Building a PC Frenzied Berzerker

[Carpe DM]

Here's a challenge:

Is it possible to build a 3.5 frenzied berzerker that's not just an outrageous risk to the party? I understand that a party's going to have to build in some safeguards (party cleric has calm emotions memorized and all that). But is there anything the Berzerker can do to limit the damage?

So far here's the best I've done. I'm assuming a 14 wisdom is about the most the character is going to be able to sacrifice toward attributes, although raising that would obviously help.

Monk 2 (+3 will)
Cleric 1 (+2 will, luck domain -- to help on will saves to get out of Frenzy)
Barbarian 5 (+1 will)
--and the rest of the levels in Frenzied Berzerker. (an eventual pathetic +3 will).

So attributes and level bonuses would reach +11 Will. Two more would result from the Morale bonus granted to will saves while raging if you did both at the same time. So, before magical items, a +13 Will save.

A Piwafwi of Resistance grants a +5 resistance bonus to saving throws, so that's +18. At that point I think the character could be confident in ending the rage without doing too much damage.

For feats, you'd take Power Attack, Cleave, Destructive Rage (3d), Intimidating Rage (6th), Iron Will (9th), Extra Rage (12th), Extra Rage (15th), Extend Rage (18th).

Of course, the benefit of the character would be enormous: he couldn't be killed by regular damage until the Frenzy wore off, and the combined Rage and Frenzy (which stack), plus the improved power attacks would make the character really hand out the damage.

Thoughts?

Carpe

 

[Krafen]

Get a +6 Enhancement to Wisdom item for +3.

6th level Barbarian will give you +1 to all your saves.

My guess is you want Monk 2 for Evasion. Trading that second level of Monk for 1 level of another class with good Will saves, however, would give you another +1. Druid on top of Cleric might be odd, but either Bard or Sorcerer have some interesting possibilities.

There is a feat in Kingdoms of Kalamar (Strength of the Earth or something like that) that allows you to apply your Con bonus to all your saves instead of just Fort saves. I believe it is only available at 1st level.

Try and obtain an item that gives a Luck bonus to saves.

Give the party Cleric (or Bard) a wand of calm emotions. Unfortunately, this spell has a Will save, and you are working to boost yours as high as possible. Maybe a staff would be better.

Voluntarily submit to a dominate person from the party Wizard/Sorcerer (or Bard) every two weeks or so. Usually, they don't give you any instructions at all, but if your Frenzy becomes a risk, they stop you from attacking the party.

 

[ph34r]

I don't know much about the class to suggest any help on it, but I can warn you to be careful. If I were a PC in your party and your PC killed mine because of a certain class feature, I'd be highly ticked off. :\

 

[Darklone]

Best tactic: Fly for all other group members.

Take Elan as race. That bonus to saves for PP is cute.

 

[italianranma]

In my gaming group we have a berzerker with a will save of +1 (he has a wisdom penelty). When there looks like there aren't many enemies left the wizard uses tasha's hidieous laughter on him, that usually slows him down long enough for the rage to wear off.

On a side note, don't get extend rage: it's a bad idea

 

[Plane Sailing]

Here's a challenge:

Is it possible to build a 3.5 frenzied berzerker that's not just an outrageous risk to the party?

Well, apart from houseruling away the mindblowingly stupid "deathless frenzy" (what were they thinking?)

 

[Oscar carramiñana]

Try this Paladin 1/Barbarian 5/Holy Liberator2/Frenzied Berseker10 I don't have any book here but I think what the 2lvl of holy liberator you take divine grace( Cha to saves) combined with a high Cha and you don't lose base attack, the lvl of paladin is for take skill requirements to enter in a Holy Liberator. Obviously change Align at 2lvl to C/G.
At lvl18 you can continue in advance as Holy Liberator

Sorry if I mistakes

 

[Carpe DM]

Right, deathless frenzy would be the goal here. I'm thinking more and more that extra rage is the way to go rather than extend rage for a PC.

(for NPCs though, lord, the class is nasty. My PCs lost their marbles when I threw Ettin Frenzied Berzerkers at them...could not be killed for the longest time until they caught on. Had to bring them down with death effects.)

cheers,

Carpe

 

[Diirk]

Character builds involving alignment shifts are stupid.

 

[Krafen]

Right, deathless frenzy would be the goal here. I'm thinking more and more that extra rage is the way to go rather than extend rage for a PC.

(for NPCs though, lord, the class is nasty. My PCs lost their marbles when I threw Ettin Frenzied Berzerkers at them...could not be killed for the longest time until they caught on. Had to bring them down with death effects.)

cheers,

Carpe

Heh, the Frenzied Berzerker PC in the high-level game our group just started died while frenzied to the vorpal effect of a Balor's sword in the third session of the game. Boy, was he upset.