i think there is a lot of potential for a barbarian rage to play with a dark side to your character as an evil part of you tries to take over (yes i know that sounds cringy) but i can't figure out what path works with that. i don't want to go with a tribal themed subclass. I'd like to play something that feels warlocky, but i don't want to play a warlock. any recommendations. I will look a homebrew.
I disagree, if only because the way you seem to view it is classic knight in shining armor paladin. Zealot barbarian is just "god power" which can easily come from more evil gods etc.
Personally though, the two that I would suggest are Ancestral Guardian and Beast. Ancestral might by default be a touch tribally, but is easily reflavoured to any other spirits you might be interested in. Cursed ancestors assisting you to try and lift their curses? Contracted spirits to empower yourself? Maybe they aren't truly normal spirits at all and instead are some other form of blessing or use of your personal powers. You strike an enemy and turn your own fury into physical form etc.
Beast is just magic sort of lycanthropy or wildshape or whatever, pretty simple flavour that can easily apply to this.
I don't know that I'd call zealots "paladiny." If you read the class description in XGtE, it implies the real possibility that some evil entity is responsible for your power by stating that few are the good gods that correspond to this sort of power, and this is very apparent in thier divine fury ability being capable of doing necrotic damage instead of radiant like a paladin's smite.
Even the word "zealot" itself is inherently bad. Paladins are devoted, focused. Zealots are obsessed and brainwashed.
Still, if zealot doesn't sound like the right thing for the character, don't mind me.
I don't know that I'd call zealots "paladiny." If you read the class description in XGtE, it implies the real possibility that some evil entity is responsible for your power by stating that few are the good gods that correspond to this sort of power, and this is very apparent in thier divine fury ability being capable of doing necrotic damage instead of radiant like a paladin's smite.
Even the word "zealot" itself is inherently bad. Paladins are devoted, focused. Zealots are obsessed and brainwashed.
Still, if zealot doesn't sound like the right thing for the character, don't mind me.
i wouldn't say a zealot is is implied to be brainwashed, unfocused sure but definitely devoted. Like a cult leader could be a zealot. You could describe a lot of evil clerics and paladins as zealots. there is a definite religious (if villainous) element to the zealot which is why i said paladiny. Especially with the 10th level ability in mind which is very similar to a paladin aura. and you play paladins to evil gods and frankly i've done that twice already so i'm aiming for something different
thanks for the chat though, i see your points i'm just reading this diffenently
I disagree, if only because the way you seem to view it is classic knight in shining armor paladin. Zealot barbarian is just "god power" which can easily come from more evil gods etc.
Personally though, the two that I would suggest are Ancestral Guardian and Beast. Ancestral might by default be a touch tribally, but is easily reflavoured to any other spirits you might be interested in. Cursed ancestors assisting you to try and lift their curses? Contracted spirits to empower yourself? Maybe they aren't truly normal spirits at all and instead are some other form of blessing or use of your personal powers. You strike an enemy and turn your own fury into physical form etc.
Beast is just magic sort of lycanthropy or wildshape or whatever, pretty simple flavour that can easily apply to this.
see ancestral is actually almost workable but i got another character with that subclass that fits the theme slightly better. If i had to play this tomorrow i would pick totem cause the flavour is sorta similar and i'd say the bear or whatever is metaphorical like the demon bear from new mutants
Okay, you should multiclass with cleric that is ordered by their god to do your "evil" deeds. Every morning as part of your prayers/spell management, your deity gives you directions.
Honestly this gives me an idea for a Beast Barbarian who has been touched by the maddening corruption of one of the Demon Lords.
Maybe a Simic Hybrid flavored as a human who was physically changed by Demogorgon or Dagon into a aquatic monstrosity.
Or maybe go with a Minotaur that wishes to further his connection to the Horned King Baphomet by unlocking latent demonic powers within themselves.
Maybe Orcus gifted or cursed the character with the taint of undeath, turning them into a Dhampir who’s hunger for the blood of the living drives them to maddening bloodlust.
The Winged Terror Pazuzu could have whispered to an Aarakocra promises of great strength and knowledge if only they could master their beastial rage, with the poor bird folk being ignorant to the fact that with every rage their soul is slowly corrupted more and more to the Dark Angel’s machinations.
