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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Guilt Puppy" data-source="post: 430857" data-attributes="member: 6521">Switched from DMing to playing recently as we started a new campaign... We went for a loosely Norse theme (though it's really a mix of a variety of time periods). I was interested in playing a Paladin (partially because the party was in need of a little extra healing), but we realized that the LG chilvalric hero really didn't fit the more Beowulf tradition we were looking for.So, using the Barbarian as a base and the Paladin for ideas, this is what I've come up with... DM has approved it but I'd still like to see some thoughts here on balance issues, as well as flavor stuff. Character just hit 8th level, so changes to level 8 and beyond are preferable to ones made earlier.---Righteous Berserker (totally tentative name... any better ideas?)HD: d10BAB: +1/levelSaves: Good Fort, Bad Refl, Bad WillSkills: As BarbarianAlignment: Must be chaotic goodSpecial Abilities by level (* = only applies during rage):1 Rage 1/day, Lay on Hands2 Fast Movement*34 Holy Smite*5 Aura of Courage*67 Rage 2/day8 Extend Rage +19 Smite Undead*10 Righteous Aura*11 Divine Grace*1213 Rage 3/day14 Aura of Courage (when not raging)15 Greater Righteous Aura16 Extend Rage +217 Divine Grace (when not raging)1819 Rage 4/day20 No longer winded after rage, Supreme Righteous AuraRage: +4 Str, -2 AC, no access to skills requiring concentration or Expertise. Lasts for 3 rounds + Constitution modifier. At level 8, it lasts for 4 rounds + Con. At level 16, 5 rounds + Con. Further, while raging the Berserker gains access to a variety of special abilities. Fatigue applies as in the Barbarian's Rage, until 20th level, when the Berserker is no longer fatigued.Lay on Hands: As PaladinFast Movement: As Barbarian, except only applies while raging.Holy Smite: Once per rage, the Berserker may attempt a holy smite. This is as the Paladin's Smite Evil ability, except that the bonus damage is equal to half the character's class level.Aura of Courage: As Paladin, except only applies while raging. At 14th level, however, this limitation is lifted, and the effect applies at all times.Smite Undead: While Raging, the Berserker adds his Cha modifier to all damage dealt by attacks upon Undead.Righteous Aura: When the Berserker flies into a rage, he sends his enemies into a panic. At the start of a Berserker's rage, all evil creatures within 30 feet must make a Will save vs Fear, DC equal to the Berserker's class level plus his Charisma modifier, or become shaken. Mindless undead are still effected by this ability. Creatures with Hit Dice greater than or equal to the Berserker's class level are immune.Divine Grace: As Paladin, except only applies while raging. At 17th level, however, this limitation is lifted, and the effect applies at all times.Greater Righteous Aura: As Righteous Aura, except evil creatures of fewer Hit Dice than the Berserker's class level become panicked, and evil creatures of greater or equal Hit Dice are no longer immune, and become shaken.Supreme Righteous Aura: As Righteous Aura, except creatures of any Hit Dice may be effected, and any creature which fails its save becomes panicked.-------As you can see, I tried to give it its own spin as much as possible (rather than arbitrarily borrowing paladin abilities -- although I did that, some). Biggest difference from Barbarian is that the rages are shorter (because of the missing +4 Con), fewer (times/day progression is slowed), and missing the Will Save bonus, countered by the fact that they open up other special abilities (as such, Greater Rage is not included). Biggest difference from the Paladin is that the various abilities (excepting lay on hands) generally only apply while raging.Also implicit is a code of conduct equivalent to the Paladin's, although with less concern for law/chaos conflicts. Basically "Do no evil / allow no evil / ignore no evil." Those who fail to follow this code lose the ability to rage, for sure.To give it its own flavor, though, things such as the Righteous Aura seemed appropriate -- however, it's always tough to gauge the impact of a new ability. Thoughts on this (and some comparison with existing fear effects) are very welcome.Also, any good ideas for naming this class? (Probably a good term somewhere in Nordic history/mythology, even if we aren't striving for historical accuracy in any sense.)</blockquote>

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