Barbarians who follow the Path of the Burdened have been traumatized by the horrors they've experienced in their pasts. As a result, these Barbarians have dedicated their entire lives to protecting their allies, losing access to Rage unless they fail at this duty. Path of the Burdened Barbarians possess a deep, powerful Rage within them, which only manifests at their darkest moments. 

- When you choose this path at 3rd level, you may forgo your Unarmored Defense and instead gain proficiency with Heavy Armor. 

Protector's Rage

Starting at level 3, you may enter Protector’s Rage when:

- A friendly creature within 15 feet is reduced to half HP or lower (Bloodied), or

- A friendly creature within 15 feet takes damage equal to or greater than 1/3 of their max HP from a single source

While in Protector’s Rage:

You gain all the usual benefits of Rage (resistance to bludgeoning/piercing/slashing, bonus melee damage, etc.), and the following subclass-specific boosts:

When you reduce a creature to 0HP while in Protector's Rage, you may immediately move up to your speed and make one additional melee weapon attack against a new target. This may only occur once per turn. If this follow-up attack hits, the second target takes additional psychic damage equal to your proficiency bonus.

- Protector's Burden: While Raging, you are physically incapable of moving away from the creature that triggered your wrath. If you are forced to move more than 10 feet from the creature, you take 1d6 psychic damage. This effect lasts until your Rage ends, or the targeted creature is reduced to 0HP.

- Vengeful Might: Against any creature that damaged the ally who triggered your Rage, your melee weapon attacks deal an extra 1d8 force damage.

- Violent Precision: If the enemy is within 5 feet of both you and your bloodied ally, you may roll weapon damage dice twice and take the higher result on your first attack each turn.

 

Stalwart Protector

Starting at level 3 while not Raging, you may activate Stalwart Presence at the start of your turn. This requires no action, and lasts until you enter Rage or are Incapacitated. 

While Stalwart Presence is active: 

- You may impose Disadvantage on an attack roll made against a creature within 5 feet of you, once per turn. 

- If you move no more than half your speed in this turn, you gain temporary HP equal to your proficiency bonus which lasts until you either move greater than half your movement speed or the end of your next turn. This stacks with a maximum of 10 + [Your Barbarian Level] temporary HP.

- If a creature you can see within 5 feet of you makes a melee weapon attack against one of your allies, you may use your reaction to force them to reroll the attack and use the lower result.

You cannot make opportunity attacks while in Stalwart Presence. This is a defensive, rooted stance.

Heavy Armor Proficiency

You may choose to forgo Unarmored Defense for proficiency with Heavy Armor. 

Intercede

While in Protector's Rage, starting at level 6: When an ally within 30 feet is targeted by a melee attack or projectile spell, you may use your Reaction to teleport to their location and take the attack for them.

Take the Hit: You become the new, sole target of the attack. If it has multiple projectiles, you are the target of all projectiles. If the attack requires a save, you make the save instead, gaining resistance to the triggering damage. 

Tower Shield: You create a shockwave when you land. The creature who made the attack must succeed on a Strength saving throw of DC8 + PB + CON or be knocked Prone (Large or smaller) or Staggered (Huge), taking an additional 2d8 Force damage. 

While Stalwart Presence is active, starting at level 6: 

- If you are the closest conscious creature to any enemy creature in the encounter, you gain +6 to your AC.

- Additionally, you may use your reaction when an ally within 5 feet is targeted by an attack to shove them clear of danger. The attacker must succeed on a DC17 DEX save or miss completely, and the targeted ally is shoved 5 feet away from both you and the attacking creature. 

Steadfast Resolve

As a bonus action, you may use one of the following effects. You may use a number of these per long rest equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum 1).

Grant Me Your Burdens: Choose one ally within 15 feet. They regain HP equal to twice your proficiency bonus. You take 1/4 of the amount healed as unpreventable psychic damage.

Fear Not, My Friend: Choose one ally within 15 feet who is Frightened, Charmed, or Stunned, or under any effect requiring a Wisdom or Intelligence saving throw. That ally may immediately reroll the save with advantage, using your Constitution modifier instead of the original saving throw stat if it is higher.

Remember Your Oaths: Choose one ally within 15 feet. They gain Inspiration (1d6 bonus to one attack, save, or ability check). You may use this ability only if you are closer to all visible enemy creatures than the chosen ally.

When you use any of these abilities on the same creature more than once in a single combat, that creature is considered Bolstered: they have advantage on their next saving throw and resistance to psychic damage until the end of your next turn.

Last Stand

Beginning at level 14, when you are reduced to 0 HP while Protector’s Rage is active and you have no remaining uses of Rage, you may choose to invoke your Last Stand. You are instead reduced to 1 HP, and immediately gain the following benefits for 1 minute or until you are Incapacitated:

Unchained: You gain the full benefits of both Stalwart Presence and Protector's Rage. 

Unafraid: You are immune to being Stunned, Frightened, or Charmed. 

Unyielding: You may choose to succeed one failed saving throw during the minute Last Stand is active. 

Unrelenting: Your attacks deal an additional 1d10 force damage to any creature that has harmed an ally during this encounter. Additionally, allies within 15 feet gain advantage on saving throws and +2 to AC. 

Unbroken. If you are reduced to 0HP once again while Last Stand is active, you may make a melee attack against every creature in range. After this is complete, you fall unconscious and begin to make death saves as usual.