Path of the Executioner
Adventurers are the most dangerous sorts of people (mostly), and barbarians are the most deadly kind of adventurer (generally), and now, the most reliably murderous breed of barbarian is the Executioner (yes, definitely). The Path of the Executioner is extremely focused in that way; as professional headsmen, they are devoted entirely to thoroughly de-aliving their enemies.
On top of the usual barbarian tricks, a raging executioner can deal extra damage to anyone already wounded once a turn. For the purposes of the archetype, 'wounded' is a generously broad category; a papercut or stubbed toe are all it takes for an executioner to get, at a minimum, an extra shortsword's worth of violence in every combat round.
As an executioner matures, their taste for blood becomes more literal, and they gain new ways to chase and track anyone they've already begun to maybe start to kill. If you've ever wanted to play as a glorified shark with thumbs, then have we got the humanoid-bloodhound archetype for you. After all, what kind of a professional leaves anyone to tell the tale? If you wanted stories, you'd hire a bard.
Finally, once you've actually killed your target after 0.12 seconds, your expert technique (and low grade necromancy?) lets you draw new power from your victims, either to strengthen yourself, or to debilitate your next nearby target. That way, one poor splattered whoever will easily lead to another and another, until soon you'll be reducing entire platoons to a soup-like homogenate at astounding speeds.
This barbarian is one of the most straightforward concepts we've done, but that just means there's all the more room for players to take it in unique directions. We've made sure it plays well, and the rest is open to you!
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Path of the Executioner
Few barbarians leave larger trails of destruction than those that follow the Path of the Executioner. Represented by lone madmen, elite guardsmen, and specialized war forces, these barbarians are especially practiced at finishing off their foes. Whether motivated by vengeance, a lust for power, or sadistic glee, these barbarians become manifestations of death, tearing their way through the battlefield from body to body.
Butcher’s Ire
3rd-level Path of the Executioner feature
You can focus your ire to cull the weak. While raging, you can use a bonus action to choose a hostile creature that you can see with less hit points than its hit point maximum. Your next attack against that creature before the end of your next turn deals an extra 1d6 damage and reduces that creature's speed by 10 feet until the end of your next turn if it hits. This damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 6th level (2d6) and again at 14th level (3d6).
Execution
6th-level Path of the Executioner feature
When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points or score a critical hit, you can use one of the following Execution options of your choice:
Bloodrush. As a reaction, you can move up to your movement speed towards a hostile creature that you can see and make an attack roll against that creature as if you had chosen it with your Butcher’s Ire feature.
Devour. You feed on the fallen creature's life force. You gain temporary hit points equal to your Constitution modifier + your barbarian level (minimum of 1 temporary hit point).
Glare. As a reaction, you menacingly glare at one creature within 30 feet that can see you. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier) or become frightened of you until the end of your next turn.
Death’s Scent
10th-level Path of the Executioner feature
A creature that has less hit points than its hit point maximum has disadvantage on any Dexterity (Stealth) rolls made to hide from you. In addition, you have advantage on any ability check made to track or perceive a wounded creature.
Bloodlust
14th-level Path of the Executioner feature
As an action, you can make a melee attack against a wounded creature, and then leap from that creature to another wounded creature within 20 feet and make an additional attack. You cannot hit the same creature more than once with this action. You can leap in this way up to 4 times, for a total of 5 attacks. Once you use this feature, you cannot do so again until you complete a short rest.