So....Vikings? [Base]

[Phosphate]

The Viking
http://sandbox.yoyogames.com/extras/image/name/san2/578/446578/original/viking.jpg

I didn't write flavor for this, since vikings are...vikings...everyone paints the same picture.

That being said, this is a class I made that is in some ways based on and similar to the barbarian...only this time with customizability. So without further ado:

Alignment: Any chaotic.
Race: Any, except sylphs. Because seriously.

Starting Age: Simple
Starting Gold: 7d4*10 (175 gp)
Hit Dice: d12

Class Skills: Like Barbarian, plus Profession (Wis) and Sense Motive (Wis)
Skill points per level: 4 + Int mod (x4 at 1st level)


{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special

1st|+1|+2|+2|+2|Berserk, Disciplined Training

2nd|+2|+3|+3|+3|Momentum

3rd|+3|+3|+3|+3|Undaunting

4th|+4|+4|+4|+4|Mother Death's Embrace (2d6)

5th|+5|+4|+4|+4|Berserk

6th|+6/+1|+5|+5|+5|Murderous Cessation, Axe Wielder

7th|+7/+2|+5|+5|+5|Pain Resilience

8th|+8/+3|+6|+6|+6|Mighty Blow

9th|+9/+4|+6|+6|+6|Mother Death's Embrace (4d6)

10th|+10/+5|+7|+7|+7|Berserk

11th|+11/+6/+1|+7|+7|+7|Dual Berserk

12th|+12/+7/+2|+8|+8|+8|Viking Bones, Legendary Axe Wielder

13th|+13/+8/+3|+8|+8|+8|Bloody Pursuit

14th|+14/+9/+4|+9|+9|+9|Mother Death's Embrace (6d6)

15th|+15/+10/+5|+9|+9|+9|Berserk

16th|+16/+11/+6/+1|+10|+10|+10|Mighty Axe Wielder

17th|+17/+12/+7/+2|+10|+10|+10|Herald for Valhalla

18th|+18/+13/+8/+3|+11|+11|+11|Perpetual Aggression

19th|+19/+14/+9/+4|+11|+11|+11|Mother Death's Embrace (8d6)

20th|+20/+15/+10/+5|+12|+12|+12|Berserk, Undying Slaughter
[/table]

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the viking.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A viking is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light armor, and all shields.


Disciplined Training: A level 1 viking gains 1 feat from the fighter bonus feat list, for which he must meet all prerequisites. Then, at every level except 1st, when he would normally gain a new type of Berserk, he may choose to not gain it and receive another feat from the fighter bonus feat list instead. If he chooses Martial Study through this class feature, treat his initiator level as his class level instead of half, as noted in the feat.

Berserk (Ex): A viking can fly in a specific, rather controlled rage to crush down his opponents. As he progresses in class levels, his berserking diversifies.

A viking can go berserk for a number of rounds per day equal to either triple his class level or his class level+his con mod+the number of experience-granting creatures he dropped the previous day (whichever is lower). Low-level vikings (the ones who have not yet gained Murderous Cessation) can't stop their berserk until they are dead or the full duration passes, which basically means they can only berserk once per day.

Going berserk requires a full round action. When a viking is berserking, he is immensely focused, which contributes to slow down his reactions. Thus, he cannot use any swift or immediate actions. Furthermore, his capacity for thought is diminished, which prohibits him from casting spells, manifesting powers and using intelligence-based skills. Berserking puts him in a certain state of mind, which gives him a +4 untyped bonus to will saves against fear and mind control, but also makes him immune to morale penalties and bonuses (except for the bonuses berserking itself can provide). A berserk is less tiresome than a barbarian rage, so at the end of the berserk the viking is fatigued until the end of the encounter only if he is wearing medium or heavy armor. If he is wearing light or no armor, no fatigue occurs.

Normally at the beginning of a berserk you choose one trait for the berserk. You gain one of two available traits at level 1, and 1 additional trait at levels 5, 10, 15 and 20 (unless you choose Disciplined Training for that level instead). Regardless of the trait applied, berserking remains an extraordinary ability.

In the spoiler below, all berserk traits are explained:


At level 1, a viking acquires either Powerful or Frightful Berserk.

Powerful Berserk: You gain a +4 morale bonus to your Strength score and are immune to all ability score damage and drain. Ability score damage and drain acquired before berserking is not healed.

Frightful Berserk: Whenever you deal damage to a creature, it must make a Will save against a DC of 10+damage dealt. If it fails it is shaken until you are no longer in its line of sight for at least 5 minutes. If it succeeds it is immune to this ability for 24 hours. If the damage you deal to a creature is equal to or higher than a third of its hit points rounded up, the creature is denied a save.

At level 5, a viking acquires either Hardy, Vicious, Ruinous or Reaping Berserk. Ruinous requires Frightful already known, and Reaping requires Powerful.

Hardy Berserk: You gain a +4 morale bonus to your Constitution score and whenever you succeed on a fortitude save, you gain a stacking +1 bonus to your fortitude saves until the berserk ends. Also, you are immune to poison until the berserk ends.

Vicious Berserk: Whenever you attack an opponent in melee and deal lethal damage, the opponent receives 2d6 more damage, but you also receive 1d6 damage. Doesn't stack with the damage bonus from actually wielding a Vicious weapon.

Ruinous Berserk: Whenever you attack an opponent in melee and deal lethal damage, his AC is reduced by 1 permanently. Stacks. The penalty can only be removed in two ways: doing nothing for a full round or receiving a Heal spell.

Reaping Berserk: Whenever you drop a foe that awards experience, you gain a +1 morale bonus to all ability score modifiers for 1 round. Doesn't stack.

At level 10, a viking acquires either Staunch, Rapid, Sturdy, Reckless, Disrupting or Cleaving Berserk. Sturdy requires Hardy, Reckless requires Vicious, Debilitating requires Ruinous, and Cleaving requires Reaping.

Staunch Berserk: You are treated as having the Improved Mettle class feature. Furthermore, if you fail a reflex save against an effect that would push you a distance or make you fall prone, you may make a fort save against it instead. If you do so, you do not gain the benefit of Improved Mettle.

Rapid Berserk: You gain a morale bonus to speed equal to your base speed - 10 feet. You gain a +4 dodge bonus against attacks of opportunity caused by moving within threatened squares.

Sturdy Berserk: You gain DR/-- equal to half your class level rounded down and all your energy resistances increase by 10.

Reckless Berserk: You gain a +10 bonus to damage, which you can only apply to attacks which use your full BaB. However, you receive a -4 penalty to AC against the opponent you hit the previous round and a -2 penalty to AC against everyone else.

Disrupting Berserk: When dealing lethal damage in melee to an opponent, he must make a Fort save against a DC of 10+class level/2+str mod. If he fails, he receives 1d6 damage to his Str and Dex. If he succeeds, he receives 1 damage.

Cleaving Berserk: Whenever you drop a foe during the berserk, you gain 1 point. You may have a maximum of str mod points or 6, whichever is lower. As a standard action, you may make a number of attacks with anything but a natural weapon equal to the number of points you've accumulated, all of them at BaB - 5. Your point total resets to 0, and you do not gain points in the round in which you spend points.

At level 15, a viking acquires either Deathless, Lucid, Stone, Dashing, Bloodthirsty, Mad, Debilitating or Genocidal Berserk. Stone requires Staunch, Dashing requires Rapid, Bloodthirsty requires Sturdy, Mad requires Reckless, Debilitating requires Disrupting and Genocidal requires Cleaving.

Deathless Berserk: You do not lose consciousness and do not die until either the berserk ends or your negative hitpoints become equal to your maximum hit points (for instance, if your max hp is 99, you're dead at -99). However, you are still unstable and receive 1 damage per round if under 0 hp.

Lucid Berserk: You are immune to all mind-affecting effects, ignore all illusions, cannot receive damage from shadows, and can cast spells, manifest powers, and use Int-based skills.

