Does Barbarian rage end if Barb goes unconscious?

[green slime]

Anyway, as long as your group is having fun, great. But, again, that doesn't give you the right, either, to dismiss other's statements as wrong or inconcequential to the discussion as a whole just because *your* group is having fun with your house rules, because other groups certainly might not.

Where have I stated that others are "wrong"? Or that other groups may not enjoy this ruling? I have merely stated how we rule in this matter.

Fine, discuss the consequences of the rules my group uses, but kindly refrain from trying to persuade me of my "fallacy", or insult the intelligence of those playing at my table. They are actually perfectly capable of making their own decisions.

 

[Jhulae]

Because the RAW doesn't explicitly state one way or the other? I put forward my view, and I am the one that gets attacked for it. I have not condemed others for how they intrepret the rules.

Actually, the RAW strongly implies on the 'not ending' side. No, you're correct, it doesn't come out and state it directly either way.

But, by RAW, the rage lasts for a set amount of time, unless the Barbarian chooses to end it early.

I hardly think the last thought a Barbarian is going to have as she falls unconscious is "Oh yeah, baby! I want my rage to end so I don't actually go into the negatives, but just die straight out..."

She's not choosing to go unconcious, she's not choosing to die, so why would she choose to have her rage end early at that point?

If the rage isn't stopped by the barbarian (or a spell, that again specifically states it ends rage), by RAW, the rage lasts until the duration runs out.

It makes it too risky (and ultimately unheroic), imo, to use rage in any game that has the rage end when the barbarian goes unconcious. With that ruling (again, imo), the only time to rage is if the party *knows absolutely* they'll be able to slaughter their opponents and the rage will just let them get it done quicker, or the party knows there's no way in hell they're going to win and the rage will let them at least take out 'as many enemies as possible' before they all die. Anything else is risking the barbarian's life for no real gain.

 

[Jhulae]

I personally rule that the Rage doesn't end until the duration expires, regardless of the barbarian's condition. But I think "detrimental" is a bit of an overstatement. Aside from the hit point advantage under discussion here (which is an advantage under either interpretation, just less of an advantage by one interpretation than the other,) let's not forget the rather significant Strength bonus, which stacks with magical strength enhancements. Fort and Will Saves also improve.

And, let's not forget the minus 2 penalty to AC, which makes the barbarian take more damage overall... again, facilicating the barbarian needing to 'run away in a rage' to get healing instead of continuing to fight...

And, with their limiting selection of armor, they're hardly the bastions of 'High AC' to begin with.

 

[green slime]

All good points Jhulae, yet what they all amount to, is the fact that you are letting the intrepretation of rules of the game affect the flavour of the fantasy of your game. So are we, but we are aware of it. We like the fact that the barbarian stands and fights either until he dies or is victorious. We dislike the fantasy of adrenline junkie barbarians frothing at the mouth while unconscious.

 

[HeavyG]

Saying that by the RAW Rage should continue after unconsciousness is a valid argument that I personally agree with. But let's not wax hyperbolic in describing green slime's adjudication. His Rage is still a decent ability. It's just not as good as it could be, or as some believe it should be.

Exactly.

In a game I play in, our DM interpreted the rules that way, but we didn't know it until recently because it didn't come up until 17th level. Our barbarian has never fallen unconscious before. He has died, from save-or-die effects, though.

In other words, it's not the end of the world. :\

Personally, I let the rage run its full duration, though.

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

And, on the flip side of the coin...

While it works for your group, it's not RAW.

I'm glad it works for your group and they're happy with it. That doesn't change that it's not what the RAW says and it's a house rule.

Yes, this is the "rules" forum. Here, we discuss the RAW and debate interpretations of the given rules. Yours is not an interpretation, but a house rule that deviates deliberately from the RAW. Therefore, your ruling is meaningless on this board as part of a rules debate. You could also rule that barbarians all have to wear funny hats, and it wouldn't change the rules for the rest of us, nor would we (or should we) care. A rule like that has no business being invoked in a discussion on this particular board. If you want to discuss house rules, there's a forum for it, called "house rules". Otherwise, stick to the RAW and interpretations thereof.

The fact is that it is uncontroversial that according to the rules barbarian rage ends only when the time limit expires, unless some other effect that specifically says it ends barbarian rage affects the barbarian while he is raging. If you can demonstrate that the barbarian rage ends when he becomes unconscious, then quote your source. Otherwise, there is no basis in the rules to take that stance, despite what you might desire to rationalize about the barbarian's physiology.

 

[Mark Chance]

While unconscious due to injuries (which being below 0 hp indicates) people do not laugh, cry, get angry, become morose, or experience any other emotional state.

Barring extraordinary brain damage, physical consequences of extreme emotional states can persist and even occur during unconsciousness.

There is nothing in the rules that says the barbarian's rage ends prematurely due to unconsciousness. Therefore, any answer that the rage does end is certainly within an individual DM's prerogative, but it is not necessarily in accordance with the rules.

 

[wa496462]

I dont make barbarian rage end early, nor do I make spell durations end early, or other type of effects. Basically everything runs its duration unless something that specifically can stop it, does.

Really though, to me it sounds the same as saying, 'when you fall unconscious all of the spells you cast with durations end' or the infamous, 'when you die all spells you have ever cast with ongoing effects end'. Just makes players mad

It really does depend on how the dm wants to run it, like a prick or a nice guy .

you do get a save against calm emotions dont you?

BTW this is a fantasy game. If a colossal dragon sits on your head, your dead.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

It really does depend on how the dm wants to run it, like a prick or a nice guy .

This kind of comment is uncalled for.

 

[Blood Jester]

There are many things not stated by the RAW, that assume a certain level of "common sense". Where we draw the line on that "common sense" is a matter of personal taste (and perhaps not always so "common" either .

I have to completely disagree with you here because common sense would go with the fact that adrenaline in your system still affects your heart-rate and other metabolic functions for a time after you are knocked unconcious. It fades over time, but so does Rage (as specified by its duration).

Heck, injecting adrenaline into unconcious patients is often used to save their lives. So if it works to do so in the real world, there is no reason a Barbarian's Extraordinary ability to Rage should not do the same in this fantasy world.

I think 'common sense' sides with the RAW here.