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lvl 1 sharnian
2009-12-05, 02:35 PM
For a campaign I'm designing, I'm thinking of granting everyone born in Mountain Warrior country (yeah, I'll think of names later) the ability to rage as a 1st level barbarian, or treat their level as 1 higher for purposes of raging.

It is supposed to stem from their warrior tradition; upon birth, a child is forced to drink from one cauldron of the various rage variants (Rageblood, Whirlingblood, Berserkerblood, Fiercelood. etcblood) and if they survived (not hard, since the country's bloodlines have gradually grown to become resistant to the dangers of the Blood) would be able to use their rage variant as a 1st level barbarian.

Is this too powerful? Should I add an ability penalty to it for being born in the region? Perhaps make it only accessible by a 1st level regional feat?

Keep in mind that the other countrie's will have some bonuses too.

Pharaoh's Fist
2009-12-05, 02:37 PM
Why not just let people take 1 level of barbarian with no multiclass penalties to represent it mechanically?

lvl 1 sharnian
2009-12-05, 02:45 PM
I wanted it to be more than just Favored Class: Barbarian race

Pharaoh's Fist
2009-12-05, 02:46 PM
A regional feat seems appropriate, then.

lvl 1 sharnian
2009-12-05, 02:48 PM
Is it worth the feat slot though?

ghashxx
2009-12-05, 02:59 PM
It's not broken seeing as how they'll only be able to rage once per day for 3+(Con Modifier = Normal Con + 4 Con from Rage). So while this may be a good number of rounds, depending on the character, it's still only once per day. So no, not overpowered and sounds interesting. Do any other regions have a similar kind of bonus?

awa
2009-12-05, 03:08 PM
whether its over power depends entirely on what other regions get. Rage is a very powerful ability at very low levels if your a melee type class certainly as good as most feats. But if other regions are getting equal benefits then its not a problem. You don't even need to make it a feat as long as each region get an equal bonus.

Doomboy911
2009-12-05, 03:17 PM
You could have them stumble across an item that allows them all the ability to rage.

Mongoose87
2009-12-05, 03:21 PM
I'd give them some sort of min-rage, and bonuses to people who can already rage. It seems unfair to give out such a primary class ability for free.

Rixx
2009-12-05, 03:27 PM
Yeah, perhaps halve the bonuses and penalties to the "mini-rage".

Fizban
2009-12-05, 06:52 PM
If you make it a regional feat then there's a cost, and you're making it optional so some people probably won't take it. It you want everyone to have it even if they don't use it I'd give normal rage 1/day or the Extra Rage feat if they're starting as a barbarian.

Volkov
2009-12-05, 07:15 PM
This would be hell in a war. Because in an instant, your entire army is a bunch of frothing blood thirsty, uncontrollable lunatics, but they would deal a lot of damage if they can get to their targets. Or is rage not that extreme?

Brendan
2009-12-05, 07:16 PM
don't some races auto gain something similar to rage? give them that. I think it is orc, but it could be something else.

Solaris
2009-12-05, 07:29 PM
I'd give them some sort of min-rage, and bonuses to people who can already rage. It seems unfair to give out such a primary class ability for free.

It's not free, they're giving up the option of being from other regions.

lvl 1 sharnian
2009-12-05, 08:12 PM
Note that all this is subject to balance

Well, another region (Anti-magic) will have some kind of thing about defending against magic. Either Spell Resistance (1+HD at first, building up through a feat chain) or a save bonus against spells.

The Desert-y region will have innate fire resistance (1 at first) and a slight speed bonus.

There are about 6 other regions that I haven't thought about yet.

The idea is that they have something special about them for being born there, but not really significant unless they invest feats or paragon levels into it.


This would be hell in a war. Because in an instant, your entire army is a bunch of frothing blood thirsty, uncontrollable lunatics, but they would deal a lot of damage if they can get to their targets. Or is rage not that extreme?

That's exactly the reason, there so vicious but unorganized so they haven't conquered the continent yet. They can decide to take any other rage variant though.

Roderick_BR
2009-12-05, 09:28 PM
I think that having it as a region feat is alright. They tend to be strong anyway. Use the full bonuses/penalties as normal. 1st level Barbarians would just add an extra daily use of rage, meaning that it's bonus rage get stronger as well.
Really, it's strong, but about 1/2 or 1/3 of a barbarian's starting power at 1st level.

Master_Rahl22
2009-12-05, 09:32 PM
I'm confused, since from some of the language you're using it sounds like you're talking about both 3.5 and 4E.

As long as every region has the same type benefits (minor boost, feats to make it better) then your players will all be on equal footing. Sounds fine to me, just be careful to compare the abilities to each other for balance. I like the idea of a mini-rage without feats, maybe as the spell.

Toliudar
2009-12-05, 09:59 PM
Something that helps people shine in melee a bit better is almost certainly not imbalancing, even at low levels. Unless your game style tends towards having only one encounter in a day, I can't imagine this being game-breaking.

Fitz10019
2009-12-06, 01:36 PM
don't some races auto gain something similar to rage? give them that. I think it is orc, but it could be something else.

I think that race is called badger. Heh.

The mini-rage makes sense -- I think there's a druid spell that puts an animal into a half-stat-bonus rage.

Milskidasith
2009-12-06, 02:16 PM
Note that all this is subject to balance

Well, another region (Anti-magic) will have some kind of thing about defending against magic. Either Spell Resistance (1+HD at first, building up through a feat chain) or a save bonus against spells.

The Desert-y region will have innate fire resistance (1 at first) and a slight speed bonus.

There are about 6 other regions that I haven't thought about yet.