Stone Berserk: You instantly succeed on all fortitude saves without rolling, and become immune to acid damage.

Dashing Berserk: You ignore all speed penalties from magical or nonmagical means, including the speed reduction of your armor (effects that would stop you completely, however, still work normally). Also, you instantly succeed on all rolls to move while grappling against an opponent of the same size or smaller, and all the squares you move through that were difficult terrain before are no longer considered difficult terrain afterward (for instance, when you pass through rubble,it levels).

Bloodthirsty Berserk: You gain Fast Healing 1. Whenever you deal lethal damage to an opponent, your Fast Healing increases by 1 until the end of the berserk.

Mad Berserk: You cannot be stunned nor paralyzed, and you gain an unlimited number of attacks of opportunity per round. However, you are also forced to AoO anyone who enters or leaves one of your threatened squares, even if he's an ally.

Debilitating Berserk: If you deal lethal damage to an opponent, he must make a fort save against a DC equal to damage dealt. If he fails, he permanently loses any Fast Healing or Regeneration he may have, cannot heal naturally and only heals 50% from spells (regains them via Wish/Miracle/Reality Revision). If he succeeds, he only loses Fast Healing or Regeneration for 1 minute.

Genocidal Berserk: During a round in which you are in a genocidal berserk and you drop a foe, do not count that round towards your maximum number of berserk rounds per day. Additionally, while you are in a Genocidal Berserk, if you would deal damage to an opponent so that he falls between -1 and -9 hit points, his hit points become -10 instead.

At level 20, a viking acquires either Sublime or Mighty Berserk. Mighty requires that you've never used Disciplined Training (except at first level).

Sublime Berserk: You receive a +4 morale bonus to all ability scores.

Mighty Berserk: Whenever your target would be dealt critical damage, he dies instead. Also, if you miss your opponent's AC by 4 or less, he still receives half the damage.




Momentum (Ex): Whenever a level 2 or higher viking moves in a straight line to attack an opponent, he deals 1 more damage for every square he moves. This damage bonus is capped at the viking's class level.

Undaunting (Ex): A level 3 or higher viking is immune to fear, magical or otherwise, and to intimidation.

Mother Death's Embrace (Ex): A level 4 or higher viking revels in death, both of himself and others, being empowered by it. If his hit points are below half his maximum, and he attacks an opponent whose hit points are below half his (the opponent's) maximum in melee, he deals 2d6 more damage. This damage is not multiplied on a critical hit and doesn't apply to constructs and elementals, but DOES apply to any other target normally immune to precision damage (including undead). The damage is increased by 2d6 for every 5 levels of the viking.

Murderous Cessation (Ex): A level 6 or higher viking has enough clarity to stop his berserking after someone died by his hands. If, during a frenzy, he drops a foe, he may end the berserk prematurely as a free action. The number of rounds in which he berserked is subtracted from his daily total, and he can no longer go berserk during that particular encounter.

Axe Wielder (Ex): A level 6 viking gains Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialization with all weapons with "axe" in their name, and treats all exotic weapons with "axe" in their name as if they were martial.

Pain Resilience (Ex): A level 7 or higher viking has experienced pain so often it has no effect on him. He gains a +4 untyped bonus to saves against spells with Pain in their name and is immune to nonlethal damage.

Mighty Blow (Ex): A level 8 viking can perform a relatively slow hit of great power against a foe in melee. Delivering a mighty blow requires a full round action, and provokes attacks of opportunity. You need to have a Str score of at least 12 and be proficient with the weapon you are using. Furthermore, the weapon must not be light. If a mighty blow hits your target (the attack roll is higher than AC, in other words), it counts both as a normal melee attack that deals weapon damage and a sunder attempt against whatever piece of armor, weapon or item you choose. Also, regardless of how much damage this attack deals, the target must still make a fortitude save against dying as if it was dealt massive damage.

Dual Berserk: A level 11 or higher viking applies two traits to his berserk simultaneously.

Viking Bones: A level 12 viking has incredibly tough bones from fracturing them multiple times, and a thick and protective coating of muscle to top it off. He becomes immune to bludgeoning damage.

Legendary Axe Wielder (Ex): A level 12 viking is treated as having Greater Weapon Focus and Greater Weapon Specialization with any weapon with axe in its name. He need not meet the prerequisites.

Bloody Pursuit (Ex): A level 13 viking chooses an opposing target (must be hostile) within line of sight at the beginning of an encounter. As long as the viking takes no move action that would increase the distance between him and the target, he may charge despite difficult terrain as long as the charge is directed at the target. Also, the target receives a -2 penalty to attack rolls and concentration checks for the entire encounter if he ever takes a move action that would distance him from the viking.

Mighty Axe Wielder (Ex): A level 16 viking may wield axes 1 size category larger without incurring any penalty for doing so.

Herald for Valhalla (Su): A level 17 viking attracts the attention of the gods. He may Commune as a cleric of his level 4 times per day with any god with the War domain, and he gains a +2 sacred bonus to an ability score of his choice. This choice can be changed once per week.

Perpetual Aggression (Ex): A level 18 viking has spent so much of his life berserking that a part of that northern fury remains instilled in him. He must choose a level 1 or 5 berserk trait that he has not selected for its berserk feature itself. He permanently exhibits that trait, even when he is not berserking. He need not meet prerequisites, and if he chooses Hardy Berserk, does not gain the stacking fort bonus.

Undying Slaughter (Su): Whenever a level 20 viking would die because of hit point damage, he can as a free action immediately return himself to full hit points by expending 10 rounds of berserking.


You may PEACH.

[Ashtagon]

Viking Bones: A level 12 viking has incredibly tough bones from fracturing them multiple times, and a thick and protective coating of muscle to top it off. He becomes immune to bludgeoning damage.

That is incredibly powerful. At least make it DR 20 or something arbitrarily high. As written, this would actually let him walk over some epic level stuff.

[Phosphate]

And Trolls have regeneration and can be played at LA.

[silphael]

Herald for Valhalla (Su): A level 17 viking attracts the attention of the gods. He may Commune as a cleric of his level 4 times per day with Kord, and he gains a +2 sacred bonus to an ability score of his choice. This choice can be changed once per week.

Maybe exchange Kord for "a deity appropriate with her alignement".

The next point is truly personnal: I don't love alignement prerequisites on a base class. Differences between alignements, maybe, but not alignement prerequisites. And why just chaotic? The barbarian is "non lawful".

The duration of your berserk is very short at first level, and very long at higher levels. Maybe make it per encounter, as I cannot see why he couldn't be able to rage more times per day (and I'm asking the same thing for the poor barbarian, don't bother ^^)

[Morph Bark]

And Trolls have regeneration and can be played at LA.

The difference being that regeneration does not make something overpowered or unplayable. Trolls still take damage, after all. It's only when you combine them with other things to make them immune to nonlethal damage that they become overpowered/unplayable.

[Phosphate]

Maybe exchange Kord for "a deity appropriate with her alignement".

The next point is truly personnal: I don't love alignement prerequisites on a base class. Differences between alignements, maybe, but not alignement prerequisites. And why just chaotic? The barbarian is "non lawful".

The duration of your berserk is very short at first level, and very long at higher levels. Maybe make it per encounter, as I cannot see why he couldn't be able to rage more times per day (and I'm asking the same thing for the poor barbarian, don't bother ^^)

I see the viking as more self-centered than the barbarian. At least, with most barbarian's there's the clan and the sense of community...vikings compete with their fellow camarades for bigger spoils and honors.

The duration is indeed short at first level, but THINK about what you get:

As a level 1 character, you're proficient with everything, have all good saves, best hit dice, one fighter bonus feat and for 3 rounds can stomp all level-appropriate encounters. Tell me how many other classes are better than that. At level 1. With no familiar/animal companion/psicrystal.



