Fiendish Frenzy (Barbarian Primal Path)(WIP)

[TopCheese]

Initial Unholy Frenzy idea by Spacehamster.

Barbarian Primal Path (Unholy Frenzy)

You have made a deal with a devil or demon or whomever, that part doesn't really matter... What does matter is that you have gained power to destroy your enemies. At the end of a long rest you make a small sacrifice (typically a broken holy symbol of a deity or a small animal) and your contact gives you your additional power. Of you are unable to sacrifice the contact will still send power your way but a sacrifice at a later date will need to be bigger. The contact will give you your choice of element for your unholy frenzy features. If you don't make a sacrifice the contact will give you whichever one it feels like.

To use your unholy frenzy abilities you must give a part of your life energy. This takes the form of Hit Dice, you keep your maximum number of Hit dice, and they restore as normal. Only Barbarian (d12) HD can be used to fuel these abilities.

Unholy Rage (Level 3)
While raging you may, once per turn when you hit with a weapon attack you may, sacrifice HD and deal additional damage equal to (Con Modifier). This additional damage is either Acid, Cold, Fire, or Lightning as determined by your contact and is magic for the purpose of overcoming resistances. You may deal more damage by expending more HD.

Con Modifier: 1 HD
Con Modifier + 1/2 Prof Bonus: 3 HD
Con Modifier + Proficiency Bonus: 5 HD

Fiendish Eyes (Level 6)
You may cast Detect Evil and Good by sacrificing 1 HD.

Fiendish Explosion (Level 6)
While raging, as a reaction to being hit with a weapon, failing a saving throw, or failing an ability check, you may allow your rage to burst forth unholy energy. This energy is the same type as your Unholy Frenzy feature. Each creature within 5' takes a number of points of damage equal to your double your rage bonus damage. You must sacrifice 1 HD to use this feature.

Contact Fiend (Level 10)
You may cast "Contact Other Plane" once per long rest to talk to your fiendish contact. You must give up 2 HD to use this feature. There is no Int save or chance of insanity (as most would view you as insane already). This feature otherwise works like the spell "Contact Other Plane".

Fiendish Skin (Level 10)
You are resistant to your unholy rage element.

Wings of the Fiend (Level 14)
When you rage you grow bat like wings and gain a flying speed equal to your walking speed.

When you rage your alignment and type always shows up as Evil Outsider though your alignment and creature type doesnt change.

Loyalty Served (Level 14)
Due to your loyalty, your sacrifice for Unholy Frenzy is reduced by 1.

====

Question: Should I pick some specific fiends (2 demon and 2 devisl) and then make those choices specific (including elements) that way I don't have to give such vague names to the features?

Added that only barbarian hit dice can fuel this primal path (multiclassing with ranger 2d6 type stuff won't give you more HD to fuel this).

[SodaDarwin]

Do you get a pool based on the number of hit dice you have, or are you effectively Casting from Hitpoints by expending the hit die itself?

[TopCheese]

Do you get a pool based on the number of hit dice you have, or are you effectively Casting from Hitpoints by expending the hit die itself?

You are using up your hit dice. Instead of using them for healing you are using them to fuel your unholy abilities. Risk versus reward.

At most you will have 20 HD. I haven't done the math on this yet as I made it today but I hope the damage will be comparable to typical barbarians. May need to change some stuff up.

[L Space]

Cool idea, kind of makes me think of the demon tainted orcs from Warcraft.

I like the feel of the abilities and using the HD dice to fuel is really neat, especially since I could see using a similar mechanic for blood magic. I do think the "Unholy Rage (Level 3)" ability is a little weak though, since it is costing you both a Bonus Action and a HD.

[TopCheese]

Cool idea, kind of makes me think of the demon tainted orcs from Warcraft.

I like the feel of the abilities and using the HD dice to fuel is really neat, especially since I could see using a similar mechanic for blood magic. I do think the "Unholy Rage (Level 3)" ability is a little weak though, since it is costing you both a Bonus Action and a HD.

I have no context when it comes to warcraft haha.

Eventually I want to add in fluff that shows how you are using HD. When you cast Detect good and evil blood trickles from your eyes. When you cast Contact Other Plane, perhaps blood flows from your ears. Have bones breaking and other I juries, represented by HD lose, that then heal once the ability finishes.

Like growing wings will make blood and bones explode from your back before healing to show wings.

Stuff like that.

I was originally think of the Frenzy bonus action attack but I might change it up to a free action *of you hit with a weapon attack* once per turn. Much like the Paladin smite.

[Spacehamster]

Initial Unholy Frenzy idea by Spacehamster.

Barbarian Primal Path (Unholy Frenzy)

You have made a deal with a devil or demon or whomever, that part doesn't really matter... What does matter is that you have gained power to destroy your enemies. At the end of a long rest you make a small sacrifice (typically a broken holy symbol of a deity or a small animal) and your contact gives you your additional power. Of you are unable to sacrifice the contact will still send power your way but a sacrifice at a later date will need to be bigger. The contact will give you your choice of element for your unholy frenzy features. If you don't make a sacrifice the contact will give you whichever one it feels like.

To use your unholy frenzy abilities you must give a part of your life energy. This takes the form of Hit Dice, you keep your maximum number of Hit dice, and they restore as normal. Only Barbarian (d12) HD can be used to fuel these abilities.

Unholy Rage (Level 3)
While raging you may, once per turn when you hit with a weapon attack you may, sacrifice HD and deal additional damage equal to (Con Modifier). This additional damage is either Acid, Cold, Fire, or Lightning as determined by your contact and is magic for the purpose of overcoming resistances. You may deal more damage by expending more HD.

