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Path of Fundamental Chaos

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The Path of Fundamental Chaos is a primal path for barbarians created for the Bells Hells character Ashton Greymoore by Matthew Mercer.[1][2][3]

Powers and abilities[]

In addition to the normal powers and abilities of the Barbarian class, this primal path grants the following:

Chaos Burst[]

The barbarian can add 2d4 extra damage to an attack with a melee weapon twice a day.[4] [5][6] This damage increases to 2d6 at Level 6 and increases again at Level 14.[7] The damage type dealt depends on a rolled die and includes lightning,[8] force,[9] cold,[10] fire,[11] psychic,[12] thunder,[13] and acid[14].

Erratic Defense[]

At Level 10, when a target hits the barbarian, the barbarian can roll a d4 for one of four possible random effects. This ability recharges on a short rest.[15][16]

  • Space: The player gets resistance to the damage[17] and pulls the enemy through a portal, teleporting them 30 feet away.[18][19]
  • Gravity: The attacking creature suddenly slows down and is tipped over, missing their target and falling prone.[20]
  • Time: The player gains resistance to the attack, while the attacker's speed is halved and they can't make more than one melee or ranged attack till the end of their next turn.[21]
  • Luck[presumed]

Mark of the Messy End[]

At level 14, while raging the player can mark a creature, allowing any attack against it to be considered a critical on a roll of 18, 19, or 20 until the end of the player's next turn.[22][23]

Four rage forms[]

The kind of rage entered by the player is determined randomly by rolling 1d4 whenever they begin raging:[24] Ashton's rages gain additional abilities as he levels up.[25]

  • Gravity:[26] The glass inside Ashton's head start to dim, and everything gets dimmer around them.[27] The light seems to bend around Ashton's form, and the area around their head becomes black and white,[28] and gravity seems to have more of a pull for everyone in the room.[29]
    • Orbital Decay[30][31]: Ashton generates an aura of heavy gravity. All creatures that start their turn within 15 feet are pulled up to ten feet towards him and suffer disadvantage on attacks against creatures other than Ashton until the beginning of their next turn.[32][33][34]
    • Density Well[35]: Ashton cannot be be knocked prone, pushed, pulled or forced to move, and when he hits with a melee attack, he can burn a Chaos Burst to do additional damage. If the target doesn't succeed a strength saving throw, they get knocked prone.[36]
  • Space:[37][38] When raging, Ashton's head becomes "less there" and their brain becomes slightly transparent underneath the glass.[39] The glass becomes transparent all the way through their head, like a bad photoshop effect.[40]
    • Violent Gateway:[41][42] Whenever Ashton brings a creature to zero hit points he falls into a portal and teleports up to 60 feet away.[43][44]
    • Wormhole Strike:[45] Ashton can burn a Chaos Burst to make a ranged attack of up to 60 feet[46] through a portal with additional damage.[47][48] Ashton can also put their arms through the portal and use their strength to move objects.[49]
      Ashton's Time rage - C3 intro

      Ashton's Time rage, by Kamille Areopagita and Kevin Areopagita from "A Gathering of Heroes" (3x76).[art 2]

    • Scattering Blow: Ashton's hammer carries the target through the portal created by Wormhole Strike[50]
  • Time:[51] When raging, Ashton begins flickering with blue and red after-images, and the timing of their movements become erratic.[52] They don't provoke opportunity attacks.[53]
    • Temporal Morass:[54] At the beginning of their turn, a target within fifteen feet must make a Constitution saving throw to avoid having their speed halved and losing their reactions until the beginning of their next turn.[55][56]
    • Hyper Rage:[57] Ashton can burn a Chaos Burst to enter Hyper Rage,[58] becoming a red and blue blur.[59] They can move twice their normal speed,[60][61] and gain an additional attack.[62]
    • Acceleration Wave:[63] Ashton can target up to ten creatures, imbuing them with accelerating energy.
  • Luck:[64][65] When raging, the crystal in Ashton's head flashes with rainbow sparks.[66]
    • Probability Matrix:[67] Ashton[68] and each ally within 10 feet of him can add a d4 to attack rolls and saving throws.[69][70][71]
    • Dreadful Misfortune: When a target misses Ashton, he can burn a Chaos Burst[72] to trigger Dreadful Misfortune, which forces an enemy to attack themself against their own AC. If the target hits themself, they take half damage.[73]

