Frenzied Berserker: should I worry ?

[Numion]

There's been a Frenzied Berserker in my group for a couple of months now. No big problems with it. The character (a Half-Ogre berserker to boot) is really efficient in dealing damage, but canät take with the AC penalties. My players have been intelligent in neutralizing the drawback where the berserker goes crazy, by invisibility spells and such. Not a big price at those levels.

 

[Trainz]

I think that I agree with those that said "ask the other players", as they will be the ones who might possibly pay the cost. Great feedback.

Thanks !

 

[Camarath]

Deathless Frenzy does nothing to stop the Frenzied Berserker from going unconscious when his non-leathal damage (which he gain 2 per round in a frenzy) is greater than his hit points. So unless the Frenzied Berserker has a way to negate or ignore the non-leathal damage any time his hit points go negative (or more likely below 6 or so) he will fall unconscious.

 

[Saeviomagy]

sorry guys....lambaste me now....let me have it...don't sugar coat it....

First up:

The ellipsis (the "...") is used only for signifying that you have left something out of a quote.

Whenever you are going to use one, stop and say the sentence through in your head.

For most of your post, you should replace the ellipses with a full stop, a space and a capital letter, denoting a new sentence. Try that for a bit.

Sometimes, if there really is more to come in the sentence, you can use a semicolon.

This will help people actually read your post. I guarantee that at the moment, most people looked at it, maybe read the first and last lines, and that was it.

Secondly:
I have no problems with people taking mechanical devices to simulate roleplaying aspects. A frenzied berserker who wigs out when he sees individuals in chains is fine to me.

A kensai who takes FB? Easy - he is a master of the blade, who has also learned to focus his rage into a finely honed instrument. It's not like the two are mutually exclusive, no matter how many vulcans or jedi say otherwise.

Note that your example of a rogue/paladin/templar/frenzied berserker would most likely require that the DM change the PC's alignment several times over it's development, and further I believe that the levels in paladin and templar would be largely wasted. I could be wrong about templar there though.

I can imagine a story which would well justify one. My only problem with it would be that the PC will be relying on PC-itis to stay with the party.

That is - any PC with frenzied berserker (or forsaker, or any other disruptive class) relies on the fact that he's a PC to stay with the group. If the rest of the group were to roleplay, chances are they would either

a) Be afraid of the nutcase
or
b) dump his sorry arse

and the only reason they don't is because they know he is a PC, not an NPC.

I'd tell the player of such a character (before he took levels in the class) to expect no special treatment for being a PC.

I'd tell the party to give him no special considerations for being a PC - that if they decide to get rid of him, he'll immediately become an NPC and the player will have to make a new character.

And I think that would sort it.

 

[Testament]

To put it very simply. No. Frickin'. Way. I've got a player who is obsessed with building a Frenzied Beserker, and theorises that if he has a merciful greatsword then it's fine. Ummm...no (for starters, aren't they mutually exclusive concepts?)

The biggest problem is the one that's been elaborated on here: the fact that he can go mental and start slaughtering the party when he gets a paper cut. Or stabbed by a kobold. Or fireballed. Or hit by a trap. I say put it to the players, and make sure that everyone reads the caveat in Complete Warrior about how its designed for NPCs.

 

[Arc]

Deathless Frenzy does nothing to stop the Frenzied Berserker from going unconscious when his non-leathal damage (which he gain 2 per round in a frenzy) is greater than his hit points. So unless the Frenzied Berserker has a way to negate or ignore the non-leathal damage any time his hit points go negative (or more likely below 6 or so) he will fall unconscious.

Not quite. To quote the Complete Warrior:

Deathless Frenzy (Ex): At 4th level and higher, a frenzied berserker can scorn death and unconciousness while in a frenzy. As long as her frenzy continues, she is not treated as disabled as dying at -1 to -9 hit points. Even if reduced to -10 hit points or less, she continues to fight normally until her frenzy ends. At that point, the effects of her wounds apply normally if they have not been healed. This ability does not prevent death from massive damage or from spell effects such as slay living or disintigrate.

The text pretty much rules out the non lethal damage argument in the first sentence, I must say. There's been some debate about it, but the arguments tend to fall towards the common interpretation that the FB fights until the end of the frenzy.

 

[Trainz]

To put it very simply. No. Frickin'. Way. I've got a player who is obsessed with building a Frenzied Beserker, and theorises that if he has a merciful greatsword then it's fine. Ummm...no (for starters, aren't they mutually exclusive concepts?)

The biggest problem is the one that's been elaborated on here: the fact that he can go mental and start slaughtering the party when he gets a paper cut. Or stabbed by a kobold. Or fireballed. Or hit by a trap. I say put it to the players, and make sure that everyone reads the caveat in Complete Warrior about how its designed for NPCs.

I really like your input.

Picture this: the party walks in a dungeon, neutral good FB taking point. Suddendly, a block of stone falls from the ceiling, bruising the neutral good FB's shoulder (he made Dex ST for half damage). He turns around, foaming at the mouth, and kills his associates. Neutral good.

It's just plain ridiculous.

 

[Will]

First, remember the FB gets a Will save every round to try and halt a frenzy. I would also probably require a FB to take Iron Will and decent Wis, showing SOME interest in reigning the monster within.

Second... two words for you>
Calm Emotions.

If the FB is failing his Will saves, chances are he's going to fail that one, too. A sorcerer with this spell can be the berserker's handler... of course, you should find out if PCs WANT that kind of responsibility.

Might be reasonable requiring the FB to have Leadership and a cohort who is his helper in that regard, if the PCs don't want to be saddled with the responsibility.

 

[Psion]

I tend to tell my players that they WILL run into things they can't beat and need to retreat from. In these situations, a berserk character tends to meet a swift end. I let my players know that they are in for a temporary experience if they play a berserk style character.

 

[Camarath]

Not quite. To quote the Complete Warrior:

The text pretty much rules out the non lethal damage argument in the first sentence, I must say. There's been some debate about it, but the arguments tend to fall towards the common interpretation that the FB fights until the end of the frenzy.

As far as I know scorning something has no in game function. Unless disliking or having disdain for something makes one immune to it.