Barbarian Primal Path: Path of the Elemental Heart

[Acr0ssTh3P0nd]

I'm getting all pumped up for the Elemental Evil storyline, and figured I'd try to whip something up for an "elemental rage" subclass. I tried to keep things deliberately underpowered so that I could avoid the "making homebrew for something you like ends up with it being overpowered" trap that so many have fallen into ahemmypsionhomebrewahem.

So yeah, feedback will be greatly appreciated!

Path of the Elemental Heart

Elemental Rage
At 3rd level, when you adopt this path, you choose one of the following damage types: cold, fire, lightning, or thunder. While raging, all damage you deal with your attacks is of this type, and your reach with your attacks increases by 5 feet.

Endure the Storm
At 6th level, you gain resistance to your chosen Elemental Rage damage type. When you rage, you have resistance to cold, fire, lightning, and thunder damage.

Lifeblood of Creation
At 10th level, you may use your bonus action to gain immunity to damage of the type you chose for your Elemental Rage. This immunity lasts for a minute. You regain the use of this feature when you finish a long rest.

Primordial Vengeance
At 14th level, once per turn when a creature within 15 feet of you that you can see deals damage to you while you are raging, that creature takes damage equal to 1 + your Constitution modifier, of the type you chose for your Elemental Rage.

Additionally, if a creature you attack while you are raging has immunity to your Elemental Rage damage type, they instead have resistance to damage you deal of that type.

 

[Bupp]

I like this. Very nice.

 

[transcendantviewer]

This seems interesting in principle, but a constant +5 to reach distance seems a tad overpowered. Perhaps moving it to a higher level feature would be better. I mean, imagine a Raging Polearm Master. A 15ft reach at level 4? 3 if they're human? That's insane. Allowing them to select a different type of elemental damage each time they rage would be a great way to add versatility to the Barbarian Class as well. The Lifeblood of Creation ability sounds like it could be tied into the Endure the Storm ability as a one-time use per rage. Which, would free up the 10th level feature to use the bonus reach and maybe one additional special feature, such as perhaps learning the Primordial language for free and gaining Advantage on certain social skills interactions with Elementals.

 

[Frostwyre]

Howdy! I know this is a year late, but I've recently rolled a barbarian, and really like what you were getting at. I've tinkered with the idea and expanded it to be more focused on particular elements. I hope it's not too overpowered. I tried to limit the combat bonuses and keep things relevant to the barbarian way of life. Channeling the raw power of a chosen element (earth, fire, or storm), the barbarian's rage becomes somewhat of an avatar state rather than pure, unhindered anger. Lemme know what y'all think!

Barbarian: Path of the Elemental Heart

Some barbarians act as harbingers of the great elements that make up the world. In combat, the barbarian draws upon an inner power to empower themselves and their allies while in their raging state. The focus of the elements transforms their rage into a surge of raw elemental power, leaving the barbarian with one level of exhaustion when the effect ends.
To gain union with any given element takes discipline and patience. Additionally, the elements at be are in constant war with one another to retain a balance in the universe. As such, it is impossible that any one barbarian would summon the power of multiple elements.

Elemental Servant
Your journey has branded you with the symbol of your element as you walk this world. On your forehead, chest, wrist, palm, or back you bear the crest of your element engraved into your skin. Additionally, your chosen path is carried with you for life. You may not change paths, after one is chosen.

Elemental Rage
Your devotion to your element grants you unnatural hardiness in the face of combat. At 3rd level when you choose this path, you gain certain combative advantages depending on the element you follow.
Earth. The earth has made your skin thick and your spirit hardy. While raging, you receive +1 to your AC and have advantage to saving throws against non-physical damage (not resistance to damage).
Fire. The lick of the flame has dulled your sense to the harshest heat. While raging, you are resistant to fire and lightning damage. Additionally, while raging you harness the raw power of fire with one attack per turn, adding 2d4 fire damage.
Storm. Your spirit has been weathered by the essence of the storm. While raging, you are able to use the Dash action as your bonus action on your turn and receive resistance to cold, lightning and thunder damage.

Natural Attunement
At 6th level you continue your spiritual path and gain a stronger bond to your chosen element, giving you additional magical benefits. You display a keen attention to your environments, giving you +2 on rolls for to Survival and Nature checks and +1 to Perception checks.

Lifeblood of Creation
At 10th level, you are able to cast mass resistance once each time before resting. When you do so, you are imbued with elemental energy and bestow it upon your party, granting 1d4 to one saving throw against any one predetermined type of non-physical damage to each member in the party. Mass resistance can only be cast as a ritual spell.

Primordial Vengeance
At 14th level, you are granted the greatest insight and power over your chosen element, giving you supreme power to focus your rage on the battlefield.
Earth. You become as sturdy as the mountains themselves. When you begin raging, you restore 3d8 Hit Points, increasing your total Hit Points temporarily by the same amount and you have advantage on all Constitution saves. During the duration, you grow in size according to the Hit Points gained.
Fire. Your attacks carry the might of a wildfire, raging without restraint. While raging, your flaming attacks leap to up to two additional targets within 10ft. All targets must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 14 or they become lit on fire, taking 8 fire damage each turn. Damage is halved if the saving throw is made. Saving throws are made at the moment of the attack as well as at the beginning of each turn.
OR (not sure which to use)
Fire. You summon the power to strike with the might of a dragon. Once while raging, you may, upon making a successful strike, empower the blow as if it were a critical hit no matter the initial score of the attack roll.
Storm. Like a storm yourself, you move in a flurry around the battlefield. While raging, after expending your movement, action and bonus action, the barbarian may make a bonus lightning strike to any one target within 5ft so long as the barbarian has not hit that target already that turn. Lightning strike takes effect if the attack hits, and deals and additional 2d6 lightning damage.