Path of the Brawler – Pro Wrestler Barbarian for 5th Edition

September 11, 2019

Books/ Dungeons & Dragons/ Free Nerdy Things/ Homebrew/ Mis-Adventurers/ Reading List/ Writers

The Mis-Adventurers: An (Almost) Epic Tale is a new adult comedic fantasy adventure novel that hits a lot of the beats of a D&D campaign and the lovely disasters that can ensue. As the author, I very consciously designed the story this way, because some of the best stories I’ve ever experienced have been around the game table.

A large part of what makes D&D work so well as a storytelling avenue is its codified rules. These define things like how magic works, what weapons can do, and even resolving complex maneuvers. As an author trying to capture the proverbial magic of a TTRPG story, I knew that I’d have to codify many of the book’s events in terms of game mechanics. As such, I devised a unique new D&D subclass for each character.

new D&D subclass Primal Path D&D barbarians

In The Mis-Adventurers: An (Almost) Epic Tale, Thomas Edward Overdale (aka Tom), of Farshire, is an eager halfling bard determined to set out on his own, so that he can write an epic tale of legend.

Primal Path — Path of the Brawler

A new subclass for D&D barbarians

Today, we’re talking about the new D&D subclass inspired by Beryl, a dwarven pro wrestler who augments his grappling and unarmed strikes with rage. It always struck me a bit oddly that there wasn’t any sort of subclass for a wrestling sort of character. Rather than pester Wizards of the Coast about getting one together, I figured I would build one!

Fighting like wild animals, D&D barbarians following this Primal Path are brawlers who rely on unarmed strikes and close-combat grappling to subdue and dominate their foes. Driven by competitive spirits, brawlers often spar with one another in arenas and rings to see who is the strongest. However, brawlers don’t only rely on unarmed fighting alone. Many brawlers use unarmed strikes and acrobatic maneuvers to supplement fighting with weapons.

Bonus Proficiency

When you choose this path at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Acrobatics skill.

Boxing

At 3rd level, your unarmed strikes use a d4 for their damage rolls. Additionally, when you take the Attack action on your turn, you can use a bonus action to make an unarmed strike or to grapple a creature.

When you reach 6th level, your unarmed strikes use a d6 for their damage rolls. At 14th level, your unarmed strike damage increases to a d8.

Suplex

Also starting at 3rd level, you can use your action to suplex a creature of your size or smaller that is grappled by you. When you do, the creature takes bludgeoning damage equal to 1d10 + your Strength modifier. As part of this action, you can move the creature to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of you. You cannot suplex a creature if you cannot move the creature to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of you.

When you reach 10th level, the damage you deal with your suplex increases to 2d10 + your Strength modifier, and the creature you suplex can be up to one size larger than you.

Fighting Spirit

Beginning at 6th level, your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purpose of calculating immunity and resistance to nonmagical attacks while you are raging.

Wrestling

Also at 6th level, when you successfully grapple a creature, you can make a second grapple check to cause the creature to be restrained. Additionally, you can stand using only 5 feet of movement, instead of half your movement.

Choke Hold

Starting at 10th level, you can attempt to choke a creature. As an action, you can force a creature of up to one size larger than you that is restrained by you to make a Constitution saving throw. If the creature fails this saving throw, it is unconscious for 1 minute, or until it takes damage. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier.

Savage Scrapper

Beginning at 14th level, you use a d10 for the damage of your unarmed strikes while you are raging, and the damage you deal with your Suplex while you are raging becomes 4d10 + your Strength modifier. Additionally, when you take the Attack action on your turn while you are raging, you can use a bonus action to make two unarmed strikes, instead of one.