Base Class: Barbarian
A fearsome dwarf wears Spiked Armor and charges headlong into battle without a care for life or limb. These are terrifying warriors who have long spearheaded the greatest Dwarven Attacks in history. This is the Battlerager Barbarian. Beholden to harsh Dwarven Deities like Moradin (the All-Father), Clangeddin Silverbeard (God of War), Gorm Gulthyn (God of Defense and Vigilance) or Haela Brightaxe (Goddess of Luck in Combat). Called “Kuldjargh” in Dwarven Culture which latterly means “axe idiot.” No Barbarian subclass is quite like this.
Usually, only Dwarves can follow the Path of the Battlerager. It fills a particular niche in dwarven society and culture with a very long and proud history. In recent years, Dwarven Masters have been known to lift this species restrictions if they so choose and allow others to join their ranks.
Optional Rule—Giff culture adopted the Battlerager from Dwarves they ran into in Wild Space. The Giff Empire has sanctioned them to be used as Shock Troopers for boarding and frontline troops. And use them to good effect. These Battleragers are known for combining brutal heavy melee weapons with their culture’s signature firearms. These Shock Troopers can board ships with a Bonus Action.
Level 3: Spiked Armor
When you choose this path at Level 3, you gain the ability to use Spiked Armor while Raging and as a Simple Melee Weapon and Medium Armor, both of which you are now Proficient and gain Mastey in, if you were not already. This Armor is a unique part of your identity and a symbol of your heritage and Barbarian Path. Because Armor is such a part of your Path’s identity, those in your discipline have learned to harness their rage to increase the Spiked Armors effectiveness. While you are Raging and wearing Spiked Armor, you can add your Constitution Modifier to your AC.
When you use the Attack action to make a Melee Attack while you are wearing Spiked Armor and Raging, you can make One Additional Attack with your Spiked Armor as a part of the Attack action. The Spiked Armor Strike must be against a target within 5 feet of you and counts as a Simple Weapon Melee Attack. If the Attack hits, your Spikes deal 1d4 Piercing Damage and uses your Strength Modifier for the Attack and Damage Roll. This damage increases as you gain levels in this sub-class. At 6th level, the damage becomes 1d6, at 10th level it becomes a 1d8, at 14th level a 1d10 and at 17th level a 1d12.
When you make an Unarmed Strike and are wearing Spiked Armor, you can instead choose to make a Spiked Armor Strike and it counts as an Unarmed Strike for you.
Your Spiked Armor is your best defense, and you have honed your ability to use it in combat. When you see a creature making an Attack against you that would succeed, you can use a Reaction to force that creature to make a DC (8 + your Strength modifier + your Proficiency Bonus) Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, their Attack fails and they cannot take another Attack on their turn (i.e. if they are Attacking as a part of Multi-attack, they cannot make any more Attacks as a part of the Mult-attack), and they take 1d4 + your Strength modifier in Piercing damage. Additionally, if they fail their save by 5 or more, they are Frightened of you until the end of your next turn. On a success, they must reroll their Attack roll and take half damage. This damage increases as you gain levels in this sub-class. At 6th level, the damage becomes 1d6, at 10th level it becomes a 1d8, at 14th level a 1d10 and at 17th level a 1d12. You can do this a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus and all uses reset when you take a Short or Long Rest.
As is required by your Barbarian Path, you are a skilled Armorer and know the closely guarded Dwarven secrets of building your own Spiked Armor, Spiked Shield, Stupid Axe and Stupid Spear. You cannot be considered a member of this Path without having this Spiked Armor at a minimum. And most in your Path will not consider you a full member until you have made your own set of armor, shield, axe and spear with your own hands. You gain Proficiency with Smith’s Tools and Leatherworkers’ Tools. If you are already Proficient, you may choose one other Tool to become Proficient in. Once you have made the armor and weapons, you are Proficient with them, if you were not already. The stats for them are below.
Additionally, you gain Proficiency in the Athletics and Intimidation Skill. If you are already Proficient, you may choose one other Skill to become Proficient in. When using your Proficiency in Intimidation, you can use your Strength modifier in place of your Charisma modifier.
