Path of the Totem Warrior
The Path of the Totem Warrior is a spiritual journey, as the barbarian accepts a spirit animal as guide, protector, and inspiration. In battle, your totem spirit fills you with supernatural might, adding magical fuel to your barbarian rage.
Most barbarian tribes consider a totem animal to be kin to a particular clan. In such cases, it is unusual for an individual to have more than one totem animal spirit, though exceptions exist.
The Path of the Totem Warrior is a Primal Path for the Barbarian class.
Contents
Spirit Seeker
Yours is a path that seeks attunement with the natural world, giving you a kinship with beasts. At 3rd level when you adopt this path, you gain the ability to cast the beast sense and speak with animals spells, but only as rituals, as described in chapter 10.
Totem Spirit
At 3rd level, when you adopt this path, you choose a totem spirit and gain its feature. You must make or acquire a physical totem object—an amulet or similar adornment—that incorporates fur or feathers, claws, teeth, or bones of the totem animal. At your option, you also gain minor physical attributes that are reminiscent of your totem spirit. For example, if you have a bear totem spirit, you might be unusually hairy and thick-skinned, or if your totem is the eagle, your eyes turn bright yellow; a prominent nose if you have an elk totem spirit or catlike eyes if you have a tiger totem spirit.
Your totem animal might be an animal related to those listed here but more appropriate to your homeland. For example, you could choose a hawk or vulture in place of an eagle, a horse or stag, rather than an elk, or a lion, panther, or other big cat, rather than a tiger.
Aspect of the Beast
At 6th level, you gain a magical benefit based on the totem animal of your choice. You can choose the same animal you selected at 3rd level or a different one.
Spirit Walker
At 10th level, you can cast the commune with nature spell, but only as a ritual. When you do so, a spiritual version of one of the animals you chose for Totem Spirit or Aspect of the Beast appears to you to convey the information you seek.
Totemic Attunement
At 14th level, you gain a magical benefit based on a totem animal of your choice. You can choose the same animal you selected previously or a different one.
Path of the Totem Warrior in the Sword Coast
The totems of the Uthgardt barbarians of the North (described in chapter 5) correspond to the spirits of the Path of the Totem Warrior as shown in the following table.
| Totem | Spirit |
|---|---|
| Black Lion | Tiger |
| Black Raven | Eagle |
| Blue Bear | Bear |
| Gray Wolf | Wolf |
| Great Worm | Wolf |
| Griffon | Eagle |
| Red Tiger | Tiger |
| Sky Pony | Eagle, with the Elk Aspect of the Beast |
| Thunderbeast | Bear, with the Tiger Totemic Attunement |
| Tree Ghost | Bear, with speak to plants in place of the normal rituals for the Spirit Seeker feature |
Path of the Totem Warrior in Krynn
Barbarians are most common among Kagonesti elves and human nomad tribes. Both groups have a healthy respect for the land and its creatures, and the tiger and elk totems both have devotees among them. While the folk of Ansalon know of elk, the griffon replaces the tiger as an object of respect.
Path of the Totem Warrior in Eberron
The new totem warrior options are an obvious choice for barbarians with an affinity for a tiger or an elk. The option can also reflect an Argonnessen barbarian’s ties to a specific dragon type. Use the tiger totem for a red dragon totem and the elk for a silver dragon totem.
Path of the Totem Warrior in Oerth
Barbarians are common throughout the northern reaches of Oerik. From the lands of the Wolf Nomads to the enclaves of the Ice Barbarians, these characters venture south in search of loot, glory, and power. Others are exiles, forced to leave their homeland under penalty of death.
The tiger totem is an easy match for barbarians who hail from the realm of the Tiger Nomads. The elk totem is most common among the Rovers of the Barrens, preserving an ancient Flan tradition.
Path of the Totem Warrior in Homemade Worlds
For the tiger and elk totems, conversion is simply a matter of replacing them with more suitable animals (if necessary).
Sources:
- Player’s Handbook, p. 50
- Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide, pp. 121-122, 155-157
