Path of the warrior gives the barbarian a new way to turn their rage into an even greater weapon. The main subclass feature is their new rage feature "Warriors Fury" which makes enemies take half the damage they dealt to the warrior to themselves. A warrior wants to become the center of attention, because the more damage dealt to the warrior, the more damage they deal. The rest of the features build off this and allow for more versatility.
Warrior's Fury
At Barbarian Level 3
While you are raged, any and all attacks made against you reflect half of their damage back to the attacker. Simply put, if you take damage, the thing that made you take damage takes half of the damage it dealt to you.
Warrior's Pressure
At Barbarian Level 6
As an action, you can make a taunting roar that taunts all enemy creatures within 60 feet of you. They must be able to hear you, but they do not have to understand you. An enemy creature that can hear the taunt must make a WISDOM SAVING THROW ( The DC is: 8 + Proficiency + CON ). If the creature fails, they are taunted for one minute. A creature can attempt the save again at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. On a success, the creature is immune to the taunt for 24 hours.
A taunted creature must attempt to damage the creature that taunted it. The taunted creature can not make attacks or actions that would harm any other creature. This means that if they attempt to use an AOE attack, effect, or spell it MUST center on the creature that taunted it.
You can do this a number of times equal to your constitution modifier (minimum of once). You regain all uses on a short or long rest.
Warrior's Charge
At Barbarian Level 10
As an action, you can charge up to your movement towards an enemy. If there are any enemies between you and your target, you may make an attack of opportunity for each of them. These attacks do not use your reaction and thus means you can make as many attacks as there are enemies in your path, but you must end as close to your target as possible. You can only gain an attack of opportunity against a target once during this feature. This means that while you can charge through the same target multiple times, you can only make one attack against that target during the charge.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your strength modifier (minimum of once). You can get all of these uses back on a short or long rest.
Warrior's Retribution
At Barbarian Level 14
As a reaction, you can attack an enemy that attacked an ally. The attacker must be within your movement speed and you must be able to see both the attacker and the ally being attacked. If all of these prerequisites are met, you can move up to and make one attack at the attacker. If you deal more damage to them than the attacker did to your ally (if they even hit the ally) you taunt that creature. The taunted creature can attempt to free their self at the end of each of their turns. They must roll a WISDOM SAVING THROW (the DC is: 8 + Proficiency + CON). On a success, they are no longer taunted.
A taunted creature must attempt to damage the creature that taunted it. The taunted creature can not make attacks or actions that would harm any other creature. This means that if they attempt to use an AOE attack, effect, or spell it MUST center on the creature that taunted it.
I think it needs more formatting; rearrangement of words and better descriptions in general.
Warriors Fury
This is incredibly strong for low level campaigns, but it works well with what you are going for I guess. Though If the monster has resistance against their own damage type this may be making this a war of attrition against your monsters. It just a huge disadvantage for leaving this barbarian a live for too long or by trying to put them down too quickly. Making this an Ideal for an heavy assault tank specially with great weapon master. I wouldn't want them to be charmed and fighting against the players then since this is a huge double edged sword against magic casters specialized in the school of enchantment or illusions.
Oddly Enough I would heal this subclass just for the additional reflected damage even if this barbarian is only at half health and not yet downed.
I would suggest making this reflect only one damage off the attacker and upon a critical hit against you instead (same turn of the hostile per round). Meaning one attack per turn of the opposing side or its critical hits. But with no additional resistances granted by this class then it is reasonable to put it. However as to not having to calculate every damage taken from the attacker, that was my given suggestion as to not cloud the judgement of a player. (Even though it is not needed to think that much with barbarians, or maybe that's the time players will be happily calculating damage off attrition)
Assuming that this also reflects the critical hits and failed saves from damaging spells, so it is Ideal to stand against bosses that one shot PC's with high bursts off damage.
Another kicker is forcing a reaction from the enemy for it to hit and take half as much damage.
So imagine having to calculate all the enemies that hit this PC per round specially if it concerns additional or numerous amounts of enemies, simply making it quiet the cluttered mess off having to adjust damage received and taken by. both the barbarian and attacker (which may be a no brainer). Problem is at higher levels most creatures will have magical attacks.
