Setting Spears against a Charge...

[IcyCool]

No, not really. Bit smarmy today, are we?

All day, every day baby .

He asked if he was alone in his understanding. I said, "Pretty much." I did not say, "unequivocally, absolutely alone - no one else in the universe agrees with you."

I didn't say you did, did I?

People getting all smart and pointing out that there are a small number of people who agree with him does not change my initial point.

Getting smart? I've been smart all along . I don't see where I said your initial point was wrong, or your reasoning flawed, or insulted your mom . I pointed out that I had mentioned it. From the tone of your comment you sounded irritated, hence the half-joking cranky comment (also note the smiley). Your most recent post to this thread would indicate you thought I was making one of the two above arguements, hence your irritation.

But don't worry, I never take offense.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

The thread is silent for almost exactly three days.

You resurrect it to quote me and disagree with me.

Forgive me if I read more in to that than you perhaps intended.

 

[IcyCool]

The thread is silent for almost exactly three days.

You resurrect it to quote me and disagree with me.

Forgive me if I read more in to that than you perhaps intended.

About the three day part. My home PC is currently toast, and I took Friday off from work to spend a longer weekend with my wife (she's been on vacation for a couple of weeks in Mexico). I have been unable (or unwilling to drive 6 miles to the library) to post this weekend.

I wasn't resurrecting the thread to disagree with you. Although I can see how it could be taken that way.

At any rate, no forgiveness is given as none is needed. As the saying goes, "water off a duck's back, as long as that duck is under a bridge", or something.




But I am still a bit smarmy.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Excuses, excuses!

But ... it it a wooden duck?

 

[iwatt]

Let's get the thread back on track...well sort of

No he's not alone. I can see there are no problems rules-wise, but a berserking on the one hand and and waiting for the enemy on the other instead of running into the fray doesn't fit at all IMO. As a DM I would definitely penalize the Barbarian for inadequate roleplaying behaviour.

Raging is not berzerking.

I've read here on ENworld many different descriptions for what raging represents. Some of them represent frothing in the mouth, Viking-like bezerking freaks. Other's call it a surge of adrenalin you train to use in moments of stress. Also heard it described as a heightened state of battle-readiness. I've even had it described as a religious rapture in my game (admittedly right after one of the other Players said "Holy-cleaving Barbarians Batman" after splitting two demons in one round ).

Or let me rephrase my above statement: Raging is not always bezerking. And even if it was (which it isn't ) I still see no problem with Krug getting ready to make Orc shish-kebab (sp?). It's not like it takes a math degree to stand still holding a big pointy stick in your hand. Remember Brave-heart. A lot of those Scotsmen standing in the front row waiting for the cavalary charge seemed to have a bit of mouth-frothing going on.

 

[Arctic Juggernaut]

Also, using Power Attack on a set weapon should not be allowed. After all, you are in essence using the attacker's force against them. I don't see how a Power Attack would apply in this instance. But I guess it's whatever your GM decides.

If I were the DM, I would probably allow either the two-hand bonus, OR the set-against-the-charge bonus. It seems to me that the extra damage from setting against the charge comes from the enemy's momentum impaling him or her on the unmoving spear. A character using two-hands would not make the ground less unyielding. Maybe you could rule that, if the character only uses one hand, there is a chance that the "set" fails and the spear breaks or squirts out of their hands.

 

[Saeviomagy]

Note the fact that raging does not reduce the characters intelligence in any way.

If you want to play barbarians as angry idiots, by all means. Personally I'd rather they were effective combatants.

 

[Felix]

A character using two-hands would not make the ground less unyielding.

Let me check on this, but I don't think there is any requirement that the butt be placed on the ground...

Readying a Weapon against a Charge: You can ready certain piercing weapons, setting them to receive charges. A readied weapon of this type deals double damage if you score a hit with it against a charging character.

Nope. All setting a spear means is that you're getting ready to impale the charger when he gets close enough. You don't have to plant the butt in the ground.

A Flying barbarian can ready a spear against a charge, use two hands, and Power Attack with it, reaping a 2-for-1 benefit.

Setting only means "getting ready to impale that jerk charging me" and the ground doesn't enter into it, unless you want it to cinematically look that way.

 

[Marimmar@Home]

FWIW I wouldn't penalize a raging barbarian for readying a spear against a charge. Rage is not Frenzy and nowhere can any evidence be found that someone in a Rage must attack every round, that's where Frenzy comes into play.

~Marimmar

 

[Creat]

Exactly! Rage is an ability that the barbarian has, it's meant to be an advantage. He doesn't loose any int or wis while raging, nor is it stated anywhere that he looses any amount of control over himself. If that were the case I'd never even rage as a barbarian (or rarely), or just play a fighter all along. What the fighter does with technique (=feats) the barbarian does with mere power (rage) and instinct (uncanny dodge). He is still a skilled fighter after all...

edit: Let's approach it from a rules point of view. If it were meant to be limiting to the way he can act, it would be listed in the description of rage. He does become "more reckless and less able to defend himself", as represented by the -2 to AC. He can't use any charisma, dexteity or intelligence based skills with the exceptions listed. No spellcasting, concentrating, using any magic items or using combat expertise. Now it is also stated that he "can't use any abilities that require patience or concentration". That's the point where it's up to the GM to decide if a) readying an action is an ability (only a technicality if you ask me) and b) if it's actually already in the definition of beeing patient to wait for someone to charge if you expect him to (for example since he's holding a lance and riding a horse, which usually is a pretty good clue). I would not let him ready the action for 2 or more rounds in a row so that he just keeps waiting, but once: no problem there! If you diallow it, you would also have to deny him a refocus and wait (which both are intentionally waiting, beeing patient in the same ways that the ready action is).