Path of The Augmented

The Path of The Augmented is followed by only the most greedy and ambitious barbarians. Those who seek to grow their strength and power with very little regard to consequence will find the Path of The Augmented very tantalizing. Often paired with a wizard or artificer with alchemical knowledge, the Augmented Barbarian needs... NEEDS their potion. The adrenaline and euphoria of ripping enemies apart with their bare hands is too addicting to ignore, and exposed usage to it often alters the mind to be violent, crude, and uncaring, but the body becomes a specimen of unbridled power.

The specific potion used is affectionately called Venom, and is often developed by adept wizards and artificers attempting to modify the biological limits of another's person. Those who undergo the effects of venom find themselves with increased strength, durability, and a slight healing factor in extreme cases. Extended use of venom results in a greater manifestation of the potions effects, the user will become stronger, faster, and more durable, but also lose more and more of their sanity and control of their now reoccurring violent tendencies. 

Venom appears as a thick black ooze, and can be concocted using methods that I recommend your DM homebrewing. Consumption can be through either oral or injection.

 

Envenom

Consuming the Venom when you rage causes you to go into a brutal bloodlust, giving you a love of gore and viscera and a desire to see what the insides of the surrounding creatures look like. You gain advantage on Constitution, Strength, and Dexterity Saving Throws, and Disadvantage on Wisdom, Intelligence, and Charisma Saving Throws. Your Rage lasts for 10 minutes while under the effect of Venom, will not end if your turn ends and you haven't attacked or taken damage since your last turn, but you can no longer end your Rage with a bonus action, and it cannot be ended unless you become unconscious, killed, or time runs out. When your rage ends, you suffer one level of exhaustion.

Acquiring Venom: 

Venom can be bought or made. Though it is a very rare substance Venom can be bought, it is illegal in most civilized areas and thus can be sold by Fences and other criminal merchants. The subclass Path of The Augmented was home-brewed with intent to be played with an Alchemist Artificer, and thus works best that way, but other party members like Wizards, Druids, Rogues, or any other Alchemically proficient class can make it, providing they have proficiency with alchemists tools. The actual ingredients for Venom varies based on Campaign Setting, and I recommend going over it with your DM, but I will share my method. I recommend making the ingredients something unnatural perhaps fiendish in nature. I next would make 3 base ingredients. First a rare ingredient that can be made into several doses per portion EXAMPLE: Abyssal Slime. Second a medium rarity ingredient that can be made into a small amount of doses per portion EXAMPLE: Gnoll Blood . Finally a common ingredient that can be made into one dose per portion EXAMPLE: Deathbell Petal. Mixing the three together with a successful use of Alchemists Tools will create Venom. If you're DM feels it needs to be harder to acquire, I recommend adding an alchemical ritual to perform on each final mixture to "activate" its' magical potency.

 

3rd level withdrawal

In the event you take a Long Rest and have not used consumed Venom since your last Long Rest, make a constitution saving throw DC 12. On a failure roll on the following table.

1d10

1. The acid in your stomach becomes extremely active and you must EAT. You must eat at least 10 pounds of food every 4 hours or take 1d6 acid damage. The effect ends when you consume Venom.
2. If you sleep before the next time you take Venom, you will have a horrific gruesome nightmare, and take 1d6 Psychic damage.
3. Your muscles cramp up due to hypertension and you have disadvantage on Athletics and Acrobatics, and your speed is reduced by 5. The effect ends when you consume Venom.
4. You become excessively irritable and have disadvantage on all charisma based ability checks. This effect ends when you consume Venom.
5. You become confused and paranoid. When you are in combat any creature that comes within 5 feet of you and ends their turn, you must make an attack roll with disadvantage. This effect ends when you consume Venom.
6. You become lethargic and have no appetite. Whenever you eat you must make a constitution saving throw DC 12 or throw it up and gain no benefit. Additionally you have disadvantage on Constitution Saving Throws. This effect ends when you consume Venom.
7. You can’t sleep and will suffer the appropriate levels of exhaustion from sleep deprivation until you consume Venom.
8. You begin to sweat immensely, which seriously dehydrates your body, you must drink at least a gallon of liquid every 4 hours to stay sufficiently hydrated and not suffer from appropriate dehydration exhaustion. This effect ends when you consume venom.
9. You begin to hallucinate and must make a constitution saving throw DC 12, on a failure you must make an attack roll on the nearest creature. This effect occurs once every hour until you consume Venom.
10. You lose control of your temper, and cant seem to stop screaming angrily instead of talking normally. Everytime you verbally communicate with someone who is unaware of you condition you must roll an Intimidation Check (DC DM’s Discretion), on a success the creature you spoke to is frightened/intimidated. This effect ends when you consume Venom.  

Augmented Endurance

Starting at 6th level, you gain double your class level in temporary hit points while under the effect of Envenomed, and up to 4 levels of Exhaustion are removed from you while Envenomed. Additionally you may Rage without spending a Rage slot, providing you use Envenom and have the required amount of Venom. 

You also gain a permanent -1 to intelligence, and gain the following personality trait: I'm always looking for a way to start a fight.

Unnatural Growth

Starting at 10th level, when using Envenomed your body physically grows, your muscles become large, and your bones become denser. You gain advantage on Intimidation, and Athletics Checks while Envenomed, You gain a temporary +5 to strength, and gain the Powerful Build Feature (You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.)

Your size classification is your races innate size, and you will shrink back to normal after a few minutes of losing the Envenomed effect.

Super Dose

Starting at 14th level, you can now double dose yourself with Venom (providing you have enough). This effect requires you use a rage slot and gives the following effects in addition to the usual:

You gain an additional +5 Strength.

Your Envenomed Rage lasts an additional 10 minutes.

You are immune to being charmed or frightened.

Every round at the start of your turn you gain 1d4 temporary hit points providing you took more than 4 damage since your last turn.

You can no longer prevent yourself from harming your allies, and must involuntarily make an attack roll on any creature that comes within 5 feet of you on their turn.

Your bone and muscle growth has become so immense that you now are one size classification above your usual.

Additionally you gain an additional level of exhaustion after the Super Dose ends, and gain the following Personality Traits for the next 10 days: 

Annoying me right now is a death wish.

I have absolutely no filter and will say exactly what I think with no regard for consequence

Screw manners, throwing things is fun!