Barbarian - Bull Totem Primal Path

[WhiteWolf]

So I've got a Minotaur Barbarian in my game and he'll be approaching 3rd level soon. He's unsure about which Primal Path to choose, I'm allowing the SCAG totem options and UA stuff but not the Battlerager because I'm the DM and I said so.
He's leaning towards Totem Warrior and we both like the idea of his totem animal being a bull (ya know, being a minotaur and all). However, I don't want to just re-fluff the bear totem, I want to do the bull spirits justice and give them a different feel and flavour. Anyway, here's what I came up with.

[REVISED]

Totem Spirit (3rd)
Bull. While raging, you gain temporary hit points at the start of each of your turns, equal to half your barbarian level rounded up. These temporary hit points last until your rage ends. The spirit of the bull lends you resilience in the heat of battle.

Aspect of the Beast (6th)
Bull. You gain the vigour of a bull. Both your carrying capacity and push/drag/lift weights are doubled and you may maintain your rage without attacking or taking damage, as long as you are carrying, pushing, dragging or lifting objects in excess of 500 lb. Additionally, you are not slowed by pushing or dragging weight in excess of your carrying capacity and you can move at full speed while grappling a creature.

Totemic Attunement (14th)
Bull. You gain the stubbornness of a bull, in both mind and body. You have advantage on wisdom saving throws and can reduce any forced movement by 10ft.

What do you lot think, how does it match up with the other totems?
Thanks

[Potato_Priest]

I'm going to comment under each feature in italics.


So I've got a Minotaur Barbarian in my game and he'll be approaching 3rd level soon. He's unsure about which Primal Path to choose, I'm allowing the SCAG totem options and UA stuff but not the Battlerager because I'm the DM and I said so.
He's leaning towards Totem Warrior and we both like the idea of his totem animal being a bull (ya know, being a minotaur and all). However, I don't want to just re-fluff the bear totem, I want to do the bull spirits justice and give them a different feel and flavour. Anyway, here's what I came up with.

Totem Spirit (3rd)
Bull. While raging, you gain temporary hit points at the start of each of your turns, equal to half your level rounded up. These temporary hit points last until your rage ends. The spirit of the bull lends you resilience in the heat of battle.

This is good. I think that instead of just "level" it should specify barbarian level, but other than that this looks fine.

Aspect of the Beast (6th)
Bull. You gain the stubbornness of a bull, in both mind and body. You have advantage on wisdom saving throws and can reduce any forced movement by 5ft.

I'd move this to level 14. The other totem paths at this level are ribbons. I'd also have it reduce the distance moved by 10 feet, rather than 5.

Totemic Attunement (14th)
Bull. While raging, at the start of your turn you may stand up from prone or attempt to break a grapple as a free action. The raging bull refuses to be contained.

I don't think this is particularly expressive of what bulls do. They don't strike me as being able to rapidly shrug off grapplers or stand up easily. Their whole schtick seems to be not being grappled or knocked down in the first place, which the barbarian in general is already excellent at. Instead, I'd move this feature to level 6, and change it to being able to quadruple your push/pull/carry weight wile raging, and being able to maintain rage for free while pushing or pulling objects in excess of 500 pounds. Seems more flavorful for the bull. It still might be too similar to the bear option though. Other suggestions are welcome.

What do you lot think, how does it match up with the other totems?
Thanks

[Gr7mm Bobb]

Totem Spirit (3rd)
Bull. While raging, you gain temporary hit points at the start of each of your turns, equal to half your level rounded up. These temporary hit points last until your rage ends. The spirit of the bull lends you resilience in the heat of battle.
Thanks

I feel that 1/2 level can be a little too potent. Why not use a similar concept as the Battle Rager? (Con mod as THP for duration of rage) And maybe a nugget about your pushes having +5ft added to them.

[WhiteWolf]

Potato_Priest, I put the features in that order because I wanted to match the other paths that have the 3rd and 14th level ones only active while raging and the 10th level one always active. However, I get that the Aspect of the Beast may be unbalanced with the other paths. I also get what you're saying about the level 14 feature, seems a bit redundant. As for quadrupling push/pull/carry, I think double would be enough. It is similar to the bear but it does fit the theme. Also, I fixed the wording on Totem spirit.

Gr7mm Bobb, I chose half level because Con mod doesn't scale as well at higher levels. I even think half level is a bit weak at 20th level, ancient dragon breath does 60-100 points of damage, bear totem will reduce this to 30-50, whereas bull will only take it to 50-90. Seems a bit weak, bearing in mind temporary HP don't stack.

Anyway, here are the revisions. As always, feedback is appreciated.