Overall this feature is fine (At low levels at least, I am sure this will be hated by Low CR monsters with low health), but strong against creatures that do not have magic attacks that penetrate against magical piercing, slashing, and bludgeoning damage. But at later levels it will be only taking full or so much damage and giving that half back making it hard for me to ascertain whether this is an okay or good feature in general. The taunts are the reason for both its genius and downfall.
10/10
Warriors Pressure
Good use off luring enemies towards a tank, this may not succeed all the time but it will work. I have already calculated that this will be useful against multiple enemies (Which is what this class is probably designed to fight against more than powerful bosses, but both works) or one blind as boss. This very much works like those MMORPG game taunts for tanks which is a big thing for tanks in general as it makes the enemy well fight the tank in the party.
As I said this is also a double edged sword against the PC as it may lead to quicker death for both as a result. Also this subclass has ultimately no additional buffs against spell effects (As it is a killing machine) making it a huge advantage against enemy spell casters. Unless the PC itself is optimized to combat both overwhelming might and magically adept creatures by taking feats and such as Great Weapon Master and Mage Slayer, this class will shred through the weaker foes. Making this ability an Ideal AOE taunt to take the weaker combatants while the party focuses on the rest.
Wisdom Saving Throw makes sense as it is technically a mind controlling effect rather an effect that imposes the PC to be more menacing.
This is really strong if the enemy fails that is, but you wouldn't want a Beholder to always target you with its Death Rays even if it takes half that damage for too long. Ultimately this is a great feature for a barbarian to have especially if it reflects that damage it takes by half for no apparent reason at all besides being a Overzealous Warrior. So that's another good feature.
7/10
Warriors Charge
The clutter of having many features that require actions will leave the PC to contemplate decision making on which one to use against their current endeavor which is actually something the DM would want too improve better barbarians (Or give the PC's a massive head ache).
Applying to the Fast Movement of the barbarians subclass it pairs well with it. One attack each against every creature you pass by (Also additional damage by taking AoO if the attack hits, will make the DM and its creatures struggle against this PC, whether to attack the rampaging warrior or not) an Ideal killing machine against weaker foes. Something to ponder over just by a simple feature of running.
If this was a battle against an army of low tier level, this will be a certified massacre for whoever is fighting against this subclass. Specially if they use the normal guard stat block, unless CR 4 Hoplites are the opposing army that's all. Though it does has its risks of getting downed in enemy lines. (That's without strategy of course)
The chances off getting hit or dealing damage is very hard too grasp, so this feature is hard is also hard to determine its strength alone by how many hostile enemies there are too how much damage the barbarian deals.
8/10
Warriors Retribution
Barbarians in general have lesser scaling at higher levels, being strong at the first few levels.
Works the same as Warriors Pressure but for specific targets. Has a prerequisite of having the attacker deal less damage than it did for additional effects.
5/10 nothing special but considering that the first 3rd level feature makes up for it. Also this is quiet hard to balance in the first place. But will do pretty okay without feats.
Overall its hard to determine how strong this subclass truly is (With feats at least). It just has so less but gives so much that it is incredulous to nerf in just one day alone. Cause it looks strong but at the same time it scaling at higher levels doesn't make it that impressive. But I'd say it is balanced in a way as well.
7/10 Needs better formatting but that's your choice. Better wording. Can be too strong if the reflected damage is above 30 making it just deal so much damage, making it OP in terms of that at least. Good in drawing enemies and dealing with multiple off them. Last feature is like a mini Legendary action.
I don't know why but I think it needs a nerf for its reflective damage. Considering Brute UA from fighter and the Storm Heralds damage.
