Frenzied Berserker too dangerous ?

[Rashak Mani]

I was reading the Frenzied Berserker PrC and the the combination of Inspire Frenzy with the fact that Frenzy can be triggered by damage is very dangerous for any group.

Inspire Frenzy ,for those who dont know, makes your allies go into Frenzy (+6 Str -4 AC) unless they want to avoid it (Will Save).

Now can you imagine the scene the Berserker gets shot at and fails his save and goes into frenzy... then all his companion fail too... suddenly you have Mages, Clerics, Rogues and the Barbarian all frenzied and attacking !!

This seems reasonably easy to happen once the Frenzied Berserker gets to 6th lvl.... Group Killer ?

 

[Zappo]

It would be even cooler if it worked all presents, instead of allies only! Can you picture the scene of a typical Wizards High Council - then this guy enters the room running and screaming and everyone goes mad? Wow!

 

[Rashak Mani]

That would be a good Anti-Mage tactic ... make em get frenzied...

I think only high level Frenzied Berserkers will be able to fight the Boss Monster with Frenzy... most of the time smaller encounters will set off his frenzy and waste em... silly.

 

[Aaron L]

Inspire frenzy is a seperate ability from fenzy. You don't send evryone crazy around you everytime you frenzy, only when you psyche them up. I think the class is great, and have a character, Leodolfus De Gern, heading towards it.

 

[Victim]

You choose whether or not to use inspire frenzy.

 

[Rashak Mani]

Hhmmm it actually does seem to be so... voluntary for the Beserker only thou... hhehe.. those 10 feet from him might not want to go frenzying away.

Could lead to some very wierd min maxing that...

 

[Shard O'Glase]

Yep you have to actiuvate it, so no involuntary fenzies for anyone but the berserker him/herself.

This class is just too cool, especially since it stacks with rage. We are all famailiar witht eh 20th min/max scenario so here it goes. 10th level barb./10th level frenzied berserker, 1/2 orc. 20 str start 5 from level enhancements, 5 inherent from a book, 6 from belt of str= str 36, now this guy rages and frenzies 10 from frenzie, 4 from rage barb for a +14 to str 14+36=50 str or +20 to hit/+20 or 20 damage. Now he power attacks wasting 10 bab giving him a +30 to hit without magic or weapon focus he gets attacks of +30/+30/+25/+20/+15 for assuming a spiked chain 2d4+50. Or 30 from str 10x2 from his special version of power attack. Make him a barb 6/fighter 4/frenzied berserker for specialization and assume a +5 weapon and it is 2d4+57. Ouch!!! I want to make one.

Note this isn't a full on min/max just a rough one to amke an example.

 

[evileeyore]

yeah but what is its armor class...

 

[Aaron L]

Their armor class is horrible (-4 from frenzy, stacks with -2 from rage), plus they take 2 points of subdual every round they frenzy. They burn out real quick. But they're still really cool, think Wolverine or a classic viking berserk.

 

[Shard O'Glase]

Who care about his AC, the tactic of the frenzied berserker is like the tactic of fighting clerics. kill things quick enough so you take less damage.