Path of Ballet

Style, poise, and the thrill of the duel. The barbarian who follows this path uses finesse rather than brute force to bring their foes to heel. Unlike the savage swings of a Berserker, the Ballerina strikes with precision and a frightful swiftness. The follower of this path gives themselves over to their inner rage during battle, however they lean on elegance and deftness in a fight.

Début

When you choose this path at 3rd level, you gain a +2 to your initiative bonus. 

You gain use of the Pas De Deux special action, and Rivale reaction. 

Pas De Deux

If you are first in the initiative order for an encounter, at the start of your turn you may begin the Pas De Deux. The intensity of your attacks is unfounded and no creature is prepared for them. Roll an additional 1d8 damage for all melee attacks until the end of your next turn. This automatically triggers Rivalé.

The dance may only be initiated on the first turn of combat, and can only occur once per long rest. 

Rivalé

Once per short rest, as a reaction to entering combat you may select one creature you can see within 30 feet; mark them as your Rival. You have disadvantage on attacks made against other creatures. 

While marked, your rival is unable to be hidden from you, and you may add 1d4 to all attack rolls made against them. This increases to 1d6 at 10th level, and 1d8 at 17th level. 

Technique

Beginning when you select this path at 3rd level, your Rage is replaced with the more graceful and deliberate Performante Rage. 

You gain proficiency in performance checks.

Performante Rage

While in this state, you gain the following benefits if you aren’t wearing heavy armour.

• You have advantage on Charisma checks and Charisma Saving Throws.
• When you make a melee weapon attack using a Finesse weapon, you gain a bonus to the damage roll that increases as you gain levels as a barbarian, as shown in the Rage Damage column of the Barbarian table.
• You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.

If you are able to cast spells, you can’t cast them or concentrate on them while raging.

Your rage lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you are knocked unconscious or if your turn ends and you haven’t attacked a hostile creature since your last turn or taken damage since then. You can also end your rage on your turn as a bonus action.

Once you have raged the number of times shown for your barbarian level in the Rages column of the Barbarian table, you must finish a long rest before you can rage again.

Fleurir

Your training in pirouettes has made you a master of the more advanced Fouetté. You gain access to the AOE action of the same name.

Fouetté

With your blade drawn you spin with intense fury, harming all creatures within 5 feet of you. 
Affected creatures must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 3d8 piercing damage. On a success they take half as much damage.
If your Fouetté hits your Rival, you can make an additional melee attack against them as Bonus Action.

This ability can be used a number of times up to your Charisma modifier. All uses recharge after a long rest. 

 

Finale

As a master Ballerina, you are ready to end each dance with finality. You gain the Coup de Grâce ability.

Coup de Grâce 
Your Rival becomes vulnerable to all attacks made by you until the end of your turn. Include any modifiers and rage bonuses you would normally attract within this. 

If you choose to Coup De Grâce while under the effects of Pas De Deux, you gain 1 point of exhaustion per attack made, hit or miss. 

Once you end your turn, your rage is expended and you are unable to rage again until you take a short rest.