Path of the Cursed Blade

Barbarians who follow the Path of the Cursed Blade have learnt to draw strength through a ritualistic bond with their weapon. This dark ritual is thought to originate from the Plane of Shadow and imbues a chosen weapon with enhanced properties. The shared bond allows the wielder to harness great power from the weapon when they Rage, however, in return the weapon secretly seeks to assert its will over the wielder. 

Level 3: Bound by Blood

You learn a ritual that creates a magical bond between yourself and one weapon. You perform the ritual over the course of 1 hour, which can be done during a Short Rest. The weapon must be within your reach throughout the ritual, at the conclusion of which you cut yourself on the weapon, staining it with your blood and forging the bond. The bond fails if someone else is bonded to the weapon or if the weapon is a magic item to which someone else is attuned.

Once you have bonded a weapon to yourself, you can’t be disarmed of that weapon unless you have the Incapacitated condition. If it is on the same plane of existence, you can summon that weapon as a Bonus Action, causing it to teleport instantly to your hand.

You can only be bonded to a single weapon at a time. If you attempt to bond with another weapon, you must break the bond with the other one.

Level 3: Cursed Boons

Your Rage taps into the dark power of your cursed weapon at a cost. 

While Raging you gain the following effects.

Shadow Strikes. You can channel dark power into your strikes. On each of your turns while your Rage is active, the first creature you hit with your bound weapon takes an extra 1d6 Necrotic damage. 

Fearless. You have Resistance to Necrotic damage and Immunity to the Frightened condition. If you’re Frightened when you enter your Rage, the condition ends on you.

Mindless Frenzy. If you start your turn with fewer hit points than half your hit point maximum, you must succeed on a DC 8 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, you have the Charmed condition and you move directly toward the nearest creature and use the Attack action against that creature. Whenever you take damage or you damage a friendly creature, you repeat the saving throw, ending the condition on a successful save.

Rage: Cursed Boons

Your Rage taps into the dark power of your cursed weapon at a cost. 

While Raging you gain the following effects.

Shadow Strikes. You can channel dark power into your strikes. On each of your turns while your Rage is active, the first creature you hit with your bound weapon takes an extra 1d6 Necrotic damage. 

Fearless. You have Resistance to Necrotic damage and Immunity to the Frightened condition. If you’re Frightened when you enter your Rage, the condition ends on you.

Mindless Frenzy. If you start your turn with fewer hit points than half your hit point maximum, you must succeed on a DC 8 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, you have the Charmed condition and you move directly toward the nearest creature and use the Attack action against that creature. Whenever you take damage or you damage a friendly creature, you repeat the saving throw, ending the condition on a successful save.

Level 3: Cursed Boons

Your Rage taps into the dark power of your cursed weapon at a cost. 

While Raging you gain the following effects.

Shadow Strikes. You can channel dark power into your strikes. On each of your turns while your Rage is active, the first creature you hit with your bound weapon takes an extra 1d6 Necrotic damage. 

Fearless. You have Resistance to Necrotic damage and Immunity to the Frightened condition. If you’re Frightened when you enter your Rage, the condition ends on you.

Mindless Frenzy. If you start your turn with fewer hit points than half your hit point maximum, you must succeed on a DC 8 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, you have the Charmed condition and you move directly toward the nearest creature and use the Attack action against that creature. Whenever you take damage or you damage a friendly creature, you repeat the saving throw, ending the condition on a successful save.

Steel Mind

The magical bond with your weapon has honed your mind. While Raging you have advantage on Wisdom and Intelligence saving throws and you have Resistance to Psychic damage.

Level 6: Steel Mind

The magical bond with your weapon has honed your mind. While Raging you have advantage on Wisdom and Intelligence saving throws and you have Resistance to Psychic damage.

Rage: Steel Mind

The magical bond with your weapon has honed your mind. While Raging you have advantage on Wisdom and Intelligence saving throws and you have Resistance to Psychic damage.

Level 10: Soul Sap

The additional damage caused by your Shadow Strikes increases to 2d6 Necrotic damage and applies to each attack made with your cursed weapon while Raging.

When you reduce a creature to 0 Hit Points while Raging you absorb a part of their soul and regain a number of Temporary Hit Points equal to 2d4 plus your Barbarian level.

Level 14: Aspect of Steel

As a Bonus Action, you become one with your Cursed Weapon and assume an Aspect of Steel, imbuing yourself with its power. This form lasts for 1 minute or until you drop to 0 Hit Points. While in this form you gain a bonus to your AC equal to your Strength modifier (minimum of +1) and you are immune to the effects of Mindless Frenzy. 

Additionally, whenever you damage a creature it must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 plus your Strength modifier and Proficiency Bonus). On a failed save, a creature has the Frightened condition for 1 minute. At the end of each of the Frightened creature’s turns, the creature repeats the save, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest unless you expend a use of your Rage (no action required) to restore your use of it.

Aspect of Steel

As a Bonus Action, you become one with your Cursed Weapon and assume an Aspect of Steel, imbuing yourself with its power. This form lasts for 1 minute or until you drop to 0 Hit Points. While in this form you gain a bonus to your AC equal to your Strength modifier (minimum of +1) and you are immune to the effects of Mindless Frenzy. 

Additionally, whenever you damage a creature it must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 plus your Strength modifier and Proficiency Bonus). On a failed save, a creature has the Frightened condition for 1 minute. At the end of each of the Frightened creature’s turns, the creature repeats the save, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest unless you expend a use of your Rage (no action required) to restore your use of it.

Aspect of Steel

As a Bonus Action, you become one with your Cursed Weapon and assume an Aspect of Steel, imbuing yourself with its power. This form lasts for 1 minute or until you drop to 0 Hit Points. While in this form you gain a bonus to your AC equal to your Strength modifier (minimum of +1) and you are immune to the effects of Mindless Frenzy. 

Additionally, whenever you damage a creature it must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 plus your Strength modifier and Proficiency Bonus). On a failed save, a creature has the Frightened condition for 1 minute. At the end of each of the Frightened creature’s turns, the creature repeats the save, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest unless you expend a use of your Rage (no action required) to restore your use of it.