How would you keep a Frenzied Beserker from killing the whole party?

[Metalsmith]

Thinking laterally - have the FB accept a levitation spell before combat. Then when he runs out of enemies, lift him up into the air and keep him there (as it is the caster, not the target, that controls the vertical movement IIRC.)

Just make sure he doesn't have anything heavy and throwable with him...

Damm Fine Idea. With a wand of Levitate you dont even have to plan ahead that much, just hit him with it before the Bezerker cant distinguish friend from foe.

Metalsmith

 

[Metalsmith]

And, I don't see how you figure that the FB knows it's his allies he's smacking, and not the enemy. I see it akin to a Vietnam vet having a serious flashback, and seeing everyone around him as Charly. This guy has just been beating an ogre to a bloody pulp, looks up, and just sees more things after him. So, he's gotta beat them into the ground, too. Not 'These are my friends, but I just...can't...stop my hand! Aaah! Bill, forgive me!'.

I think it's the second part it's more believable than, starting a fight with Bill and Dave and some Ogres, Frenzying, Flanking for Bill and killing Ogres, Holding the Line with Dave and killing some Ogres, and then when all Ogres are down thinking "Hey 2 more Ogres popped up!" The Bezerker is getting that Free Action to end his rage each round, if he really thinking that he's still in danger surrounded by ogres why would he ever use that free action?

Metalsmith

 

[Templetroll]

Re: Re: Re: Re: We'll see

Yeah, otherwise the Bezerker player can go around and take full round Cou De Gras against the fallen enimies before going after his partymembers.

Pg 133, "Coup de grace.... requires focused concentration and methodical action." so it is not possible for the FB. Makes 'playing dead' seem very reasonable.

Sense Motive 1 minute! Are you shure it would apply in this case?

The House rules Forum is over thataway! A minute timeframe obviously means it requires some patience and concetration to accomplish. The Bluf description has it being at least one round but could take longer, depending on the Bluff.

You can Bluff in combat, and out of combat, (Bugs Bunny disquised as an old woman) "He went that away!" (Elmer goes down the Dark Alley)
Metalsmith

The person playing dead could make the Bluff check, with a plus due to the FB being focused on 'target acquisition' and not on the actual health of downed 'foes', real or perceived. I'd give the same minus to the FB's Sense Motive roll as the minus to AC, it would make the manuveur a good one for party members in that case. and accurately reflect the blood madness of the FB.

 

[James McMurray]

Ooh, owie. A bead of force does 5d6 points of damage to all targets within 10'. If the FB has already gone into negative hit points, you may need a squeegee and a bucket.

In this instance we're talking about a 1st level FB, thus negative hit points = unconcious, while -10 = dead.

if he really thinking that he's still in danger surrounded by ogres why would he ever use that free action?

Perhaps the free action represents his subconcious realizing that something is wrong.

 

[Corwin the Confused]

Information on the GAME in which I play.

Wow, the lst time I read this there were only a couple of replies on page 2.

Since some of you are so fucused on my character not becoming a FB and not my question, let me give you some info on the game in which I play.

I have asked the other players what they think about me becoming a FB. Most are a little concerned, but they have no problem with me playng a FB. (Perhaps they understand that D&D is a game. Or perhaps they are curious about what will happen. Or perhaps since I asked them their opinion they realize that I do not wish "TO RUIN THEIR ENJOYMENT OF THE GAME" <sorry, inside joke, for my DM>)

If I were playing in a game where the other players had a problem with my character becoming a FB, I would choose a different path. The FB seems very interesting to me and I want to play it.

Plus I am trying to find ways to make it so I do not "RUIN THEIR ENJOYMENT OF THE GAME" <sorry again, inside joke, for my DM>)

So PLEASE, post suggestions about my question.

 

[Ravellion]

Re: jury is out

STOP THE METAGAMING MADNESS.

No my friend, you are metagaming. Most of the repliers don't seem to like, IN CHARACTER (hey, my Caps lock works too!), one of their friends losing control EVERY FRIGGIN' COMBAT (yup, still 100% in fine working order).

Your wizard argument rings false, because it applies to all characters. The berserker has the Domination fallacy, as well as his berserk fallacy.

Nevertheless, just do everything you can to get your save up, is my advice to the origianl poster. I think that your next share of loot should upgrade a cloak of resistance and the periapt. Take a luckstone or the "luck of Heroes" feat, if stealing from the FR is not out of line in your game.

Rav

 

[James McMurray]

If your fellow party members don't mind, then by al means do it. I believe there have been tons of good suggestions on how to not kill your party or force them to kill you. I'd try the non-metagamed ones first, but maybe your group doesn't care.

 

[durath]

FB Update

Played my first session as an FB last night. Guess what? Didn't involuntarily go into a frenzy, didn't attack a single party member.
Granted the two encounters we had were very light, it was mainly a roleplaying session.

My PC took a couple of points of damage from a young griffon, I made the save and didn't enter into berserk.

I'd also like to add that there have been a ton of great suggestions about how to include a FB in a party and keep everyone safe. Obviously this is a very playable class if the group can handle it as shown by the amount of ways people have suggested; aside of course from the "I'm scared so I'll just kill the guy" method.

 

[Jeremy]

Good for you. Frenzied Berserker is a time honored part of D&D with dwarven battleragers and viking berserkers being a wonderfully volatile yet oozing-with-rp-challenge addition to the game.

You wanna talk about barbaric? That's barbaric.

Why do people keep Wolvie around? When he gets pushed to hard, or even when he feels like he needs that edge, he goes animalistically feral and sees nothing but red. Of course they've got a team of superhero's to hold him in check if need be, but then, what is a group of adventurers if not super heroes? How exactly would you define a human with 28 WIS, can cast 7th level spells, and has a listen check of 51 when he's taking his time and concentrating.

 

[James McMurray]

How do you get a listen check of 51?

Also, how many times has Wolvie gone berserk and killed Cyclops?

Glad your group enjoyed it though, since that's all that matters. Keep us posted. I'm especially interested in hearing about the first time you do fail the save and attack a party member, and how they react to it.