References[]

  1. ↑ See "The Draw of Destiny" (3x01) at 2:00:34.
  2. ↑ CritRoleStats stated that Matt was referring to the name of Ashton's subclass in "Quick Answers 88".
  3. ↑ Matthew Mercer (@) on Twitter: "Something special we cooked up together. ;)" (2021-10-22) — in reply to @Jake70928358: "but @matthewmercer what subclass is @executivegoth playing?"
  4. ↑ See "The Draw of Destiny" (3x01) at 2:00:26.
  5. ↑ Matthew Mercer (@matthewmercer) on Twitter: "Its a consideration! He’s rolled really high so far, but his “burst” damage is +2d4 twice a day, which is comparable/less than the Zealot Barb which is +1d6+Half Barb lvl once every round. The other abilities are largely utility/situationally helpful. We shall see as it goes!" (2021-11-19).
  6. ↑ See "In Too Deep" (3x14) at 29:27.  Matt clarifies that Chaos Burst requires a melee weapon to use.
  7. ↑ See "From the Boughs" (3x37) at 1:49:52.  Taliesin reads out the ability. "Increases when you reach certain levels in the class. 2d4; at 6, 2d6; at 14.... okay 2d6"
  8. ↑ See "The Trail and the Toll" (3x03) at 2:19:19.
  9. ↑ See "The Trail and the Toll" (3x03) at 1:58:34.
  10. ↑ See "The Threat Between the Walls" (3x05) at 2:54:28.  Ashton's Chaos Burst deals cold damage
  11. ↑ See "Behind the Curtain" (3x07) at 3:08:16.
  12. ↑ See "Behind the Curtain" (3x07) at 2:46:33.
  13. ↑ See "In Too Deep" (3x14) at 0:29:16.
  14. ↑ See "Red Moon Rising" (3x50) from 2:39:48 through 2:40:04.
  15. ↑ See "Aid of the Tempest" (3x66) at 3:50:57.
  16. ↑ See "4-Sided Dive: Why, Matthew?! Why?" (4SDx15) at 2:06:02.
  17. ↑ See "Aid of the Tempest" (3x66) at 3:50:56.  "I got space, so I have resistance against the attack"
  18. ↑ See "Aid of the Tempest" (3x66) at 3:52:00.  "I grab its tentacle, a portal opens up in front of me, I pull it straight through, and it goes thirty feet in that direction"
  19. ↑ See "Red Rural Revelations" (3x84) at 2:39:08.
  20. ↑ See "Embattled in Bassuras" (3x70) at 3:58:23.  "I'm going to take it and erratic defense... "It's time, she just goes very very slow and I just tip her over"
  21. ↑ See "Reconciliation" (3x102) at 1:44:13.  See also at 1:47:35.
  22. ↑ See "Cages" (3x103) at 0:46:14.
  23. ↑ See "Predathos Awakened" (3x119) at 3:42:43.
  24. ↑ See "Trial by Firelight" (3x02) at 1:58:37.
  25. ↑ See "The Hellcatch Valley" (3x24) at 2:41:53.  (At Level 6) "Let me just pull it up because I've got a bunch of new ****."
  26. ↑ See "4-Sided Dive: Party of NPCs" (4SDx02) at 0:16:12.  "Time, Space, Gravity and Luck. Those are the four."
  27. ↑ See "The Draw of Destiny" (3x01) at 1:59:28.  Taliesin: "The crystal, the glass inside my head starts to get a little dim and light just seems to get a little dimmer around me." Matt: "The broom begins to immediately act like it’s being pulled slightly towards you."
  28. ↑ See "In Too Deep" (3x14) at 3:18:15.  “Yeah, the light kind of bends around and everything gets a little black and white around my head.”
  29. ↑ See "Reunion & Revelation" (3x30) at 1:10:45.  “So as I get going, I get that weird black and white, the color starts to fade and everything starts to pull towards me as the gravity hits.”
  30. ↑ See "Reunion & Revelation" (3x30) at 1:32:00.
  31. ↑ See "Behind the Curtain" (3x07) at 2:31:48.
  32. ↑ See "The Draw of Destiny" (3x01) at 1:59:22.  See also 2:18:38 regarding disadvantage.
  33. ↑ See "The Deathwish Run" (3x28) at 1:07:00.  “You generate an aura of heavy gravity. All creatures that start their turn within 15 feet of you are pulled up to 10 feet directly toward you and have disadvantage on attacks"
