Path of the Headhunter Barbarian

Headhunter Barbarians are trophy hunters. They scale on how many and how good their trophies are.

Lvl 3: Know Your Prey

The headhunter is trained to study and analyze their prey and to find weaknesses in an opponent's defenses. It is when fighting their chosen quarry that their senses are sharpest.

When you attack a creature, you can choose it as your prey (no action required). You can only hunt one prey at a time.

You gain the following benefits against your prey:

- Once per turn, you can deal extra damage equal to your proficiency bonus with a weapon or unarmed strike. This damage is of the same type as the weapon.
- You have advantage on Intelligence checks to gather information about the creature.
- You have advantage on Wisdom checks made to track the creature or similar ones.

This effect ends if the creature dies or you finish a long rest.

When you create your character, choose a specific creature type. You permanently benefit from these effects against creatures of that type.

 

Lvl 3: Trophies

The trophies you take from your prey carry magical significance. The primal power of ancestral rites blesses these items, fueling the never-ending thrill of the hunt.

When you personally reduce a creature to 0 HP (within the last hour), you can spend 1 minute harvesting a part of its body to craft a trophy. The creature must have a CR equal to or greater than one-quarter of your level (rounded down) to be a worthy trophy. You may also take a token from a creature slain by an ally.

Each trophy contains 3 charges of primal energy. A trophy made from your chosen prey type has 5 charges. A token only holds 1 charge.

At the DM’s discretion, a trophy harvested from a powerful or story-important creature may contain more charges.

You can expend a charge from a trophy to trigger one of the following effects:

- Savage Strike: When you hit a creature with a weapon or unarmed attack, you deal bonus damage equal to half your proficiency bonus in d8s (rounded down). This damage is of the same type as the weapon. You can only use this effect once per turn.
- You’re Next: When you reduce your prey to 0 HP, you can force one creature that can see you within 60 feet to make a Wisdom saving throw (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier). On a failure, the creature becomes frightened until the end of its next turn. A creature that succeeds is immune to this effect for 24 hours.

You can have a number of active magical trophies equal to your proficiency bonus. If you create a new one beyond that, the oldest becomes inactive. Inactive trophies retain their appearance but no longer hold magical power.

Lvl 6: Adaptive Hunter

Headhunters are raised to adapt quickly. The primal magic within their trophies only enhances this instinct.

When you expend a charge from a trophy, you also gain one of the following additional benefits:

- Theory of Evolution: You gain resistance to one damage type until the end of your next turn.
- Adrenaline Rush: Your movement speed increases by 10 feet until the end of the current turn.
- Sever Nerves: A creature hit by Savage Strike this turn cannot take reactions until its next turn.

Lvl 10: Relentless Pressure

You’ve learned that wounded prey can be deadly—but that you must be deadlier still. The scent of blood drives you into a frenzy.

When your prey is bloodied (below half its maximum HP), you gain the following benefits:

- It gains no advantage on attacks against you.
- You deal an extra 1d8 damage against it.

Lvl 14: Ultimate Hunt

True headhunters live for the thrill of the ultimate prey—the honor, the danger, the glory. To enter legend, one must hunt that which hunts them.

As a bonus action, or when you activate your Rage, you can designate a creature you can see within 60 feet as your Ultimate Hunt. For 1 hour (or until the creature dies), you treat it as your prey and gain the following benefits:

- You score a critical hit on a 19 or 20.
- You gain resistance to all damage dealt by the target.
- You add 1d8 to the damage of Savage Strike.

If you or an ally reduces the creature to 0 HP, and its CR is at least half your level, you can create a Legendary Trophy during a long rest. This trophy grants a permanent passive benefit determined by the DM (e.g., immunity to a damage type, +2 to a stat, etc.).

You may only have one active Legendary Trophy at a time, but you may own multiple and choose which to attune during a short or long rest.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.