D&D 5E Barbarian wants to damage himself to keep rage going

[Guest 6801328]

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I'm trying to understand your point with this, and (unfortunately) the only interpretation I can come up with is that you're being patronizing toward the OP about their skill as a DM.

Please tell me I'm totally mis-reading this.

 

[Dausuul]

This thread has given me an idea for a new magic item. Probably Common, certainly no higher than Uncommon, but I think it could be a nifty little thing to have.

Amulet of Scourging Fire
This amulet must be worn next to the skin. At the start of your turn, if you are affected by a hostile condition that can be ended by taking damage, the amulet activates, dealing 1d4 fire damage to you. You can also activate the amulet (no action required) at any time on your turn, but the amulet cannot activate more than once per turn.

If the amulet would deal enough damage to reduce you to 0 hit points, the damage is reduced so that it leaves you at 1 hit point instead. If this would reduce the damage to zero, the amulet does not activate.

 

[Umbran]

So in a game I am DMing a PC wanted to stab himself (just a flesh wound) so he would take damage and not lose rage because there was no enemy in melee range. I really did not like that and made him end rage. First, was that the right ruling in your opinion?

I would allow it. I have seen it used in play - with the ruling that it does take an action to do, as while the point is the damage, you need to use an attack to generate the damage. It seems to come out pretty balanced.

I'll use a scene in Star Wars (that I know some will hate - too bad) to show it thematically - if you've seen The Force Awakens, the lightsaber duel between Kylo Ren and Rey on Starkiller Base?

Kylo was wounded in a previous scene, and is bleeding. In a moment to take a breath, he punches his own wound to keep himself revved up and angry.

Same basic idea.