The difference being that regeneration does not make something overpowered or unplayable. Trolls still take damage, after all. It's only when you combine them with other things to make them immune to nonlethal damage that they become overpowered/unplayable.

I still don't think it's overpowered or unplayable by any means. And if you're going that way, 12 levels in a class is more work than the LA of the Ghost template, which rids you of bludgeoning damage unless you're fighting someone wealthy and mindful enough to Ghost Touch it.

But whatever, if that's the consensus, you can tell me an alternative that doesn't totally make it underpowered.

[silphael]

I see the viking as more self-centered than the barbarian. At least, with most barbarian's there's the clan and the sense of community...vikings compete with their fellow camarades for bigger spoils and honors.

The duration is indeed short at first level, but THINK about what you get:

As a level 1 character, you're proficient with everything, have all good saves, best hit dice, one fighter bonus feat and for 3 rounds can stomp all level-appropriate encounters. Tell me how many other classes are better than that. At level 1. With no familiar/animal companion/psicrystal.

I'm from the school that says a main melee (and your viking is one of those) should have all good saves, or at least 2 of them, often will and fort (after all, they are though and nearly fearless, right?), and one fighter bonus feat isn't such a great deal, as they are so often poorly builded... Your berserk isn't good enough, at level 1, to be truly worth it, and is quickly increasing to something truly good. But at level 1, you have a +4 to str for 3 rounds, for exemple, and you need one round to build it up.

Now, look at 20th level duration, you have something like 60 rounds (or 20+10+2x13 (number of things slayed yesterday according to standard number of encounter per day), that is nearly the same) of rage. Who is gonna want to count those 60 rounds? Make it per encounter, and there is no problem with it.

[Phosphate]

I'm from the school that says a main melee (and your viking is one of those) should have all good saves, or at least 2 of them, often will and fort (after all, they are though and nearly fearless, right?), and one fighter bonus feat isn't such a great deal, as they are so often poorly builded... Your berserk isn't good enough, at level 1, to be truly worth it, and is quickly increasing to something truly good. But at level 1, you have a +4 to str for 3 rounds, for exemple, and you need one round to build it up.

You're not limited to core fighter feats. As I've alluded directly in the feature description, you can take Martial Training, and gain the full benefit. Which basically makes you 100% better than a level 1 Crusader. And Crusaders are pretty good.


Now, look at 20th level duration, you have something like 60 rounds (or 20+10+2x13 (number of things slayed yesterday according to standard number of encounter per day), that is nearly the same) of rage. Who is gonna want to count those 60 rounds?

You mean you've never played a level 8+ psion that you constantly had to track pp total for. It's basically the same thing.

[JennTora]

I see the viking as more self-centered than the barbarian. At least, with most barbarian's there's the clan and the sense of community...vikings compete with their fellow camarades for bigger spoils and honors.

You're off base here, vikings generally had tribes and clans that they belonged to, for the most part. They weren't all selfish bastards and were actually a lot like d&d barbarians. Besides, a lawful or neutral individual can still be selfish.

[Bulwer]

Why not spread out "Mighty Axe Wielder" over the whole class? A lot of players would want to take some of those earlier.

[Aldreck]

Two questions about perpetual agression:

Do the prerequisites apply if you want to spend it on Ruinous or Reaping Berserk?

Hardy Berserk has the fort save boost 'until berserk ends'; how does that work if I use perpetual aggression to take it? (I'd assume until the end of the encounter, but it needs clarifying)

[Phosphate]

You're off base here, vikings generally had tribes and clans that they belonged to, for the most part. They weren't all selfish bastards and were actually a lot like d&d barbarians. Besides, a lawful or neutral individual can still be selfish.

Tribes and clans promoting the idea of personal gratification and always getting your way with sufficient might, I'd add. Kind of like orcish communities, except not necessarily evil.

I would probably relax it to any non-lawful, but won't go further.


Why not spread out "Mighty Axe Wielder" over the whole class? A lot of players would want to take some of those earlier.

Hmm...ok.


Two questions about perpetual agression:

Do the prerequisites apply if you want to spend it on Ruinous or Reaping Berserk?

Hardy Berserk has the fort save boost 'until berserk ends'; how does that work if I use perpetual aggression to take it? (I'd assume until the end of the encounter, but it needs clarifying)

1. Nope. I will mention, thanks for catching that.
2. Again, thanks for catching that. I will mention in the ability that it doesn't provide the fort bonus when permanencied.

[GenghisDon]

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A viking is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light armor, and all shields.

So they need to spend a feat on medium armor prof to wear a mail hauberk, scale or hide? All Archetypal armors?



[Disciplined Training: A level 1 viking gains 1 feat from the fighter bonus feat list, for which he must meet all prerequisites. Then, at every level except 1st, when he would normally gain a new type of Berserk, he may choose to not gain it and receive another feat from the fighter bonus feat list instead. If he chooses Martial Study through this class feature, treat his initiator level as his class level instead of half, as noted in the feat.

Berserk (Ex): A viking can fly in a specific, rather controlled rage to crush down his opponents. As he progresses in class levels, his berserking diversifies.

A viking can go berserk for a number of rounds per day equal to either triple his class level or his class level+his con mod+the number of experience-granting creatures he dropped the previous day (whichever is lower). Low-level vikings (the ones who have not yet gained Murderous Cessation) can't stop their berserk until they are dead or the full duration passes, which basically means they can only berserk once per day.

Going berserk requires a full round action. When a viking is berserking, he is immensely focused, which contributes to slow down his reactions. Thus, he cannot use any swift or immediate actions. Furthermore, his capacity for thought is diminished, which prohibits him from casting spells, manifesting powers and using intelligence-based skills. Berserking puts him in a certain state of mind, which gives him a +4 untyped bonus to will saves against fear and mind control, but also makes him immune to morale penalties and bonuses (except for the bonuses berserking itself can provide). A berserk is less tiresome than a barbarian rage, so at the end of the berserk the viking is fatigued until the end of the encounter only if he is wearing medium or heavy armor. If he is wearing light or no armor, no fatigue occurs.

Normally at the beginning of a berserk you choose one trait for the berserk. You gain one of two available traits at level 1, and 1 additional trait at levels 5, 10, 15 and 20 (unless you choose Disciplined Training for that level instead). Regardless of the trait applied, berserking remains an extraordinary ability.

OK

In the spoiler below, all berserk traits are explained:

[spoiler]
At level 1, a viking acquires either Powerful or Frightful Berserk.


Powerful Berserk: You gain a +4 morale bonus to your Strength score and are immune to all ability score damage and drain. Ability score damage and drain acquired before berserking is not healed.

I'd amend this to ability score damage or drains are supressed until the berserker rage ends, then all are applied normally.


Frightful Berserk: Whenever you deal damage to a creature, it must make a Will save against a DC of 10+damage dealt. If it fails it is shaken until you are no longer in its line of sight for at least 5 minutes. If it succeeds it is immune to this ability for 24 hours. If the damage you deal to a creature is equal to or higher than a third of its hit points rounded up, the creature is denied a save.

I'd prefer a free action or swift action intimidate check vs anything the berserker causes melee damage to, instead. Damage numbers are nothing like save DC's. If you must use such a terrible mechanic, make the DC=damage taken by creature.


At level 5, a viking acquires either Hardy, Vicious, Ruinous or Reaping Berserk. Ruinous requires Frightful already known, and Reaping requires Powerful.

can they pick the other lower level version if desired?


Hardy Berserk: You gain a +4 morale bonus to your Constitution score and whenever you succeed on a fortitude save, you gain a stacking +1 bonus to your fortitude saves until the berserk ends. Also, you are immune to poison until the berserk ends.

I don't think stacking cascade effects are a good design, but cool.


