D&D 5E Should rage ignore exhaustion while you are raging?

[kalil]

I feel the need to point out that bear totem does not do anything even close to doubling hp. It only adds resistance to magic damage. All barbs get resistance to weapon damage, which even at high levels is the majority of damage.

 

[FightKing]

I also think that frenzying should not be an action, allowing the extra attack on the turn you start it.

Frenzy itself isn't an action or bonus action. Going into Rage is a bonus action and making it a Frenzy is part of the same bonus action. Since you already used your bonus action to start a rage you can't use it to attack. But I get what you are saying, going into a rage should be a free action, just like action surge for fighters.

 

[Saeviomagy]

Frenzy itself isn't an action or bonus action. Going into Rage is a bonus action and making it a Frenzy is part of the same bonus action. Since you already used your bonus action to start a rage you can't use it to attack. But I get what you are saying, going into a rage should be a free action, just like action surge for fighters.

Actually I meant that taking the attack shouldn't be an action - it should grant you an extra attack when you take the attack action, which would fix another problem frenzy has, which is that characters often have better uses for a bonus action than frenzy's attack and all the drawbacks it comes with.

 

[CapnZapp]

Yeah, frenzy is not additive with the extra attack from cleave (GWM) or Polearm Master, just to take a pair of obvious examples, so it definitely is an undercooked option.

(Undercooked meaning not thought through to appeal to the minmaxer, not underpowered in itself)

 

[the Jester]

What do you think? Should rage ignore exhaustion while you are raging? It would sure make the Path of the Berserker a little bit more viable...

Absolutely not. It's a balancing mechanism for berserkers. Being able to frenzy pretty much every combat without significant penalty is really powerful. The berserker is plenty viable, I assure you.

 

[Moorcrys]

They ignore it in my game. It hasn't been a problem - the game hasn't come crashing down around our ears, and the totem barbarian is still the more popular choice.

 

[Dausuul]

I don't think it has a major impact on balance either way. Therefore, I'm inclined to say... rage should be subject to exhaustion penalties, but frenzy should allow you to ignore them. It adds that nice little slippery-slope element: Once you start taking significant exhaustion penalties, the only way to overcome them is to frenzy again. But then the penalty is that much worse next time!

It also means that a barbarian who frenzies all the way to "dead" can have a rousing badass exit, not a stumbling incompetent one.