline barbarian, that's part of the point.

JNAProductions
2015-07-21, 10:39 PM
I love this. I LOVE THIS!

It really makes you feel like an armored juggernaut. Combine that with some good ol' HAM (this is about the only way to get HAM and Rage together) and you'll be unstoppable.

With all that said, it still seems balanced. Might even be a tad weak, considering you lose out on a good couple of points of AC, but probably not. Most Barbarians never get Con and Dex quite that high.

Submortimer
2015-07-21, 11:19 PM
I love this. I LOVE THIS!

It really makes you feel like an armored juggernaut. Combine that with some good ol' HAM (this is about the only way to get HAM and Rage together) and you'll be unstoppable.

With all that said, it still seems balanced. Might even be a tad weak, considering you lose out on a good couple of points of AC, but probably not. Most Barbarians never get Con and Dex quite that high.

I had toyed with an ability that let you use con instead of dex when wearing medium or light armor, but this is really supposed to be all about the full plate. Damage-wise, it's between totem and frenzy, but doesn't require any stupid levels of exhaustion; At 14, it jumps up, but only by about 7.5 avg damage, if youre using PM.

Defense wise, you're likely to have a higher ac much earlier on, because you get that full plate; not to mention you can essentially forego Dex in favor of Con and not lose out on anything. This class is pretty much tailor made for the Brutal Grip Feat (homebrewed feat from the boards), so I'll probably post that up there as well.

Rfkannen
2015-07-21, 11:46 PM
I really like this! I feel it is an archetype that needed filling and works well with the fantasy of it. However I see only one (incredibly tiny) problem. you talk all about steel at the beginning, and then named the path "path of iron" instead of "path of steel". I personally prefer the name you chose, but it is inconsistency.

Submortimer
2015-07-21, 11:48 PM
I Realy like this! I feel it is an archetype that needed filling and works well with the fantasy of it. However I see only one problem. you talk all about steel at the beggining, and then named the path "path of iron" instead of "path of steel". I personally prefer the name you chose, but it is inconsistancy.

I honestly thought about that, but the quote is too good to not use. My justification: Iron is the primary component of steel.

Ralanr
2015-07-22, 06:46 AM
http://pre05.deviantart.net/6ec8/th/pre/i/2015/122/2/b/nothing_stops_the_juggernaut_by_headsupstudios-d2hn5qd.jpg

What's even more funny is that you borrowed my feat :smallbiggrin:! Awesome man, I gotta try this in a non serious campaign session with my DM (Not allowed to use much homebrew in main story sessions)!

Edit: I've been wondering if the minus for two handed weapons in one hand should be, "half your proficiency bonus" instead of -2.

Submortimer
2015-07-22, 07:33 AM
http://pre05.deviantart.net/6ec8/th/pre/i/2015/122/2/b/nothing_stops_the_juggernaut_by_headsupstudios-d2hn5qd.jpg

What's even more funny is that you borrowed my feat :smallbiggrin:! Awesome man, I gotta try this in a non serious campaign session with my DM (Not allowed to use much homebrew in main story sessions)!

Edit: I've been wondering if the minus for two handed weapons in one hand should be, "half your proficiency bonus" instead of -2.

THAT'S RIGHT, IT IS YOURS! I had a hunch, but I couldn't remember for the life of me.

And perhaps. It's more of a penalty in the end, though. I've used it on my Bladelock for a while, and it's pretty much fine in it's current state.

Ralanr
2015-07-22, 07:41 AM
THAT'S RIGHT, IT IS YOURS! I had a hunch, but I couldn't remember for the life of me.

And perhaps. It's more of a penalty in the end, though. I've used it on my Bladelock for a while, and it's pretty much fine in it's current state.

Good to hear! I'm glad to know that people use my feat!

Ninja_Prawn
2015-07-22, 07:42 AM
I honestly thought about that, but the quote is too good to not use. My justification: Iron is the primary component of steel.

Seconded. The words 'iron' and 'steel' have been used interchangeably since at least the middle ages by everyone except materials scientists &co. This is made worse by the fact that 'cast iron' is really a kind of steel.

Even in the construction industry, where these things should matter, we routinely refer to steel girders, pipework, etc. as 'iron'.

Steampunkette
2015-07-26, 12:57 AM
Late to the party... love it.

I think adding 1d8 damage to an attack thile raging is good. Now I wanna do that for the zerk and kill their fatigue.

Llama513
2016-08-16, 11:04 PM
Iron Giant feels really Weak, since it activates while you are raging the only benefit that you would get is an additional 1D4 of damage since you already get Advantage on Strength checks and Saves while Raging.

As such I would make it so that your attacks deal an additional 1D6 of damage and you add double your strength modifier to damage on melee attacks while raging.