Vicious Berserk: Whenever you attack an opponent in melee and deal lethal damage, the opponent receives 2d6 more damage, but you also receive 1d6 damage. Doesn't stack with the damage bonus from actually wielding a Vicious weapon.

cool


Ruinous Berserk: Whenever you attack an opponent in melee and deal lethal damage, his AC is reduced by 1 permanently. Stacks. The penalty can only be removed in two ways: doing nothing for a full round or receiving a Heal spell.

Sorry, but that's silly. How about an armor sunder attack/cleaving sunder type effect instead? Attack damages both armor worn & the creature wearing it? yeah, I know damaged armor is all or nothing RAW, but what are ya gonna do? Still, hacking a foe's armor right off is quite possible this way.


Reaping Berserk: Whenever you drop a foe that awards experience, you gain a +1 morale bonus to all ability score modifiers for 1 round. Doesn't stack.

how about +1 morale bonus to hit, damage, ability & skill checks instead? Aren't they immune to morale effects BTW?


At level 10, a viking acquires either Staunch, Rapid, Sturdy, Reckless, Disrupting or Cleaving Berserk. Sturdy requires Hardy, Reckless requires Vicious, Debilitating requires Ruinous, and Cleaving requires Reaping.

again, they should be able to take a lower level effect if they want to


Staunch Berserk: You are treated as having the Improved Mettle class feature. Furthermore, if you fail a reflex save against an effect that would push you a distance or make you fall prone, you may make a fort save against it instead. If you do so, you do not gain the benefit of Improved Mettle.

shouldn't they get mettle before improved mettle? what would improved mettle do vs being pushed/tripped anyway? the replaced save part I get.


Rapid Berserk: You gain a morale bonus to speed equal to your base speed - 10 feet. You gain a +4 dodge bonus against attacks of opportunity caused by moving within threatened squares.

maybe they are not immune to morale effects? cool ability


Sturdy Berserk: You gain DR/-- equal to half your class level rounded down and all your energy resistances increase by 10.

hmmm. My gut is DR & ER= to Con mod, but you want high powered. How about DR & ER= 1/2 class level?


Reckless Berserk: You gain a +10 bonus to damage, which you can only apply to attacks which use your full BaB. However, you receive a -4 penalty to AC against the opponent you hit the previous round and a -2 penalty to AC against everyone else.

how about +6 damage (+9 when str mod is 1.5, +3 when str mod is .5) & a -3 AC penalty?


Disrupting Berserk: When dealing lethal damage in melee to an opponent, he must make a Fort save against a DC of 10+class level/2+str mod. If he fails, he receives 1d6 damage to his Str and Dex. If he succeeds, he receives 1 damage.

the creature struck must save I take it? one will want clear language where possible. saves are 10+1/2 level+mod, unless it's a PRC & even then it drops back to normal in epic. 2 points is probably enough BTW.


Cleaving Berserk: Whenever you drop a foe during the berserk, you gain 1 point. You may have a maximum of str mod points or 6, whichever is lower. As a standard action, you may make a number of attacks with anything but a natural weapon equal to the number of points you've accumulated, all of them at BaB - 5. Your point total resets to 0, and you do not gain points in the round in which you spend points.

misnamed & kinda clunky. sorry.


At level 15, a viking acquires either Deathless, Lucid, Stone, Dashing, Bloodthirsty, Mad, Debilitating or Genocidal Berserk. Stone requires Staunch, Dashing requires Rapid, Bloodthirsty requires Sturdy, Mad requires Reckless, Debilitating requires Disrupting and Genocidal requires Cleaving.

Deathless Berserk: You do not lose consciousness and do not die until either the berserk ends or your negative hitpoints become equal to your maximum hit points (for instance, if your max hp is 99, you're dead at -99). However, you are still unstable and receive 1 damage per round if under 0 hp.

probably should also be limited in actions like as in diehard.


Lucid Berserk: You are immune to all mind-affecting effects, ignore all illusions, cannot receive damage from shadows, and can cast spells, manifest powers, and use Int-based skills.

Interesting, but I'd probably just give a bonus vs illusions, and certainly remove the shadow immunity, although I'm actually not that clear what is meant there. Shadow spells? Monsters? both?


Stone Berserk: You instantly succeed on all fortitude saves without rolling, and become immune to acid damage.

how about all fort saves except on a 1 (even rocks can break), and half damage vs acid?


Dashing Berserk: You ignore all speed penalties from magical or nonmagical means, including the speed reduction of your armor (effects that would stop you completely, however, still work normally). Also, you instantly succeed on all rolls to move while grappling against an opponent of the same size or smaller, and all the squares you move through that were difficult terrain before are no longer considered difficult terrain afterward (for instance, when you pass through rubble,it levels).

hmmm


Bloodthirsty Berserk: You gain Fast Healing 1. Whenever you deal lethal damage to an opponent, your Fast Healing increases by 1 until the end of the berserk.

how about: any round you do damage to a foe in melee, you gain FH=con mod for 1 round? or better, you gain temp HP?


Mad Berserk: You cannot be stunned nor paralyzed, and you gain an unlimited number of attacks of opportunity per round. However, you are also forced to AoO anyone who enters or leaves one of your threatened squares, even if he's an ally.

hmmm. I hate unlimited effects (& complete immunity in general)...how about twice dex mod AOO's max? do we really need to see 100 weak critters die in a round & 100 extra great cleave attacks from it?


Debilitating Berserk: If you deal lethal damage to an opponent, he must make a fort save against a DC equal to damage dealt. If he fails, he permanently loses any Fast Healing or Regeneration he may have, cannot heal naturally and only heals 50% from spells (regains them via Wish/Miracle/Reality Revision). If he succeeds, he only loses Fast Healing or Regeneration for 1 minute.

DC 10+1/2 level +str mod. save should negate too, but how about 1 round on a save?


Genocidal Berserk: During a round in which you are in a genocidal berserk and you drop a foe, do not count that round towards your maximum number of berserk rounds per day. Additionally, while you are in a Genocidal Berserk, if you would deal damage to an opponent so that he falls between -1 and -9 hit points, his hit points become -10 instead.

all good, save for the drop=dead part. How about a AOO coup de grace attack when they drop a foe?


At level 20, a viking acquires either Sublime or Mighty Berserk. Mighty requires that you've never used Disciplined Training (except at first level).

Sublime Berserk: You receive a +4 morale bonus to all ability scores.

morale again? makes sense actually, but they simply can'y be immune to them.


Mighty Berserk: Whenever your target would be dealt critical damage, he dies instead. Also, if you miss your opponent's AC by 4 or less, he still receives half the damage.

ouch! I've seen the late 3.5 & 4e influence earlier, but ok. how about critical causes fort save (10+1/2L+str mod) or die? and "if you miss, but succeed in hitting your target's touch AC, you deal 1/4 damage anyway? 4 or less is pretty arbitrary (it would work for AD&D though)

All the berserk stuff could have ability focus for +2 DC, & I'd consider a new feat called Berserker Focus: +1 DC to all Berzerk DC's...although STR is so easily spammed I likely would not.



[Momentum (Ex): Whenever a level 2 or higher viking moves in a straight line to attack an opponent, he deals 1 more damage for every square he moves. This damage bonus is capped at the viking's class level.

call it "whenever he charges"


Undaunting (Ex): A level 3 or higher viking is immune to fear, magical or otherwise, and to intimidation.

immune sucks, especially at L3. REDUCE fear effects one step is sane. Frightened=Shaken, ect. Shaken=no effect.


Mother Death's Embrace (Ex): A level 4 or higher viking revels in death, both of himself and others, being empowered by it. If his hit points are below half his maximum, and he attacks an opponent whose hit points are below half his (the opponent's) maximum in melee, he deals 2d6 more damage. This damage is not multiplied on a critical hit and doesn't apply to constructs and elementals, but DOES apply to any other target normally immune to precision damage (including undead). The damage is increased by 2d6 for every 5 levels of the viking.

confusing. It's extra damage when the character & his target are below 1/2 HP, correct? an extra d6 per 4 levels sounds better. 4=d6, 8=2d6, 12=3d6, 16=4d6 & 20=5d6


Murderous Cessation (Ex): A level 6 or higher viking has enough clarity to stop his berserking after someone died by his hands. If, during a frenzy, he drops a foe, he may end the berserk prematurely as a free action. The number of rounds in which he berserked is subtracted from his daily total, and he can no longer go berserk during that particular encounter.

the safety valve. ok


Axe Wielder (Ex): A level 6 viking gains Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialization with all weapons with "axe" in their name, and treats all exotic weapons with "axe" in their name as if they were martial.