  34. ↑ See "The Threat Between the Walls" (3x05) at 3:01:17.  “I'll also say that, technically, he has disadvantage on hitting anyone but me as well.”
  35. ↑ See "The Deathwish Run" (3x28) at 2:38:32.  “If I burn a Density Well and just slam the brakes once, can I become a big, bloody wall for that thing behind me for a brief moment before accelerating again? … Can I pour Density Well into that and get a little extra damage?”
  36. ↑ See "The Deathwish Run" (3x28) at 2:09:40.  “Can I apply my Density Well to those **** who are currently… which means I cannot, normally I cannot be knocked prone, pushed, pulled or forced to move and when I hit with a melee attack, I can burn a Chaos Burst to do additional damage. If the target doesn't succeed a strength saving throw, they get knocked prone.”
  37. ↑ See "In Too Deep" (3x14) at 0:19:32.  “Two… It’s Space.”
  38. ↑ See "Red Moon Rising" (3x50) at 2:24:17.  “First, of course, I am going to @#$% rage. Yes yes! We got a number two. Oh wow, now we're playing with portals.”
  39. ↑ See "In Too Deep" (3x14) at 0:23:22.  (Before Dropping Rage and Re-Raging) “For a second, my head seemed to get less there. Like there was almost a transparency underneath the glass in my head wound.”
  40. ↑ See "To The Skies" (3x23) at 2:29:16.  “So the crystal in my head starts to almost become transparent, but all the way through my head, like it's a little bit of a bad Photoshop effect, including the hammer gets a little weird that way where there's almost a lens in the center.”
  41. ↑ See "Embattled in Bassuras" (3x70) at 2:42:42.  Ashton uses the name "Violent Gateway" for this action.
  42. ↑ See "The Fey Key" (3x47) at 3:53:47.  "Oh, wow. This is going to be fun, then. Okay, I take the hammer, and reel it up. As I reel it up, it seems like the hammer almost becomes translucent completely. Except it seems like it's off kilter a little bit. As I roll down, and hit him again, as he cracks, I fall into the hole."
  43. ↑ See "Blood and Dust" (3x33) at 2:53:04.  “Cool thing though is I have Space up right now. Which is why I'm slightly translucent. That swing gives me just enough power to teleport. … Yeah. So I'm going to take 60 feet in that direction.”
  44. ↑ See "To The Skies" (3x23) from 3:20:06 through “I'm going to float right into a portal.” … “As I'm falling, I'm going to fall right into a portal and I'm going to teleport right next to that ballista up there and start getting ready to load some chain.”.
  45. ↑ See "Blood and Dust" (3x33) at 1:27:07.  “I'm going to do a Wormhole Strike at the top one and try and see if I can knock it either out or break it, try and knock it out of it”
  46. ↑ See "Blood and Dust" (3x33) at 3:15:30.  (75 feet away) “I’m going to step fifteen feet towards this **** I'm just going to take a wild swing. I'm going to swing and hit the ground in an attempt to just make a shockwave towards this ****. But of course a portal opens, and the hammer disappears, and it's going to hit her right in the back of the head.”
  47. ↑ See "To The Skies" (3x23) at 2:29:35.  “I'm going to kind of just charge up and a portal is gonna open in front of me. I'm going to just toss my hammer straight down into it, and a small portal above that **** is going to come down.” “What’s the range on that attack?” “60 feet” “That rolls a chaos burst”
  48. ↑ See "To The Skies" (3x23) at 2:30:16.  “Where does that live? Fundamental Force, yeah sorry, That’s an additional 1d10. … Bludgeoning and then one force damage.”
