Berseker Rage

[TheNaga]

How would I do a berserker rage (like found in D&D) for a character I am working on?

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Berseker Rage

 

I suspect there's a pretty good writeup in Fantasy Hero. You can likely also find one on Killer Shrike's website, which covers pretty much everything in the fantasy realm. He's at http://www.killershrike.com/

 

KS is a frequent poster on the Boards as well.

 

Ah, there we are...

 

http://www.killershrike.com/FantasyHero/Conversion3e/Class3e/Barbarians.aspx

[steriaca]

Re: Berseker Rage

 

How would I do a berserker rage (like found in D&D) for a character I am working on?

 

Generly speaking, supers (both heros and villians) do not go Berserk. Even charaters like Wolvereen do not acualy go berserk (you usaly do not hear Logen complain about his lack of control while in combat, even after he rips apart some Hellfire Club minions). It can be simulated, thoe. And hear is how:

1) Pick up for your charater the complication 'Bersek'. Do NOT buy more than the 'Enraged' (unless you want to give the game master full control of your charater when bersek). Define it as 'in combat'. You should not buy more than 11- to go bersek, 11- to recover.

2) Buy extra STR, CON, PD, ED, and REC with the limitation 'Only When Bersek' (value provided by Game Master).

3) You might also buy extra OCV with the limitation 'Only When Bersek'. An intresting limitation to add the extra STR and OCV is Incresed END Cost (times 2). Oh, and Cost END for OCV.

 

It dosen't acualy simulate the power, but it comes close.

[TheNaga]

Re: Berseker Rage

 

I wanted the berserker/battle rage since I am making him like a berserker but with the ability to trun into a Grizzly Bear and possibly a humanoid Grizzly bear if that would have any advantages. This character fits the idea of a berserker in appaearance since he wears cloak made from a bear that has the head of a bear as well. Does this character sound like a Brick dispite the fact he can shape change into a real Grizzly Bear?

 

Thanks for link to Killer Shrike's Barbarian 3ed D&D to Heroes.

 

From Old Norse berserk "wild warrior," probably from the stem of bjorn "bear" + serkr "shirt," because either they wore bearskins or were fierce like bears.]

[steriaca]

Re: Berseker Rage

 

Defently 'brick' with a HKA (bite/claws).

[TheNaga]

Re: Berseker Rage

 

How wiould I go about making him original? I want him to be stronger in bear form(s). Should he have a humanoid bear form? How many poinst would say would good for his multiform?

[steriaca]

Re: Berseker Rage

 

Don't have 6th edition (and even if I did, I would only have the Basic Rulebook for now), so I can't answer that one. Multiform was never my strong suit (now Insta Change and the limitation "Only In Hero ID", I know).

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Berseker Rage

 

Barbarians

 

You don't need multiform for a "rage" effect. The Manifestation of Powers / SFX rules allow the SFX (how it appears to others) of your powers to be whatever the GM allows them to be. So, if you "go enraged" and have one or more powers limited to work "only when enraged", their SFX can be that you take on some or all of the appearance / qualities of a bear if that is appropriate to the campaign you are playing in. Only While Enraged is analogous to Only in Hero Id...or Only in Berserk Id if you prefer.

 

Among the examples I give for "rage" abilities, the "Anger of the Wounded Bear" case provides a template for that sort of effect.

 

What it looks like is independent of what it does, so if your campaign setting is more fantastical / "magical" then literally appearing to turn into a bear is possible. If you want to be able to do all the things a bear can do, you'll have to pay for them, but really bears aren't that dissimilar to humanoids with more strength, toughness, a sharper sense of smell, and a small HKA; multiform is overkill for that.

Disadvantage Based
Another way to do a Barbarian Rage ability is to take an Enraged or Berserk Disadvantage, and then take abilities that only work while the Character is Enraged or Berserk. You define what causes the character to go Enraged/Berserk when you take  the Disadvantage, and then assign a Limitation to abilities that are only usable in that state, with the size of the Limitation based on how often the Enraged will apply.

Just about any ability can be taken in this fashion if it's appropriate, allowing some highly individualized Characters.
How common the Enraged will occur is mainly a GM's call, but as an example at the low end an Enraged 14- When In Combat is only worth -1/4 because it will come up often -- its roughly analogous to Only In Hero ID.
On the other hand an Enraged 8-When Family Members Are In Danger could be worth between a -1 1/2 to -2 depending on the GM's determination of how likely the characters family members will come into danger, for instance.

If the Character must be Berserk rather than Enraged add another -1/4 to the Limitation. If a Character has multiple Enraged Disadvantages that can satisfy the condition on a Character's Power or Powers, then reduce the Limitation value accordingly.

The following two examples contrast the same basic "Rage" effect, but based on two different Enraged Disadvantages. One is more common, and thus the abilities cost more, while the other is less likely to occur based upon the circumstances and chance to go Enraged.

BATTLE FURY (ENRAGED DISADVANTAGE BASED RAGE)
Battle Fury: Enraged: In Battle (Very Common), go 14-, recover 14-; Disadvantage Total: 25 Points
Shrug it off: Armor (5 PD/5 ED) (15 Active Points); Only While Enraged (-1/4) (Real Cost: 12)
Righteous Anger: +15 STR, Reduced Endurance 0 END (+1/2) (22 Active Points); No Figured Characteristics (-1/2), Only While Enraged (-1/4) (Real Cost: 12)
Painless: +40 STUN (40 Active Points); Only While Enraged (-1/4), Taken off after normal STUN (-1/4) (Real Cost: 27)
Unstoppable: +10 BODY (20 Active Points); Only While Enraged (-1/4), Taken off after normal BODY (-1/4) (Real Cost: 13)
In your face: Knockback Resistance -4" (8 Active Points); Only While Enraged (-1/4) (Real Cost: 6)
Real Cost: 70 Points

ANGER OF THE WOUNDED BEAR
(ENRAGED DISADVANTAGE BASED RAGE)
Anger of the Wounded Bear: Enraged: When Takes BODY (Common), go 11-, recover 11-; Disadvantage Total: 20 Points
Shrug it off: Armor (5 PD/5 ED) (15 Active Points); Only While Enraged (-3/4) (Real Cost: 8)
Righteous Anger: +15 STR, Reduced Endurance 0 END (+1/2) (22 Active Points); Only While Enraged (-3/4), No Figured Characteristics (-1/2) (Real Cost: 10)
Painless: +40 STUN (40 Active Points); Only While Enraged (-3/4), Taken off after normal STUN (-1/4) (Real Cost: 20)
Unstoppable: +10 BODY (20 Active Points); Only While Enraged (-3/4), Taken off after normal BODY (-1/4) (Real Cost: 10)
In your face: Knockback Resistance -4" (8 Active Points); Only While Enraged (-3/4) (Real Cost: 4);
Real Cost: 52 Points

 

That's all 5e material of course. In 6e, I would look at Damage Negation as a viable alternative for a simplified build.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Berseker Rage

 

On the other hand, having said all that, if you do want to go Multiform it can be made to work.

 

Jon Bregg (wereform ) of Here There Be Monsters is a lycanthrope who rages and gets wolf-like.

 

It's gritty urban fantasy, but the basic mechanics are there if you are looking for an example. Change the sfx and there's your berserk multiform template; flavor to taste.

[TheNaga]

Re: Berseker Rage

 

Killer Shrike I like the Angry of The Wounded Bear. The Angry of the Wound Bear will be when the character I am making is in the bear form and and possibly hybrid form if i go that route. I also like your 3rd edition D&D to Heroes a lot.