Okay! so what if I made the maximum damage the reflect can do be equal to something like Constitution score (not modifier) ? That way it wont overshadow a oath of redemption's ability because the max it can be is 20 until way later level to 24?
also to increase the better scaling nature of the level 14 upgrade, I could give the retribution attack at level three with the fury feature.
then I could make the level 14 upgrade have two effects
Warrior's Peak - The maximum damage you can reflect to a target attacker with "Warrior's Fury" is now two times your Constitution Score (not modifier). (maximum could be 40 or 48 at later levels). and A warrior at their peak simply fights. If the warrior is forced to stop fighting, they will find a way to continue fighting. - At the start of each of your turns, you can end a single status effect or condition currently effecting you. The only condition that is immune to this is exhaustion. You can do this a number of times equal to your CONSTITUTION MODIFIER. You get all uses back on a long rest.
Also, as a retort to fixing the warrior's fury ability a bit, I would like to argue that I don't believe it would be hated by low level creatures, at least not as much as just being attacked. Consider a goblin, a little bugger who (depending on their weapon of choice) might to 1d8+2 nonmagical damage. At maximum, this is 10 damage (ouchie), but with the barbarian being resistant to that (cause the prerequisite for fury is they must be raging) the barbarian takes 5 damage, this means the goblin would only take 2 damage (or 3 depending on if your DM rounds up). Even if they crit and do max, that's 20 which is resisted to 10 which means the goblin would take 5. While it is designed to be a bit of a number cruncher, I find that as the barbarian, you usually aren't doing much with dice beyond athletics and attacking, so they are wired by level three to understand how resisting works for them and at this point should enjoy doing the little effort to calculate the damage they deal to monsters with the reflect. Lets be honest here, no one simply plays barbarian just because they are tanky, they can do some damage, so the more damage they get to calculate, (and this is just my opinion as its my fav class) the more fun the find the class.
I will agree though that magical damage can be extremely rough considering the barbarian gets no extra resistances, but that is why I made it like that. I didn't want it to overshadow Bear Totem's effectiveness and wanted to have some sort of weakness for the character though it does still reflect the damage so It isn't too much of a weakness.
As for the barbarian being charmed or turned against the party, It depends on the kind of charm the DM is running with ( for example, whether or not the charm specifically would make the barbarian have to attack his allies as if they were enemies, or if they would just follow the bad guy's commands ) because there is a BIG difference between the two. If it is the former, the barbarian only has to attack allies, they do not have to taunt them and the barbarian can end their rage so that the damage won't reflect to their allies if they need to be knocked unconscious. If it is the ladder, then depending on how the DM orders their character, a smart character can still find loopholes to save his allies from the reflected damage. "Attack your friends" okay, drop rage and attack them. "Taunt your friends" okay drop rage and taunt them. "Rage, taunt, and attack your allies!" okay, rage, throw a pebble at your ally with the highest ac, and realize you can't taunt cause it requires an action. (dumb or smart barbarian RP).
I guess it just depends on the player of the subclass and how well they can think about their situation in the moment. Most might just fight as is and it can be rough, but I feel like it can reward players who think creatively and give the barbarian another way to shout " I won't hurt my friends " like a lovable big oaf should!
Yes that could work a limit for how much damage the subclass can reflect at certain levels.
Also you add the reflected damage that is already resisted by the barbarians resistances damage instead of flat out half? but halved even more so to damaging a creature? Ah I see if that is the case then its not so strong as I thought. Word that reflected damage that is resisted is halved by the damage receive from the resistance.
If you feel like it has been nerfed too much by that adjustment alone feel free to readjust the feature to its first errata, but considering the feature off now removing conditioned effects at 14th level that makes up for it already.
Try finding the formulas for each subclass creation, I have the one for fighter specifically.
3- introduce the base of the subclass with some sort of resource cost (DoT which you can do X times a short/long) + perhaps a small fun RP element like a skill (medicine?)
7- usually is a RP/ non-/ little damage consistent ability (determine an enemy's strength, can get double the healing from spending hit dice/ can treat a 19 as a 20 on a death save, something like that)
10- improve 3rd level base (can ignore resistances to necrotic or whatever the DoT is)
15- minor resource improvement for base 3 or 7
18- key mark ability. make it do something cool because rarely anyone gets here
each class follows a formula, and this is an example of the fighter's breakdown
Test this subclass at games and see if it works or is balanced, keep adjusting till you get it right.
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I made a subclass for barbarians called
Path of the Warrior
Check it out and let me know what you think!
