Path of the Highlander

The Highlanders are a people of the mountains and glens, steeped in a culture of honor, bravery, and a deep connection to their ancestral lands. They are known for their extraordinary feats of strength, their ability to endure the harshest of environments, and their unbreakable will in the face of adversity. As a barbarian following the Path of the Highlander, you embody these qualities, channeling the essence of your heritage into every swing of your weapon and every roar of defiance.

The Path of the Highlander is more than just physical prowess; it is a spiritual journey that connects you to the ancient traditions and legends of your people. Through the powerful rite of the duel, you call upon the spirits of your ancestors, challenging your enemies with an unyielding resolve that only ends in victory or death. The magical duel is a sacred act, a testament to the Highlander’s belief in fate and the inescapable bonds of destiny.

In battle, the Highlander is a formidable opponent, using their immense strength to hurl massive objects with the force of a catapult, sending foes crashing to the ground. The caber toss is a legendary display of might, turning the very landscape into a weapon against those who dare stand in your way.

But the Highlander is not just a warrior of brute strength. They are also masters of the warpiper, wielding the eerie and powerful sounds of the bagpipes to bolster their own courage and instill fear in the hearts of their enemies. The haunting melodies of the warpiper echo across the battlefield, a chilling reminder of the Highlander’s unyielding spirit and the inevitability of their victory.

The ultimate power of the Highlander is the Quickening, a mystical surge of strength and vitality that courses through their veins with each fallen enemy. This ancient power, drawn from the very essence of the Highlander’s soul, makes them stronger with every victory, a relentless force that grows with each life they take.

To walk the Path of the Highlander is to embrace a legacy of strength, honor, and mystical power. It is to become a living embodiment of the timeless traditions of your people, a warrior whose very presence on the battlefield strikes fear into the hearts of enemies and inspires awe in allies. With each battle, you carve your legend into the annals of history, standing tall as a testament to the enduring might and indomitable spirit of the Highlanders.

Caber Toss

Starting when you choose this path at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in improvised weapons.
Additionally, while you're raging, you may lift boulders, tree trunks, and other objects of large size from your environment, so long as they are not more than double your carrying capacity in weight. While holding such an object, you may hurl it at, or drop it on a creature as an improvised weapon attack (using your Strength). The damage for this attack is 2d6 + your strength modifier in bludgeoning damage. The range of this attack is 20 feet + 5 feet multiplied by strength modifier, and double that for long range attacks (to be made at disadvantage). 

There Can Be Only One

Beginning at 6th level, when you rage, you may cry the sacred words of your ancestors, binding you and another creature in a dual to the death. From that moment on, you and the targeted creature have disadvantage on attacks against any other creature. This effect cannot be interrupted by damage or effects from another creature, and will not expire until one of you is dead.

Warpiper

Starting at 10th level, you gain proficiency with the bagpipes, and may play them using your Constitution modifier.

Once per short rest, you may spend an action to play a traditional warsong, granting you infallible confidence, while filling your foes with fear. For one minute, you are immune to frighten and similar fear effects. Furthermore, each creature you choose within 60 feet must make a wisdom saving throw against a DC comprised of 8 + your proficiency bonus + your constitution modifier, or become frightened of you for one minute. 

The Quickening

At 14th level, you gain the ability to draw the strength from your fallen foes. While raging, if you land the killing blow on a creature of at least CR 1, you absorb their power, and the damage modifier from your rage is doubled. An additional killing blow increases the multiplier to 3x, and so on, limitlessly increasing. This additional damage falls off when your rage ends.