Path of the Beast of Burden

Barbarians who walk the Path of the Beast of Burden embody unyielding strength and an unbreakable bond with the primal forces of the natural world. Their rage manifests as a deep connection to beasts known for their endurance and resilience. When these barbarians unleash their primal fury, they channel the essence of creatures who bear the weight of the world—oxen, elephants, yaks, and other mighty beasts of burden.

Such a barbarian might gain their strength from a sacred oath, a magical blessing, or an ancient lineage tied to beasts renowned for their fortitude. The origin of this power shapes the way their primal might expresses itself.

Origin of the Beast of Burden

d4	Origin
1	A great beast, such as an ox or mammoth, blessed you with its essence to protect your people.
2	A burdened spirit, cursed to carry an eternal weight, passed its strength to you in gratitude for lifting its curse.
3	A divine being of labor and perseverance chose you to carry forth their mission.
4	You are descended from an ancient tribe who revered beasts of burden, and their spirits now guide you.

Beast of Burden

3rd-level Path of the Beast feature

When you enter your rage, you transform, embodying the essence of a beast of burden. Until the rage ends, you manifest a natural weapon that symbolizes your connection to these creatures. This weapon counts as a simple melee weapon for you, and you add your Strength modifier to the attack and damage rolls as normal.

You choose the weapon’s form each time you rage:

Hooves. Your arms or legs transform, gaining powerful, stomping hooves. They deal 1d6 bludgeoning damage on a hit. Once on each of your turns when you attack with your hooves using the Attack action, you can make one additional hoof attack as part of the same action.

Tail. A thick, whip-like tail grows from you, resembling a beast's rope-like defense. It deals 1d8 slashing damage on a hit and has the reach property. If a creature you can see within 10 feet of you hits you with an attack roll, you can use your reaction to swipe your tail and roll a d8, applying a bonus to your AC equal to the number rolled, potentially causing the attack to miss you.

Gore. Your head becomes adorned with horns or tusks, ideal for charging. It deals 1d8 piercing damage on a hit. Once on each of your turns when you damage a creature with this attack, you can choose to push it 10 feet away from you.

Burdened Soul

6th-level Path of the Beast of Burden feature

The primal power within you grows, infusing your natural weapons with supernatural resilience. The natural weapons of your Form of the Beast of Burden now count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Additionally, you can adapt your form to endure new challenges. When you finish a short or long rest, choose one of the following benefits, which lasts until you finish your next short or long rest:

Carrying

You count as one size larger when determining the weight you can carry, push, drag, or lift.

Charging

You can Disengage and Dash as part of the same action. However, you must move in a straight line during this movement.

Climbing

You gain a climbing speed equal to your walking speed, and you can climb difficult surfaces.

Unyielding Charge

10th-level Path of the Beast of Burden feature

When you hit a creature with your natural weapons while raging, the sheer force of your attack leaves them reeling, either disoriented by the impact or overwhelmed by the blow. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC = 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus) or suffer one of the following effects (your choice):

Raging Stampede: With brute force you force a creature within range to use its reaction to move up to half its speed in a straight line toward another creature of your choice that you can see. This movement provokes opportunity attacks as normal. If the target ends this movement within 5 feet of the chosen creature, it must make a melee attack against that creature as part of this reaction.

Concussive Strike: The target takes 2d12 psychic damage, as the force of your blow reverberates through their body and head, disorienting them with the intensity of a concussion-like effect.

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.

Herd Mentality

14th-level Path of the Beast of Burden feature

The beast within you grows so powerful that you can spread its resilience and strength to others and gain resilience from them joining your herd. When you enter your rage, you can choose a number of other willing creatures you can see within 30 feet of you equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of one creature). You gain 5 temporary hit points for each creature that accepts this feature.

Until the rage ends, the chosen creatures can each use the following benefit once on each of their turns: when the creature hits a target with an attack roll and deals damage to it, the creature can roll a d6 and gain a bonus to the damage equal to the number rolled.

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.