Path of the warrior gives the barbarian a new way to turn their rage into an even greater weapon. The main subclass feature is their new rage feature "Warriors Fury" which makes enemies take half the damage they dealt to the warrior to themselves. A warrior wants to become the center of attention, because the more damage dealt to the warrior, the more damage they deal. The rest of the features build off this and allow for more versatility.
Warrior's Fury
At Barbarian Level 3
While you are raged, any and all attacks made against you reflect half of their damage back to the attacker. Simply put, if you take damage, the thing that made you take damage takes half of the damage it dealt to you.
Warrior's Pressure
At Barbarian Level 6
As an action, you can make a taunting roar that taunts all enemy creatures within 60 feet of you. They must be able to hear you, but they do not have to understand you. An enemy creature that can hear the taunt must make a WISDOM SAVING THROW ( The DC is: 8 + Proficiency + CON ). If the creature fails, they are taunted for one minute. A creature can attempt the save again at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. On a success, the creature is immune to the taunt for 24 hours.
A taunted creature must attempt to damage the creature that taunted it. The taunted creature can not make attacks or actions that would harm any other creature. This means that if they attempt to use an AOE attack, effect, or spell it MUST center on the creature that taunted it.
You can do this a number of times equal to your constitution modifier (minimum of once). You regain all uses on a short or long rest.
Warrior's Charge
At Barbarian Level 10
As an action, you can charge up to your movement towards an enemy. If there are any enemies between you and your target, you may make an attack of opportunity for each of them. These attacks do not use your reaction and thus means you can make as many attacks as there are enemies in your path, but you must end as close to your target as possible. You can only gain an attack of opportunity against a target once during this feature. This means that while you can charge through the same target multiple times, you can only make one attack against that target during the charge.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your strength modifier (minimum of once). You can get all of these uses back on a short or long rest.
Warrior's Retribution
At Barbarian Level 14
As a reaction, you can attack an enemy that attacked an ally. The attacker must be within your movement speed and you must be able to see both the attacker and the ally being attacked. If all of these prerequisites are met, you can move up to and make one attack at the attacker. If you deal more damage to them than the attacker did to your ally (if they even hit the ally) you taunt that creature. The taunted creature can attempt to free their self at the end of each of their turns. They must roll a WISDOM SAVING THROW (the DC is: 8 + Proficiency + CON). On a success, they are no longer taunted.
A taunted creature must attempt to damage the creature that taunted it. The taunted creature can not make attacks or actions that would harm any other creature. This means that if they attempt to use an AOE attack, effect, or spell it MUST center on the creature that taunted it.
I think it needs more formatting; rearrangement of words and better descriptions in general.
Warriors Fury
This is incredibly strong for low level campaigns, but it works well with what you are going for I guess. Though If the monster has resistance against their own damage type this may be making this a war of attrition against your monsters. It just a huge disadvantage for leaving this barbarian a live for too long or by trying to put them down too quickly. Making this an Ideal for an heavy assault tank specially with great weapon master. I wouldn't want them to be charmed and fighting against the players then since this is a huge double edged sword against magic casters specialized in the school of enchantment or illusions.
Oddly Enough I would heal this subclass just for the additional reflected damage even if this barbarian is only at half health and not yet downed.
I would suggest making this reflect only one damage off the attacker and upon a critical hit against you instead (same turn of the hostile per round). Meaning one attack per turn of the opposing side or its critical hits. But with no additional resistances granted by this class then it is reasonable to put it. However as to not having to calculate every damage taken from the attacker, that was my given suggestion as to not cloud the judgement of a player. (Even though it is not needed to think that much with barbarians, or maybe that's the time players will be happily calculating damage off attrition)
Assuming that this also reflects the critical hits and failed saves from damaging spells, so it is Ideal to stand against bosses that one shot PC's with high bursts off damage.
Another kicker is forcing a reaction from the enemy for it to hit and take half as much damage.
So imagine having to calculate all the enemies that hit this PC per round specially if it concerns additional or numerous amounts of enemies, simply making it quiet the cluttered mess off having to adjust damage received and taken by. both the barbarian and attacker (which may be a no brainer). Problem is at higher levels most creatures will have magical attacks.