I'd allow some variation, the viking prime weapon (like pretty everyone else) was the spear. blades ain't bad, neither. So allow choice of axe, spear or swords. spear includes javelin, half spear, spear, long spear, ranseur/spear pole arms, & maybe an exotic if it suits. sword includes dagger/knife, seax (slashing short sword), long sword, bastard sword. no greatswords for vikings.

"best" choice will remain the axes, but a player CAN use something else. you might also, while we're being crazy, give the chracter with axe or spear wielder the option to take WF & WSP halberd for 1 feat


Pain Resilience (Ex): A level 7 or higher viking has experienced pain so often it has no effect on him. He gains a +4 untyped bonus to saves against spells with Pain in their name and is immune to nonlethal damage.

how about half damage from non-lethal?


Mighty Blow (Ex): A level 8 viking can perform a relatively slow hit of great power against a foe in melee. Delivering a mighty blow requires a full round action, and provokes attacks of opportunity. You need to have a Str score of at least 12 and be proficient with the weapon you are using. Furthermore, the weapon must not be light. If a mighty blow hits your target (the attack roll is higher than AC, in other words), it counts both as a normal melee attack that deals weapon damage and a sunder attempt against whatever piece of armor, weapon or item you choose. Also, regardless of how much damage this attack deals, the target must still make a fortitude save against dying as if it was dealt massive damage.

kinda how I'd change some above rage stuff, but ok. Kinda mild by your standards. I was thinking auto-crit threat.


Dual Berserk: A level 11 or higher viking applies two traits to his berserk simultaneously.

since we are pretending the fighter/feat version is an option, how about a bonus fighter feat here for the non-berserks?


Viking Bones: A level 12 viking has incredibly tough bones from fracturing them multiple times, and a thick and protective coating of muscle to top it off. He becomes immune to bludgeoning damage.

LOL. how about DR=con or str bonus/slashing or piercing?


Legendary Axe Wielder (Ex): A level 12 viking is treated as having Greater Weapon Focus and Greater Weapon Specialization with any weapon with axe in its name. He need not meet the prerequisites.

legendary spearman & swordsman too, please!


Bloody Pursuit (Ex): A level 13 viking chooses an opposing target (must be hostile) within line of sight at the beginning of an encounter. As long as the viking takes no move action that would increase the distance between him and the target, he may charge despite difficult terrain as long as the charge is directed at the target. Also, the target receives a -2 penalty to attack rolls and concentration checks for the entire encounter if he ever takes a move action that would distance him from the viking.

ok. I don't understand the penalty reasoning, but ?


Mighty Axe Wielder (Ex): A level 16 viking may wield axes 1 size category larger without incurring any penalty for doing so.

This is just anime or power gamer cheese. YMMV though.


Herald for Valhalla (Su): A level 17 viking attracts the attention of the gods. He may Commune as a cleric of his level 4 times per day with any god with the War domain, and he gains a +2 sacred bonus to an ability score of his choice. This choice can be changed once per week.

How about costing 100 XP each time, despite being SU?


Perpetual Aggression (Ex): A level 18 viking has spent so much of his life berserking that a part of that northern fury remains instilled in him. He must choose a level 1 or 5 berserk trait that he has not selected for its berserk feature itself. He permanently exhibits that trait, even when he is not berserking. He need not meet prerequisites, and if he chooses Hardy Berserk, does not gain the stacking fort bonus.

or fighter bonus feat


Undying Slaughter (Su): Whenever a level 20 viking would die because of hit point damage, he can as a free action immediately return himself to full hit points by expending 10 rounds of berserking.

Whenever a level 20 viking dies because of hit point damage, he can take an immediate action to return to life as if affected by a raise dead spell by expending 10 rounds of berserking. His HP will be 100 (or less if he has less than 100 at max). No ability score will be lower than 3. Yes, he looses a level too!

OR: another fighter bonus feat


You may PEACH.

OK

[Phosphate]

So they need to spend a feat on medium armor prof to wear a mail hauberk, scale or hide? All Archetypal armors?

Meh...ok.

I'd amend this to ability score damage or drains are supressed until the berserker rage ends, then all are applied normally.

Why? That's weak.


I'd prefer a free action or swift action intimidate check vs anything the berserker causes melee damage to, instead. Damage numbers are nothing like save DC's. If you must use such a terrible mechanic, make the DC=damage taken by creature.

The ability is written as-is BECAUSE I want it to always succeed against a foe of the same level. Why do you think Concentration checks are intended to be fudged most of the time?


can they pick the other lower level version if desired?

Nope. Some same-level abilities (like the level 10s) combo too well together with Dual.


Sorry, but that's silly. How about an armor sunder attack/cleaving sunder type effect instead? Attack damages both armor worn & the creature wearing it? yeah, I know damaged armor is all or nothing RAW, but what are ya gonna do? Still, hacking a foe's armor right off is quite possible this way.

What do you think a player would prefer? An all or nothing kind of effect, or a surefire effect they know they will always incur on-hit?


how about +1 morale bonus to hit, damage, ability & skill checks instead? Aren't they immune to morale effects BTW?

Considering that hit, damage, and skill checks are all tied to abilities, it's a lengthier way of saying the exact same thing. Also, in case you misread:

Berserking puts him in a certain state of mind, which gives him a +4 untyped bonus to will saves against fear and mind control, but also makes him immune to morale penalties and bonuses (except for the bonuses berserking itself can provide)


again, they should be able to take a lower level effect if they want to

Disagree.


shouldn't they get mettle before improved mettle? what would improved mettle do vs being pushed/tripped anyway? the replaced save part I get.

Mettle is weak enough that I didn't bother. And I just SAID, when you replace ref with fort, you DON'T gain the benefit of improved mettle. Which is to say, if there is an on-success effect of the push/trip, you incur it.


maybe they are not immune to morale effects? cool ability

Again...reread the description of berserking.


How about DR & ER= 1/2 class level?

DR is already 1/2 class level, ER is too low if I'd put it like that.


how about +6 damage (+9 when str mod is 1.5, +3 when str mod is .5) & a -3 AC penalty?

Nah, too weak.


the creature struck must save I take it? one will want clear language where possible. saves are 10+1/2 level+mod, unless it's a PRC & even then it drops back to normal in epic. 2 points is probably enough BTW.

Yes, it must.
The save IS 10+1/2 level+mod, what have you read?
And 2 points is clearly not enough if almost all the time people critique me all the time that when I implement ability damage, the damage is too low.


misnamed & kinda clunky. sorry.

How is it misnamed? It works exactly like Cleave, except it is Delayed. And it's one of the strongest features of the class.


probably should also be limited in actions like as in diehard.

I used to think the same way, until I played more and realized that diehard sucks.


Interesting, but I'd probably just give a bonus vs illusions, and certainly remove the shadow immunity, although I'm actually not that clear what is meant there. Shadow spells? Monsters? both?

Considering that the most used and most useful illiusions DON'T offer saves, what bonus are you talking about? And yes, both shadow spells and shadow monsters.


how about all fort saves except on a 1 (even rocks can break), and half damage vs acid?

Weak.


how about: any round you do damage to a foe in melee, you gain FH=con mod for 1 round? or better, you gain temp HP?

Surprisingly, here I must actually say "too strong".


hmmm. I hate unlimited effects (& complete immunity in general)...how about twice dex mod AOO's max? do we really need to see 100 weak critters die in a round & 100 extra great cleave attacks from it?

