Path of the Warmaster (WIP) feedback needed

[Inconnunom]

I posted this in /r/dndnext but I could use some extra feedback for everyone here. I can add flavor text and a fancy official looking class sheet later but here is the jist of it.

My brother really liked the maneuvers mechanic of the fighter but really enjoys playing as a Barbarian and asked me as the DM if I could come up with something fair for him to use in our weekly gems. The big change for this type of barb is that experience has taught you advanced maneuvers that can be further augmented through rage. The character should play like an inspiring war leader at the front of the lines. The focus is utility and light tactical support.


Path of the Warmaster:

At level 3:
Brutal Tactics: Choose 3 maneuvers. You learn an additional Maneuver at 5, 9, 13, and 17. You have 2 superiority die which are d8s which are replenished after a shortrest. When you enter rage you gain an additional superiorty die. The maximum number of superiority die you can have at one time is equal to your maximum rages +1. At level 20 the maximum is 7.

At level 6:
Bellowing Shout. While raging, you can spend a superiority die as a bonus action to give all enemies within 10 feet disadvantage on weapon attacks until the beginning of your next turn. While raging, you have advantage on intimidation checks and on Charisma saving throws.

At level 10:
Imposing Visage: When an enemy makes an attack, you can use your reaction and one superiority die to try to redirect it's attack. It must make a Wisdom save with a DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your rage damage bonus. On a failure, you choose a new target within range for them to attack. You may use this once per short rest.

At level 14: Inspiring Leader: As a bonus action, you may expend one superiority die to grant all allies within 30 feet a bonus to their damage equal to your strength modifier on the next attack they make before the end of their next turn. You may use this ability once per short rest.


Thoughts? Concerns?

Edit: (6/18)
I've updated the levels to be more balanced. I've taken out the rage and superiority conflictions and made it more complementary. Got rid of the extra rages. Still trying to tweak lvl 10


OLD:
Level 3: Brutal Tactics: Choose 3 maneuvers. When you Rage you gain 1 superiority die. You learn an additional Maneuver at 5, 9, 13, and 17. You can rage (Cha mod) additional times per long rest. Superiority dice generated from rage expire after 10 minutes. At the beginning of your turn, if you have no superiority dice, your rage ends.
Level 6: Bellowing Shout. When you first enter rage, (Con mod +1) enemies within 10 feet have disadvantage on weapon attacks until the beginning of your next turn. While raging, you have advantage on intimidation checks and on Charisma saving throws.
Level 10: Imposing Visage: When an enemy makes an attack, you can use your reaction to try to redirect it's attack. It must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw vs (DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier) or you can pick a new target within the range of the weapon for them to attack. If you are raging, you may use a superiority die to subtract from the saving throw result. You may use this (Cha mod) per long rest.
Level 14: Inspiring Leader: As a bonus action, you may expend a usage of rage to grant all allies within 30 feet a bonus to their damage equal to your charisma modifier on the next attack they make before the end of their next turn. You may use this ability once per short rest.

 

[the Jester]

I'd have to compare it to one of the other paths, but this looks really overpowered to me. For one thing, additional rages strike me as something that ought to be absolutely and completely off the table- with a decent Charisma, this barbarian will be raging every combat, all combat. I see no reason to ever leave a rage at all.

 

[Inconnunom]

I'd have to compare it to one of the other paths, but this looks really overpowered to me. For one thing, additional rages strike me as something that ought to be absolutely and completely off the table- with a decent Charisma, this barbarian will be raging every combat, all combat. I see no reason to ever leave a rage at all.

I've actually been revising it offline with a few other people. I've just updated it and removed many of the areas of concern, like the extra rages. I've tried to make it so the abilities granted are like rage/barbarian augmented versions of maneuvers. Let me know what you think.

I'm still working on level 10.
What are your thoughts about basically (twice per day) using a superiority die as an inspiration die for ability checks and attack rolls for teammates? The range would be 15 feet. It would be like a drill sergeant yelling and commanding nearby troops to perform better.

 

[the Jester]

The revised version looks much better to me (again, at a glance), but there are a couple of things that jump out at me.

