Quote
“Even while her body was falling apart, she was still fighting. Even when her arm was being torn to shreds, she was still fighting. When all her allies fell, she stood and kept fighting. Only when the battle was won did she draw her last breath, but she was still standing. Not even death could break her.”
—Unknown survivor of the 26th Eldritch hunt
A Lightning Vessel is a brute, a monster of battle. Their bodies overflowing with lightning, they arrive unexpectedly, often dropping from buildings or leaping impossible distances, before crashing down amidst the fight. The presence of a single Lightning Vessel is often enough to turn the tides of battle. Their ferocious electricity rampages through their enemies, leaving a trail of charred corpses in their wake. If one ends up face to face against such a monster, there is no running away—they will catch you, electrocute you, and rend your corpse. Although vital in the fight against the Scourge, their recklessness causes fear in the heart of friends and foes alike.
The Scions created the Lightning Vessels, using galvanized rods implanted within the spine of newborns, before subjecting them to violent shock therapy. Of those children, a few grew capable of harnessing lightning, while many more were crippled for life—a small price to pay for salvation. This very technology was later used to create the Galvanized Prowlers, mortal enemies of the Lightning Vessels, as the Scions started fearing their own creation.
Level 3: Galvanic Heart
Lightning is part of you. It flows through your veins and awaits release. You gain Resistance to Lightning damage. If you already have this Resistance, you can reduce the Lightning damage further. To determine the amount reduced, roll a number of d6s equal to your Rage Damage bonus and add them together (after the Resistance applies).
Vessel Save DC. If a feature of this subclass requires a saving throw, the DC equals 8 plus your Constitution modifier and Proficiency Bonus.
Vessel Damage. Some of your features use Vessel Damage. To determine that extra damage, roll a number of d4s equal to your Rage Damage bonus and add them together. Your Vessel Damage is always Lightning damage.
Level 3: Unbound Storm
While your Rage is active, you can unleash lightning with the following options.
Electrified Chains. You can take a Bonus Action to create chains of lightning that wrap around your weapon. The next time you hit a creature this turn, it takes your Vessel Damage and becomes ensnared by the chains, which anchor to the ground, until the start of your next turn. Each time it attempts to move more than 10 feet while ensnared, it must make a Strength (Athletics) check against your Vessel save DC, freeing itself on a success. On a failure, it takes your Vessel Damage, and its Speed is reduced to 0 until the start of your next turn.
Fulgurant Strike. When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can leave the weapon embedded in their chest for a brief moment and immediately take a Bonus Action to call down lightning from the heavens to strike them, using the weapon as a conduit, before retrieving it. The target takes your Vessel Damage, and each other creature in a 10-foot Emanation originating from the target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or also take that damage. You have Advantage on this saving throw.
Lightning Step. As a Bonus Action, you can move up to half your Speed. During this rush, your body becomes supercharged; if you end this movement within 5 feet of a creature, it takes your Vessel Damage as the lightning leaps to them. If there are multiple creatures, choose one that takes the damage.
Level 6: Roaring Crash
You are ready to leap into battle at a moment’s notice, crashing down on your foes like thunder from the heavens. As part of entering your Rage, you can leap into the air and crash down on a space on the ground you can see within 30 feet of yourself that isn’t occupied by a Huge or larger creature. Each creature in a 10-foot Emanation originating from the destination space must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking twice your Vessel Damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one.
If a creature is in the destination space, it has Disadvantage on the saving throw and is pushed 5 feet out of the space to an unoccupied space of their choice. If no unoccupied space is available within that range, the creature instead has the Prone condition.
When you reach Barbarian level 10, the distance you can leap increases to 60 feet, and you can land in spaces occupied by Huge creatures. When you reach Barbarian level 14, the distance increases to 90 feet, and you can land in spaces occupied by any creature.
Level 10: Lightning Reflexes
The lightning you wield enhances your reflexes past what your body could normally handle. As a result, whenever you make a Dexterity check, you gain a bonus to the check equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of +1).
In addition, while your Rage is active, you can use your Lightning Step once on each of your turns without taking a Bonus Action.
NOTE
Rules Reminder: Initiative is a Dexterity Check.
Level 14: Electric Beast
You are one with the lightning that flows through you. You can add your Constitution modifier to your Vessel Damage, and the options of your Unbound Storm improve in the following ways.
Electrified Chains. An ensnared creature must make the Strength (Athletics) check if it attempts to move 5 feet, and on a failure, it can’t take Reactions until the start of your next turn.
Fulgurant Strike. The size of the Emanation increases to 20 feet, and you can choose a number of creatures equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum one) that automatically succeed on the saving throw.
Lightning Step. When you rush, you can move up to your Speed, and you can choose to merge with the lightning, teleporting the distance moved instead.