Overall this feature is fine (At low levels at least, I am sure this will be hated by Low CR monsters with low health), but strong against creatures that do not have magic attacks that penetrate against magical piercing, slashing, and bludgeoning damage. But at later levels it will be only taking full or so much damage and giving that half back making it hard for me to ascertain whether this is an okay or good feature in general. The taunts are the reason for both its genius and downfall.
10/10
Warriors Pressure
Good use off luring enemies towards a tank, this may not succeed all the time but it will work. I have already calculated that this will be useful against multiple enemies (Which is what this class is probably designed to fight against more than powerful bosses, but both works) or one blind as boss. This very much works like those MMORPG game taunts for tanks which is a big thing for tanks in general as it makes the enemy well fight the tank in the party.
As I said this is also a double edged sword against the PC as it may lead to quicker death for both as a result. Also this subclass has ultimately no additional buffs against spell effects (As it is a killing machine) making it a huge advantage against enemy spell casters. Unless the PC itself is optimized to combat both overwhelming might and magically adept creatures by taking feats and such as Great Weapon Master and Mage Slayer, this class will shred through the weaker foes. Making this ability an Ideal AOE taunt to take the weaker combatants while the party focuses on the rest.
Wisdom Saving Throw makes sense as it is technically a mind controlling effect rather an effect that imposes the PC to be more menacing.
This is really strong if the enemy fails that is, but you wouldn't want a Beholder to always target you with its Death Rays even if it takes half that damage for too long. Ultimately this is a great feature for a barbarian to have especially if it reflects that damage it takes by half for no apparent reason at all besides being a Overzealous Warrior. So that's another good feature.
7/10
Warriors Charge
The clutter of having many features that require actions will leave the PC to contemplate decision making on which one to use against their current endeavor which is actually something the DM would want too improve better barbarians (Or give the PC's a massive head ache).
Applying to the Fast Movement of the barbarians subclass it pairs well with it. One attack each against every creature you pass by (Also additional damage by taking AoO if the attack hits, will make the DM and its creatures struggle against this PC, whether to attack the rampaging warrior or not) an Ideal killing machine against weaker foes. Something to ponder over just by a simple feature of running.
If this was a battle against an army of low tier level, this will be a certified massacre for whoever is fighting against this subclass. Specially if they use the normal guard stat block, unless CR 4 Hoplites are the opposing army that's all. Though it does has its risks of getting downed in enemy lines. (That's without strategy of course)
The chances off getting hit or dealing damage is very hard too grasp, so this feature is hard is also hard to determine its strength alone by how many hostile enemies there are too how much damage the barbarian deals.
8/10
Warriors Retribution
Barbarians in general have lesser scaling at higher levels, being strong at the first few levels.
Works the same as Warriors Pressure but for specific targets. Has a prerequisite of having the attacker deal less damage than it did for additional effects.
5/10 nothing special but considering that the first 3rd level feature makes up for it. Also this is quiet hard to balance in the first place. But will do pretty okay without feats.
Overall its hard to determine how strong this subclass truly is (With feats at least). It just has so less but gives so much that it is incredulous to nerf in just one day alone. Cause it looks strong but at the same time it scaling at higher levels doesn't make it that impressive. But I'd say it is balanced in a way as well.
7/10 Needs better formatting but that's your choice. Better wording. Can be too strong if the reflected damage is above 30 making it just deal so much damage, making it OP in terms of that at least. Good in drawing enemies and dealing with multiple off them. Last feature is like a mini Legendary action.
I don't know why but I think it needs a nerf for its reflective damage. Considering Brute UA from fighter and the Storm Heralds damage.
Okay! so what if I made the maximum damage the reflect can do be equal to something like Constitution score (not modifier) ? That way it wont overshadow a oath of redemption's ability because the max it can be is 20 until way later level to 24?
also to increase the better scaling nature of the level 14 upgrade, I could give the retribution attack at level three with the fury feature.
then I could make the level 14 upgrade have two effects
Warrior's Peak
- The maximum damage you can reflect to a target attacker with "Warrior's Fury" is now two times your Constitution Score (not modifier). (maximum could be 40 or 48 at later levels).
and
A warrior at their peak simply fights. If the warrior is forced to stop fighting, they will find a way to continue fighting.
