Path of the Plague Bearer

The Path of the Plague Bearer often starts amidst tragedy, a deadly illness that sweeps through a village, or an awful disease that cripples all who succumb to it. You alone were the only individual who seemed unaffected by the blight, however in truth the infection lies dormant within you, and is the source of your rage. These barbarians usually find themselves as lone survivors, or outcasts who are blamed for a plague that inexplicably left them unharmed.

Path of the Plague Bearer Features

Disease Immunity

3rd-level Path of the Plague Bearer feature

You have built up a resistance to all types of illness and disease, and have become stronger by forming a symbiotic relationship with these contagions. You gain immunity to the effects of diseases. You can still contract, carry and spread diseases, but you do not show any symptoms.

Choose a disease that infects your body or roll a d6 and consult the Plagues and Diseases table. If you are cured of this disease, it returns the next time you enter your rage. In addition, each time you enter your rage, you can choose one other disease you have been cured of and have it return.

Plagues and Diseases

Disease Ability

Some of your Path of the Plague Bearer features refer to your disease save DC or your disease attack modifier. If you do not have any diseases, both of these equal 0. If you have at least one disease, they are calculated using your Constitution modifier.

Disease save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier

Disease attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier

Infectious Rage

3rd-level Path of the Plague Bearer feature

When you enter your rage, the diseases you harbour transform your body and allow you to inflict those illnesses on others. While you’re raging, any creature you hit with an unarmed strike must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your disease save DC or become poisoned for 1 minute. At the end of each of the poisoned creature’s turns, it can make another saving throw, ending the poisoned condition on itself on a success. The effect on the creature ends early if your rage ends. If a creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to your Infectious Rage for the next 24 hours.

Mutagenesis

6th-level Path of the Plague Bearer feature

Your immune system’s unique response to infectious material causes your body to mutate when you enter your rage. You gain one mutagen of your choice. The effects of your mutagens become active while you are raging.

You gain one additional mutagen of your choice at 10th and 14th level.

Blistering Blood

Boils filled with acrid blood threaten to burst from beneath the surface of your skin. When a creature within 5 feet of you hits you with a melee attack while you are not wearing any armor, it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your disease save DC, taking 1d6 poison damage on a failed save or half as much on a successful one. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit.

Callused Hide

Thick calluses form on your hands and forearms, toughening your skin like leather. While you are not wielding a shield, you gain a +2 bonus to AC. You can use other armor and still gain this benefit.

Festering Claws

The nails on your hands grow and splinter forming jagged claws. Your claws are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal slashing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier. When you attack with a claw using the Attack action, you can use a bonus action to make a claw attack with your other hand.

Fevered Mind

The veins in your temples pop, and eyes turn bloodshot as you mind is overwhelmed by your frenzied instincts. At the start of your turn, choose one hostile creature that is outside of your reach and you can see. You gain advantage on your next attack roll if it is against the chosen creature and made before the end of your turn.

Noxious Bile

Acid bubbles in your stomach and thick saliva drips constantly from your mouth. When a hostile creature that you can see moves into range, you can use your reaction to spit a mouthful of bile at it. Make a melee attack against the target using your disease attack modifier. On a hit the target takes 1d4 acid damage and has disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes before the end of its turn.

Tumescent Strength

The Infected tissue in your body causes growths that swell within your muscles. Once on each of your turns when you make an unarmed strike, you can gain a bonus to the attack and damage rolls equal to your Constitution modifier. The extra damage is the same type as your unarmed strike’s damage type.

Spreading Plague

10th-level Path of the Plague Bearer feature

Your diseases continue to mutate within your body, becoming more infectious and more potent. When a creature within 30 feet of you makes a saving throw against you Infectious Rage, you can use your reaction to roll 1d8 and subtract that from their saving throw. If the creature fails its saving throw, it is no longer poisoned and becomes infected by one of your diseases for 7 days. You choose which of your diseases infects the target. If the disease does not have an effect, the target has disadvantage on saving throws and ability checks made with an Ability of your choice. You must use this feature before the saving throw is made.

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

Gruesome Death

14th-level Path of the Plague Bearer feature

Creatures that you infect suffer horrific pains and illness before they die. When a creature that is poisoned by your Infectious Rage or infected with one of your diseases dies, it erupts in a spray of blood and pestilence. Each creature other than yourself within 10 feet of the body must make a Constitution saving throw against your disease save DC, taking 2d6 poison damage on a failed save or half as much on a successful one.