Path of the Unchained Berserker

A revised version of Berserker, bringing it's design in line with more recent subclasses.

The subclass suffers from a bad case of 'PHBitus' wherein it has a few mechanics that hold it back significantly compared to other subclasses for Barbarians, even ones released in the PHB and Basic rules alongside it.

The design intent is to maintain the fantasy of being a berserker, rage and anger made manifest. Unrelenting and brutal.

The subclass in terms of overall gameplay is almost the same, but features some changes ranging from minor to major across existing features, as well as some new features added to flesh the subclass out and give it some distinction from an average Barbarian.

 

Frenzy (Reworked)

Starting when you choose this path at 3rd level, you can go into a frenzy when you rage. If you do so, for the duration of your rage you can make a single melee weapon attack as a bonus action on each of your turns, including this one when you choose to Frenzy.

When your rage ends, if you have already used Frenzy once after your latest long rest, you must make a constitution saving throw or suffer one level of exhaustion. The DC for this saving throw depends on how often you have used Frenzy. The DC resets when you finish a long rest, as though you had not yet used Frenzy. The effects of Exhaustion levels are suppressed while raging.

First Frenzy - No Exhaustion

Second Frenzy - DC 15

Third Frenzy - DC 20

Fourth Frenzy and beyond - DC 25

Swift Recovery (New)

Your remarkable, and rather frightening, stamina recovers quicker than your normal athlete. You remove all levels of exhaustion on completing a long rest. Provided you have access to food and water, and your rest is not interrupted by any combat or extraneous activity such as fast movement, physical skill checks such as athletics and so on.

When you reach 10th level in this class, this feature grants you an additional benefit as follows: Whenever you finish a short rest, your exhaustion level, if any, is decreased by 1.

Daunting Form (New)

You gain proficiency in Intimidation if you do not already have it. You can also add your Strength modifier to Intimidation checks (Minimum of +1). Intimidation checks made while raging now do so with advantage.

Mindless Rage (Modified)

Beginning at 6th level, you can’t be charmed or frightened while raging. If you are charmed or frightened when you enter your rage, the effect is suspended for the duration of the rage. In addition, you gain resistance to psychic damage.

Intimidating Presence (Modified)

Beginning at 10th level, you can frighten foes with your menacing presence. When you do so, choose either one creature as a bonus action, or all creatures of your choice as an action, that you can see within 30 feet of you. If they can see or hear you, it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier) or be frightened of you until the end of your next turn. On subsequent turns, you can use your bonus action to extend the duration of this effect on the frightened affected creatures until the end of your next turn. This effect ends if the creature ends its turn out of line of sight or more than 60 feet away from you.

If a targeted creature succeeds on its saving throw, you can’t use this feature on that creature again for 24 hours. Intimidation checks made towards creatures frightened by this ability have advantage.

Retaliation (Modified)

Starting at 14th level, when you take damage from a creature that is within 40 ft, you can use your reaction to move up to 15 ft to the nearest space adjacent to that creature and make a melee weapon attack against that creature. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity, can be used to long or high jump and ignores difficult terrain.

If you cannot stand next to the attacking creature, you can instead move as close as you can using the most direct path possible, including being able to jump over gaps between you and the creature following the normal jumping rules.

If your weapon has the Reach property, you can instead move as close as necessary to perform a melee weapon attack with that weapon rather than moving to stand adjacent to the attacking creature.