Con Modifier: 1 HD
Con Modifier + 1/2 Prof Bonus: 3 HD
Con Modifier + Proficiency Bonus: 5 HD

Fiendish Eyes (Level 6)
You may cast Detect Evil and Good by sacrificing 1 HD.

Fiendish Explosion (Level 6)
While raging, as a reaction to being hit with a weapon, failing a saving throw, or failing an ability check, you may allow your rage to burst forth unholy energy. This energy is the same type as your Unholy Frenzy feature. Each creature within 5' takes a number of points of damage equal to your double your rage bonus damage. You must sacrifice 1 HD to use this feature.

Contact Fiend (Level 10)
You may cast "Contact Other Plane" once per long rest to talk to your fiendish contact. You must give up 2 HD to use this feature. There is no Int save or chance of insanity (as most would view you as insane already). This feature otherwise works like the spell "Contact Other Plane".

Fiendish Skin (Level 10)
You are resistant to your unholy rage element.

Wings of the Fiend (Level 14)
When you rage you grow bat like wings and gain a flying speed equal to your walking speed.

When you rage your alignment and type always shows up as Evil Outsider though your alignment and creature type doesnt change.

Loyalty Served (Level 14)
Due to your loyalty, your sacrifice for Unholy Frenzy is reduced by 1.

====

Question: Should I pick some specific fiends (2 demon and 2 devisl) and then make those choices specific (including elements) that way I don't have to give such vague names to the features?

Added that only barbarian hit dice can fuel this primal path (multiclassing with ranger 2d6 type stuff won't give you more HD to fuel this).

Couple of example names of powerful fiends would be nice, the path does not have to be 100% dark either, could be used as a last resort from a couple of barbarians to gain enough power to save their tribe, the price is a lifelong struggle against the corruption you invited into your body. :)

[Spacehamster]

This is how I would do the level 14 perk:

Oblivion charge: once per short rest you can do a devastating charge/leap followed by a brutal blow, for each 5ft(10ft?)you move before you strike add 1d12 fire damage to your first attack that hits this round, if the blow is a critical strike the target is flung 15ft away from you and is prone(Max one size bigger then you is affected by this part).

[Spacehamster]

Suggestion on path name: fiendish ravager

[TopCheese]

Couple of example names of powerful fiends would be nice, the path does not have to be 100% dark either, could be used as a last resort from a couple of barbarians to gain enough power to save their tribe, the price is a lifelong struggle against the corruption you invited into your body. :)

I think I'll keep the basic fluff dark but leave a disclaimer for DMs to think about allowing a change in fluff.


This is how I would do the level 14 perk:

Oblivion charge: once per short rest you can do a devastating charge/leap followed by a brutal blow, for each 5ft(10ft?)you move before you strike add 1d12 fire damage to your first attack that hits this round, if the blow is a critical strike the target is flung 15ft away from you and is prone(Max one size bigger then you is affected by this part).

Barbarian can already deal out the damage quite well, it doesn't need more damage. What it needs is utility/mobility. This essentially copies the sorcerer or eagle totem high level abilities.

Edit: Flight is the biggest issue with martials. This shores up that weakness.


Suggestion on path name: fiendish ravager

I already have a Ravager subclass name for my fighter :p

But I like the change from unholy to Fiendish.

[Spacehamster]

I think I'll keep the basic fluff dark but leave a disclaimer for DMs to think about allowing a change in fluff.



Barbarian can already deal out the damage quite well, it doesn't need more damage. What it needs is utility/mobility. This essentially copies the sorcerer or eagle totem high level abilities.

Edit: Flight is the biggest issue with martials. This shores up that weakness.


True I guess but would be cool with a subclass that utilizes charging an enemy and the picture of a crazed barbarian with horns and glowing eyes charging his enemy great sword aflame and leaving a fiery trail behind is badass. ;)

[TopCheese]

True I guess but would be cool with a subclass that utilizes charging an enemy and the picture of a crazed barbarian with horns and glowing eyes charging his enemy great sword aflame and leaving a fiery trail behind is badass. ;)

See, that is mostly fluff and you can get it with this primal path. In 5e charging isn't really a thing (for good or bad) except for the charger feat (which is bad for barbarians) and if you want to fluff it.

I could see a primal path that gave the Charger feat and then enhanced it but that's a primal path I would like to see martial and not magical. I think the foehammer from PF would make an interesting Barbarian Charger type character.

[Spacehamster]

See, that is mostly fluff and you can get it with this primal path. In 5e charging isn't really a thing (for good or bad) except for the charger feat (which is bad for barbarians) and if you want to fluff it.

I could see a primal path that gave the Charger feat and then enhanced it but that's a primal path I would like to see martial and not magical. I think the foehammer from PF would make an interesting Barbarian Charger type character.

The charger could be built around one massive hit but unlike other barbarians not get the 2nd attacks, instead he gets enhancements to his one attack. Idea of just having one attack but making it brutal as hell is appealing, massive damage and rider effects maybe. :)

[TopCheese]

The charger could be built around one massive hit but unlike other barbarians not get the 2nd attacks, instead he gets enhancements to his one attack. Idea of just having one attack but making it brutal as hell is appealing, massive damage and rider effects maybe. :)

I think that can work, dropping extra attack and adding in burst damage.

You could take the rogue and make it comparable. The barbarian *must* have a heavy weapon to use these features (as opposed to a rogue having a finesse/range weapon). Give some defense options for when you "charge".

The PF foehammer is a great base for this idea.. Just don't make it dwarf only.