At 3rd level, a barbarian gains the Primal Path feature. The following Path of the Psychorampager option is available in addition to those normally offered.
Note: this class uses psionic options detailed in the Psion class entry.
Path of the Psychorampager
There are those who’d argue that psionics stem from the developed portion of a humanoid brain. However, those who follow the Path of the Psychorampager know better. Wild talents are drawn from the core of a creature’s being, forming its primal instinct and shielding it from the dangers that pervade its life. The barbarian that embraces this power is more than an aggressive combatant, but a terror to behold. Psychorampagers combine the raw strength of flesh with the unfettered potential of the mind.
Psychic Fury
Starting when you choose this path at 3rd level, you can channel psychic energy into your weapon strikes. While you’re raging, the first creature you hit on each of your turns with a weapon attack takes an extra 2d6 psychic damage.
As you gain levels in this class, the psychic damage increases. At 10th level, this damage increases by 1d6 (3d6), and again at 17th level (4d6).
Psychometabolism
At 3rd level, while raging you can use your bonus action to regain hit points equal to 1d4 + your Constitution modifier + your barbarian level. Alternatively, you can use this power to cure one disease or neutralize one poison affecting you. Or you can use this power to heal 2 points of ability damage, such as from a shadow’s Strength Drain attack.
You can only use this feature once per rage.
Mental Fortress
At 6th level, while you are raging, you have advantage on Intelligence and Wisdom saving throws against psionic powers as well as enchantment and illusion spells.
Expanded Fortress
At 10th level, each creature of your choice within 10 feet of you gains the benefits of your Mental Fortress feature.
Psychic Backlash
At 14th level, your innate psychic powers automatically retaliate on your behalf. Immediately after a creature hits you with an attack while you are raging, you can use your reaction to force that creature to make an Intelligence saving throw. The DC is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier. On a failed save, the creature takes psychic damage equal to half your barbarian level.
Psionics: A New Book by DMDave
Towards the end of this month, this entry along with many others will be included in a new book titled Psionics. Patrons at all levels will have first access to this.
Art by Wayne Reynolds.
The idea is so cool, but the execution…man, the power is off the charts here. This needs a big rework, real bad
How so? Examples.
Since I’m bored, I’ll break each one down for you. 🙂
Most of the balance is directly tied to Path of the Zealot. PotZ gets Divine Fury at 3rd level which allows it to deal 1d6 + half barbarian level in radiant or necrotic. Radiant’s a pretty big deal since only a handful of creatures spread throughout the books have any sort of immunity or resistance to it. For Psychic Fury, the barb deals 2d6 psychic which is tiny bit higher than the average damage provided by Divine Fury, but curves differently thanks to the baseline bonus.
Next is the psychometabolism which allows the barb to heal itself once per rage. The healing is minimal (1d4 + Con + barb level). Compared to the cost of revivify raising dead–which warrior of the gods gets for free–its’ basically half that cost in healing pots.
Next up is mental fortress. This gives advantage on saves against psionic powers (which doesn’t matter if you’re not using psionics) or enchantment and illusion spells. Compared to fanatical focus, this is way more niche. I’d almost say underpowered. Furthermore, the berserker’s mindless rage gives you straight up immunity to charmed and frightened versus advantage.
At 10th you can spread out your mental fortress to your pals… just like shielding storm does with your storm aura.
Finally, psychic backlash deals the exact same damage as raging storm does–Int save or half barbarian level.
So, in conclusion… unless Xanathar’s is horribly broken (well, I’d argue it is, but still it’s “canon”) this subclass is perfectly fine. 🙂