Berserker

I.D.1.i.(2). Berserkers

1. Involuntary Rage
2. Invoking the Rage
3. Benefits of the Rage
4. Penalties of the Rage
5. Actions during the Rage
6. Aftereffects of the Rage

Section I: Involuntary Rage

Many things may force a Berserker into a Rage, including pain, injury to a friend or loved one, and taunting by a hated foe. When confronted by these things, a Berserker must make a WIL Resistance Roll to avoid entering a Rage.

Section II: Invoking the Rage

If a Berserker has avoided entering an involuntary Rage, he or she may attempt to voluntarily induce a Rage. To do so, he or she must make a WIL Resistance Roll, with the difficulty based on the following chart.

The Rage will persist as long as there are any foes left within perception range.

Section III: Benefits of the Rage

Upon entering a Berserker Rage, the Berserker gains an additional 2d4 points of STR, an additional 2d4 points of WIL, an additional 1d4 points of HEA, and an additional 1d8 points of Stamina, plus 1 for every Level the Berserker has. These bonuses allow a Berserker to exceed his or her normal racial maximums in ability scores.

During the Rage, the Berserker ignores pain, and the threat of pain. Thus, a Berserker never suffers an initiative penalty from damage. Likewise, shock is only calculated from the individual blow, with a maximum multiplier of 3, regardless of situation or blow location. Furthermore, a Berserker may choose to continue to use a disabled limb. However, this will aggravate the injury to said limb.

The power of the Rage bestows the Berserker with a +5% to his or her connection roll. A Berserker receives a +4 bonus to all Resistance Rolls which would prevent the Berserker from engaging in combat: e.g. a Hold Person prayer, or a Web spell. This bonus may not be applied to a damage Resistance Roll. However, a Berserker also receives a +4 Circumstance bonus to any skill check made so that the Berserker may engage in or continue a fight, e.g. jump a pit.

Section IV: Penalties of the Rage

When the Berserker enters the Rage, he or she loses 1d8 from REA, 1d8 from EMP, and 1d4 from INT. These may drop an ability score below a racial minimum, but never less than 1 in any case.

During the Rage, a Berserker may not use any Active Defense maneuvers. In fact, the Berserker is so headless of his or her own well being that the Berserker's Dodge is reduced by -5%. A Berserker in a Rage always applied the Strength modifier to Damage.

Section V: Actions during the Rage

The Rage causes a Berserker to seek combat. He or she will disregard anything that does not apply to the fight. The Berserker will not retreat from combat, and must make a REA Resistance Roll (Diff: 4) to remember to use weapons. The Berserker must make a INT check (Diff: 6) to stop attacking a target. Note that this check may only be made against targets that have stopped resisting, i.e. dead, unconscious, or retreating opponents.

Even during the Rage, a Berserker will not normally attack a friend. However, a berserk must make a REA Resistance Roll (Diff: 10) to recognize an accidental blow. The Berserker may also misinterpret an allies' actions as hostile if he or she fails a REA Resistance Roll (Diff: 8).

Section VI: Aftereffects of the Rage

After the Rage passes, the Berserker's STR drops by whatever the bonus increase, plus 1d4. WIL drops by the amount of bonus increase plus 1d4, while HEA merely drops the same as the bonus amount. An attribute never drops below 1 in this manner. The Berserker incurs an additional 5 points of fatigue. The stamina the Berserker gained upon entering the Rage dissolves with the Rage. If none of this stamina is left, the Berserker takes an additional 1d4 of fatigue. Upon leaving the Rage, the Berserker must make a shock check, for the total physical damage taken during the Rage. A Berserker's REA, INT, and EMP return to normal after a Rage.

Lost STR, HEA, and WIL recover at the rate of 1 point for every hour of full bed rest. No activity other than rest during this period may be permitted. Lost STR, HEA and WIL recover at the rate of 1 for every two hours of light rest. Once the Berserker restores his or her HEA to normal, then fatigue may begin to be reduced by the rest. Once the Berserker's fatigue has been taken care of, stamina may begin to be recovered. Any magical or mystical actions which attempts to remove fatigue will restore lost STR, HEA or WIL at the rate of 1d4 points of fatigue per one point of STR and HEA or one point of WIL. Any magical or mystical action which attempts to restore Stamina will act to restore lost STR and HEA at the rate of 1d4 points of stamina per pone points of STR and HEA.

If a Berserker attempts to enter the Rage again before he or she has fully recovered from the last Rage, then the Berserker suffers a fatigue penalty to the WIL check for entering the Rage. All of the benefits are calculated from the Berserker's reduced ability scores. Subsequent Rages will suffer a similar progression in difficulty, until the Berserker has a chance to fully recover.