Path of the Iron Thorn

Barbarians who tread the Path of the Iron Thorn believe in the mantra of offense as the best defense. Their primal path is not just a choice, but a commitment to become a living embodiment of battle's duality - protection and destruction.

At the beginning of this path, they learn to adapt any armor to become an extension of their furious will, turning it into an instrument of both defense and attack. The spikes they add to their armor become a manifestation of their rage, capable of landing powerful, puncturing blows on their foes.

As they progress, their mastery over their spiked armor deepens. They learn to use it as a tool of retaliation, where any enemy foolish enough to land a melee hit against them suffers piercing damage in response. Their armor spikes grow to become an intrinsic part of their battle strategy, providing a brutal and effective counterattack.

At the apex of this path, their control over the armor spikes reaches its zenith. Now their rage not only empowers them to withstand damage but also to guide their spikes with a precision that few can match. The blows they land become even deadlier, transforming what was once a protective shell into an instrument of lethal force.

A seasoned barbarian of the Iron Thorn is a formidable sight on the battlefield, a spiked colossus in the heart of the fray. Their presence exudes an aura of imminent danger, drawing the attention of foes and making them think twice before attacking. With each strike they endure, they retaliate in kind, punishing their attackers with the very armor meant to shield them.

Thus, they truly become the embodiment of the iron thorn - staunch in their protection, brutal in their retaliation, and unwavering in their fury.

Iron Thorn Mastery

At 3rd level, you've honed your skill to adapt any armor to serve your fury. Not only do you gain proficiency in all armor, you can add spikes to any armor during a long rest. These spikes do not alter the armor's base properties but enable the following features:

While raging, you can use a bonus action to make a melee weapon attack with your armor spikes against a target within 5 feet of you. This attack deals [roll]1d8[/roll] piercing damage on a hit, plus extra damage equal to your Rage Damage bonus. Your spiked armor is considered a weapon for you, and you can use your Strength modifier for attack and damage rolls.

Additionally, when you grapple a creature, the target takes piercing damage equal to your Strength modifier if your grapple check succeeds.

 

Spiked Retaliation

Starting at 6th level, your spiked armor becomes a tool for retaliation. While raging and wearing spiked armor, when a creature hits you with a melee attack, it takes piercing damage equal to your Strength modifier + your Rage Damage bonus.

Iron Resilience

At 10th level, your fury magnifies your control over the spikes on your armor, enabling you to direct them with deadly precision.

When you use your Reckless Attack feature while raging, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Barbarian level + your Constitution modifier. These temporary hit points last until your rage ends.

Additionally, while raging, the damage of your armor spikes increases by one step (from 1d8 to 1d10).

Iron Onslaught

At 14th level, you learn to harness the momentum of your rage to devastating effect.

When you use the Dash action on your turn, if you move at least 20 feet in a straight line towards a hostile creature that you can see, you can make a melee attack with your armor spikes as a bonus action.

On a hit, the target takes an additional 2d8 piercing damage and must succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier) or be knocked prone.