Path of the Altered Beast

A curse has turned you into a vile pitiless creature. When you rage, your body alters and contorts, taking the form of a horrifying nightmarish monster. You struggle to keep this altered beast under control, but when you are pushed to your limit, the rampaging monster escapes its mortal cage to unleash its twisted fury to all opposing it.

Curing oneself of this horrid altered curse is an ordeal. Finding how to do it is an endeavour in itself, but recovering from the procedure takes up to a week of rest. When the altered beast first leaves your body, your strength and constitution scores are reduced to 3. Throughout the following week, your attributes are gradually restored, and your Primal Path is replaced by another of your or your DM's choice.

 

Altered Self

Your rage draws upon unspeakable energies, making your body undergo a painful and radical transformation. You are left a wicked and altered beast.

You gain an additional way to use rage. You can either only rage, transform, or both at once, all as bonus actions. Raging still costs 1 rage, transforming costs 1 rage, and doing both costs 2. Unlike rage, your transformation cannot end early.

When transformed, your size becomes Large and your reach increases by 5ft unless your reach was already extended by another effect. Your gear merges into your altered form, with the exception of anything you were holding, which drops to the ground.

Your new hands are not fit to use weapons, but you can still interact with basic objects and throw them, and you cannot wear armour. You grow fangs, claws, horns or any other natural weapons fit for your altered form. You can have up to 3 of these natural weapons at once, and they deal 1d8 damage of the type most appropriate between bludgeoning, piercing or slashing. While raging and transformed, you can make a single attack with them as a bonus action when you take the attack action on your turn.

You may choose the appearance of your altered form. It might ressembles a twisted, beast-like monstrosity, but its appearance does not change any of its game statistics. Some sample altered appearances are: Hook Horror, Manticore, Ankheg and Yeti, but it can be more interesting to let your own malignant designs come to life.

 

Altered Instinct

At 6th level, your altered natural weapons count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity.

Your altered form gains a bestial trait that gives it new abilities. You may change your trait every time you gain a level in this class, and you gain a second trait to choose from at 14th level. Choose between Trample, Aquatic, Wings, Camouflage, Venom and Climb. You do not need to be raging to use these effects.

• Trample. Your altered self gains the ability to charge, pounce, or any similar action fit for it. If you move at least half your speed straight toward a creature and then hit it with a weapon attack in the same turn, you can force the creature to make a Strength saving throw, getting knocked prone on a failure. The DC for this effect equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier. You can only attempt to charge a creature once on each of your turns.
• Amphibious. Your altered self gains fins, gills or similar features that make it a fearsome underwater predator. It gains a swimming speed equal to its walking speed as well as the ability to breathe underwater. It also gains darkvision with a range of 60ft, or 120ft while underwater. You also become accustomed to extreme climates, giving you and your altered form resistance to cold and fire damage, and negating the effects of extreme heat and cold.
• Wings. Your altered self gains feathered or membrane wings which grant it limited flight. You may use your bonus action to grant yourself a flying speed equal to half your speed until the end of your next turn. You may use your bonus action several turns in a row to keep flying, but you lose 5 feet of flying speed for every consecutive round that you spend in the air. You harmlessly glide to the ground when your flying speed becomes 0 because of this effect.
• Camouflage. Your altered self's skin, scales, fur or exoskeleton gains the ability to shift slightly in appearance. Your altered form gains advantage on Dexterity (stealth) checks. The first hit you score against a creature that is suprised is a critical hit, and you may grapple it as a bonus action. Additionally, you may use your bonus action to Hide or Disengage.
• Venom. Your altered self gains the ability to secrete a putrid substance that is inflicted by its natural weapon of choice, such as a stinger, fangs or quills. When hitting a creature with a weapon attack, you can use your bonus action to inflict your venom. It must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 3d8 poison damage on a failure or half as much on a success. The DC for this effect equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier.
• Climb. Your altered self's appendages gain suction cups or a similar trait which massively increases its tactile abilities. It gains a climbing speed equal to its walking speed. It can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. Additionally, large or smaller creatures can only use Athletics to escape its grapple. Creatures grappled by your altered form are Restrained until the grapple ends.

Altered Cruelty

At 10th level, you gain Blindsight with a range of 20ft. This effect relies on scent. Additionally, you have advantage on any checks that rely on scent.

Additionally, your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.

 

Altered Conscience

Beginning at 14th level, your altered self pokes at your insides as if seeking to be released and to take over your body. Your normal self gains small physical traits and manneurisms reminiscient of your altered self. While in your altered form, your twisted conscience grants you have advantage on Wisdom saving throws.

When in your altered form, you no longer need to take the attack action to be able to make a weapon attack as a bonus action on your turn.

You gain a second bestial trait from the Altered Instinct feature.