Totem Spirit (3rd)
Bull. While raging, you gain temporary hit points at the start of each of your turns, equal to half your barbarian level rounded up. These temporary hit points last until your rage ends. The spirit of the bull lends you resilience in the heat of battle.

Aspect of the Beast (6th)
Bull. You gain the vigour of a bull. Both your carrying capacity and push/drag/lift weights are doubled and you may maintain your rage without attacking or taking damage, as long as you are carrying, pushing, dragging or lifting objects in excess of 500 lb. Additionally, you are not slowed by pushing or dragging weight in excess of your carrying capacity and you can move at full speed while grappling a creature.

Totemic Attunement (14th)
Bull. You gain the stubbornness of a bull, in both mind and body. You have advantage on wisdom saving throws and can reduce any forced movement by 10ft.

[Specter]

So I've got a Minotaur Barbarian in my game and he'll be approaching 3rd level soon. He's unsure about which Primal Path to choose, I'm allowing the SCAG totem options and UA stuff but not the Battlerager because I'm the DM and I said so.
He's leaning towards Totem Warrior and we both like the idea of his totem animal being a bull (ya know, being a minotaur and all). However, I don't want to just re-fluff the bear totem, I want to do the bull spirits justice and give them a different feel and flavour. Anyway, here's what I came up with.

Totem Spirit (3rd)
Bull. While raging, you gain temporary hit points at the start of each of your turns, equal to half your level rounded up. These temporary hit points last until your rage ends. The spirit of the bull lends you resilience in the heat of battle.

Aspect of the Beast (6th)
Bull. You gain the stubbornness of a bull, in both mind and body. You have advantage on wisdom saving throws and can reduce any forced movement by 5ft.

Totemic Attunement (14th)
Bull. While raging, at the start of your turn you may stand up from prone or attempt to break a grapple as a free action. The raging bull refuses to be contained.

What do you lot think, how does it match up with the other totems?
Thanks

You should probably put Barbarian level instead of any level on the level 3 feature. That takes care of multiclass abuse.

The level 6 ability is not combat-oriented. You should make it something like the Champion's Remarkable Athlete.

The level 14 feature seems... weak. I'd add 'ignore difficult terrain' there too.

[WhiteWolf]

You should probably put Barbarian level instead of any level on the level 3 feature. That takes care of multiclass abuse.

The level 6 ability is not combat-oriented. You should make it something like the Champion's Remarkable Athlete.

The level 14 feature seems... weak. I'd add 'ignore difficult terrain' there too.

I've made some changes now, and updated the original post.

Thanks

[ravencroft0]

[REVISED]

Totem Spirit (6th)
Bull. While raging, you gain temporary hit points at the start of each of your turns, equal to half your barbarian level rounded up. These temporary hit points last until your rage ends. The spirit of the bull lends you resilience in the heat of battle.

The wording on this makes me think they get something else with a "resilience" theme. 5e presents the fluff, then the crunch.


Aspect of the Beast (10th)
Bull. You gain the vigour of a bull. Both your carrying capacity and push/drag/lift weights are doubled and you may maintain your rage without attacking or taking damage, as long as you are carrying, pushing, dragging or lifting objects in excess of 500 lb. Additionally, you are not slowed by pushing or dragging weight in excess of your carrying capacity and you can move at full speed while grappling a creature.

So, you are the Hulk? I'm not bashing it, as it's interesting, but clarifying your intent.

[WhiteWolf]

The wording on this makes me think they get something else with a "resilience" theme. 5e presents the fluff, then the crunch.



So, you are the Hulk? I'm not bashing it, as it's interesting, but clarifying your intent.

All of the Totem Spirit features have the crunch first and then the fluff. I tried to match the format of the other totems in the PHB.

And yeah, I wanted the Aspect of the beast to reflect the strength of a bull. I know it is similar to the bear ability but I couldn't come up with anything else that fitted the theme and that was more of a ribbon and less combat oriented. I'd welcome any suggestions on a different level 6 Aspect of the Beast feature.

[Potato_Priest]

My original idea for the level 6 ability was quadruple push/pull/lift weight only while raging and normal weight the rest of the time.

[ravencroft0]

All of the Totem Spirit features have the crunch first and then the fluff. I tried to match the format of the other totems in the PHB.

My bad.


And yeah, I wanted the Aspect of the beast to reflect the strength of a bull. I know it is similar to the bear ability but I couldn't come up with anything else that fitted the theme and that was more of a ribbon and less combat oriented. I'd welcome any suggestions on a different level 6 Aspect of the Beast feature.

How about something along the lines of while raging difficult terrain doesn't impede your movement. Bulls are beasts of burden in most cultures. Play with that aspect.

Oh, I call "Aurochs (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurochs) tribe" for where this minotaur may or may not come from. lol