Path of the Demon "barb"

IN times lost lived ancient races whose ambitions drome them to seek pacts with fiends and demons of the lower planes. Offering themselves as vessels and conduits, they forged artifacts that allowed them to channel demonic entities, unleashing their terrible power into the mortal world. In their arrogance, they believed they could control the demonic lords, that their mortality might temper them, and they they might use their will to force them to save the world. While sane folk condemn these dark pacts and would banish the secret rituals of the ancients, there are always those driven by the desperation of merciless fate that continue to walk the Path of the Demon. 

Level 3: Awaken Runeblade

When you choose this path at 3rd level, you forge a ritual pact with a demon lord. In exchange, the demon grants you a supernatural weapon known as a runeblade.

Your runeblade typically appears as a rune-covered sword forged from mysterious black metal, but you may choose any melee weapon form when you first receive it.

Once summoned, you become permanently bonded to your runeblade.

Your runeblade counts as a magical weapon and requires attunement before you can access its special abilities.

As you advance along the Path of the Demon, your runeblade unlocks additional supernatural powers described in your subclass features.

Level 3: Runeblade's Song

Whenever you enter a rage, the demon channels a measure of its power through your runeblade. It pulses as if it were alive, and if you score a critical hit on an attack with it, the weapon begins to sing softly.

All creatures, friend or foe, within a 10-foot radius must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier) or become frightened of you until the end of your next turn.

The song ends when your rage ends.

At 6th, 10th, and 14th level, the radius of your runeblade's song increases by 10 feet, to a maximum of 40 feet.

Level 3: Life Siphon

While raging, the first time you slay an opponent with your runeblade, the demon bound to your weapon siphons the creature's life essence and grants you temporary hit points.

You gain 2d8 temporary hit points when this feature activates.

The temporary hit points increase as you gain Barbarian levels:

• Level 3: 2d8

• Level 6: 3d8

• Level 10: 4d8

• Level 14: 5d8

• Level 18: 6d8

Beginning at 10th level, this feature also activates the first time you score a critical hit against an opponent during a rage, even if the creature survives.

This feature can activate only once per rage.

Level 6: Slake Thirst

Starting at 6th level, your runeblade demands that you slake its thirst for life energy.

The first creature you successfully damage with your runeblade during rage takes an additional 3d6 necrotic damage. The runeblade transfers some of the target's life energy to you, restoring hit points equal to the necrotic damage dealt.

At 10th level, this feature applies to the first two successful attacks you make with your runeblade.

At 14th level, the additional necrotic damage increases to 5d6, and the feature applies to the first three successful attacks you make with your runeblade.

Level 10: Temper Blade

At 10th level, you learn to temper the effect of your Runeblade's Song feature.

Each round, you can choose a number of allies equal to your Strength modifier who are not affected when Runeblade's Song activates.

These allies are immune to the frightening effects of your Runeblade's Song for that activation.

Soul Drinker

At 10th level, your runeblade begins demanding souls.

Each time you enter a rage, the runeblade attempts to claim a soul. Whenever you score a critical hit with the runeblade, the target must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier).

On a failed save, the runeblade begins leeching the target's soul. If the target drops below 0 hit points, the runeblade consumes its soul, permanently slaying the creature.

After consuming a soul, the runeblade cannot consume another until you finish a long rest.

A consumed soul grants the runeblade a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls until you finish a long rest.

The runeblade can consume a number of souls equal to your Path of the Demon Barbarian level before becoming temporarily satiated.

For every five souls consumed, the runeblade's bonuses increase by an additional +1, to a maximum bonus of +4 at 20th level.

Level 14: Demonic Ascendance

At 14th level, the bond between you and the demon within your runeblade reaches its pinnacle. You can briefly surrender yourself to its power, becoming a living vessel of demonic fury.

Demonic Transformation. As a bonus action while raging and wielding your attuned runeblade, you can unleash the demon's power for 1 minute. The transformation ends early if your rage ends, you become incapacitated, or you dismiss it as a bonus action.

While transformed, you gain the following benefits:

• Demonic Resilience. When you transform, you gain temporary hit points equal to twice your Barbarian level. You also gain resistance to fire and necrotic damage for the duration.

• Infernal Strikes. Once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with your runeblade, you can deal an additional 2d6 necrotic damage. You regain hit points equal to the necrotic damage actually dealt by this feature.

• Dread Incarnate. Creatures frightened of you have disadvantage on saving throws against your Soul Drinker feature.

• Demonic Presence. You grow spectral horns, your eyes burn with infernal energy, and your runeblade radiates an aura of dark power. These changes are cosmetic and vanish when your transformation ends.

Once you use Demonic Ascendance, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.