For imposing visage, where you have "You may use this (Cha mod) per long rest", I think you should add a "(minimum 1)" to the end.

The "rage ends when you run out of superiority dice" thing is kind of weird. I don't like it. It discourages you from actually using your manuevers (it's rare that a maneuver is worth trading for 'half damage from most everything'). I think I'd remove the limitation. I think only gaining one superiority die per rage is limit enough.

 

[Inconnunom]

The revised version looks much better to me (again, at a glance), but there are a couple of things that jump out at me.

For imposing visage, where you have "You may use this (Cha mod) per long rest", I think you should add a "(minimum 1)" to the end.

The "rage ends when you run out of superiority dice" thing is kind of weird. I don't like it. It discourages you from actually using your manuevers (it's rare that a maneuver is worth trading for 'half damage from most everything'). I think I'd remove the limitation. I think only gaining one superiority die per rage is limit enough.

To clarify. I left the old text in light gray so it could be compared to the new text. Sorry that was really unclear. Let me know if you aren't seeing that. Those issues you pointed out were in part of the older text. (Unless I have been looking at this so much I can't keep anything straight)

 

[the Jester]

To clarify. I left the old text in light gray so it could be compared to the new text. Sorry that was really unclear. Let me know if you aren't seeing that. Those issues you pointed out were in part of the older text. (Unless I have been looking at this so much I can't keep anything straight)

The difference in text colors on the black background skin is extremely slight. You may want to designate them somehow.

Also, it looks like you have a double edit- the "gain extra rages" stuff is now completely gone.

 

[Inconnunom]

The difference in text colors on the black background skin is extremely slight. You may want to designate them somehow.

Also, it looks like you have a double edit- the "gain extra rages" stuff is now completely gone.

Let me know if it looks any better. I just pulled all the old stuff out and put it at the bottom for reference. Also, I don't 100% follow on the double edit, but I have removed the extra rages. Everyone agreed that raging more often is too good and it didn't work well with the class.

 

[the Jester]

That's much clearer, thanks!

Okay... so first thing I notice now: How does the "two superiority dice which are regained on a short rest" interact with "gain a superiority die when you rage"? If I rage twice, spend two superiority dice, then take a short rest, how many SD do I have? Two, or four?

I do think Bellowing Shout is a bit much for one superiority die. That could be an awful lot of enemies attacking with disadvantage at once. Compare to the parry maneuver. I dunno, maybe tie it back into "When you rage" instead of using a SD. I'm not really sure; the power isn't overpowered per se, but it seems absolutely better than most maneuvers to me. It becomes a no-brainer (especially when combined with Reckless Attack).

 

[Inconnunom]

That's much clearer, thanks!

Okay... so first thing I notice now: How does the "two superiority dice which are regained on a short rest" interact with "gain a superiority die when you rage"? If I rage twice, spend two superiority dice, then take a short rest, how many SD do I have? Two, or four?

I do think Bellowing Shout is a bit much for one superiority die. That could be an awful lot of enemies attacking with disadvantage at once. Compare to the parry maneuver. I dunno, maybe tie it back into "When you rage" instead of using a SD. I'm not really sure; the power isn't overpowered per se, but it seems absolutely better than most maneuvers to me. It becomes a no-brainer (especially when combined with Reckless Attack).

Hmm, I am adding the following lines:
"Dice gained through rage expire after 10 minutes. Additionally, when using superiority dice, dice gained through rage are used first. All unused superiority dice are lost during a short or long rest before replenishing."

As far as the bellowing shout:
Perhaps give the enemies a chance to wisdom saving throw? It might make more sense because it is like a mental assault almost. thoughts?


Also, some have expressed concern about the level 10 ability not being in line with the other paths because it's too heavily focus on combat. What are your thoughts on the following skill to replace it:

Ferocious Snarl: Twice per day you can use a superiority die to aid or hinder a creature. As a reaction, roll the die and add or subtract half the number (rounded down, min 1) rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw a creature makes. You may wait until after the creature rolls the d20 before deciding to use the superiority die, but must decide before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails. This ability can only be used twice per long rest.

It savage version of bardic inspiration, except half value and limits it to twice per day. It could be something useful for RP that can be used in combat as well.