Primal Path
Comments from the Finger: We first released the Path of the Colossus when the Hand was young, and this corner of the internet didn’t get much attention. It was intended to be a more balanced version of the War Hulk from 3.5 — a favorite of powergamers trying to make fighters and barbarians viable in that edition. It ended up having some significant problems which we eventually worked out, but the final product lacked a lot of the focus it might have had and didn’t align itself too closely with how Primal Paths should work.
Here’s us making up for that.
Path of the Colossus
The colossus, known to most as a war-hulk, is a creature of the front-lines, swinging massive weapons and sweeping away smaller combatants in their fury. To a war-hulk, strength is the only attribute that matters: cunning is for the weak; faith is for the weak; speed is for the weak. Victory and conquest are for the strong alone. This path is a favorite of goliaths and giants, who step easily into crushing smaller opponents.
Larger than Life
Starting when you choose this path at 3rd level, you become a titan when you rage. When you begin a rage, your size doubles in all dimensions, and your weight is multiplied by eight. This growth increases your size by one category—from Medium to Large, for example. This size increase does not stack with similar size increases, such as from the enlarge/reduce spell. If there isn’t enough room for you to double your size, you attain the maximum possible size in the space available. Your weapons also grow to match your new size. While these weapons are enlarged, your attacks with them deal 1d4 extra damage.
While raging, you can use your action to make a massive swing against all creatures in a 15-foot line within your reach. Roll a separate attack roll for each target in the line.
Imposing Presence
At 6th level, your immense stature can block line of sight. Ranged effects drawing line of sight through your position treat targets behind you as if they have three-quarters cover. When you are raging, this becomes total cover.
Boulder Throw
At 10th level, you can throw massive boulders or other suitably large objects as weapons. Such weapons are considered two-handed, heavy, thrown weapons with a range of 30/60 feet. On a hit, a boulder deals 2d8 bludgeoning damage. You can only throw one boulder per turn.
Colossal Strength
At 14th level, your Strength score and maximum becomes 22, and at 20th level, it becomes 26, rather than 24.
When you make a melee weapon attack while raging, the attack has reach, if it did not have have it before.
Sidebar: Size
While the Path of the Colossus can be taken by members of any race, the DM should limit access to this path to races of appropriate size. Gnomes and halflings, for example, are poorly suited to throwing boulders, but goliaths and minotaurs are well suited to the task.
Changelog:
7/18/16: Larger than Life: Does not stack with other enlargement effects
Boulder Throw: Includes clause for other large objects
7/20/16: Colossal Strength: Strength becomes 22, rather than increasing by 4. If it’s naturally 20 or higher, it becomes 26. Added reach
7/21/16: Colossal Strength: Typo: Lower than 20 -> 22. Higher than 20 ->26
8/28/16: Colossal Strength: Fixed to only work with barbarian capstone, rather than any above 20 Strength increase.
8/23/22: (Valda’s Spire of Secrets) Boulder throw simplified with “heavy” weapon property