Yeenoghu, the Lord of Savagery could reward a Shifter’s display of carnage and devastation by awakening more of the beast blood within them, allowing them to partially transform like their lycanthrope ancestors once did.
Just some ideas of the top of my head.
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"Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy and taste good with ketchup."
I think you're to strict with the flavouring - I think almost every one of the subclasses can be turned into what you want. A Beast Barbarian doesn't have to get animal like mutations, it could also be devil like. A Totem Barb could manifest just different demonic entities instead of animals. Don't read to deep into names and that flavour stuff, just change it ALL.
The rage feature of any Barbarian can be played that way. Totem warrior, Zealot, ancestrial guardian, and Storm Herald especially lean the direction of some other power working through them that can be reskinned as a sort of possession.
It basically comes down to what power you want to re-skin.
I feel that the flavor for your barbarian comes in its presentation and backstory. I imagine in a desperate moment, an imp offered you a deal to give you the power you needed to survive. You put your bloody fingerprints on the parchment and felt the power surge through you, turning you into a barbarian...but now you answer at the devil's beck and call or lose your soul.
I agree that necrotic Zealot and Beast are good fits, but Berserker would also work well here. Desert Storm Herald, too, as fire does no harm to devils but spreads suffering to many others, even possibly to your allies.
I actually really like Desert Storm Herald for this:
When you rage, flames burst out and hit everything within 10 feet.
You resist fire damage and can light objects on fire just by touching them.
You basically get a weaker but unlimited Hellish Rebuke at 14.
This is cooler flavor than the default "I somehow have fire powers because I'm from the desert." I think Storm Herald in general has a lot of room for cool reflavoring.
I actually really like Desert Storm Herald for this:
When you rage, flames burst out and hit everything within 10 feet.
You resist fire damage and can light objects on fire just by touching them.
You basically get a weaker but unlimited Hellish Rebuke at 14.
This is cooler flavor than the default "I somehow have fire powers because I'm from the desert." I think Storm Herald in general has a lot of room for cool reflavoring.
This was my first thought as well. But seriously I feel like any subclass could easily be reflavored to be tied into Fiends
I actually really like Desert Storm Herald for this:
When you rage, flames burst out and hit everything within 10 feet.
You resist fire damage and can light objects on fire just by touching them.
You basically get a weaker but unlimited Hellish Rebuke at 14.
This is cooler flavor than the default "I somehow have fire powers because I'm from the desert." I think Storm Herald in general has a lot of room for cool reflavoring.
I was thinking the same as well. This is definitely the easiest subclass to reflavor as being Infernal in nature and also has the sheer damage output that I think pairs well with reaching a similar theming to Fiend Warlock... something like reflavoring Ancestral Guardians as like... souls of the damn pressed into your service or something sounds appropriate, but at the same time you mostly just use them to defend your allies, which doesn't feel very fiendish to me.
i think there is a lot of potential for a barbarian rage to play with a dark side to your character as an evil part of you tries to take over (yes i know that sounds cringy) but i can't figure out what path works with that. i don't want to go with a tribal themed subclass. I'd like to play something that feels warlocky, but i don't want to play a warlock. any recommendations. I will look a homebrew.
or maybe something psionic, my god that sounds snowflakey but i am feeling bery limited by the establish subclasses but i love the idea of barabarians
Zealot barbarian let's you have that kind of flavor if you want
Not really, zealot is more paladiny seems like
I disagree, if only because the way you seem to view it is classic knight in shining armor paladin. Zealot barbarian is just "god power" which can easily come from more evil gods etc.
Personally though, the two that I would suggest are Ancestral Guardian and Beast. Ancestral might by default be a touch tribally, but is easily reflavoured to any other spirits you might be interested in. Cursed ancestors assisting you to try and lift their curses? Contracted spirits to empower yourself? Maybe they aren't truly normal spirits at all and instead are some other form of blessing or use of your personal powers. You strike an enemy and turn your own fury into physical form etc.
Beast is just magic sort of lycanthropy or wildshape or whatever, pretty simple flavour that can easily apply to this.
I don't know that I'd call zealots "paladiny." If you read the class description in XGtE, it implies the real possibility that some evil entity is responsible for your power by stating that few are the good gods that correspond to this sort of power, and this is very apparent in thier divine fury ability being capable of doing necrotic damage instead of radiant like a paladin's smite.
