Barbarian
For some, their rage springs from a communion with fierce animal spirits. Others draw from a roiling reservoir of anger at a world full of pain. For every barbarian, rage is a power that fuels not just a battle frenzy but also uncanny reflexes, resilience, and feats of strength.
Barbarians are typically warriors raised in the wilderness, members of wild tribes, or lone wanderers, but the barbarian class can be any warrior on empowered by fury.
Barbarian Primal Paths
Subclasses for Barbarians are referred to as primal paths. They describe the origin of the barbarians strength, perhaps the last member of a nomadic tribe or mystics seeking a place to belong.
Path of the Ancestral Guardian
Some barbarians hail from cultures that revere their ancestors. These tribes teach that the warriors of the past linger in the world as mighty spirits, who can guide and protect the living. When a barbarian who follows this path rages, the barbarian contacts the spirit world and calls on these guardian spirits for aid.
Typical styled on native americans and the idea of spirit guardians, but don’t get locked into set ideas, all cultures have ancestors and a rich history of spirituality. A fav of mine is using your prsonal cultural heritage as the basis.
Path of the Battlerager
Known as Kuldjargh (literally “axe idiot”) in Dwarvish, battleragers are dwarf followers of the gods of war and take the Path of the Battlerager. They specialize in wearing bulky, spiked armor and throwing themselves into combat, striking with their body itself and giving themselves over to the fury of battle.
The classic barbarian warrior, spikes, mad axe-swinging.
Path of the Beast
Barbarians who walk the Path of the Beast draw their rage from a bestial spark burning within their souls. That beast bursts forth in the throes of rage, physically transforming the barbarian.
Think having a bit of inner animal that comes out. Easy to work with right?
Path of the Berserker
For some barbarians, rage is a means to an end – that end being violence. The Path of the Berserker is a path of untrammeled fury, slick with blood. As you enter the berserker’s rage, you thrill in the chaos of battle, heedless of your own health or well-being.
Typically wild warriors who fight for the thrill of it, but they can also be good-natured folk,who turn their misfotune intowild strength.
Path of the Giant
Barbarians who walk the Path of the Giant draw strength from the same primal forces as giants. As they rage, these barbarians surge with elemental power and grow in size, taking on forms that evoke the glory of giants. Some barbarians look like oversized versions of themselves, perhaps with a hint of elemental energy flaring in their eyes and around their weapons. Others transform more dramatically, taking on the appearance of an actual giant or a form similar to an Elemental, wreathed in fire, frost, or lightning.
In DnD, giants are elemental beings, born from, and commanding natural forces such as blizzards, thunderstorms or forest fires.
These barbarians have some connection to the gaints, either by blood (descended from them, such as the “Goliath” species) or through training as part of their culture.
Path of the Storm Herald
Barbarians who follow the Path of the Storm Herald learn instead to transform their rage into a mantle of primal magic that swirls around them. When in a fury, a barbarian of this path taps into nature to create powerful, magical effects.
These guys turn their emotions into storm powers. Wielding lightning or waves of frost.
Path of the Totem Warrior
The Path of the Totem Warrior is a spiritual journey, as the barbarian accepts a spirit animal as guide, protector, and inspiration. In battle, your totem spirit fills you with supernatural might, adding magical fuel to your barbarian rage.
Most barbarian tribes consider a totem animal to be kin to a particular clan. In such cases, it is unusual for an individual to have more than one totem animal spirit, though exceptions exist.
Spirit animals, though often considered a native american thing, exist all over the world. The image here is a great example of breaking the mould.
Path of the Zealot
Some deities inspire their followers to pitch themselves into a ferocious battle fury. These barbarians are zealots – warriors who channel their rage into powerful displays of divine power.
A variety of gods across the worlds of D&D inspire their followers to embrace this path. Tempus from the Forgotten Realms and Hextor and Erythnul of Greyhawk are all prime examples. In general, the gods who inspire zealots are deities of combat, destruction, and violence. Not all are evil, but few are good.
Wild warriors empowered by the gods. Kratos from “God of War” is a greatexample of this.