Path of the Wild
A Barbarian path with a bonded beast aspect, a summoned beast companion, a Half-Form while raging and a full beast transformation at 18th level.
Identity
The Path of the Wild is the oldest Barbarian tradition still practiced in inhabited space, and it survives on backwaters the Federation never reached. Its followers grew up alongside beasts, in feral colony-creches, through coming-of-age rites or in the survival weeks after a ship went down. They wear pelt and bone and file their teeth, and over the years the body begins to change to match. The path is found on unaligned worlds, in Vanir shaman lineages and among Zyrrak hunt-elders.
Features
- L3 Wild Aspect
Choose one of the following beast aspects to bond with you. Claws of the Hunter. Your unarmed strikes count as natural weapons that deal 1d6 slashing damage and use your Strength modifier. They are considered melee weapon attacks for the purposes of Rage, Extra Attack, and similar features. Eye of the Hawk. You gain advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. At long range (beyond 150 feet), you do not suffer disadvantage on ranged weapon attacks against creatures you can see clearly in bright or natural light. Fur of the Ursine. You have resistance to cold damage. You can ignore the first 5 feet of difficult terrain on each of your turns, and you have advantage on saving throws against environmental cold. You can change your Wild Aspect during a long rest spent in contact with the wild, such as a forest, an open void with stars visible or a death-world ridge. The GM decides whether a place qualifies.
- L7 Pack Leader
You have advantage on Wisdom (Animal Handling) and Charisma (Intimidation) checks against beasts. Nonhostile beasts of Power Rating equal to or less than your proficiency bonus will not attack you unprovoked, and you can issue simple commands (one or two words) to friendly beasts as a free action on your turn. A beast companion, mount or other animal ally under your command gains temporary hit points equal to your Barbarian level whenever you enter Rage.
- L11 Wild Companion
Once per long rest, as an action, you can call a beast to fight beside you. You summon a beast with a Power Rating equal to half your Barbarian level (rounded down, minimum 1) within 30 feet of you. The beast is friendly to you and your allies, rolls its own initiative, and acts on its turn under your command. It vanishes after 1 hour, when it is reduced to 0 hit points, or when you dismiss it as a bonus action. Choose a form that fits your Wild Aspect and where you are, such as a void-canine in space or a frontier hill-cat in the wilderness.
- L15 Half-Form
While raging, you can spend a bonus action to enter a Half-Form: a partial transformation into the beast that bonded to you. Until the Rage ends or you dismiss the form as a free action, your size increases by one category (up to Large), your walking speed increases by 10 feet, your natural weapons (or, if you do not have Claws of the Hunter, your unarmed strikes) deal 1d10 slashing damage, and you gain a climb speed equal to your walking speed. You can still wield weapons and use equipment in Half-Form, but armor that does not accommodate the size change is treated as ill-fitting (no AC benefit). You can enter Half-Form once per Rage.
- L18 Beast of Legend Capstone
Once per long rest, as a bonus action, you can fully transform into a beast for 1 minute. You become a Large or Huge beast appropriate to your Wild Aspect, such as a colossal dire canine for Claws, a stormhawk for Eye or a great void-ursine for Fur. While transformed: Your hit point maximum increases by 4 × your Barbarian level for the duration. Lost hit points are restored from this pool first. Your natural weapon attacks deal 2d10 slashing or piercing damage and you gain Multiattack (two attacks per Attack action) in addition to the Barbarian's Extra Attack, for a total of three attacks per Attack action. Your walking speed becomes 50 feet and you gain a climb speed and a swim speed of the same value. You have advantage on Strength checks and saves, and your Strength score becomes 22 if it was lower. You can speak only with other beasts. You understand languages spoken to you but cannot reply in them. The form ends early if you fall Unconscious, if your Rage ends, or if you dismiss it as a free action. When the form ends, any temporary hit points from the form are lost and any damage taken is subtracted from your normal hit points up to your normal maximum.
