Path of the Strongman

Every horror circus features a colossus capable of lifting wagons, bending iron bars, and snapping chains with bare hands. Barbarians who follow the Path of the Strongman look at the terrifying monsters of the dark and see nothing more than oversized weights waiting to be lifted, flexed, and slammed. Blessed by the Harlequin with supernatural, dense musculature, these warriors treat combat like a weightlifting exhibition. They wade into battle entirely unarmed, utilizing unique, devastating physical maneuvers to crush their foes with the sheer weight of their own bodies.

Carnival Brawler

• Iron Fists: Your unarmed strikes deal bludgeoning damage equal to  1d6 + \text{your Strength modifier} . When you reach 6th level, this damage increases to  1d8 , at 11th level to  1d10 , and at 17th level to  1d12 .
• Mighty Grip: You can attempt to grapple creatures that are up to two sizes larger than you. Additionally, while you are Raging, you have a climbing speed equal to your walking speed, provided you have at least one hand free to grip surfaces.

Strongman Maneuvers

When you enter a Rage, you gain access to unique, high-damage unarmed combat actions. Instead of taking a standard Attack action, you can use your action to execute one of the following feats of strength:

1. The Human Barbell (The Swing)

You grab two enemies and smash them together.

• Requirement: You must have two hands free.
• The Action: Choose two creatures within 5 feet of you that are your size or smaller. Each target must make a Strength saving throw ( \text{DC} = 8 + \text{your Proficiency Bonus} + \text{your Strength modifier} ).
• The Damage: On a failed save, both creatures take bludgeoning damage equal to your Iron Fists damage + your Rage damage, are knocked prone, and are now grappled by you (one in each hand). On a success, they take half damage and are not prone or grappled.

2. The Cannonball Toss (The Throw)

You launch a creature through the air like a heavy projectile.

• Requirement: You must currently have a creature grappled.
• The Action: You hurl the grappled creature up to 30 feet in a straight line. The thrown creature must make a Dexterity saving throw against your maneuver DC.
• Scaling Damage: The thrown creature takes  1d6  bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet it traveled, plus an additional  1d6  for every size category above Tiny.
• Collateral Damage: If the thrown creature hits a solid object or another creature, that secondary target must pass a Dexterity save or take the exact same damage and be knocked prone.

Over-Headed Press

Your ability to carry massive weight scales effortlessly. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

Additionally, you can now use a grappled creature as an Improvised Shield. While you are holding a creature grappled, you gain a +2 bonus to AC as you effortlessly position their body to block incoming attacks. Whenever a creature misses you with an attack while you have this bonus, the grappled creature takes the damage from that attack instead.

Furthermore, your unarmed strikes and Strongman Maneuvers count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Audience Applause

You know how to flex for the crowd, turning a brutal takedown into an inspiring show of force.

Once per turn, when you successfully knock a creature prone or damage an enemy using a Strongman Maneuver while Raging, you can unleash a terrifying battle roar. Every hostile creature within 20 feet of you that can see you must pass a Wisdom saving throw against your maneuver DC or be frightened of you until the end of your next turn.

The Ring-Shattering Slam

You can execute the ultimate circus finisher, driving a monster into the earth with enough force to cause a localized earthquake.

As an action while you are Raging and have a creature grappled, you can leap up to 20 feet straight up into the air (this movement does not provoke opportunity attacks) and drive the creature skull-first into the ground.

• The grappled creature takes  10d6  bludgeoning damage and is stunned until the end of your next turn.
• The impact creates a shockwave. Every other creature on the ground within a 15-foot radius of the slam site must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw against your maneuver DC or take  4d6  thunder damage and be knocked prone as the circus ring breaks beneath your feet.

Once you perform this slam, your Rage immediately ends, and you cannot use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.