Hawk Diesel
Adventurer
So this archetype came into my head suddenly as I was driving, and was also in part inspired by a thread started by [MENTION=57494]Xeviat[/MENTION] regarding strength-based monks. Several people in that thread pointed out similarities between a barbarian and a strength-based monk. So between my spark of inspiration and the thread, I came up with this archetype.
A few design notes: Conceptually, I am trying to create a barbarian that gets larger while raging. Mechanically, I'm trying to accomplish the following things (though truthfully I don't know if there is enough design space within the barbarian archetype for everything):
1) A barbarian that rewards players that use unarmed strikes, but is also viable for barbarians that prefer to use weapons.
2) Incorporating the great weapon master feat into the archetype features (useful so that barbarians don't need to sacrifice an ASI for this feat, as well as in games that allow homebrew material but do not use feats).
3) A capstone ability that allows the player to be a large creature while raging, and thus as with most large creatures their melee attacks tend to deal double weapon damage dice.
Path of the Hulk
Barbarians that follow this path do not just channel their rage, they become avatars of uncontrolled anger and wrath. Most barbarians that follow this path have experienced an incredible trauma that opened the gates within their souls, allowing their rage to physically change their bodies into potent weapons, ensuring they will never be victims again. Barbarians of the Hulk usually change in some noticeable way when they rage. Some may change color, get slightly bigger, grow horns or have their hands become savage clubs. Regardless of the type of change, the manner of the change is purely cosmetic and has no mechanical impact.
Hulk Smash
Starting when you choose this path at 3rd level, your fists become brutal weapons, becoming larger with sharp, bony protrusions growing from the knuckles. Your unarmed attacks now deal 1d6 bludgeoning damage. If you are not carrying weapons or using a shield, your unarmed attacks add double your rage damage while raging.
In addition, on your turn, when you score a critical hit with a melee weapon or unarmed attack, or when you reduce a creature to 0 hit points with melee weapon or unarmed attack, you can make one melee weapon attack or unarmed weapon attack as a bonus action.
Reasoning: I like the idea of barbarians using their fists, but it doesn't work very well with their access to larger weapons (i.e. greataxe, greatsword, ect). So I thought giving them an unarmed strike and double their rage bonus would be a good trade-off to have. It doesn't scale as a monk's unarmed strike does, but it's a solid choice with a fairly high average damage. I also think the tradeoff of not using a shield is appropriate to benefit from double rage damage with the unarmed strikes.
One thing I had considered for level 3 was allowing the barbarian to become large during rage as per the enlarge spell. Though I don't know if that would also allow enough design space for the unarmed strike. Then the capstone would only allow the improved damage of being a large creature.
Hulk Bash
Beginning at 6th level, your attacks can become more devastating, if less accurate. Before you make a melee weapon attack or unarmed strike, you can subtract an amount from your attack bonus up to your proficiency bonus. If you hit with such an attack, you add an amount to your damage roll equal to the amount you subtracted. You add double the amount subtracted if you are raging.
Reasoning: I didn't think I had enough design space at 3rd level to give the unarmed strike bonus and the whole great weapon master feat. So I put it at the 6th level. But I also think this ability as is is sufficient for 6th level without adding anything else. Additionally, unlike with the feat, this applies to any melee weapon attack a barbarian may use. It also scales based on proficiency bonus, rather than getting a full -5/+10 all at once.
Haunted Homing Sense
Beginning at 10th level, you always know how to return to the place where you experienced the trauma that defines your rage. As long as you are on the same plane of existence where the trauma occurred, you instinctively know which direction it is relative to you, and the approximate distance from you.
Reasoning: Level 10 for barbarian archetypes seems to often be more related to exploration or a ribbon ability. I thought this fit that approach while keeping the Hulk theme in there (in the comics the Hulk always knows how to return to the spot of the original gamma bomb blast that changed him).
Hulk is the Strongest There Is!
Starting at 14th level, when you rage you physically grow to large size. In addition, damage you deal with melee weapons or your unarmed strike deal double damage dice.
Reasoning: This is the capstone that really allows you to Hulk out. At this level, your unarmed strikes deal 2d6 damage plus double rage damage. Those that use weapons may deal 2d12 or 4d6 damage. This will definitely be the hardest hitting barbarian.
