Path of the (Better) Battlerager

Restriction: Dwarves Only

Only dwarves can follow the Path of the Battlerager. The battlerager fills a particular niche in dwarven society and culture.

Your DM can lift this restriction to better suit the campaign. The restriction exists for the Forgotten Realms. It might not apply to your DM's setting or your DM's version of the Realms.

Battlerager Armor

When you choose this path at 3rd level, you craft a set of spiked armor, a special type of medium armor with which you are proficient.

Spiked Armor: This armor has spikes attached to it. While wearing spiked armor, you can use your Constitution modifier in place of your Dexterity modifier when calculating your Armor Class. The AC of spiked armor is 14 + your Constitution modifier. While wearing this armor, your unarmed strikes deal 1d6 + your Strength modifier piercing damage.

Spiked Strikes: When you take the Attack action on your turn and are wearing spiked armor, you can make one additional melee weapon attack using your spikes as a free action. This attack uses your Strength modifier for the attack roll and deals 1d6 + your Strength modifier piercing damage.

Additionally, any creature grappled by you takes 1d6 + your Strength modifier piercing damage at the start of their turn.

Reckless Assault

Starting at 6th level, you can unleash a flurry of attacks with reckless abandon. When you make a melee weapon attack while wearing spiked armor, you can choose to make it a Reckless Assault.

Reckless Assault: If the attack hits, the target must make a Strength saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier) or be grappled by you. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Spiked Fortitude

At 10th level, your spiked armor fortifies your defenses in unique ways. While raging and wearing spiked armor, you gain the following benefits:

• Spiked Resilience: Your spiked armor grants you a natural protection. When you take damage from a melee attack, the attacker takes piercing damage equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1).

• Unyielding Defense: If an enemy that is large or smaller attempts to grapple, shove, or knock you prone while within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to make a spiked attack against them. If this attack hits, it deals 1d6 + your Strength modifier piercing damage and the enemy's attempt fails automatically, regardless of the result of their check.

• Survivor's Grit: You can use a bonus action to gain temporary hit points equal to 1d12 + your Constitution modifier. You can use this feature twice per rage.

Battlerager's Fury

Upon reaching 14th level, your presence on the battlefield becomes a force of chaos. When you enter a rage, you can instill fear into your enemies and charge into battle with brutal efficiency.

• Intimidating Rage: When you enter a rage, each creature of your choice within 30 feet of you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier) or be frightened of you until the end of your next turn. While frightened in this way, hostile creatures have disadvantage on saving throws.

• Rampaging Charge: While raging and wearing spiked armor, you can use your bonus action to dash towards an enemy and make a spiked attack as part of that movement. If the attack hits, it deals an additional 2d6 piercing damage, and the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier) or be knocked prone.