Path of the Wizard Slayer

Among certain superstitious tribes, spellcasters and their black magic are perceived as aberrations of nature, responsible for the corruption of the world and the rise of monsters and maladies. The rage of these barbarians primarily goes toward magic users and their minions, particularly those on the side of their enemies. They believe Awakened people are at risk of being possessed by evil entities, and thus that they must be disposed of at the slightest hint of deviance, before their accursed powers lead the world into darkness.

Spellbreaking Rage

Starting when you choose this path at 3rd level, you can channel your rage against magic to repel and disrupt it. When you enter a rage, you can forsake your resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage to instead gain resistance to damage of a magical origin (spells, innate spells, and powers specifically described as magical). Whether you choose to do this or not, while raging, whenever you deal at least 11 damage with a melee weapon attack against an opponent maintaining concentration on a spell, the DC of the resulting Constitution saving throw is equal to the total damage instead of half the damage.

Indomitable Soul

Beginning at 6th level, while raging, whenever a spell should subject you to one or several conditions, you can use your reaction to immediately cancel the conditions you should have suffered. You can only use this feature once per rage.

Destructive Hatred

Starting at 10th level, while raging, you have advantage on attack rolls against creatures that have cast a spell (innate or not) or used a power specifically described as magic during their last turn.

Primordial Scent

Also at 10th level, you become able to sniff out residual magic and Awakened individuals. This is not a magical ability, and thus, immunity against divination offers no protection against your primordial scent. You can use this feature in three ways:

• As a bonus action, you can designate a creature you can see within 60 feet and immediately know whether it has Awakened and is therefore capable of casting spells. If the creature has Awakened, you have advantage to saving throws against its spells for 10 minutes.
• As an action, you can focus on your environment and detect the presence of Awakened creatures. This does not reveal their identity or their precise location; you just know that at least one Awakened individual is present.
• You can spend 10 minutes studying an area equivalent to a 30-foot-radius sphere. At the end of this investigation, you can ascertain whether a spell (or a power specifically described as magic) has been used in the area within the last 24 hours.

A successful DC 20 Wisdom (Insight or Perception) check yields additional information about the most powerful magical effect used during this period in the inspected area. You do not know its name or school of magic, but you learn whether it was used to dominate, charm, blind, teleport, destroy, etc. (at the GM’s discretion).

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Disrupting Strike

Beginning at 14th level, while raging, every time you make a successful melee attack against an Awakened creature, you can disrupt its magical abilities. This renders the creature unable to cast spells or use magical abilities until the start of your next turn. If you use disrupting strike against a creature unable to use magical abilities, nothing happens, but this still expends a use of this feature. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain any expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.

History of the Wizard Slayers Wizard slayers seem to have originated during the Age of the Fated Kings. At that time, sovereigns were heroes, raised to the status of quasi-divinities. As such, a barbarian hero could succeed a cleric hero, as dynasties were based on merit and on the blessing of the moon Eternity. But some spellcasters, unsatisfied with their privileges, decided to increase the control they had over their population to eliminate any risk of being one day replaced. Revolts rose against these tyrants, led by wizard slayers.

Thereafter, wizard slayers became the protectors of isolated communities, fearful of the war mages of the powerful conquering armies. However, wizard slayers can also be found in big cities, working as investigators and bounty hunters specialized in hunting down magic-using criminals. Such barbarians are a far cry from the stereotypical backward savage. They do use rage, but outside of battle they can prove methodical and patient.