Which could be explained through your mastery of putting your full weight and strength behind each swing.

Arkhios
2016-08-17, 12:00 AM
Another praise from me, this does indeed seem awesome. I also realized that the feat ralarn made makes it possible to dual wield heavy weapons (if you take Dual Wielder too, obviously) :o

FenrirHatiSkoll
2016-08-17, 02:15 AM
Feat - (By Ralanr)
Brutal Grip
• +1 Str
• When wielding a versatile weapon in one hand, you may use the two-handed damage die.
• You may wield a two-handed melee weapon in one hand, though you take a -2 to hit on all attacks with that weapon.


May I suggest that the damage mod. for one-handing a two-handed weapon be replaced with a step down of damage die? (1d12->1d10->1d8)

Otherwise Wielding a longsword one-handed (Deals 1d10 or 5.5 damage) deals more than wielding a greataxe one-handed (Deals 1d12-2 or 6.5-2 damage).

As it currently is the greataxe deals an average of 4.5 damage, when one-handed, and can deal 0 damage on a roll or 1-2.

If it were a step-down instead the axe would deal 1d10 or 5.5 damage, the same as the long-sword, and still deal damage on all rolls.

Rerem115
2016-08-17, 02:36 AM
Actually, the minus is to attack rolls, not damage rolls. You're more likely to miss, but you'll do the full damage.

Ivogel
2016-08-17, 04:03 AM
I also feel the iron giant ability is a bit redundant since half the abilitues are already granted by rage. Maybe keep the size increase, but don't make it exactly the same to the enlarge spell?

A strenght increase instead of the +1d4 dmg, or an automatic shove to your attacks?

Arkhios
2016-08-17, 04:15 AM
Actually, the minus is to attack rolls, not damage rolls. You're more likely to miss, but you'll do the full damage.

Which is eventually compensated with the Barbarian cap-stone ability increasing strength score by 4 (+2 modifier) - genious!

In fact, I would implement the feat into Iron Giant. As it was pointed out earlier, the benefit from Enlarge is rather minimal for a raging barbarian. Iron Giant could confer this ability whether or not you are raging.

Final Hyena
2016-08-17, 07:53 AM
Iron Giant
My concern about this ability is that you have no choice but to enlarge (ha ha) which in certain situations is a huge disadvantage.

Perhaps a slight change to;
Iron Giant
Though massive, your armor and weapons are but tools for your greatness; it is you who is larger than life. Starting at 14th level, while wearing heavy armor you may gain the benefits of the Enlarge spell when you enter a rage, though it is not a magical effect and cannot be dispelled. This effect ends when your rage ends.

FenrirHatiSkoll
2016-08-17, 01:45 PM
Actually, the minus is to attack rolls, not damage rolls. You're more likely to miss, but you'll do the full damage.

Oh, woops. Nevermind then.

Submortimer
2016-08-17, 02:43 PM
May I suggest that the damage mod. for one-handing a two-handed weapon be replaced with a step down of damage die? (1d12->1d10->1d8)

Otherwise Wielding a longsword one-handed (Deals 1d10 or 5.5 damage) deals more than wielding a greataxe one-handed (Deals 1d12-2 or 6.5-2 damage).

As it currently is the greataxe deals an average of 4.5 damage, when one-handed, and can deal 0 damage on a roll or 1-2.

If it were a step-down instead the axe would deal 1d10 or 5.5 damage, the same as the long-sword, and still deal damage on all rolls.

Just a minor quibble: Why would i bother one-handing a great axe then? The whole point of the last part of the feat is to let you use a big ass weapon in one hand at a penalty, because it gets you the bigger damage die.

Submortimer
2016-08-17, 02:44 PM
Another praise from me, this does indeed seem awesome. I also realized that the feat ralarn made makes it possible to dual wield heavy weapons (if you take Dual Wielder too, obviously) :o

Yes, I'm well aware, and that's intentional. I play a lot of Diablo 2/3.

marauder340
2016-08-17, 09:57 PM
Oh man, I like this Path. Will definitely try pitching it to my DM or use it in my own campaign someday.



In fact, I would implement the feat into Iron Giant. As it was pointed out earlier, the benefit from Enlarge is rather minimal for a raging barbarian. Iron Giant could confer this ability whether or not you are raging.

I like this idea since I'm also not too keen on the idea that any other class save for maybe the Fighter can get the benefit of Brutal Grip.

Also, maybe Juggernaut can also include non-magical difficult terrain? Just a thought since he IS powering through obstacles.

I'm with Ivogel on the Enlarge being kinda redundant with Rage. Based on the name, it could give the Barbarian something like a sweeping attack while raging that can knock multiple enemies or one guy around or prone on top of the damage. Reminds me of Sauron only angrier or some kind of charging golem that rampages through enemies hahaha