D&D 5.5E: Inside New Path of The World Tree Barbarian
The 5.5E Barbarian has a brand new subclass, the surprisingly protector-y Path of the World Tree. Here’s how it works.
While the D&D 5.5E Player’s Handbook will overhaul each of D&D’s core classes, the book only introduces 3 brand-new options for players. There’s the Bard College of Dance, the Druid Circle of the Sea, and the Barbarian’s Path of the World Tree. We’re going to take a look at how each of these new subclasses works so you can get a sense of what they bring to the class.
Because each of these subclasses unearths a new wrinkle or playstyle for the core class, in the case of the Path of the World Tree, it’s a powerful support option. World Tree Barbarians are all about bringing up the party around them, providing them with temporary hit points, or keeping enemies away from vulnerable allies.
It’s a fun new leader-of-the-pack type role for Barbarians, who previously only found this playstyle in the depths of some of the Wildheart (formerly Totem Warrior) options.
The Path of the World Tree Barbarian in 5.5E – Temporary Hit Points for all, Axes for your Enemies
Starting at level 3, Path of the World Tree Barbarians get the feature Vitality of the Tree which comes with two benefits: Vitality Surge and Life-Giving Force. Vitality Surge is pretty straightforward, when you Rage, gain temporary hit points equal to your Barbarian Level. It’s easy, breezy, and beautiful, cover girl. But you also get Life-Giving Force, which turns you into a fairly powerful healer.
With Life-Giving Force at the start of each of your turns (while you’re Raging), you can grant temporary hit points to an ally within ten feet of you. How many temporary HP? That depends on your dice. You roll d6s equal to your Rage Bonus Damage, so 2d6 to start but eventually 3d6 or 4d6. And you can do that to a different ally each turn if they’re within reach. This makes World Tree Barbarians incredible for party sustainability.
But then they get even more features beyond those two. At level 6, Branches of the Tree lets you reorganize the battlefield to suit your whims. While you’re raging, you can use a Reaction to teleport a creature that starts its turn within 30 feet of you. They have to fail a Strength save, DC 8 + your Constitution modifier, but if they do, they are teleported to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of you or to the nearest unoccupied space you can see if you’re completely surrounded. And then they are also reduced to speed 0, so they can’t get away, or get closer to vulnerable allies in your backline.
At level 10, you get a much more offense-focused ability with Battering Roots. This extends tendrils from the World Tree through your branches and increases the reach of one of your heavy or versatile weapons by 10 feet(!), and that’s just forever. Not just while you’re raging. But on top of that, you can also use the Topple or Push weapon mastery property alongside whatever other property you’re using at the time.
Finally, at level 14, Travel along the Tree grants you a 60-foot teleportation each turn you’re raging! You can teleport for free when you Rage and then again on each of your turns as a Bonus Action. And on top of that, once per Rage, you can extend the range to 150 feet and bring up to 6 willing creatures with you for a full party teleport.
All this adds up to a beefy bruiser who can keep their allies in the fight. It seems like a lot of 5.5E is going to be built around teamwork como builds, and the World Tree Barbarian feels like a great anchor for any party.
What do you think of the World Tree Barbarian?
