Disclaimer: Now, I don't work for WOTC or anything like that; however, I do feel like a revisitation of the Battlerager subclass would have been very interesting in the new book. to say the least, and that's what I wanted to take a minute to talk about. Moreover, I am aware this could be a new barbarian subclass but I rather give an already unpopular subclass some love and reskinning.
Firstly, why do I think a revamped Battlerager would work thematically with dragons - well because it would add a counterpart to the book. Think of it as fine cured and salted meat paired with sweet fragerent wine. You have dragons and people that utilize or harness that same power as dragons and magic items that come from their treasures, but what about the someone that would rush into the melee with one of these beasts to do damage. Some subclass of Barbarian that would not harness the power anything, but their own prowress, smithing skills, and defensive abilities to give some dragons hell. This would add that zesty kick to the book that no one would have expected while giving the Battlerager subclass some TLC.
How would one write lore to introduce them into Fizban's book: simple, let me give you an example. Now, the idea is that Battleragers (or Axe-Idiots) are a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield; specifically, running in and fighting things till death I would assume. This and the implications of spikes, protrusions, invokable material would make them a formidable opponent and not something easily bypassed. So much so that other races would use similiar tatics to imply and become Battleragers themselves. The previous point is just me saying that it shouldn't be race specific anymores (espically, since Tasha has made elvish bladesingers just simply bladesingers).
So, why would Battleragers find themselves in battle with dragons - the scales, teeth, horns, etc. of a dragon, if not any monster, would make excellent material to make armor or add to excisting armor. Thus, the barbarian Battlerager subcalss would act like an artificer of sorts but a more fantasy version of it. And yes, it would bare some semblance to games out there like Skyrim, Monster Hunter, etc.
Moving on, I want to discuss the actual subclass and features of it. I'm not going to post any of the original features of the subclass here, but I will post the features I think should replace them and possibly why.
First of all, no restrictions on race. I do agree with the idea that the methods and practice should have been stemmed from dwarves, but I see no reason why other races shouldn't have picked up on those practices espically if they were inclined to do so.
Proficieny: When you choose this path at 3rd level, you gain proficieny in smithing tools. Moreover, you have the ability to add spikes or protrusions to any armor you are proficient with. This process takes 1 hour.
Non-action (happens with action): While you are within 5ft of a creature, raging, and wearing the spiked armor and manage to grapple a creature or end an attack chain with one attack at least hitting, one creature then takes 1d4 piercing damage. The damage increases by 1d4 when you reach level 5 (2d4), 11 (3d4), and 17 (4d4) and is considered magical when wearing magical armor.
Non-action (happens with reaction): Additionally, when a creatures moves away from you voluntarily and you are raging within 5 ft, it takes 1d8 piercing damage when you use your reaction to attack it. This damage increases to 1d10 at level 5, 1d12 at level 11, and 2d12 at level 17. The damage is considered magical if wearing magical armor.
So, straight of the bat if you are able to modify your armor - you need some way of doing so. Thus, proficeny in smithing tools helps you there without the character fumbling to place spikes on armor like arts and crafts and eventually hurting themself.
In addition,the spikes should have a reason for being there;they should not take an action to use or a bonus action to use. Hence, when raging you get that little extra bonus for being close to a foe (or a foe being stupid and allowing themselves to get near the Battlerager). I think smithing tools should also be sufficient for placing spikes on magic armor. Also, the magical bonus on the armor don't apply to the damage rolls.
The non-action reaction is something I think makes this brand of Battleragers unique. This allows barbians to be able to help keep a threat contained. So, should a creature entagled with you in battle and 5ft from you leave to attack someone else you are able to strike back and deal some extra damage on top of that. Foes would ultimatley have trouble getting to anyone else cause the spikes on their armor should, or would, prevent anyone from running off and fighting someone else entierly. Makes the Dungeon Mast-.....I mean creature think twice about leaving.
