Path of the Bloodbond

Forge Lifelines in Blood and Battle

Barbarians who follow the Path of the Bloodbond are more than mere warriors; they are primal conduits of life-force, wielding the essence of blood and spirit to bolster their allies and drain their enemies. To them, battle is a sacred exchange where life and death are balanced on a knife’s edge. Through blood bonds, they channel both protection and fury, lending their own vitality to shield their companions while siphoning strength from those who stand against them. The Bloodbond barbarian sees every battlefield as a ritual, binding them inextricably to the fates of others—foes and allies alike.

Blood Binding

3rd-level Path of the Bloodbond feature

Upon entering your rage, you call forth the blood threads of life, linking you to those around you. With a guttural chant, the bond forms with up to two creatures of your choice within 30 feet. Each bond acts as an extension of your very spirit, and with each beat of your heart, you can feel the life-force of those connected to you.

As a Bonus Action on your turn, you may sever or shift the bond to another creature within 30 feet, maintaining this connection until your rage subsides, your target is reduced to zero hit points, or you choose a new creature. With every bond, choose one of the following effects:

Bond of Aid. If your bonded creature falls below half health, you gain advantage on melee attacks until the end of your next turn. Additionally, half of any damage your bonded ally takes past half health is transferred to you.

Bond of Malice. Your melee attacks against that creature deal additional necrotic damage equal to your proficiency bonus. You also gain temporary HP equal to the necrotic damage dealt by this feature that lasts until the start of your next turn.

 

Shared Vitality

6th-level Path of the Bloodbond feature

As your bond deepens, the pathways of life-force between you and your bonded creatures grow stronger, enabling you to share and manipulate vitality with ease. In moments of desperate need, you draw upon your very life essence to shield your companions from harm and revive them with the raw, pulsing energy that flows through you:

Protective Siphon. While raging, you can use your Reaction to reduce incoming damage to a creature you are bonded to by 1d8 + your Constitution modifier. You then take half of the remaining damage as necrotic damage. The damage reduction increases to 1d12 at level 12.

Life Surge. When a creature bond to you is reduced to zero hit points, you or one of your bound creatures regain HP equal to double your barbarian level.

 

Crimson Rejuvenation

10th-level Path of the Bloodbond feature

With experience, you unlock an instinctive ability to draw vitality from bloodshed itself, revitalizing your own life-force even amidst the fury of combat. Each drop spilled on the battlefield bolsters you, and each strike that drives you closer to death only amplifies your resilience:

Life-Draining Strikes. When you land a critical hit, you regain HP equal to half the damage dealt, restoring vitality through the blow.

Bloodied Fortitude. While at or below half HP, you gain resistance to necrotic and psychic damage, reflecting your ability to draw on primal reserves of life even in dire situations.

 

Bloodbound Protector

14th-level Path of the Bloodbond feature

Your connection to life-force is now so potent that you can stave off death itself. In dire moments, you can become the lifeline of your allies, expending your own strength to pull them back from the brink. The bond has become sacred to you, a vital conduit that channels the raw energy of life and death:

Vital Sacrifice. Once per Rage, when a bonded creature is reduced to 0 HP but not killed outright, you can use your Reaction to lose HP equal to half your maximum HP (ignoring resistances) and restore double that amount of HP to that bonded creature.

Empowered by Victory. When you land a killing blow on a bound creature, all creatures of your choice within 30 feet gain temporary HP equal to double your barbarian level as they feel the surge of life energy released in victory.