Bear's Endurance on Raging Barbarian

[Torx]

My question came up in my group's last session.

Bear's Endurance was cast on an already raging barbarian. Does the increased Constitution add two extra rounds to the duration of the rage? Or does the rage end normally and the BE only adds the extra HP for the spell's duration?

 

[Scion]

I have always changed the amount of duration remaining based on the con score, if it goes up then the duration goes up, down and the duration goes down.

The way it reads though it looks like it is set when the ability is used I just like the other way for interesting side effects.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

I agree with Scion.

Apply the stat score of the moment. It is the easiest way to be consistent.

 

[shilsen]

Looks like I disagree with Scion and Ridley's Cohort. If you change duration based on changes to Con occurring after the rage began, then you can have situations like someone hitting the barbarian with a Con draining effect and immediately ending the rage (assuming he loses enough Con). As written, I think the duration of the rage depends on the barbarian's Con at the time the rage begins.

 

[Scion]

my group actually had a situation like this the other night.

Tough fight, it had been going on for quite a few rounds (the barb had a high con to begin with) and we were in trouble. The barb was about to run out of rage, at which point he was going to be unconscious and he was the only guy that was able to do much vs the horde we had against us.

So, thinking fast the cleric of the party burned up some resources to be able to cast endurance on the barb (it was a very odd situation) in order to let the barb rage for 2 more rounds before being out of the fight. Those two rounds allowed him to stave off the horde long enough for a couple of the other characters to get into proper positions and get a little healing. Effectively saving the day.

In other words, I like the shifting. It can go good or bad, but it is an interesting extra tactic above and beyond the usual. The sort of thing I like to strive for

 

[Hypersmurf]

As written, I think the duration of the rage depends on the barbarian's Con at the time the rage begins.

What about, say, Divine Shield, which adds your Cha bonus to your shield for X rounds?

If someone's Cha changed after activating the feat, but before the duration expired, would you alter the shield bonus?

-Hyp.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

shilsen,

My position is to use the score of the moment specifically to cover situations like ability score altering events both positive and negative. That way we do not have to massive headaches every time someone gets poisoned, buffed, drained, loses a magic item, hops in & out of a AMF, etc. We are not talking just about Rage, but Turning Attempts, Divine feats, spells per day, number of allowed AoOs, etc. I concede there are other mechanically logical answers, but I think my rule of thumb is easiest to apply across a broad range of oddball situations. Better a simple & imperfect rule than an ad hoc confusing case-by-case perfect one.

Draining or boosting the Raging Barbarian's Con looks like a legitimate tactic to me. Why avoid this "problem"?

 

[shilsen]

What about, say, Divine Shield, which adds your Cha bonus to your shield for X rounds?

If someone's Cha changed after activating the feat, but before the duration expired, would you alter the shield bonus?

-Hyp.

I wouldn't change it.

Ridley's Cohort, I see your point, and actually I like the added tactical angles. But in this case I think my system would lead to less bookkeeping, since once the barbarian has gone into a rage, the duration will remain consistent and won't be changed by whether he's poisoned, Con drained, etc. Anyway, it isn't a big enough difference, so either way works fine, IME.

 

[Li Shenron]

Bear's Endurance was cast on an already raging barbarian. Does the increased Constitution add two extra rounds to the duration of the rage?

Why not? Makes sense to me, and it may be a nice idea to help the Barbarian.

 

[ARandomGod]

Additional note, just in case you haven't thought about it.
Have the cleric remove the bab's fatigue after the range ends, and there's nothing stopping him from re-entering a new rage (assuming he has rages left.)

Edit: Not that it would have helped an *unconcious* barb, of course...