Bonus Action (can only use after you recklessly attack): Beginning at level 6, when you reckless attack while raging and are in 5ft of a creature. You can use your bonus action to deal 1d8 damage of your choice with a weapon or a shield; it can be either fire, poison, acid, slashing, piercing, bludeoning, cold, or lightning. This increases to 2d8 at level 12 and 3d8 at level 18. If the shield or weapon is magical, the piercing, slashing, bludegoning damage is considered magical, but no damage bonus is applied.
Honestly, this is actually a lot more decent than gaining temp hit points based on the Battlerager's constiution modifer. It also adds versatility to the subclass.
Reaction (happens when on death's door): Starting at 14th level, when a creature within 5 feet of you hits you with a melee attack and you are dropped to 0 health while raging and wearing spiked armor, you can come back to 1 health and half the attack that would have killed you is transfered to the creature. This can only happen once per long rest.
I believe for a high level game - this is okay. Might be a bit overtuned, but I find it a lot better than doing 6 pierecing damage at level 14. In addtion, it increases your survivability.
So, this is my take on a revamped Battlerager should WOTC have put it in the new book. If you have any criticism of any kind, I'm happy to here it. If you want to make a homebrew subclass with it, you have the full rights to do so. Nonetheless, I hope you enjoyed reading through this rather long thought on Battlerager. ㋡
I'm all for a revised battlerager that doesn't suck, but the idea of putting it in Fisban's makes no sense. There's absolutely no reason to devote pages in a dragon-themed book to a subclass that isn't in any way, shape, or form related to dragons. "They might fight dragons" isn't a justification since any subclass can do that and the battlerager doesn't get anything that really makes them especially effective at doing so.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
I'm all for a revised battlerager that doesn't suck, but the idea of putting it in Fisban's makes no sense. There's absolutely no reason to devote pages in a dragon-themed book to a subclass that isn't in any way, shape, or form related to dragons. "They might fight dragons" isn't a justification since any subclass can do that and the battlerager doesn't get anything that really makes them especially effective at doing so.
I mean, there's always a way. "Spiked armor was developed by people who often fought dragons and got tired of being swallowed whole" -- but then there should definitely be anti-dragon measures built into the subclass as well
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
BACKGROUND:
Disclaimer: Now, I don't work for WOTC or anything like that; however, I do feel like a revisitation of the Battlerager subclass would have been very interesting in the new book. to say the least, and that's what I wanted to take a minute to talk about. Moreover, I am aware this could be a new barbarian subclass but I rather give an already unpopular subclass some love and reskinning.
Firstly, why do I think a revamped Battlerager would work thematically with dragons - well because it would add a counterpart to the book. Think of it as fine cured and salted meat paired with sweet fragerent wine. You have dragons and people that utilize or harness that same power as dragons and magic items that come from their treasures, but what about the someone that would rush into the melee with one of these beasts to do damage. Some subclass of Barbarian that would not harness the power anything, but their own prowress, smithing skills, and defensive abilities to give some dragons hell. This would add that zesty kick to the book that no one would have expected while giving the Battlerager subclass some TLC.
How would one write lore to introduce them into Fizban's book: simple, let me give you an example. Now, the idea is that Battleragers (or Axe-Idiots) are a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield; specifically, running in and fighting things till death I would assume. This and the implications of spikes, protrusions, invokable material would make them a formidable opponent and not something easily bypassed. So much so that other races would use similiar tatics to imply and become Battleragers themselves. The previous point is just me saying that it shouldn't be race specific anymores (espically, since Tasha has made elvish bladesingers just simply bladesingers).
So, why would Battleragers find themselves in battle with dragons - the scales, teeth, horns, etc. of a dragon, if not any monster, would make excellent material to make armor or add to excisting armor. Thus, the barbarian Battlerager subcalss would act like an artificer of sorts but a more fantasy version of it. And yes, it would bare some semblance to games out there like Skyrim, Monster Hunter, etc.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FEATURES:
Moving on, I want to discuss the actual subclass and features of it. I'm not going to post any of the original features of the subclass here, but I will post the features I think should replace them and possibly why.
First of all, no restrictions on race. I do agree with the idea that the methods and practice should have been stemmed from dwarves, but I see no reason why other races shouldn't have picked up on those practices espically if they were inclined to do so.
