Path of the Bloodcursed

That Path of the Bloodcursed is a rare and terrible barbarian path, marked by an unwillingness to rage and, indeed, a fear of the terrible power locked within. These barbarians rage rarely, but powerfully, unleashing the power of their curse as a result. 

Unlike a Zealot who uses their rage to bring glory to their gods, or a Berserker who finds bliss in the fury of battle, the Bloodcursed has not chosen this life, and often does not enjoy the process of their rage. Rather than finding glory or glee in battle, they are at odds with the power they hold. Barbarians who follow the Path of the Bloodcursed have been cursed or afflicted; most often this curse is in the form of lycanthropy, but can also be the result of breaking a fiendish or demonic pact, a divine oath, or running afoul of any number of powerful beings. 

Level 3: Afflicted

When you take this subclass at level 3, you gain access to Affliction Dice. These are D8s, increasing to d10 when you reach level 10, and can be expended while raging for the following abilities. You have a number of these dice equal to your Constitution modifier. You regain 1 die when you complete a Short Rest, and all expended dice when you complete a Long Rest. 

Accursed Fury. You can expend one Affliction die when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack to deal additional damage equal to the amount rolled. The resulting damage is Necrotic. 

Bloodcursed Regeneration. You can expend one Affliction die as a Bonus Action, healing for the amount rolled. 

Relentless Rage. When you are hit with a melee weapon attack, you can expend one Affliction die as a Reaction to reduce the damage by the amount rolled. This feature cannot be used to reduce Radiant or Force damage. 

Level 3: Bloodcursed Rage

When you take this subclass at level 3, your rage takes a new form. Your rage triggers immediately when you are reduced to half of your hit points, transforming you into one of the creatures below, which you decide on when you take this subclass.

You can now only enter Rage twice per Long Rest, regaining one use when you complete a Short Rest. 

The creatures available are as follows. Often the choice of your transformation comes as a result of the creature which cursed you. While raging, you retain all features of the Barbarian's Rage feature, and use the creature's stat block. You are able to wield weapons while transformed in this way, but cannot cast spells, speak languages other than those noted on the creature's stat block, or otherwise take actions other than your subclass features and those of your chosen creature. 

While transformed in this way, you can choose to use either your own or the monster's physical ability scores (whichever is higher of STR/DEX/CON), but retain the creature's mental ability scores. Your hit points while raging are the same as your own hit point pool.

Hellbound (Fiend)

Lycan (Monstrosity)

Seraphborn (Celestial)

Elemental Fury (Elemental)

Deepborn (Aberration)

Level 6: Enhanced Transformation

Starting at 6th level, while Raging, your chosen transformation form becomes more powerful. You now have access to the "Enhanced" version, and will take this form rather than the form from your Bloodcursed Rage feature. 

Level 10: Accursed Presence

Beginning at 10th level, when your Bloodcursed Rage feature activates, all creatures of your choice within 45 feet which can see you must succeed a DC8 + PB + STR Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, they are Frightened for 1 minute. Creatures who fail this saving throw can repeat it at the end of each of their turns, ending the effect on a success. 

While raging, you can now expend one Affliction die when you fail a saving throw, adding it to the roll and potentially causing it to succeed. 

 

Level 14: Embrace of the Rage

Beginning at level 14, you are able to Rage at-will. You can now enter Rage as a Bonus Action, as per the rules of the Barbarian's Rage feature. You are not subject to the condition that you must attack or be attacked on your turn or your Rage ends. 

You are now able to expend an Affliction Die, without taking an Action, when you fall to 0 hit points. You heal the number of hit points rolled, potentially not falling unconscious if this brings you above 0 hit points.