Even the word "zealot" itself is inherently bad. Paladins are devoted, focused. Zealots are obsessed and brainwashed.
Still, if zealot doesn't sound like the right thing for the character, don't mind me.
i wouldn't say a zealot is is implied to be brainwashed, unfocused sure but definitely devoted. Like a cult leader could be a zealot. You could describe a lot of evil clerics and paladins as zealots. there is a definite religious (if villainous) element to the zealot which is why i said paladiny. Especially with the 10th level ability in mind which is very similar to a paladin aura. and you play paladins to evil gods and frankly i've done that twice already so i'm aiming for something different
thanks for the chat though, i see your points i'm just reading this diffenently
see ancestral is actually almost workable but i got another character with that subclass that fits the theme slightly better. If i had to play this tomorrow i would pick totem cause the flavour is sorta similar and i'd say the bear or whatever is metaphorical like the demon bear from new mutants
Okay, you should multiclass with cleric that is ordered by their god to do your "evil" deeds. Every morning as part of your prayers/spell management, your deity gives you directions.
Honestly this gives me an idea for a Beast Barbarian who has been touched by the maddening corruption of one of the Demon Lords.
Maybe a Simic Hybrid flavored as a human who was physically changed by Demogorgon or Dagon into a aquatic monstrosity.
Or maybe go with a Minotaur that wishes to further his connection to the Horned King Baphomet by unlocking latent demonic powers within themselves.
Maybe Orcus gifted or cursed the character with the taint of undeath, turning them into a Dhampir who’s hunger for the blood of the living drives them to maddening bloodlust.
The Winged Terror Pazuzu could have whispered to an Aarakocra promises of great strength and knowledge if only they could master their beastial rage, with the poor bird folk being ignorant to the fact that with every rage their soul is slowly corrupted more and more to the Dark Angel’s machinations.
Yeenoghu, the Lord of Savagery could reward a Shifter’s display of carnage and devastation by awakening more of the beast blood within them, allowing them to partially transform like their lycanthrope ancestors once did.
Just some ideas of the top of my head.
"Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy and taste good with ketchup."
Characters for Tenebris Sine Fine
RoughCoronet's Greater Wills
I think you're to strict with the flavouring - I think almost every one of the subclasses can be turned into what you want. A Beast Barbarian doesn't have to get animal like mutations, it could also be devil like. A Totem Barb could manifest just different demonic entities instead of animals. Don't read to deep into names and that flavour stuff, just change it ALL.
It kind of depends on who you made a pact with.
The Beast would work really well with animalistic demons like Yeenoghu.
The Ancestrial Guardian has lots of potential flavor. Chained souls?
The Zealot has the holy/unholy devotion thing going on.
The Storm Herald can use fiendish flames, lightning and cold.
Wild magic is just wild.
My only good homebrews: Races, Subclasses.
An aspiring DM and Homebrewer. Ask me if you need anything.
The rage feature of any Barbarian can be played that way. Totem warrior, Zealot, ancestrial guardian, and Storm Herald especially lean the direction of some other power working through them that can be reskinned as a sort of possession.
It basically comes down to what power you want to re-skin.
I feel that the flavor for your barbarian comes in its presentation and backstory. I imagine in a desperate moment, an imp offered you a deal to give you the power you needed to survive. You put your bloody fingerprints on the parchment and felt the power surge through you, turning you into a barbarian...but now you answer at the devil's beck and call or lose your soul.
I agree that necrotic Zealot and Beast are good fits, but Berserker would also work well here. Desert Storm Herald, too, as fire does no harm to devils but spreads suffering to many others, even possibly to your allies.
I actually really like Desert Storm Herald for this:
This is cooler flavor than the default "I somehow have fire powers because I'm from the desert." I think Storm Herald in general has a lot of room for cool reflavoring.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
This was my first thought as well. But seriously I feel like any subclass could easily be reflavored to be tied into Fiends
I was thinking the same as well. This is definitely the easiest subclass to reflavor as being Infernal in nature and also has the sheer damage output that I think pairs well with reaching a similar theming to Fiend Warlock... something like reflavoring Ancestral Guardians as like... souls of the damn pressed into your service or something sounds appropriate, but at the same time you mostly just use them to defend your allies, which doesn't feel very fiendish to me.
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