Path of the Dreadbrand

Barbarians who walk the Path of the Dreadbrand are marked by a burning sigil that draws monsters like iron draws lightning. They carry brutal armatures—prosthetics built from siege hardware—and carve through horrors with slabs of iron no ordinary warrior can lift. When the rage takes them, their bodies harden into a grim war-frame that shrugs off pain but exacts a toll when the fury fades.

Level 3: Brand of Night

You bear a cursed brand that calls to the things in the dark.

• Sense of the Night. You always know if a fiend, undead, aberration, or monstrosity is within 1 mile of you (no direction or number). Those creature types also sense your presence at the same range.

• Never Caught Sleeping. You can’t be surprised by fiends, undead, aberrations, or monstrosities.

• Steel for the Unnatural. While you are Raging, your weapon attacks against fiends, undead, aberrations, and monstrosities ignore resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.

Level 3: Armature

You fight with a brutal prosthetic. Choose one Armature option now. You can replace it whenever you gain a Barbarian level.

Each Armature power can be used a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Unless an option says otherwise, using an Armature power does not require a free hand.

Armature: Grapnel

Bonus Action: Fire a grapnel line up to 30 feet to a point you can see that can support you. You pull yourself in a straight line to that point.

If a creature’s space lies along that line, it must succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier) or be pulled 5 feet toward you instead (your choice which effect applies when you use this power).

Armature: Hand Cannon

Action: Unleash a 15-foot cone of concussive force. Each creature in the area makes a Dexterity saving throw (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier). On a failure, a creature takes 3d6 thunder damage and is pushed 10 feet away from you. On a success, it takes half damage and is not pushed.

Armature: Wrist Bowgun

Bonus Action: Make a special ranged weapon attack (range 30/120) that deals 2d6 piercing damage on a hit. This attack counts as martial and ignores the Loading property for you.

Butcher’s Sweep

Once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with a two-handed melee weapon, you can deal extra damage equal to your proficiency bonus to a different creature within 5 feet of the original target and within your reach. This extra damage uses the same type as the triggering attack and does not require an additional attack roll. You must be Raging to use this feature.

Level 6: Iron Footing

You have advantage on ability checks and saving throws to resist being grappled, shoved, or knocked prone. Difficult terrain doesn’t cost you extra movement if you move toward a hostile creature. You must be Raging for these benefits to apply.

Level 10: Night’s Defiance

While you are Raging, you are immune to the frightened condition and have advantage on Wisdom saving throws.

In addition, when you fail a Wisdom saving throw, you can choose to succeed instead. Once you use this automatic success, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Level 14: Wyrdplate Unleashed

Once per long rest, when you enter Rage you can unleash the Wyrdplate for the duration of that Rage:

• You gain a +2 bonus to AC, and you add +2 to attack and damage rolls with Strength-based weapon attacks.
• You have resistance to all damage except force.
• When this Rage ends, you gain 1 level of exhaustion.

Note: D&D Beyond does not automatically apply these bonuses; add them manually on your sheet while this feature is active.