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Message: <blockquote data-quote="KarinsDad" data-source="post: 1237884" data-attributes="member: 2011">To me, it is a matter of conscious acts versus subconscious acts.The barbarian can turn rage on. The barbarian can turn rage off. Hence, the barbarian is consciously controlling it. Just like he consciously decides to swing his sword or run or do anything else.Once asleep or unconscious, he can no longer consciously control it. To me, the question then comes down to whether the subconscious then continues to control it.The answer can go either way. So, I look to the book for clues. The first clue I see for unconscious is:Knocked out and helpless.If he is able to maintain his rage, it does not sound like he is totally helpless to me. This implies that the rage should turn off.The second clue is that the rage "lasts for a number of rounds equal to ... The barbarian may prematurely end the rage voluntarily.".Out of these two clues, the first is an interpretation on the definition of helpless. The second is a set duration specified in the book. Hence, I have to literally interpret rage to have a duration which can prematurely be ended by the barbarian, but will not prematurely end in any other way. Even death will not stop the duration of the rage, although at that point, it is moot.However having said that, one element of the "rage does not end when unconscious" interpretation is that some of the people who prescribe to that interpretation are doing so since they do not want PC barbarians to die because they get knocked unconscious or fall asleep. My take on this is that this is an ok "campaign reason" to take this interpretation, but this rationale really has nothing to do with the real rules. If the rules implied that the rage would end, that is how I would play it, regardless of whether the PC barbarian risks death while raging when low on hit points.Since the rules state it has a duration, however, allowing them to rage while asleep or unconscious or under any other conditions until the duration expires is how I will play it.</blockquote>

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