Spiked Armor—Battlerager Spiked Armor represents the identity of the sub-class and is a unique and very rare type of Medium Armor made exclusively by Battlerager Dwarves, specifically designed for Battlerager Barbarians in the Battlerager Barbarian Path. No two sets of armor are exactly the same as they reflect the personality and individuality of the maker. To wear Spiked Armor, you must be Proficient in Spiked Armor and the Armor cannot be removed without your Permission by non-magical means due to its special complexities and interlocking design. As a Battlerager, you can make your own Spiked Armor if you have 10 gp of leather, 35 gp of iron or similar metal and have access to a Black Smith Forage. If you have access to 35 gp of bladed weapons, you may use those instead. Additionally, if you have an existing piece of medium armor, you can refashion it into Spiked Armor using 8 gp of leather and 20 gp of iron or similar metal. If the existing armor piece is magical, the spikes gain the benefit of the enchantment due to highly secret, special Dwarven techniques (for example, a +1 Armor, also grants +1 to Attack and Damage for Spiked Armor). If you do not make your Spiked Armor, you can purchase Spiked Armor from a Specialized Battlerager Dwarven Smithy. Rarity—Very Rare. Cost—250 gp. Base AC—14 + DEX Modifier (Max 2). Raging AC—14 + DEX Modifier (Max 2) + CON Modifier (minimum 1). Disadvantage on Stealth rolls. Weight—45 lbs. Weapon Properties—Simple Weapon, Vex Mastry.
Optional: If you replace 20 gp of Iron with 1,000 gp of Mithril, you do not gain Disadvantage on Stealth Rolls, the Spikes and Armor gain the benefits of being Mithril and the weight of the Armor is halved. If you replace 10 gp of Iron with 1,000 gp of Adamantine, your damage to objects doubles and the armor negates all Critical Hits.
Spiked Shield—Spiked Shield is the signature shield used by many Battleragers. You can make your own Spiked Shield if you have 5 gp of treated hard wood, 15 gp of leather and 25 gp of iron or similar metal. If you have access to 25 gp of bladed weapons, you may use them instead of the iron. Additionally, you can fashion an existing shield into a Spiked Shield if you have 10 gp of leather and 20 gp of Iron or similar metal. The Shield can be magical or enchanted as a shield or the spikes can be made with magic blades or enchanted, but not both. However, if the Shield is enchanted in anyway, it counts as a Magic Shield and a Magic Weapon. Spiked Shields can be purchased much easier than their Spiked Armor counterparts. Rarity—Uncommon. Cost—10-50 gp. AC— +2. Weapon Properties—Off handed Simple Weapon (can be dual wielded with non-light property weapons), Bonus Action Attack, Topple Mastry. On hit, 1d6 Piercing + Strength Modifier. Advantage on Shove Attacks with the Shield. Weight—7 lbs.
Optional: If you replace 15gp of Iron with 600 gp of Mithril, the Spikes count as Mithril Weapons and the weight of the Shield is halved. If you replace 10 gp of Iron with 600 gp of Adamantine, your shield negates all Critical Hits and your damage to objects with the shield doubles.
Stupid Axe—Iconic Battlerager Battle Axe used by Battlerager Barbarians. Only a Battlerager Barbarian can wield them. The Battle Axe is covered in spikes, similar to the Spiked Armor, and is topped by a long, serrated, sword-like spearhead. You can craft this if you have 1 gp of leather and 10 gp of iron or similar metal. Or you can purchase one from a Dwarven Battlerager Blacksmith for 50 gp. Additionally, you can convert an existing Battle Axe into a Stupid Axe with 5 gp of iron or similar metal. A Stupid Axe functions exactly like a normal Battle Axe only you can deal Piercing Damage with it as well as Slashing. When using Piercing Damage, it gains the Vex Mastery. A Stupid Axe also has one additional special feature: when raging, your rage is sustained without requiring a Bonus Action so long as you are holding it, even if you have not taken damage or damaged another creature as you use the spikes to stimulate your rage without taking real damage.
Optional: Any Great Axe, Hand Axe and any other Axe can be converted to a Stupid Axe with the right materials, gaining the additional benefits of the Stupid Axe listed above.
