Help! Someone's going to play a Frenzied Berserker!

[Christian]

The FB turning on your party members is only half the problem. The other half is when he starts making your other party members frenzy, too. All it takes is one failed Will save and your wizard stops casting spells, charges into meele, and gets hacked to pieces.

Only willing allies are affected by that ability. (CW pg. 35)

 

[Grog]

Only willing allies are affected by that ability. (CW pg. 35)

Huh. I could have sworn it affected everyone. Was it different in 3.0?

 

[Sejs]

One of the characters in our party has retired and the player is introducing a new one that he is going to eventually make a Frenzied Berserker. I have heard that these can be dangerous companions and want to know some tips for surviving in a party with an FB (aside from killing the character in his sleep, as I want there to be some party cohesion, and *avoid* PC killing from any side).

Easy answer: don't cut the character any slack because he's a PC.

If you're adventuring with a guy and he goes nuts and turns on you, you don't adventure with him any more. Even if you don't kill one another, that necessary bond of trust is broken. You'd tell the madman that either he leaves or you do, but you don't work together any longer, period.

It's just like if there's one guy stealing from fellow party members. You wouldn't tolerate it in real life, don't tolerate it in game.

... failing that, you know Prestidigitation can make ground glass taste juuuust like salt ...

 

[Heathansson]

I agree. He's essentially saying, "hey, everybody!!! I'm gonna do a bunch of p.c.p., then run around with an axe. Who knows what'll happen? Cmon, it'll be fun!"
Hell with that.

 

[Cthulhudrew]

If you're adventuring with a guy and he goes nuts and turns on you, you don't adventure with him any more. Even if you don't kill one another, that necessary bond of trust is broken. You'd tell the madman that either he leaves or you do, but you don't work together any longer, period.

I'd take that even one step further and, as others have suggested, the minute he turns on the party, devote all resources to taking him out, permanently. If anything, the notion that this player has been developing his character towards taking this PrC makes it all the more unacceptable if/when he turns on the party. It's like saying that he's been gradually becoming less and less stable all the time, so if the party has to finally put him out of the way, it's a matter of self-defense at that point.

 

[Christian]

It can be interesting, if the group can handle it. Our party's FrB has an interesting backstory explaining how he got that way, and he warned us all (in character) when we took him into the group about his potential for homicidal rampages ... And he's well aware that it may become necessary for us to kill him. We'll see how it works out; my druid is preparing spells aimed at neutralizing him if the situation arises. (Hasn't, yet ...) Next session, I'll see if the wizard knows Grease. That was a cute idea up above.

 

[Zendragon]

I have been running a player with the FB for about a year. 10 total levels now, not sure how many FB levels. I think its 4 though. A couple of times he has hit a few characters but never that bad. If the party is still doing well, the monk will go looking for the next battle and lead the FB there. This works well as the monk outruns the FB and the FB gets in a few good licks.

 

[Heathansson]

I have been running a player with the FB for about a year. 10 total levels now, not sure how many FB levels. I think its 4 though. A couple of times he has hit a few characters but never that bad. If the party is still doing well, the monk will go looking for the next battle and lead the FB there. This works well as the monk outruns the FB and the FB gets in a few good licks.

I was thinking--the monk could get a pinwheel of your spinning yin-yang avatar and use it to mellow the frenzied berserker out...

 

[FCWesel]

Tanglefoot bags are fun too. All you need is to hit the TOUCH AC, and even if they save, they are still slowed at least a little.

 

[kaomera]

Wand of Kill Him in His Sleep?

Seriously, rip pages 34, 35, & 36 out of Complete Warrior. There's no really reasonable way to play this class as written. Traps will send him into a Frenzy...