Path of the Crimson Mist

Path of the Crimson Mist

You think you're safe over there. HA HA HA HA HA
Hi

Far up in the clouds a battle rages. Two airships clash, flinging spells as their crews wait to board the other ship. The wizard prepares his spell to  transport his soldiers. The barbarian psychs himself up but he grows impatient. As the ships get closer, he rushes to the rail, ready to start spilling the blood of his enemies, and throws himself at the other ship. He sails across the gap, nearer, and nearer, and...oh. Not quite. He begins to fall, clawing at the air as though he can climb back up the sky to get to his victims. "You idiot, use your token! Stop gnashing your teeth and just use you feather token! JUST. USE. YOUR.....<sigh>". An all too familiar scene unfolds as the mighty warrior plummets to his doom.

 In a rare display of discipline, several warriors went to study under the wizards, and learned how to carve runes onto their flesh allowing them to more safely assault opposing airships. The Path of the Crimson Mist was born. Barbarians capable of teleporting from ship to ship, allowing them to be the vanguard of a boarding. Just the way they always wanted.

Being the first to board an enemy vessel, surrounded be adversaries is a dangerous tactic though. So the Crimson Mist barbarians also learn to protect themselves by terrifying their opponents and keeping them at bay. Eventually they learn to obscure themselves in their teleporting mist to further increase their survivability until reinforcements arrive. Finally, they learn to begin their assault by targeting the biggest threat in sight, potentially eliminating the opposing general and shaking the enemy's resolve from the start.

Brutal Kills

Being the vanguard of an assault, the first thing a barbarian of the Crimson Mist learns is how to keep his enemies at bay through fear. Starting when you choose this path at 3rd level, whenever you kill a target with a melee attack while you are raging, foes within 10 feet of you must make a Wisdom Save (DC = 8 + Proficiency Bonus + Strength Modifier). If they fail the save, they are frightened of you until the end of your next turn. If the kill was a critical hit, this save is made with disadvantage.

Crimson Mist

Beginning at 6th level, a barbarian of the Crimson Mist learns to activate the runes he has carved into his flesh. You can cast the Misty Step spell without using a spell slot, but this mist is Crimson rather than silver. You then have advantage on the first melee attack you make before the end of the turn. You can cast this spell while you are raging.

You may use an Action instead of a Bonus action to to use this ability. If you do, you may make a single melee attack as part of the Action. 

You can use this feature twice, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Once you are out of uses of Crimson Mist, you may continue to use it, but you take cumulative 1d12 necrotic damage for each use beyond your limit (1d12 for your first extra use, 2d12 for your second extra use, etc.). This damage cannot be reduced or prevented in any way. 

Crimson Mastery

Beginning at 10th level, you have learned to better control your Crimson Mist and even to use it to better protect yourself while surrounded by enemies. You can use your Crimson Mist ability and activate your Rage as part of the same bonus action. Additionally, your Crimson Mist lingers, slightly obscuring you and unnerving your enemies. When you use Crimson Mist, you gain the effects of the Blur spell until the beginning of your next turn.

Blood Surge

You have learned to prioritize high value targets and strike directly at the heart of your opposition. Starting at 14th level, when you use Crimson Mist, instead of the normal 30 ft, you may choose a target within 60 ft and appear in an unoccupied square within 5 ft of them. Your Mist coalesces from your target and they take 1D6 necrotic damage for each level you have in this class. If they succeed on a Constitution Save (DC = 8 + your Proficiency Bonus + your Strength Modifier), they only take half damage.  Blood Surge requires an action to activate instead of a bonus action. It still requires 1 use of your Crimson Mist ability, but you still receive all the benefits of Crimson Mist.

Once you use this ability, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.