Thibbledorf's Gutbuster Battlerager

Based partially on the NerdImmersion/FireBringerAxel Battlerager revision.

Battleragers were a type of dwarf warrior whose combat style relied on raw instinct, anger, and physical strength. The individuals who practiced this type of fighting were usually mentally unstable with a low life expectancy. Known as Dwarven "Kuldjargh", the "axe idiots", Battleragers specialize in wearing bulky, spiked armor and throwing themselves into combat, striking with their body itself and giving themselves over to the fury of battle. Most Battleragers cover their entire bodies in tattoos and symbols, any skin left bare will be covered in war paint before battle. Battleragers worshiped the Dwarven gods of war and many believed they channeled their god's spirit in battle. Battleragers were also under the impression that if they died in battle, their gods would resurrect them with increased strength. These beliefs allowed Battleragers to fully immerse themselves into combat, as they had no fear of death.

Restriction: Dwarves Only

Only dwarves can follow the Path of the Battlerager. The battlerager fills a particular niche in dwarven society and culture.

Your DM can lift this restriction to better suit the campaign. The restriction exists for the Forgotten Realms. It might not apply to your DM’s setting or your DM’s version of the Realms.

Spiked Armor Training

When you choose this path at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in all forms of spiked armor and the ability to use spiked armor (see “Spiked Armor” listed below) as a weapon. You also suffer no penalties for sleeping in armor.

While you are wearing spiked armor and are raging, you can use a bonus action to make one melee weapon attack with your armor spikes against a target within 5 feet of you, from any spiked part of your body (hand, foot, knee, etc.) or using a spiked shield, against a target within 5 feet of you. If the attack hits, the spikes deal 1d6 piercing damage. You use your Strength modifier for the attack and damage rolls.

Bristling Fury

At 3rd level, when a creature within 5 feet of you hits you with a melee attack, the attacker takes 3 piercing damage if you are raging, aren’t incapacitated, and are wearing spiked armor.

Additionally, when you use the Attack action to Grapple a creature, the target takes piercing damage equal to your Strength modifier if your grapple check succeeds or whenever it attempts to escape your Grapple.

Reckless Abandon

At 6th level, whenever you use the Reckless Attack feature, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Constitution modifier. If you are raging increase the number of temporary hit points gained by your proficiency bonus.

Barbed Blitz

Beginning at 10th level, You have learned how to capitalize on your momentum and lunge yourself into the battle. If you move at least 10ft in a straight line towards a creature and use the Attack Action your target takes extra damage equal to 1d6 + your level in this class on the initial attack. While wearing spiked armor, if you reduce a medium or small creature to 0 hit points with this attack, they are impaled upon your spikes until the start of your next turn.

You can take the Dash action as a bonus action while you are raging.

Keep Your Enemies Closer

Starting at 14th level, If you choose to grapple a creature with both hands, you can use an action on your turn to hug the creature close and shake vigorously. The creature must make a Strength saving throw with a DC equal to 8 + you Strength modifier + your proficiency bonus. On a failed save the creature suffers 8d8 + your Strength modifier piercing damage. On a success they take half as much damage and can attempt to break the grapple as a reaction.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest. You add your rage damage bonus to all damage dealt by this feature while raging.

Spiked Armor

Your proficiency with Armor Spikes allows you, or a craftsman you pay, to modify preexisting armor with spikes. You can purchase or construct spiked variants of padded, leather armor, hide armor, scale mail, breastplate, and half-plate, as well as shields. These versions of the items cost and weigh an additional 25%, and take an additional day to craft, but have the same statistics and properties otherwise.

Armor Spikes can be made to be especially light to provide full mobility and still maintain their lethality. If you modify padded or leather armor to add armor spikes, you may use your Unarmored Defense ability to calculate your Armor Class (AC).

Spiked Armor

When wearing Spiked Armor a proficient creature can use it to make a melee weapon attack dealing 1d6 piercing damage. All spiked armors give disadvantage on Stealth checks.

A creature that is not proficient in armor spikes who wears it suffers 2 piercing damage for every 5 feet they move in the armor.