Dungeons & Dragons 2024 (D&D) Subclass: Path of the Primal Spirit
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Rage Alongside a Bestial Spirit
Many Barbarians are in tune with the natural world, but few are as mystically intertwined with it as those who walk the Path of the Primal Spirit. These Barbarians forge powerful connections with beasts and nature spirits, inspiring such ethereal beings to manifest and journey on far-flung adventures.
Barbarians who follow this path have a deep reverence for the cycle of the natural world. Such Barbarians are as likely to accept quests and pleas for aid from local wildlife as they are from people. This respect for animals and spirits doesn’t cross into naivety—few understand the delicate balance between the needs of predator and prey better than those who walk the Path of the Primal Spirit.
Level 3: Primal Companion
You magically summon a primal spirit that adopts the form of a beast and accompanies you on your adventures. Choose its stat block: Primal Guardian or Primal Striker. In addition, choose an environment that will modify the creature’s stat block: Land, Sea, or Sky. You also deter- mine the kind of animal it is, choosing a kind appropriate for the stat block. Whatever companion you choose, it bears eldritch markings indicating its otherworldly origin.
The companion is Friendly to you and your allies and obeys your commands. It vanishes if you die.
The Beast in Combat. In combat, the companion acts during your turn. It can move and use its Reaction on its own, but the only action it takes is the Dodge action unless you take a Bonus Action to command it to take an action in its stat block or some other action. You can also sacrifice one of your attacks when you take the Attack action to command the beast to take the Beast’s Strike action. If you have the Incapacitated condition, the companion acts on its own and isn’t limited to the Dodge action.
Restoring or Replacing the Beast. If the companion has died within the last hour, you can take a Magic action to touch it and expend a use of your Rage. The companion returns to life immediately with all its Hit Points restored.
Whenever you finish a Long Rest, you can summon a different primal companion, which appears in an unoccu- pied space within 5 feet of you. You choose its stat block and appearance. If you already have a beast from this feature, the old one vanishes when the new one appears.
| MOD | SAVE | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| STR | 15 | +2 | +2 |
| DEX | 12 | +1 | +1 |
| CON | 16 | +3 | +3 |
| MOD | SAVE | ||
| INT | 4 | -3 | -3 |
| WIS | 12 | +1 | +1 |
| CHA | 6 | -2 | -2 |
Traits
Protective Instinct. When the guardian becomes Bloodied, it gains Temporary Hit Points equal to half of its maximum Hit Points and is enraged for 10 minutes. While enraged, Hostile creatures within 5 feet have Disadvantage on attack rolls against creatures other than the guardian.
Vigilant. The guardian can’t be surprised.
Wild Bond. Add your Proficiency Bonus to any ability check, attack roll, or saving throw the beast makes.
Actions
Natural Weapons. Melee Attack Roll: Bonus equals your attack modifier using Strength, reach 5 ft. Hit: 1d4 + 2 plus your Rage Damage bonus Bludgeoning, Piercing, or Slashing damage (your choice when you summon the beast).
Reactions
Body Block. Trigger: When a creature the beast can see attacks a target other than itself that is within 5 feet of it. Response: The guardian takes the damage instead of the target.
| MOD | SAVE | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| STR | 15 | +2 | +2 |
| DEX | 15 | +2 | +2 |
| CON | 15 | +2 | +2 |
| MOD | SAVE | ||
| INT | 4 | -3 | -3 |
| WIS | 12 | +1 | +1 |
| CHA | 7 | -2 | -2 |
Traits
Aquatic Assault (Sea Only). While the beast is submerged in water, it has Advantage on attack rolls against creatures without a Swim Speed submerged in water.
Enraged Strikes. While your Rage is active, the beast’s attack rolls have Advantage.
Flyby (Sky Only). The beast doesn’t provoke Opportunity Attacks when it flies out of an enemy’s reach.
Wild Bond. Add your Proficiency Bonus to any ability check, attack roll, or saving throw the beast makes.
Actions
Natural Weapons. Melee Attack Roll: Bonus equals your attack modifier using Strength, reach 5 ft. Hit: 1d8 + 2 plus your Rage Damage bonus Bludgeoning, Piercing, or Slashing damage (your choice when you summon the beast).
Reactions
Harry (Land Only). Trigger: When a creature the beast can see within 5 feet of it makes an attack roll. Response: The triggering attack roll has Advantage.
Level 3: Shared Rage
While your Rage is active, your primal companion has Resistance to Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing damage.
Level 6: Kin to Beasts
You always have the Animal Friendship and Speak with Animals spells prepared. You can cast each of these spells without expending a spell slot. Once you cast either spell in this way, you can’t cast that spell in this way again until you finish a Short or Long Rest. You can also cast these spells using spell slots you have of the appropriate level. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for them.
Level 10: Skinrider's Trance
You take a Magic action to enter a trance and choose your primal companion or one Beast currently under the effect of your Animal Friendship spell within 60 feet of yourself. For the duration of this trance, you possess the chosen creature.
Once you possess a creature’s body, you control it. Your Hit Points, Hit Point Dice, Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Speed, and senses are replaced by the creature’s. You otherwise keep your game statistics. This possession ends if you choose to exit the trance (no action required by you), if the Beast you’re possessing is reduced to 0 Hit Points, or if you and the Beast are on different planes of existence.
While in this trance, your body falls into a catatonic state. You can’t move or take Reactions, and you’re unaware of your surroundings. You can remain in the trance for a number of hours up to half your Barbarian level plus your Constitution modifier.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest. You can also restore your use of it by expending one use of your Rage (no action required).
Level 14: Shape of the Wild
As a Bonus Action, you can choose a new form for your primal companion, causing it to transform instantaneously. When you cause your primal companion to transform in this way, its current Hit Points change to its new Hit Point maximum.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a Short or Long Rest. You can also restore your use of it by expending one use of your Rage (no action required).
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