Barbarians who follow the Path of the Buried are driven by the fear of being trapped, suffocated, or crushed. They come from dark places, often having survived near-death experiences where they were forced to confront the pressure of being confined or overpowered by something far greater than themselves. This terrifying fear is tempered by the resilience and strength they have developed in the aftermath.

The abilities granted by this path allow Barbarians to use the oppressive power of being trapped or crushed as a weapon. They become resilient to physical damage, their very presence warping the environment around them with heavy force. These warriors become one with the weight of the earth, embodying the crushing inevitability of the world itself. Whether fighting underground, in tight spaces, or through sheer brute force, they are unstoppable.

Level 3: Crushing Resilience

 

• Resilience to Bludgeoning Damage:
  Your connection to the earth grants you resistance to bludgeoning damage, as though the weight of the earth is constantly pushing back, making you harder to hurt. This ability reflects the fact that nothing can crush or break you once you’ve embraced the weight of your burden.

• One Size Larger for Strength-based Tasks:
  While raging, your physical stature seems to swell and shift. You count as one size larger for the purposes of carrying capacity and determining how much weight you can push, pull, or lift. In tight spaces, this could mean you squeeze through areas others cannot, or you are simply able to lift or throw objects with greater ease and power.

• Difficult Terrain Aura:
  When raging, enemies within a 5-foot radius of you have their speed reduced by 10 feet. This is due to the overwhelming presence of your sheer mass and force—your very steps cause the ground to buckle and break, making movement around you sluggish and encumbered.

Level 6: Suffocating Presence

 

• Grasp of the Earth:
  When you grapple a creature, they begin to feel as though they are being buried alive. For the duration of the grapple, they are unable to speak or cast verbal spells, as if the very air around them has been removed. The pressure of your grip is a reminder of the suffocating, crushing weight of the earth itself.

• Advantage in Tight Spaces:
  You gain advantage on Strength saving throws made to escape being restrained, grappled, or otherwise trapped by obstacles, natural terrain, or foes. Whether in a cave, a collapsed building, or any confined space, you move with the same freedom you have when outside, as if the earth itself provides you with the strength to push through any barrier.

 

Level 10: Weight of the Earth

• Knock Prone with Force:
  When raging, any enemy that hits you with a melee attack must succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC = 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus) or be knocked prone by the sheer force of the impact. The weight of the earth you carry causes their attack to backfire, and they find themselves unbalanced, unable to stand firm against your power.

• Burrow through the Earth:
  You can move through difficult terrain without penalty, even solid rock, as if the ground itself parts to allow your passage. This represents your deep connection to the earth, allowing you to move as though part of the soil itself. This is not full burrowing (like a mole), but rather, it allows you to pass through areas that would normally impede others, such as under collapsed structures or through fissures in the earth.

Level 14: Become the Buried

 

• Sink into the Ground:
  As an action, you can sink into the ground, becoming part of the earth. For the duration of your turn, you can move through the earth (or similar material) at a speed of 30 feet, emerging at any point within 30 feet of where you started. This ability allows you to move quickly and take the earth with you. While underground, you are incorporeal—able to pass through walls or obstacles that would normally block movement. You reemerge by bursting out of the earth like a rockslide, ready to attack.

• Localized Tremor:
  If you are raging while underground or in a confined space, you can cause a tremor (10-foot radius) that knocks creatures prone around you. The earth shakes violently as you channel its power, sending waves of force through your enemies and making their footing unstable. This effect occurs whenever you emerge from the earth, creating chaos around you.