Path of Steel

Hulking and brutish, the orc stood on the narrow bridge. His sword shimmered in the morning light as swung it through smooth arcs. It was beautiful in a way, interrupted only by the splash of crimson against his armor as the razor sharp blade found the soft flesh of his opponent. The countering ax was a blur as it smash against the heavy plate of the orc’s armor, leaving the slightest scratch on the immaculately kept cuirass.

The adherents of the Path of Steel understand that metallurgy is the greatest innovation of the mortal races. It allows even the weak to stand against tooth and claw. For the strong, it can stand against the very gods. To these barbarians, the metals of Iron, Steel, Mythril, and Adamantine take an almost holy significance.

Iron Heart

When you choose this Path at 3rd level, you learn to fight even in the heaviest of armors. You gain proficiency in Heavy Armor. Additionally, Rage and any other Barbarian class features function normally while you wear armor you are proficient in.

Riddle of Steel

Starting at 3rd level, you have learned to worship at the forge. Metallurgy and smithing become your ritual. You gain proficiency with Smith’s Tools and resistance to Fire damage.

If you are already proficient in Smith’s tools, you instead gain expertise in Smith’s Tools, allowing you to add double your proficiency bonus to checks. If you already add double your proficiency bonus, this ability has no additional effect.

Investiture of Mythril

At 6th level, you channel your rage and faith through a single blade, forging a connection that transforms you both. Choose a weapon to bond with. You gain the following benefits while raging and wielding the chosen weapon:

• Attacks with the bonded weapon deal +1d4 damage. This increases to +1d6 at 11th level.
• Attacks with the bonded weapon score a critical high on a roll of 19 or 20.

You are always aware of the direction and distance to your bonded weapon and anyone else wielding the bonded weapon has disadvantage on attacks while you are bonded to it. You may bond to a new weapon as part of a long rest. When you bond to a new weapon, the existing bond ends instantly.

Adamantine Bastion

Starting at 10th level, you learn to make yourself a target, then take advantage of an attacker’s hubris. When you are struck by an attack, you may use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against the attacker.

Additionally, when an adjacent ally is targeted by an attack, you may use your reaction to swap places with that ally. If you do so, you become the target of the attack and the attack has advantage against you.

Cascade of Steel

At 14th level, the bond you forge with your weapon reaches a pinnacle of brutal efficiency; you are able to focus your blows against a single worthy opponent to deadly effect.

When you take the attack action, you may use your bonus action to make an additional attack with your bonded weapon.

Additionally, any time you strike a target multiple times in a single round with your bonded weapon, you deal increased damage. You deal normal damage on the first hit, +1d6 damage on the second hit, and +1d6 damage for each additional hit per round. This increase in damage resets at the start of your turn.