Path of the Pummeler (5e Subclass)
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Path of the Pummeler[edit]
A Half Orc lets forward a devastating blow, sending his opponent reeling. As the masked figure falls to the floor with stars in their eyes, he lets out a primal roar that echoes among a cheering crowd of fans.
A Goliath walks forth, seething in cold fury. Her muscles tense and ripple as she closes in on the brigands who destroyed the monastery she had called home. She mutters a prayer of strength to Thrym, God of Frost Giants, before charging with fists clenched and vengeance in her eyes.
A Dwarf shouts to his allies as they storm the evil Lord's stronghold. He dashes forth as the keep's portcalis starts to drop. Feeling his strength stoke like a furnace, he catches and holds up the immense iron gate, keeping it aloft from his sheer power alone. As his allies duck inside, he grunts in exertion as he drops the gate, heading on to join them on their quest to dispense justice.
Though the paths they take seem to be disparate, each of these barbarians follows the primal Path of the Pummeler, tapping into a special, inner strength which heightens their physical ability. Many Monks believe these barbarians to be unlocking the secrets of Ki, using it crudely to boost their performance, although some monasteries cultivate and train these barbarians for that purpose. Some of these barbarians believe that instead, they have inherited the might of Giantkind, their titanic strength born of those mighty beings, though whether these claims are genuine or not is up to debate, especially among Giants. Other barbarians think that they've merely broken the limit of what their bodies can accomplish, or feel they've been bestowed divine power by a God of Strength, while others don't know or care for the source of their strength at all. Regardless of where these barbarians find this power, anyone can agree that those down this path are pugilists without equal, whose fists strike with the power of steel and can fell even the strongest of foes.
- Pummeling Strikes
At 3rd level, you may use your Unarmed Strikes to make Pummeling Strikes. Pummeling Strikes are made with your fists only, and they deal Bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength Modifier on a hit. If you are not wielding any weapons or a shield when you make the attack roll, the d6 becomes a d8.
While raging, your fury fuels your Pummeling Strikes to be more deadly: During a rage, your Pummeling Strikes use a d8, or a d10 if you are not holding weapons or a shield.
- Mighty Defense
Starting when you choose this path at 3rd level, your sheer brawn helps deflect attacks. While benefiting from the Unarmored Defense feature that you gained as a Barbarian, you may instead have your Armor Class equal to 10 + your Strength Modifier + your Constitution Modifier while you are not wearing armor. However, if your Dexterity Score has a negative modifier (-1 to -5), then you must add your Dexterity Modifier as well. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit, as normal.
Or: 10 + Dex + Con ==> 10 + Str + Con (+ Dex if negative)
- Force of Rage
You exhibit a strength within your fury that few others can match. At 3rd level, while you are raging, you may add your rage damage bonus to any strength check or strength saving throw you make; in addition, if you succeed on a strength check or strength saving throw on your turn during a rage, and your rage would end early that turn, you are considered to have taken damage or attacked a hostile creature for the purposes of maintaining your rage.
- Furious Offense
At 6th level, your punches can break through even the toughest defenses. Your Pummeling Strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance or immunity to nonmagical bludgeoning damage.
Additionally, you have learned how to put in enough force to make your Pummeling Strikes as strong as they can be - for now. The die used for your Pummeling Strikes is now d8/d10, or a d10/d12 when raging.
- Peak Performance
The abilities of your body have grown to athletic peaks few can ever achieve. At 10th level, you gain the following benefits:
- Your walking speed increases by an additional 5 ft. while you are not wearing heavy armor;
- You may take the Dash action as a Bonus Action on your turn;
- You gain a climbing speed and a swimming speed both equal to your walking speed;
- Your base long jump becomes 30 ft, and your base high jump becomes 15 ft, with or without a running start;
- You gain expertise in the Athletics skill (you double your proficiency bonus for ability checks using the skill.) If another feature already gives expertise to athletics, then you only benefit from one instance of expertise in this skill.
- Megaton Strikes
Additionally, at 10th level, your ferocity allows you to put all your power into your attacks, although the slightly slower wind-up is easier to avoid. Whenever you make a Pummeling Strike, you may take a -5 penalty to your attack roll to gain a +10 bonus to your damage roll.
- Knockout Strike
At the apex of this path, you have broken the limits of just how potent your fists can be. At 14th level, while you are raging, you may make take a special Action to make a single Pummeling Strike. If you hit with this attack, it is treated as a critical hit which deals the maximum die roll for all damage dice used, and the target must make a Constitution saving throw (DC = 8 + your Proficiency Bonus + your Strength Modifier) or be knocked Unconscious. They remain unconscious for one minute, or until they take any damage, or an adjacent creature uses their action to wake up the target. If the attack roll for this attack is a natural 20 (the die lands on "20"), then the target has disadvantage on the Constitution saving throw. Regardless on whether the attack hits or misses, your rage immediately ends, and you cannot start a new rage until the start of your next turn.
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