- At the start of each of your turns, you can end a single status effect or condition currently effecting you. The only condition that is immune to this is exhaustion. You can do this a number of times equal to your CONSTITUTION MODIFIER. You get all uses back on a long rest.
Also, as a retort to fixing the warrior's fury ability a bit, I would like to argue that I don't believe it would be hated by low level creatures, at least not as much as just being attacked. Consider a goblin, a little bugger who (depending on their weapon of choice) might to 1d8+2 nonmagical damage. At maximum, this is 10 damage (ouchie), but with the barbarian being resistant to that (cause the prerequisite for fury is they must be raging) the barbarian takes 5 damage, this means the goblin would only take 2 damage (or 3 depending on if your DM rounds up). Even if they crit and do max, that's 20 which is resisted to 10 which means the goblin would take 5. While it is designed to be a bit of a number cruncher, I find that as the barbarian, you usually aren't doing much with dice beyond athletics and attacking, so they are wired by level three to understand how resisting works for them and at this point should enjoy doing the little effort to calculate the damage they deal to monsters with the reflect. Lets be honest here, no one simply plays barbarian just because they are tanky, they can do some damage, so the more damage they get to calculate, (and this is just my opinion as its my fav class) the more fun the find the class.
I will agree though that magical damage can be extremely rough considering the barbarian gets no extra resistances, but that is why I made it like that. I didn't want it to overshadow Bear Totem's effectiveness and wanted to have some sort of weakness for the character though it does still reflect the damage so It isn't too much of a weakness.
As for the barbarian being charmed or turned against the party, It depends on the kind of charm the DM is running with ( for example, whether or not the charm specifically would make the barbarian have to attack his allies as if they were enemies, or if they would just follow the bad guy's commands ) because there is a BIG difference between the two. If it is the former, the barbarian only has to attack allies, they do not have to taunt them and the barbarian can end their rage so that the damage won't reflect to their allies if they need to be knocked unconscious. If it is the ladder, then depending on how the DM orders their character, a smart character can still find loopholes to save his allies from the reflected damage. "Attack your friends" okay, drop rage and attack them. "Taunt your friends" okay drop rage and taunt them. "Rage, taunt, and attack your allies!" okay, rage, throw a pebble at your ally with the highest ac, and realize you can't taunt cause it requires an action. (dumb or smart barbarian RP).
I guess it just depends on the player of the subclass and how well they can think about their situation in the moment. Most might just fight as is and it can be rough, but I feel like it can reward players who think creatively and give the barbarian another way to shout " I won't hurt my friends " like a lovable big oaf should!
Yes that could work a limit for how much damage the subclass can reflect at certain levels.
Also you add the reflected damage that is already resisted by the barbarians resistances damage instead of flat out half? but halved even more so to damaging a creature? Ah I see if that is the case then its not so strong as I thought. Word that reflected damage that is resisted is halved by the damage receive from the resistance.
If you feel like it has been nerfed too much by that adjustment alone feel free to readjust the feature to its first errata, but considering the feature off now removing conditioned effects at 14th level that makes up for it already.
Try finding the formulas for each subclass creation, I have the one for fighter specifically.
3- introduce the base of the subclass with some sort of resource cost (DoT which you can do X times a short/long) + perhaps a small fun RP element like a skill (medicine?)
7- usually is a RP/ non-/ little damage consistent ability (determine an enemy's strength, can get double the healing from spending hit dice/ can treat a 19 as a 20 on a death save, something like that)
10- improve 3rd level base (can ignore resistances to necrotic or whatever the DoT is)
15- minor resource improvement for base 3 or 7
18- key mark ability. make it do something cool because rarely anyone gets here
each class follows a formula, and this is an example of the fighter's breakdown
Test this subclass at games and see if it works or is balanced, keep adjusting till you get it right.