Path of Pain v6

Not all who rage do so from anger—some rage because pain is all they have left. Barbarians who walk the Path of Pain have endured suffering so deep it has reshaped their very souls. They have learned to harness agony itself, turning their own torment into a weapon. Every wound they bear, every scar carved into their flesh, becomes a conduit for power. In battle, they channel their pain into raw, tangible force—pain that lashes out at their enemies even as it tears at their own bodies. To them, suffering is not weakness; it is the crucible through which true strength is born.

Level 3: Agony Unleashed

 

Starting at 3rd level, the pain you feel manifests as physical power—damaging your body but granting you new strength. When you begin your rage, you gain a scaling die of Pain Points (1d4 at 3rd level, 1d6 at 6th level, 1d8 at 10th level, and 1d10 at 14th level).

When you are raging and take damage, you can choose to take the full damage instead of using your Rage damage resistance. When you do so, you gain Pain Points as follows:

• You gain 1 Pain Point whenever you choose to take full damage instead of applying Rage resistance.

• You gain 1 additional Pain Point for every 5 points of damage you take from that attack.

• For every Pain Point you gain, you reduce your maximum HP by 1.

• For every Pain Point you spend, you reduce your maximum HP by 1.

• You lose all Pain Points when your rage ends.

Pain Points can be spent to activate abilities and buffs. Some abilities require you to take additional damage to enhance their effects. You may select your abilities from the Powers of Pain chart. The number of abilities you can choose per long rest is determined by your level (2 at 3rd level, 3 at 6th, 4 at 10th, and 5 at 14th).

The maximum number of Pain Points you can spend per turn is equal to your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus.

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Powers of Pain

Level 6: Veins of Agony

Your veins necrose, allowing you to feel and carry pain through your body in greater quantities, as black channels of agony surge beneath your skin.

You may now add your barbarian level to the maximum number of Pain Points you can spend each turn.

Additionally, you can spread the necrosis farther, making it more efficient:

Pain Flood. As a bonus action, you can ignore your normal Pain Point spending limit for 1 minute.
When the effect ends, you take necrotic damage equal to the total number of Pain Points you spent during that minute.

Level 10: Torment Transcendent

When you would be reduced to 0 hit points while raging, you can choose to ignore death and remain standing. You may only use this once per long rest.

• You gain temporary hit points equal to your Constitution modifier × your Barbarian level.

• While these temporary hit points last:

  • You cannot gain Pain Points by any means.

  • You cannot be healed.

  • You automatically fail death saving throws if reduced to 0 HP again.

Endure: At the start of your turn while in this state, you may spend 1 Pain Point to regain temporary hit points equal to your Constitution modifier. You may do this as many times as you have Pain Points remaining.

Level 14: Eclipse of the Wraith

As an action, you release every ounce of your stored suffering in a devastating eruption of manifested torment.

When you use this feature, you must spend ALL Pain Points you currently have (minimum 2).

For each Pain Point spent, choose one of the following:

• Expand the Blast

Increase the explosion’s radius by 5 feet.

• Intensify Agony

Increase the explosion’s damage by 1d6 psychic OR 1d6 necrotic.
(Choose the damage type for each individual Pain Point you assign to intensifying.)

You can distribute Pain Points in any combination you want — all radius, all damage, or a mix.

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Explosion

All creatures of your choice within the final radius must make a Constitution saving throw
(DC = 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus).

On a failed save:
They take 1d6 psychic damage, plus all bonus dice from Intensify Agony (of whatever types you assigned).

On a success:
They take half.

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Backlash

After the eruption:

• You take 1d8 necrotic damage per Pain Point spent.

• You are stunned until the end of your next turn.

• Your rage ends immediately.

• You cannot gain or store Pain Points again until you finish a short or long rest.