The idea is that they have something special about them for being born there, but not really significant unless they invest feats or paragon levels into it.



That's exactly the reason, there so vicious but unorganized so they haven't conquered the continent yet. They can decide to take any other rage variant though.


The rage is more powerful than those listed. 1 fire resistance is almost nothing, and 1+HD SR is actually nothing; any caster at your level automakes the SR check.

lvl 1 sharnian
2009-12-06, 02:52 PM
That's kinda the point, it's more for flavor, but taking some region feats would allow them to increase the values of both to actually have mechanical value

As for the rage, perhaps have it only available as a region, but start them off with a mini-rage? Also, the +1 level for raging purpose will allow barbarians to get greater rage, tireless rage and such 1 level earlier. Is that going to cause early entry for some barbarian PrCs?

Demons_eye
2009-12-06, 02:59 PM
I would keep the rage as is even more more so if the fire resistance and spell resistance up with level.

Cool Idea though, mind if I steal it for my war of the were's game I am making?

Admiral Squish
2009-12-06, 03:08 PM
I don't think that 1 SR or 1 fire resistance is equal to rage. I'd make it like, 5+HD SR, at minimum, with options to improve. That's about a 25% chance of dodging it, I think, unless you can take 10 on CL checks, then you're screwed. SR is easily circumvented by intelligent wizards, anyway, so I don't think even 10+HD would be overpowered.

Sstoopidtallkid
2009-12-06, 06:22 PM
Do NOT, under any circumstances, grant SR. If you do it as-is, it's too weak to matter. If you up it to 5 or 10 +HD, you're nerfing the character because the party can no longer buff them. If you make it even higher, the problem gets worse. SR is a trap from the PC perspective. Do not add it.

Starbuck_II
2009-12-06, 06:33 PM
Do NOT, under any circumstances, grant SR. If you do it as-is, it's too weak to matter. If you up it to 5 or 10 +HD, you're nerfing the character because the party can no longer buff them. If you make it even higher, the problem gets worse. SR is a trap from the PC perspective. Do not add it.

He could make hostile-only SR. Only hostile spells are blocked.

lvl 1 sharnian
2009-12-06, 06:43 PM
I would keep the rage as is even more more so if the fire resistance and spell resistance up with level.

Cool Idea though, mind if I steal it for my war of the were's game I am making?

Go for it


Do NOT, under any circumstances, grant SR. If you do it as-is, it's too weak to matter. If you up it to 5 or 10 +HD, you're nerfing the character because the party can no longer buff them. If you make it even higher, the problem gets worse. SR is a trap from the PC perspective. Do not add it.

They don't have to be from that region... and that's the whole fluff of the region; violently opposed to magic so as to develop resistance to magic, regardless of strength. If they really cared about the SR, then they would take the appropriate feats to increase it.

As it stands, I may just change it to a save bonus

Sstoopidtallkid
2009-12-06, 06:49 PM
Go for it



They don't have to be from that region... and that's the whole fluff of the region; violently opposed to magic so as to develop resistance to magic, regardless of strength. If they really cared about the SR, then they would take the appropriate feats to increase it.

As it stands, I may just change it to a save bonusA save bonus is much better, especially if it's only saves v. spells. SR is a massive nerf to players, either being too low to matter against level-appropriate foes(esp higher-level BBEGs where it matters), and when higher the enemies ignore it through use of, say, Orb spells or BC while the party's spellcasters can no longer buff in combat. SR is a nerf, not a boon.

Volkov
2009-12-06, 06:58 PM
The desert region's people should not get innate fire resistance, they should get a fortitude save bonus against heat induced exhaustion and fatigue, and should also be able to go without food and water for a greater period of time.

Riffington
2009-12-06, 06:59 PM
I would make the rage:
+1 rage per day if you have rage from a class.
Otherwise Rage 1/day with only +2 to attributes.
That way it's actually useful for barbarians, and mildly useful for others.

Volkov
2009-12-06, 07:04 PM
What type of rage are we talking about here any way? Is it the type that only grants an temporary attack and damage bonus, or is it the barbarian style rage?

lvl 1 sharnian
2009-12-06, 07:19 PM
Any barbarian rage variant such as whirling rage, ferocity, berserker strength, etc.


The desert region's people should not get innate fire resistance, they should get a fortitude save bonus against heat induced exhaustion and fatigue, and should also be able to go without food and water for a greater period of time.

That seems a little insignificant

Milskidasith
2009-12-06, 08:07 PM
That seems a little insignificant

Compared to SR = HD+1, that's a better benefit. The benefit is pretty small, yes, but the problem is giving rage is too large a benefit compared to your other free benefits, which all suck power-wise.

Myrmex
2009-12-06, 08:18 PM
Fire resistance doesn't suck if the DM likes to use monsters that do fire damage.

Milskidasith
2009-12-06, 08:20 PM
Fire resistance doesn't suck if the DM likes to use monsters that do fire damage.

Fire resistance 1 does suck. 1 damage is maybe significant at level 1, and is totally insignificant past that in all but the strangest edge cases. Taking feats to improve the resistance would probably be underpowered.

Myrmex
2009-12-06, 08:26 PM
Fire resistance 1 does suck. 1 damage is maybe significant at level 1, and is totally insignificant past that in all but the strangest edge cases. Taking feats to improve the resistance would probably be underpowered.

Agreed.
Fire resistance 5 would be more reasonable.

lvl 1 sharnian
2009-12-06, 09:01 PM
What if I threw in a +5/10 ft speed boost? Besides Fire Resistance already gives a bonus to heat dangers as said in Sandstorm