Primal Path: Path of the Awakened Titan

While many barbarians choose  to become mighty bulwarks of legend, there are an unfortunate few who are forced to wield such might against their own will. Likened to a higher form of lycanthropy, these poor souls are destined to tread the Path of the Awakened Titan.

       In times long forgotten, the gods warred with extraplanar abominations wielding powers akin to their own. The beings, called Titans, fought the gods for several millennia and posed a serious threat to their survival. In the end, after an arduous conflict, the gods had finally vanquished their rivals once and for all. Or so they thought. While most of the Titans were slain on the cosmic battlefield, there were some who chose to retreat: sending their consciousness' into the astral void for indefinite amounts of time. Eons later, these latent minds have begun to awaken. With no bodies to return to, the Titans' immaterial forms wander the cosmos in search of suitable hosts for their consciousness' to dwell inconspicuously. While a Titan's mind can remain dormant in a mortal being, extreme emotions and dangerous circumstances can force the Titan to intervene, granting its host a temporary fraction of its power in order to ensure the Titan's survival. This response of primeval instinct can often be identified by an extreme increase in size and strength, as well as amnesia of the mindless rampage such a transformation inevitably results in. This first display of power is known as an Event of Awakening.

       The backstory of your Event of Awakening is completely up to you, though most awakenings have very destructive and tragic consequences. Work with your DM to determine the consequences of your awakening.

Titan Form

A Titan's consciousness is accustomed to being just that, and is habituated to living in a form much greater than its current makeshift residence. When provoked into awakening, the Titan's spirit will often try to alter its host's body to a more suitable size, pushing the subject's physical form to its limits. This contest between the consciousness of the Titan and the physical limits of its host results in intense agony for both parties, leading to an uncontrollable bout of anger that can only be sated through a destructive rampage. 

       At 3rd level, you can no longer control your rage. Whenever you take damage or are subject to a substantial amount of mental anguish (as dictated by the DM), make a DC 10 Charisma saving throw. If you fail, you must immediately use your next bonus action to enter your rage. If you succeed, you do not enter a rage, but the DC for this saving throw increases by 1 until you rage again (upon which the DC resets back to 10).

 

When you enter your rage, you also assume a different form. When you assume your Titan Form, your size category becomes Large (if it wasn't already), and you gain the following features due to your unfamiliar size:

• Your voice deepens greatly and grows to a booming volume. You cannot speak, but you can grunt, and you can roar loud enough to be heard up to 2 miles away.
• Your new weight is cumbersome and your heavy footsteps cause the ground in your vicinity to quake: you have disadvantage on Dexterity checks and Dexterity saving throws, and you automatically fail Dexterity (Stealth) checks based on sound.
• Your Strength-based attacks deal an additional 1d8 damage of their respective damage type. (Your weapons and equipment do not adjust to your change in size, causing you to resort to using unarmed attacks or improvised weapons.)

 

While raging, you have the following restrictions:

• You must take the Attack action on each of your turns until your rage ends.
• Whenever you take damage (or enter your rage as a result of damage or mental anguish), you must use your action each round to attack the source of the damage or anguish, using your movement to get within attack range if necessary. If you can make extra attacks as part of the Attack action, you must use those extra attacks. When you eliminate your target, if your rage hasn't ended, you must use your action each round to attack the nearest creature that you can see. You must continue to attack targets until your rage ends. 
• Your rage lasts indefinitely, and you cannot choose to end it. Your rage only ends if you are knocked unconscious or if you deal a total amount of damage (to creatures, objects, and/or structures) equal to or greater than double your hit point maximum.

 

Your Titan Form is not simply a larger version of yourself, but an amalgamation of the traits that you and your Titan possess. Perhaps your skin turns a bright color or takes on a rocky texture. Maybe your eyes glow or you radiate a shadowy aura. Work with your DM to determine what cosmetic customizations you may apply to your Titan Form.

Otherworldly Might

Beings that originate from the Astral plane, such as Titans, are rarely subject to the forces of lesser realities. As a result, creatures possessed by such beings tend to exhibit otherworldly qualities that seem to defy the physical laws of their current plane. At third level, you have the following benefits while raging:

• Your jump distance is tripled.
• Your speed is increased by 10.
• You deal double damage to objects and structures.
• You can cast the thunderclap  spell as an action, provided that you have two free hands to clap.

Parasitic Empathy

By 6th level, your Titan has begun to learn friend from foe and has heard enough of your native language(s) to pick up bits and pieces. While raging, you can now speak in a broken form of any of your known languages, never exceeding 10 words per sentence. Additionally, whenever you are forced to attack an ally due to your Titan Form feature, you may make a Charisma saving throw. On a success, you may choose a different target for your attack. On a failure, you must attack the original target, but may continue to make the same saving throw for your following attack(s). This saving throw's DC is equal to 20 minus your barbarian level.

Brutal Focus

By 10th level, you have learned how to keep your conscience active whenever your Titan takes over. Your Titan Form feature no longer requires you to change your target due to taking damage so long as your current target has dealt damage to you in the past minute. Additionally, once you have dealt a total damage equal to or greater than your hit point maximum, you may attempt to end your rage early. Make a Persuasion (Charisma) check. On a 15 or greater, you end your rage. An ally may use their Help action to give you advantage on this check. You may only attempt to end your rage early once per rage.

Symbiotic Form

At 14th level, you have reached a compromise with your Titan. You can now choose to assume your Titan Form as an action, without entering a rage. While assuming your Titan form in this way, you have the following features:

• Your size category is Large.
• Your jump distance is tripled.
• Your speed is increased by 10.
• You have advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) checks.
• You have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws.
• You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
• You can cast the thunderclap  spell as an action, provided that you have two free hands to clap.
• Your voice deepens greatly. You can only speak in a broken version of your known languages, never exceeding 10 words per sentence.
• Your large frame isn't agile and your heavy footsteps cause the ground in your vicinity to quake: you have disadvantage on Dexterity checks and Dexterity saving throws, and you automatically fail Dexterity (Stealth) checks based on sound.
• Your Strength-based attacks deal an additional 1d8 damage of their respective damage type. (Your weapons and equipment do not adjust to your change in size, causing you to resort to using unarmed attacks or improvised weapons.)

 

Additionally, you can now choose to end your rage early.