If the really MUST attack me....a viking really should be able to do that against a hoard of 10 level lower opponents if you ask me anyway.


DC 10+1/2 level +str mod. save should negate too, but how about 1 round on a save?

If saves should negate, why do evasion and mettle exist? And yes, 1 round on a save is too low.


all good, save for the drop=dead part. How about a AOO coup de grace attack when they drop a foe?

Considering that there is a level 2 spell doing exactly what this rage does, I don't see why.


morale again? makes sense actually, but they simply can'y be immune to them.

...


ouch! I've seen the late 3.5 & 4e influence earlier, but ok. how about critical causes fort save (10+1/2L+str mod) or die? and "if you miss, but succeed in hitting your target's touch AC, you deal 1/4 damage anyway? 4 or less is pretty arbitrary (it would work for AD&D though)

Nah, vorpal is underpowered anyway, so why give them a chance?

And the 4 makes perfect sense. Someone not beating your AC means one of 3 things: that you parried their attack, that you dodged their attack, or that the attack hit a particularly hard patch of your armor and had no effect. I see it like this: at very high difference misses, you don't even get to hit your foe. At somewhat lower difference misses, your foe must actually act in order to defend from you (but succeeds). At near-hit, what actually happens is, for instance, you hit a full plated opponent in the middle of a hard plate. He couldn't have stopped you from doing that, but it ain't have no effect either. Well...unless you're a viking ;). Then it does damage you. Got it?


call it "whenever he charges"

Why? Maybe he doesn't want to take a penalty to AC.


immune sucks, especially at L3. REDUCE fear effects one step is sane. Frightened=Shaken, ect. Shaken=no effect.

Pally


confusing. It's extra damage when the character & his target are below 1/2 HP, correct?

Yes.


an extra d6 per 4 levels sounds better. 4=d6, 8=2d6, 12=3d6, 16=4d6 & 20=5d6

Too weak.


I'd allow some variation, the viking prime weapon (like pretty everyone else) was the spear. blades ain't bad, neither. So allow choice of axe, spear or swords. spear includes javelin, half spear, spear, long spear, ranseur/spear pole arms, & maybe an exotic if it suits. sword includes dagger/knife, seax (slashing short sword), long sword, bastard sword. no greatswords for vikings.

"best" choice will remain the axes, but a player CAN use something else. you might also, while we're being crazy, give the chracter with axe or spear wielder the option to take WF & WSP halberd for 1 feat

I don't wanna give him reach, I really don't. But meh, if you want to you can use it with some other word than axe there and call it a personal fix and a day.


how about half damage from non-lethal?

Weak.


since we are pretending the fighter/feat version is an option, how about a bonus fighter feat here for the non-berserks?

I think you misread Disciplined Training. You get to choose whether to learn a berserk or gain a feat at EVERY level, and at level 1 you get both. So the 3 builds below are all possible:

Lv 1: Powerful Berserk, Power Attack
Lv 5: Martial Study
Lv 10: Improved Trip
Lv 15: Precise Shot
Lv 20: Point Blank Shot

Lv 1: Frightful Berserk, Improved Sunder
Lv 5: Ruinous Berserk
Lv 10: Disrupting Berserk
Lv 15: Debilitating Berserk
Lv 20: Mighty Berserk

Lv 1: Frightful Berserk, Two-Weapon Fighting
Lv 5: Two-Weapon Defense
Lv 10: Rapid Berserk
Lv 15: Improved Critical
Lv 20: Sublime Berserk


LOL. how about DR=con or str bonus/slashing or piercing?[/qote]

Hmm...maybe.

[quote]legendary spearman & swordsman too, please!

DIY


ok. I don't understand the penalty reasoning, but ?

You never played a knight?


This is just anime or power gamer cheese. YMMV though.

No, it is watered down Powerful Build (and the main REASON for taking Powerful Build anyway).


How about costing 100 XP each time, despite being SU?

What difference would it make? At that level, 100 XP is nothing.


or fighter bonus feat

No.


Whenever a level 20 viking dies because of hit point damage, he can take an immediate action to return to life as if affected by a raise dead spell by expending 10 rounds of berserking. His HP will be 100 (or less if he has less than 100 at max). No ability score will be lower than 3. Yes, he looses a level too!

Too weak.


OR: another fighter bonus feat

Nah.

[Gnomish Wanderer]

Tribes and clans promoting the idea of personal gratification and always getting your way with sufficient might, I'd add. Kind of like orcish communities, except not necessarily evil.

I would probably relax it to any non-lawful, but won't go further.
Yeah, no. Communities which also valued things like generosity, openness, concern for others, and the like. You are clearly choosing to paint vikings in a certain light.

I'd highly suggest you change the name from Viking to something like 'Raiders' to avoid insulting people who take issue with your portrayal, such as myself. And then actually care about the fluff.

Also I find fault in the way you handle criticism. It makes me feel like you don't want comments that aren't positive, because you seem to act ambivalent towards positive advice and hostile towards negative. Just saying, it puts people off.

[pffh]

Tribes and clans promoting the idea of personal gratification and always getting your way with sufficient might, I'd add. Kind of like orcish communities, except not necessarily evil.

I would probably relax it to any non-lawful, but won't go further.

What no. Vikings as a whole were about as lawful neutral as you can get. Their law is everything to them.

This is more like a berserker then a viking and would be shunned by most viking communities.

[JennTora]

Yeah, no. Communities which also valued things like generosity, openness, concern for others, and the like. You are clearly choosing to paint vikings in a certain light.

I'd highly suggest you change the name from Viking to something like 'Raiders' to avoid insulting people who take issue with your portrayal, such as myself. And then actually care about the fluff.

Also I find fault in the way you handle criticism. It makes me feel like you don't want comments that aren't positive, because you seem to act ambivalent towards positive advice and hostile towards negative. Just saying, it puts people off.

I was going to say the same thing. A lot of the vikings were basically pirates, but most were just sea faring merchants, though they did definitely prepare themselves for combat. And of course just about all the tribes of northern europe back then are being in modern times called vikings. The word viking actually just means "someone who goes on a seafaring journey to sell stuff". It doesn't refer to any nationality or ethnicity of any sort. I'm not even sure if the op meant to base this class on norsemen or seafaring merchants, but from what I can tell he's thinking of berserks, which barbarians are likely based on anyway. Not all, or even most depending on time period and exact location, berserks were outcast by the way.

[Eldest]

Vikings. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viking#Common_misconceptions_concerning_the_Viking s) Read that little section. I have a few friends who would be ticked at the way you are describing Vikings.
The level five and up berserk abilities are very out of skew, balance wise. I would never take the Vicious or Reaping berserk line of abilities. And yes, it is a line. After 5th level, you have no choice in abilities. Why you wrote them up as separate abilities is a bit perplexing, in fact. Immunity to bludgeoning is a bit over the top, as mentioned. Same with immunity to non-lethal damage. Everything else is powerful, but not insane compared with those things I pointed out.

[Zale]

So, what are Slyphs and why can't they be Vikings?

[Steward]

So, what are Slyphs and why can't they be Vikings?

I think sylphs are creatures like creatures like Celia from the Order of the Stick webcomic, seen in this strip (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0053.html) (the first couple of panels, the monster talking to her mother on the cell phone is a sylph). They're basically fairy like creatures of air and I guess they don't fit the archetypal depiction of a Viking raider because they are very small and physically unimpressive.

[LordErebus12]

The sylph restriction makes no sense as far as pathfinder.
they are basically Air Genasi now.

http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2011/250/e/c/sylph_by_fernosaur-d496v3g.jpg

Sylph Characters
Sylphs are defined by class levels—they do not possess racial Hit Dice. Sylphs have the following racial traits.

+2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, –2 Constitution: Sylphs are quick and insightful, but slight and delicate.