  49. ↑ See "Blood and Dust" (3x33) at 1:27:18.  “If you want to as opposed to a weapon, you can portal your arms up to it and try to lift it from a distance”
  50. ↑ See "A Test of Fate" (3x109) at 3:04:16.
  51. ↑ See "The Shade Mother" (3x16) at 0:51:38.  "Yeah, all right, I got a three, so we're still sticking. Maybe I'm going to try a different d4 next time, since it really likes the number three."
  52. ↑ See "Trial by Firelight" (3x02) at 0:24:31.
  53. ↑ See "A Test of Trust" (3x80) at 1:06:18.
  54. ↑ See "The Trail and the Toll" (3x03) at 2:17:20.  After raging, at the beginning of Dugger’s turn “Before anything, I want to cast Temporal Morass.”
  55. ↑ See "Trial by Firelight" (3x02) at 0:36:46.
  56. ↑ See "The Tunnels Below" (3x15) at 3:50:55.  "Also, if he's starting his turn within 15 feet of me, it's a constitution save. So yep, his speed is halved and out of a reaction until the beginning of his next turn.”
  57. ↑ See "The Hellcatch Valley" (3x24) at 3:09:07.  “I'm going to spend a point for Hyper Rage.”
  58. ↑ See "A Test of Trust" (3x80) at 50:42.
  59. ↑ See "Call of the Wild" (3x41) at 3:16:36.  “TALIESIN: I'm also going to, just because I've got to give myself a little distance, I'm going to go into hyper rage, so I'm just a blur now. Just a blur of red and blue.”
  60. ↑ See "Call of the Wild" (3x41) at 3:17:41.  “But you can go twice your speed.” “I can go 80 feet, so I can go anywhere I want.”
  61. ↑ See "Night at the Ligament Manor" (3x46) at 1:14:40.  “In one place, I’m just going to move around four squares. 160 feet in one round.” (Using the Dash Action to move double their speed)
  62. ↑ See "The Hellcatch Valley" (3x24) at 3:10:28.
  63. ↑ See "Collecting Legends" (3x105) at neededs cite needed.
  64. ↑ See "4-Sided Dive: Party of NPCs" (4SDx02) at 0:16:12.  "Time, Space, Gravity and Luck. Those are the four."
  65. ↑ See "From the Boughs" (3x37) at 2:53:34.  “Okay. I'm going to rage like a ****, and ooh yeah! That's a four, so the rainbow lights start going off in the head. Rainbow lights start going off in the hammer.”
  66. ↑ See "Fight at the Museum..." (3x21) at 19:27.
  67. ↑ See "The Aurora Grows" (3x49) at 4:18:23.  “I tap my hammer down on the ground and the rainbow sparks start and there is a probability matrix now around us as well.”
  68. ↑ See "Night at the Ligament Manor" (3x46) at 4:04:14.  “TALIESIN: Oh wait, and I also get a d4 on this, too. That's right.”
  69. ↑ See "Fight at the Museum..." (3x21) at 22:24.
  70. ↑ See "A Desperate Call" (3x36) at 3:00:21.  Ashton repeatedly asks if people are within ten feet to gain the extra d4.
  71. ↑ See "Compulsions" (3x40) at 1:30:11.  “Anyone within 10 feet of me right now, I get to roll a d4 for their attack rolls and save rolls.”
  72. ↑ See "Crisis of Faith" (3x61) at 2:26:00.
  73. ↑ See "Night at the Ligament Manor" (3x46) at 3:59:01.  As a reaction, Ashton uses "Dreadful Misfortune". "The one that did, let's pick one. The one that's furthest away. I'm going to use my reaction to trigger Dreadful Misfortune. So... you have to make the attack roll against their own AC. Yeah, they take half damage." (Both Centaurs attacked Ashton and missed)

Art:

  1. ↑ Fan art of Ashton using Temporal Morass, by Nikki Dawes (source). Used with permission.
  2. ↑ Ashton's Time rage, by Kamille Areopagita and Kevin Areopagita from "A Gathering of Heroes" (3x76). Used with permission.
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