Deathless Frenzy questions?

[NewJeffCT]

The Frenzied Berserker gets a class feature called "Deathless Frenzy" that seems awfully powerful on the face of things.

The feature allows the FB to continuing fighting for the duration of his or her frenzy, even if dropped to -10 or lower hit points.

Deathless Frenzy(Ex): You scorn death and unconsciousness while in
a frenzy. As long as your frenzy continues, you are not treated as
disabled at 0 hit points, nor are you treated as dying at -1 to -9
hit points. Even if reduced to -10 hit points or less, you continue
to fight normally until your frenzy ends. At that point, the effects
of your wounds apply normally if they have not been healed. This does
not prevent death from massive damage or from spell effects such as
slay living or disintegrate.

Frenzy lasts for 9 to 11 rounds. So, if the FB is reduced to -35 hit points in round 2, it doesn't matter and he just keeps going and going like the energizer bunny until round 9 is completed, at which point he drops dead. Is this correct? So, he could take another 500+ points of damage over those next 7 rounds and still keep going? (And, yes, I know he could be killed by Disintegrate or Slay Living or similar)

Second question - would a spell like Revivify be cast after the FB is initially dropped to below -10, or would it be okay to cast it after round 9 or 11 when the FB actually drops dead?

Thanks

 

[Eldritch_Lord]

So, if the FB is reduced to -35 hit points in round 2, it doesn't matter and he just keeps going and going like the energizer bunny until round 9 is completed, at which point he drops dead. Is this correct? So, he could take another 500+ points of damage over those next 7 rounds and still keep going?

Yep. It's called deathless frenzy for a reason.

Second question - would a spell like Revivify be cast after the FB is initially dropped to below -10, or would it be okay to cast it after round 9 or 11 when the FB actually drops dead?

You can't actually cast it until he drops dead; when he's below -10 but still alive, he's, well, still alive and thus not a valid target.

 

[Shin Okada]

Shouldn't a frenzied berserker still falls unconscious due to nonlethal damage exceeding one's current hp?

 

[frankthedm]

Shouldn't a frenzied berserker still falls unconscious due to nonlethal damage exceeding one's current hp?

Ruled strictly yes. It certainly seems against the theme and intent of the ability though.

Not that i like the FB's ridiculous damage output & deathless frenzy, but I think it would be disingenuous to allow the FB and then use this to circumvent the ability.

 

[Theroc]

Well, the initial text says, "You scorn death and unconsciousness..." so, I would definitely think it fishy if someone used nonlethal damage to knock me out.

But, like others, I'm not sure whether or not that's a very fair ability anyway.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

IMO, Dethless Frenzy becomes a lot more "fair" in games where Spell Compendium is allowed. If so, any Cleric of level 7+ can give an ally a nearly identical benefit for rounds/level with Delay Death, which is both earlier than the FB can do it, and WAAAAAAAAAY more cheesy, since it's a spell the Cleric can choose to prepare and give to anyone.

And I agree with Frank. By RAW, nonlethal probably stops a FB, but I definitely don't think that was the intent, and I would houserule that loophole, assuming I allowed FB to begin with.

 

[Shin Okada]

Well, the initial text says, "You scorn death and unconsciousness..." so, I would definitely think it fishy if someone used nonlethal damage to knock me out.

Not "someone". A Frenzied Bereserker takes nonlethal damage every round while frenzied

But yeah, I guess that is not the designer's intent.

Though I am not sure if the designer was sane when made this prestige class .......

 

[NewJeffCT]

Shouldn't a frenzied berserker still falls unconscious due to nonlethal damage exceeding one's current hp?

I would think not, as the descriptor says that you continue to fight as normal even past -10 hit points. It wasn't qualified by saying "except in the case of non-lethal damage"

The simple solution is that once the FB gets past -10 hit points is for somebody to hit him with Disintegrate, as he would still take damage even on a failed save:

A creature or object that makes a successful Fortitude save is partially affected, taking only 5d6 points of damage. If this damage reduces the creature or object to 0 or fewer hit points, it is entirely disintegrated.


So, the FB would still be dead and not functioning from Disintegrate. Of course, then he could use Mad Foam Rager and still go for another round after being Disintegrated.

 

[roguerouge]

Deathless frenzy compensates for the barbarian's eventual death due to rage-ending. Plus, it's flavorful and fun at the table, especially in high level games.

 

[Christopher McLean]

Guts from manga/Anime Berserk. this is his berserker armour check it out. read it and weap ye mortals Learn to zerker scrubs!

• Berserker Armor, +1 Mithral Full Plate
•• While wearing the berserker armor, a wielder with the ability to enter a frenzy must make a will save to avoid doing so every round in which they engage in melee combat, even if they take no damage. In addition, they may not enter a rage unless already in a frenzy.
•• While the wielder is in a frenzy, the berserker armor is treated as a +2 Mithral Full Plate of Medium Fortification that cannot be removed by normal means. The wielder themself gains an additional +6 to strength and dexterity as a well as an immunity to fear, stun, nausea and death from massive damage. However, the damage they take every round is lethal instead of nonlethal, and the frenzy does not end normally as long as there are living or animate creatures within the vicinity. At the end of a frenzy, the wielder takes 1 permanent wisdom damage.
•• If the wielder has the deathless frenzy ability and would die at the end of a frenzy due to hit point loss, they instead heal to -9 hp and stabilize while permanently reducing their maximum number of hit points by the same amount. These hit points can Only! be healed by magical means.

A Berserkers dream Weapon.
And what a berserker without a beast weapon...
Guts's Weapon Dragon slayer.
Dragon Slayer Requires a natural str of 22 to wield. Humans can do this by being a prodigy of strength and being Level 16. with a natural 18 roll of coarse.

• The Dragonslayer, Mastercraft Large Greatsword .
•• The Dragonslayer is treated as a Holy Ghost Touch weapon for the purposes of bypassing DR and determining whether an attack hits. This is an extraordinary ability.
•• The Dragonslayer’s size provides a wielder of medium size with a +2 bonus to AC when they fight defensively and cover in the direction of their choice when they take a total defense action.
Dragon Slayer inflits 3d6 damage
Holy: A holy weapon is imbued with holy power. This power makes the weapon good-aligned and thus bypasses the corresponding damage reduction. It deals an extra 2d6 points of damage against all of evil alignment. It bestows one negative level on any evil creature attempting to wield it. The negative level remains as long as the weapon is in hand and disappears when the weapon is no longer wielded. This negative level never results in actual level loss, but it cannot be overcome in any way (including restoration spells) while the weapon is wielded.
Ghost Touch: A ghost touch weapon deals damage normally against incorporeal creatures, regardless of its bonus. (An incorporeal creature’s 50% chance to avoid damage does not apply to attacks with ghost touch weapons.)
So you hit everything physical non physical even ghosts.. and anything evil you bypass any damage Reduction. So nothing can stop your damage... best frenzy zerker weapon.
Dont believe me heres a clip of the armour and weapon in use in the Anime bersek 2017.. this is a frenzied berserker.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTJsHB8JMnc
this shows how the armour works in battle. if yu got time watch it.
http://berserk2016.com/berserk-2017-season-3-episode-11-subbed/