Medium Sized

Darkvision: Sylphs can see in the dark up to 60 feet.

Sylph Magic: Feather fall 1/day (caster level equals the sylph's Hit Dice).

Energy Resistance: Sylphs have electricity resistance 5.

Air Affinity (Ex): Sylph sorcerers with the elemental (air) bloodline treat their Charisma score as 2 points higher for all sorcerer spells and class abilities. Sylph clerics with the Air domain cast their domain powers and spells at +1 caster level.

Languages: Sylphs begin play speaking Common and Auran. Sylphs with high Intelligence scores can choose any of the following bonus languages: Aquan, Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Halfling, Ignan, and Terran.


Sylphs are humans whose family trees include elemental beings of air, such as djinn. They tend to be pale and thin to the point of appearing delicate, though their skinny bodies are more resilient than they look. While many can pass unnoticed through crowds of humans, sylphs display their heritage in subtle ways, and those who study them carefully sometimes notice that breezes seem to follow a sylph wherever she goes, even inside rooms with no windows. When consumed by fits of anger or passion, these tendencies become more apparent, as winds surround the sylph and tousle her hair or knock small items from shelves. Many sylphs have complex markings on their pale flesh that resemble tiny swirling designs like blue and gray tattoos, and the most exotic of their kind have hair that twists and coils almost as if it were made of living mist.

As people, sylphs tend to be shy and reclusive, blending into crowds or skillfully avoiding those they don't desire to meet. Yet while they often prefer to manipulate situations and avoid conflict themselves, most sylphs remain intensely curious about other people, and often go to great lengths to spy or eavesdrop on those who spark their interest (a hobby frequently referred to as “listening to the wind”). This combined love of subterfuge and ability to slip away from any compromising situation makes sylphs perfectly suited to lives as rogues, thieves, and spies, and beneath the average sylph's veneer of shy waifishness lies a mind that's capable and calculating, constantly sizing up the competition and analyzing the most effective exits from any given room.

[Zale]

I think sylphs are creatures like creatures like Celia from the Order of the Stick webcomic, seen in this strip (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0053.html) (the first couple of panels, the monster talking to her mother on the cell phone is a sylph). They're basically fairy like creatures of air and I guess they don't fit the archetypal depiction of a Viking raider because they are very small and physically unimpressive.

Pathfinder?

I was aware of the air Elemental Slyphs from myths, but not the Pathfinder race.

[God Imperror]

The Viking
http://sandbox.yoyogames.com/extras/image/name/san2/578/446578/original/viking.jpg

Horned viking :smallconfused:


I didn't write flavor for this, since vikings are...vikings...everyone paints the same picture.

That being said, this is a class I made that is in some ways based on and similar to the barbarian...only this time with customizability.

Customizability sounds cool but you SHOULD write down flavor because at least I am not painting a picture with Horned helmets


So without further ado:

Alignment: Any chaotic.
Race: Any, except sylphs. Because seriously.

I am perplexed, why chaotic? Maybe you should write down the flavor... Why are vikings chaotic? There are recordings of viking law and þings that don't make me believe that vikings are always chaotic.

Sylph? What the hell? Why not? Okay, no sylph viking. What about kobold vikings? Completely okay with that? or pixies? or gigs?


Starting Age: Simple
Starting Gold: 7d4*10 (175 gp)
Hit Dice: d12

Class Skills: Like Barbarian, plus Profession (Wis) and Sense Motive (Wis)
Skill points per level: 4 + Int mod (x4 at 1st level)


{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special

1st|+1|+2|+2|+2|Berserk, Disciplined Training

2nd|+2|+3|+3|+3|Momentum

3rd|+3|+3|+3|+3|Undaunting

4th|+4|+4|+4|+4|Mother Death's Embrace (2d6)

5th|+5|+4|+4|+4|Berserk

6th|+6/+1|+5|+5|+5|Murderous Cessation, Axe Wielder

7th|+7/+2|+5|+5|+5|Pain Resilience

8th|+8/+3|+6|+6|+6|Mighty Blow

9th|+9/+4|+6|+6|+6|Mother Death's Embrace (4d6)

10th|+10/+5|+7|+7|+7|Berserk

11th|+11/+6/+1|+7|+7|+7|Dual Berserk

12th|+12/+7/+2|+8|+8|+8|Viking Bones, Legendary Axe Wielder

13th|+13/+8/+3|+8|+8|+8|Bloody Pursuit

14th|+14/+9/+4|+9|+9|+9|Mother Death's Embrace (6d6)

15th|+15/+10/+5|+9|+9|+9|Berserk

16th|+16/+11/+6/+1|+10|+10|+10|Mighty Axe Wielder

17th|+17/+12/+7/+2|+10|+10|+10|Herald for Valhalla

18th|+18/+13/+8/+3|+11|+11|+11|Perpetual Aggression

19th|+19/+14/+9/+4|+11|+11|+11|Mother Death's Embrace (8d6)

20th|+20/+15/+10/+5|+12|+12|+12|Berserk, Undying Slaughter
[/table]

No dead levels :smallsmile:

All good saves :smallfrown:



Class Features

All of the following are class features of the viking.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A viking is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light armor, and all shields.

Why tower shields? Are exotic shields included?


Disciplined Training: A level 1 viking gains 1 feat from the fighter bonus feat list, for which he must meet all prerequisites. Then, at every level except 1st, when he would normally gain a new type of Berserk, he may choose to not gain it and receive another feat from the fighter bonus feat list instead. If he chooses Martial Study through this class feature, treat his initiator level as his class level instead of half, as noted in the feat.

Why the special deference for martial study?


Berserk (Ex): A viking can fly in a specific, rather controlled rage to crush down his opponents. As he progresses in class levels, his berserking diversifies.

A viking can go berserk for a number of rounds per day equal to either triple his class level or his class level+his con mod+the number of experience-granting creatures he dropped the previous day (whichever is lower).

That seems complicated to calculate


Low-level vikings (the ones who have not yet gained Murderous Cessation) can't stop their berserk until they are dead or the full duration passes, which basically means they can only berserk once per day.

Going berserk requires a full round action. When a viking is berserking, he is immensely focused, which contributes to slow down his reactions. Thus, he cannot use any swift or immediate actions. Furthermore, his capacity for thought is diminished, which prohibits him from casting spells, manifesting powers and using intelligence-based skills.

Can they use then any other skill? Can they use diplomacy, for example?


Berserking puts him in a certain state of mind, which gives him a +4 untyped bonus to will saves against fear and mind control, but also makes him immune to morale penalties and bonuses (except for the bonuses berserking itself can provide). A berserk is less tiresome than a barbarian rage, so at the end of the berserk the viking is fatigued until the end of the encounter only if he is wearing medium or heavy armor. If he is wearing light or no armor, no fatigue occurs.

Normally at the beginning of a berserk you choose one trait for the berserk. You gain one of two available traits at level 1, and 1 additional trait at levels 5, 10, 15 and 20 (unless you choose Disciplined Training for that level instead). Regardless of the trait applied, berserking remains an extraordinary ability.

In the spoiler below, all berserk traits are explained:

At level 1, a viking acquires either Powerful or Frightful Berserk.

Powerful Berserk: You gain a +4 morale bonus to your Strength score and are immune to all ability score damage and drain. Ability score damage and drain acquired before berserking is not healed.

That seems pretty strong for a first choice



Frightful Berserk: Whenever you deal damage to a creature, it must make a Will save against a DC of 10+damage dealt. If it fails it is shaken until you are no longer in its line of sight for at least 5 minutes. If it succeeds it is immune to this ability for 24 hours. If the damage you deal to a creature is equal to or higher than a third of its hit points rounded up, the creature is denied a save.

That is insane. So you deal damage and its shaken, and then you deal damage again and then its frightened and striking again makes it panicked? Why if I were to play one would I ever consider taking other "berserk" thingie?


