Barbarian Primal Path: Path of the Infected

To fight, to evolve, to survive—this is the path of the Infected. Whether by choice or cruel fate, barbarians who walk this path have become host to a parasitic entity that knows only one law: survival. It does not recognize honor, mercy, or restraint—only the need to endure.

As battle rages, the parasite twists flesh, hardens bone, and sharpens instinct, forging its host into a creature of relentless adaptation. Each wound suffered and each blow endured strengthens the bond between host and parasite, transforming them into something faster, tougher, and more dangerous. The longer the fight continues, the less human the host becomes. To those who face an Infected barbarian, they are not merely warriors—they are unfolding nightmares.

The parasite reshapes its host with every heartbeat, locking them in a constant struggle not only for survival, but for identity. In the end, only one can prevail: will you master the parasite, or will it master you?

Level 3: Twisted Physiology

 

• While you are not wearing medium or heavy armor, you gain a bonus to your Armor Class equal to half your proficiency bonus (rounded down).

• Your mutated limbs count as natural weapons. Your unarmed strikes deal 1d6 bludgeoning or slashing damage (your choice), increasing to 1d8 at 5th level, 1d10 at 10th level, and 1d12 at 15th level. You can use Strength for these attacks.

• You gain a climbing speed equal to your walking speed, and you can move upside down along ceilings and other surfaces while climbing.

 

Level 3: Unstable Growth

Gaining Mutation Points

At the start of each of your turns while raging (including the turn you enter your rage), roll 1d6 + your Constitution modifier and add the total to your Mutation Point pool.

You also gain 1 Mutation Point whenever one of the following occurs while you are raging:

• You hit a creature with an attack.

• You roll a natural 20 on an attack roll or saving throw.

• You reduce a creature to 0 hit points.

As a bonus action while raging, you can gain temporary hit points equal to your proficiency bonus and add the same number to your Mutation Point pool.

Mutation Limits

• Your body can store up to 40 Mutation Points.

• Any Mutation Points gained beyond this limit are lost at the end of your turn.

• All Mutation Points reset to 0 when your rage ends, and your body returns to its normal form.

  Mutation Table

  As your Mutation Points increase, you gain the following benefits. All benefits are cumulative while you meet their thresholds.

  Mutation Points	Mutation Gained
  5	Hardened Flesh. You gain a +1 bonus to AC.
  10	Twisting Muscles. Your melee weapon attacks deal an additional 1d6 damage, and your movement speed increases by 10 feet.
  15	Serrated Strikes. Once per turn, when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw (DC = 8 + your Constitution modifier) or be poisoned until the end of its next turn.
  20	Lashing Tendrils. As a bonus action, you can make an unarmed strike with a reach of 10 feet.
  25	Spined Growths. Creatures that hit you with melee attacks take 1d6 piercing damage.
  30	Enlarged Frame. Your size increases by one category, and your reach increases by 5 feet.
  35	Abyssal Ferocity. Your critical hit range expands to 19–20.
  40	Final Evolution. At the end of your turn, you can gain temporary hit points equal to the number of Mutation Points you generated that turn. Additionally, the bonus damage from Twisting Muscles increases to 2d6.

Level 6: Symbiotic Resilience

 

• You gain resistance to poison damage and advantage on saving throws against the poisoned condition.

• Your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

• Whenever you regain hit points or gain temporary hit points while raging, you gain additional hit points equal to your Constitution modifier.

 

Survival of the Fittest

• Below half your maximum hit points: You gain resistance to all damage except psychic.

• At 25 hit points or fewer: When a creature hits you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to immediately make a melee attack against that creature.

• At 0 hit points: When you would be reduced to 0 hit points, you can instead reduce your Mutation Points by 10 and make a Constitution saving throw (DC = 10 + the damage taken). On a success, you drop to 1 hit point instead.

Additionally, whenever you would regain hit points while raging, you can choose to instead gain temporary hit points equal to half your maximum hit points. These temporary hit points last until the end of your rage.

Perfect Host

• When you first enter a rage, roll an additional 2d6 and add the total to your Mutation Point pool.

• For the duration of your rage, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn, you can make one additional melee weapon attack.

• You gain one additional reaction each round, though you can still use only one reaction per turn.

These benefits last until your rage ends.