So, 0th Subclass Feature: No race restriction.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1st Subclass Feature: Battlerager Armor
Proficieny:
When you choose this path at 3rd level, you gain proficieny in smithing tools. Moreover, you have the ability to add spikes or protrusions to any armor you are proficient with. This process takes 1 hour.
Non-action (happens with action):
While you are within 5ft of a creature, raging, and wearing the spiked armor and manage to grapple a creature or end an attack chain with one attack at least hitting, one creature then takes 1d4 piercing damage. The damage increases by 1d4 when you reach level 5 (2d4), 11 (3d4), and 17 (4d4) and is considered magical when wearing magical armor.
Non-action (happens with reaction):
Additionally, when a creatures moves away from you voluntarily and you are raging within 5 ft, it takes 1d8 piercing damage when you use your reaction to attack it. This damage increases to 1d10 at level 5, 1d12 at level 11, and 2d12 at level 17. The damage is considered magical if wearing magical armor.
So, straight of the bat if you are able to modify your armor - you need some way of doing so. Thus, proficeny in smithing tools helps you there without the character fumbling to place spikes on armor like arts and crafts and eventually hurting themself.
In addition,the spikes should have a reason for being there;they should not take an action to use or a bonus action to use. Hence, when raging you get that little extra bonus for being close to a foe (or a foe being stupid and allowing themselves to get near the Battlerager). I think smithing tools should also be sufficient for placing spikes on magic armor. Also, the magical bonus on the armor don't apply to the damage rolls.
The non-action reaction is something I think makes this brand of Battleragers unique. This allows barbians to be able to help keep a threat contained. So, should a creature entagled with you in battle and 5ft from you leave to attack someone else you are able to strike back and deal some extra damage on top of that. Foes would ultimatley have trouble getting to anyone else cause the spikes on their armor should, or would, prevent anyone from running off and fighting someone else entierly. Makes the Dungeon Mast-.....I mean creature think twice about leaving.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2nd Subclass Feature: Reckless Abandon
Bonus Action (can only use after you recklessly attack):
Beginning at level 6, when you reckless attack while raging and are in 5ft of a creature. You can use your bonus action to deal 1d8 damage of your choice with a weapon or a shield; it can be either fire, poison, acid, slashing, piercing, bludeoning, cold, or lightning. This increases to 2d8 at level 12 and 3d8 at level 18. If the shield or weapon is magical, the piercing, slashing, bludegoning damage is considered magical, but no damage bonus is applied.
Honestly, this is actually a lot more decent than gaining temp hit points based on the Battlerager's constiution modifer. It also adds versatility to the subclass.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3rd Subclass Feature: Battlerager Charge
No Change
Basically, you get a dash at 10th level while raging and I think that's a perfect choice. It has great utility and just is great as an engage.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4th Subclass Feature: Spiked Retribution
Reaction (happens when on death's door):
Starting at 14th level, when a creature within 5 feet of you hits you with a melee attack and you are dropped to 0 health while raging and wearing spiked armor, you can come back to 1 health and half the attack that would have killed you is transfered to the creature. This can only happen once per long rest.
I believe for a high level game - this is okay. Might be a bit overtuned, but I find it a lot better than doing 6 pierecing damage at level 14. In addtion, it increases your survivability.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So, this is my take on a revamped Battlerager should WOTC have put it in the new book. If you have any criticism of any kind, I'm happy to here it. If you want to make a homebrew subclass with it, you have the full rights to do so. Nonetheless, I hope you enjoyed reading through this rather long thought on Battlerager. ㋡
I'm all for a revised battlerager that doesn't suck, but the idea of putting it in Fisban's makes no sense. There's absolutely no reason to devote pages in a dragon-themed book to a subclass that isn't in any way, shape, or form related to dragons. "They might fight dragons" isn't a justification since any subclass can do that and the battlerager doesn't get anything that really makes them especially effective at doing so.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
I mean, there's always a way. "Spiked armor was developed by people who often fought dragons and got tired of being swallowed whole" -- but then there should definitely be anti-dragon measures built into the subclass as well
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)