***********
So I'm not 100% happy with this archetype. It doesn't feel quite balanced or adequate for what I'm going for. Any suggestions to improve the design would be most appreciated. I'd also appreciate criticisms that would highlight my own blindspots with regard to abuse potential.
A few design notes: Conceptually, I am trying to create a barbarian that gets larger while raging. Mechanically, I'm trying to accomplish the following things (though truthfully I don't know if there is enough design space within the barbarian archetype for everything):
1) A barbarian that rewards players that use unarmed strikes, but is also viable for barbarians that prefer to use weapons.
2) Incorporating the great weapon master feat into the archetype features (useful so that barbarians don't need to sacrifice an ASI for this feat, as well as in games that allow homebrew material but do not use feats).
3) A capstone ability that allows the player to be a large creature while raging, and thus as with most large creatures their melee attacks tend to deal double weapon damage dice.
Path of the Hulk
Barbarians that follow this path do not just channel their rage, they become avatars of uncontrolled anger and wrath. Most barbarians that follow this path have experienced an incredible trauma that opened the gates within their souls, allowing their rage to physically change their bodies into potent weapons, ensuring they will never be victims again. Barbarians of the Hulk usually change in some noticeable way when they rage. Some may change color, get slightly bigger, grow horns or have their hands become savage clubs. Regardless of the type of change, the manner of the change is purely cosmetic and has no mechanical impact.
Hulk Smash
Starting when you choose this path at 3rd level, your fists become brutal weapons, becoming larger with sharp, bony protrusions growing from the knuckles. Your unarmed attacks now deal 1d6 bludgeoning damage. If you are not carrying weapons or using a shield, your unarmed attacks add double your rage damage while raging.
In addition, on your turn, when you score a critical hit with a melee weapon or unarmed attack, or when you reduce a creature to 0 hit points with melee weapon or unarmed attack, you can make one melee weapon attack or unarmed weapon attack as a bonus action.
Reasoning: I like the idea of barbarians using their fists, but it doesn't work very well with their access to larger weapons (i.e. greataxe, greatsword, ect). So I thought giving them an unarmed strike and double their rage bonus would be a good trade-off to have. It doesn't scale as a monk's unarmed strike does, but it's a solid choice with a fairly high average damage. I also think the tradeoff of not using a shield is appropriate to benefit from double rage damage with the unarmed strikes.
One thing I had considered for level 3 was allowing the barbarian to become large during rage as per the enlarge spell. Though I don't know if that would also allow enough design space for the unarmed strike. Then the capstone would only allow the improved damage of being a large creature.
Hulk Bash
Beginning at 6th level, your attacks can become more devastating, if less accurate. Before you make a melee weapon attack or unarmed strike, you can subtract an amount from your attack bonus up to your proficiency bonus. If you hit with such an attack, you add an amount to your damage roll equal to the amount you subtracted. You add double the amount subtracted if you are raging.
Reasoning: I didn't think I had enough design space at 3rd level to give the unarmed strike bonus and the whole great weapon master feat. So I put it at the 6th level. But I also think this ability as is is sufficient for 6th level without adding anything else. Additionally, unlike with the feat, this applies to any melee weapon attack a barbarian may use. It also scales based on proficiency bonus, rather than getting a full -5/+10 all at once.
Haunted Homing Sense
Beginning at 10th level, you always know how to return to the place where you experienced the trauma that defines your rage. As long as you are on the same plane of existence where the trauma occurred, you instinctively know which direction it is relative to you, and the approximate distance from you.
Reasoning: Level 10 for barbarian archetypes seems to often be more related to exploration or a ribbon ability. I thought this fit that approach while keeping the Hulk theme in there (in the comics the Hulk always knows how to return to the spot of the original gamma bomb blast that changed him).
Hulk is the Strongest There Is!
Starting at 14th level, when you rage you physically grow to large size. In addition, damage you deal with melee weapons or your unarmed strike deal double damage dice.
Reasoning: This is the capstone that really allows you to Hulk out. At this level, your unarmed strikes deal 2d6 damage plus double rage damage. Those that use weapons may deal 2d12 or 4d6 damage. This will definitely be the hardest hitting barbarian.
***********
So I'm not 100% happy with this archetype. It doesn't feel quite balanced or adequate for what I'm going for. Any suggestions to improve the design would be most appreciated. I'd also appreciate criticisms that would highlight my own blindspots with regard to abuse potential.
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