Stupid Spear—Iconic Battlerager Polearm used by Battlerager Barbarians. The Stupid Spear is a polearm covered in spikes, similar to the Spiked Armor topped with an axe-head and long, sword-like spearhead and spearhead at bottom end. You can craft this if you have 2 gp of leather, wooden staff and 20 gp of iron or similar metal. Or you can purchase one from a Dwarven Battlerager Blacksmith for 100 gp. Additionally, you can convert an existing spear, halberd or pike into a Stupid Spear. A Stupid Spear functions in the following away: As a One-Handed Mashal Weapon—Polearm, Reach 5 Feet, 1d8 Slashing/Piercing Damage on a Hit, Thrown (Range 30/120), Slashing: Graze and Cleave Mastery/Piercing: Slow. As a Two-handed Mashal Weapon—Reach 10 Feet, Pole Arm, Deals 1d10 Slashing/Piercing Damage on a Hit, Thrown (Range 30/120), Slashing: Graze and Cleave Mastery/Piercing: Slow. As a Bonus Action, Attack with Bottom End, 1d6 Piercing Damage on a Hit with the Sap Mastery. A Stupid Spear also has one additional special feature: when raging, your rage is sustained without requiring a Bonus Action so long as you are holding it, even if you have not taken damage or damaged another creature as you use the spikes to stimulate your rage without taking real damage.
Spiked Armor Strike
When you use the Attack action to make a Melee Attack while you are wearing Spiked Armor and Raging, you can make One Additional Attack with your Spiked Armor as a part of the Attack action. The Spiked Armor Strike must be against a target within 5 feet of you and counts as a Simple Weapon Melee Attack. If the Attack hits, your Spikes deal 1d4 Piercing Damage and uses your Strength Modifier for the Attack and Damage Roll.
When you make an Unarmed Strike and are wearing Spiked Armor, you can instead choose to make a Spiked Armor Strike and it counts as an Unarmed Strike for you.
Level 6: Battle Charger
Beginning at Level 6, you can take the Dash Action as a Bonus Action. If you Dash while Raging, you do not provoke Opportunity Attacks, you gain +10 feet to your movement, you can move through creature's spaces that are one size larger than you or smaller and you can move through physical barriers. When you move through these obstacles, you do so as if they were Difficult Terrain and make a Spiked Armor Strike against a number of obstacles equal to your Proficiency Bonus. You can only do this once per Short or Long Rest.
When you move more than 10 feet while Raging, make a melee weapon attack and hit on the Attack, the creature is knocked Prone and you add +10 to the Damage total.
Level 10: Spiked Furry
Beginning at Level 10, your reckless furry of attacks and spikes make it difficult for enemies to get a clean hit on you. You have learned to use your Spikes to cover your Reckless Attacks Strikes. When you use your Reckless Attack, you benefit from Half Cover (+2 to AC and DEX saves) from your Spiked Armor until the start of your next turn after you use Reckless Attack as long as you are not incapacitated.
You use it as a source of inspiration. When you use Reckless Attack while Raging and wearing Spiked Armor, you gain Temporary Hit Points at the end of your turn equal to your Constitution Modifier (Minimum 1) for each Hit. The Temporary Hit Points you gain while Recklessly Attacking vanish if any of them are left when your Rage ends. If you are at 0 base HP when your Rage ends and you lose these Temporary Hit Points, you drop unconscious, but are stable.
You can also use your Spiked Furry to Inspire your allies. While Raging, you can share these Temporary Hit Points with up to a number of allies equal to your Proficiency Bonus of your choice within 30 feet of you, that can see you or hear you. You can do this in place of taking the Temporary Hit Points yourself. Each ally you give this Spiked Furry Inspiration to gain Temporary Hit Points equal to your Constitution Modifier + Charisma Modifier (Minimum 1). You can give these Temporary Hit Points to allies a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus. Your allies do not lose their Temporary Hit Points until they finish a Short or Long Rest. You regain all uses of this for allies after a Long Rest.
Level 14: Spiked Juggernaut
Starting at Level 14, each time a creature within 5 feet of you attempts to hit you with a Melee Attack, Natural Attack or Unarmed Strike, the attacker takes 1d4 + your Strength Modifier in Piercing Damage (Min 1), so long as you are wearing your Spiked Armor, are Raging and are not incapacitated.
Additionally, you have learned to lean into your spikes while making Melee Attacks. While you are wearing Spiked Armor, are Raging, and Hit on a Melee Attack against a target within five feet of you, you can deal an additional 1d4 Piercing damage.
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