At level 5, a viking acquires either Hardy, Vicious, Ruinous or Reaping Berserk. Ruinous requires Frightful already known, and Reaping requires Powerful.

Hardy Berserk: You gain a +4 morale bonus to your Constitution score and whenever you succeed on a fortitude save, you gain a stacking +1 bonus to your fortitude saves until the berserk ends. Also, you are immune to poison until the berserk ends.

Hardy seems less powerful than powerful, why is it at a higher tier?


Vicious Berserk: Whenever you attack an opponent in melee and deal lethal damage, the opponent receives 2d6 more damage, but you also receive 1d6 damage. Doesn't stack with the damage bonus from actually wielding a Vicious weapon.

Strong but, okay.


Ruinous Berserk: Whenever you attack an opponent in melee and deal lethal damage, his AC is reduced by 1 permanently. Stacks. The penalty can only be removed in two ways: doing nothing for a full round or receiving a Heal spell.

PERMANENTLY? What? What happens if he stops wearing his armor? Can it get the AC into the negatives? Why does it need to be a Heal spell? A 6th level spell that won't be accessible till level 11th to deal with an ability gained at 5th level isn't that going overboard? A conjuration (healing) spell would be broader, but I still don't see how it is related to the AC loss.


Reaping Berserk: Whenever you drop a foe that awards experience, you gain a +1 morale bonus to all ability score modifiers for 1 round. Doesn't stack.

That ain't terrible strong.

At level 10, a viking acquires either Staunch, Rapid, Sturdy, Reckless, Disrupting or Cleaving Berserk. Sturdy requires Hardy, Reckless requires Vicious, Debilitating requires Ruinous, and Cleaving requires Reaping.


Staunch Berserk: You are treated as having the Improved Mettle class feature. Furthermore, if you fail a reflex save against an effect that would push you a distance or make you fall prone, you may make a fort save against it instead. If you do so, you do not gain the benefit of Improved Mettle.

There is no improved mettle class feature, even if there were any improved mettle class feature you might want to have mettle first.


Rapid Berserk: You gain a morale bonus to speed equal to your base speed - 10 feet. You gain a +4 dodge bonus against attacks of opportunity caused by moving within threatened squares.

Okay


Sturdy Berserk: You gain DR/-- equal to half your class level rounded down and all your energy resistances increase by 10.

Do you have energy resistance?


Reckless Berserk: You gain a +10 bonus to damage, which you can only apply to attacks which use your full BaB. However, you receive a -4 penalty to AC against the opponent you hit the previous round and a -2 penalty to AC against everyone else.

Don't think that this one is really worth it.


Disrupting Berserk: When dealing lethal damage in melee to an opponent, he must make a Fort save against a DC of 10+class level/2+str mod. If he fails, he receives 1d6 damage to his Str and Dex. If he succeeds, he receives 1 damage.

Damage to two attributes? That are rarely maxed together with damage even in a successful save? Wow that is strong.


Cleaving Berserk: Whenever you drop a foe during the berserk, you gain 1 point. You may have a maximum of str mod points or 6, whichever is lower. As a standard action, you may make a number of attacks with anything but a natural weapon equal to the number of points you've accumulated, all of them at BaB - 5. Your point total resets to 0, and you do not gain points in the round in which you spend points.

Weird, you might want to name the points in somehow. And its a pitty that you cannot munch heads with your points.


At level 15, a viking acquires either Deathless, Lucid, Stone, Dashing, Bloodthirsty, Mad, Debilitating or Genocidal Berserk. Stone requires Staunch, Dashing requires Rapid, Bloodthirsty requires Sturdy, Mad requires Reckless, Debilitating requires Disrupting and Genocidal requires Cleaving.

Deathless Berserk: You do not lose consciousness and do not die until either the berserk ends or your negative hitpoints become equal to your maximum hit points (for instance, if your max hp is 99, you're dead at -99). However, you are still unstable and receive 1 damage per round if under 0 hp.

Oh boy that is so... broken. So you now have twice your hit points?


Lucid Berserk: You are immune to all mind-affecting effects, ignore all illusions, cannot receive damage from shadows, and can cast spells, manifest powers, and use Int-based skills.

Why can't you receive damage from shadows?


Stone Berserk: You instantly succeed on all fortitude saves without rolling, and become immune to acid damage.

Absurd and strong, but ok.


Dashing Berserk: You ignore all speed penalties from magical or nonmagical means, including the speed reduction of your armor (effects that would stop you completely, however, still work normally). Also, you instantly succeed on all rolls to move while grappling against an opponent of the same size or smaller, and all the squares you move through that were difficult terrain before are no longer considered difficult terrain afterward (for instance, when you pass through rubble,it levels).

Freedom of movement may be easier?


Bloodthirsty Berserk: You gain Fast Healing 1. Whenever you deal lethal damage to an opponent, your Fast Healing increases by 1 until the end of the berserk.

Can you deal damage to the same opponent several times? In the same round?


Mad Berserk: You cannot be stunned nor paralyzed, and you gain an unlimited number of attacks of opportunity per round. However, you are also forced to AoO anyone who enters or leaves one of your threatened squares, even if he's an ally.

You don't get AoO to anyone who enters a square.


Debilitating Berserk: If you deal lethal damage to an opponent, he must make a fort save against a DC equal to damage dealt. If he fails, he permanently loses any Fast Healing or Regeneration he may have, cannot heal naturally and only heals 50% from spells (regains them via Wish/Miracle/Reality Revision). If he succeeds, he only loses Fast Healing or Regeneration for 1 minute.

Absurdly strong


Genocidal Berserk: During a round in which you are in a genocidal berserk and you drop a foe, do not count that round towards your maximum number of berserk rounds per day. Additionally, while you are in a Genocidal Berserk, if you would deal damage to an opponent so that he falls between -1 and -9 hit points, his hit points become -10 instead.

Okay


At level 20, a viking acquires either Sublime or Mighty Berserk. Mighty requires that you've never used Disciplined Training (except at first level).

Sublime Berserk: You receive a +4 morale bonus to all ability scores.

Strong, but meh as a capstone.


Mighty Berserk: Whenever your target would be dealt critical damage, he dies instead. Also, if you miss your opponent's AC by 4 or less, he still receives half the damage.

Hahaha instant death lol


Momentum (Ex): Whenever a level 2 or higher viking moves in a straight line to attack an opponent, he deals 1 more damage for every square he moves. This damage bonus is capped at the viking's class level.

Okay


Undaunting (Ex): A level 3 or higher viking is immune to fear, magical or otherwise, and to intimidation.

Okay


Mother Death's Embrace (Ex): A level 4 or higher viking revels in death, both of himself and others, being empowered by it. If his hit points are below half his maximum, and he attacks an opponent whose hit points are below half his (the opponent's) maximum in melee, he deals 2d6 more damage. This damage is not multiplied on a critical hit and doesn't apply to constructs and elementals, but DOES apply to any other target normally immune to precision damage (including undead). The damage is increased by 2d6 for every 5 levels of the viking.

Strong and weird, but okay.


Murderous Cessation (Ex): A level 6 or higher viking has enough clarity to stop his berserking after someone died by his hands. If, during a frenzy, he drops a foe, he may end the berserk prematurely as a free action. The number of rounds in which he berserked is subtracted from his daily total, and he can no longer go berserk during that particular encounter.

Okay


Axe Wielder (Ex): A level 6 viking gains Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialization with all weapons with "axe" in their name, and treats all exotic weapons with "axe" in their name as if they were martial.

Weird wording... there are several magical axe's that don't have "axe" in their name, what happens with those?


Pain Resilience (Ex): A level 7 or higher viking has experienced pain so often it has no effect on him. He gains a +4 untyped bonus to saves against spells with Pain in their name and is immune to nonlethal damage.

The viking gains a +4 to saves against symbol of pain and blade of pain and fear not to strong. Immunity to nonlethal damage is way over the top, it would be a strong capstone and its only seventh level.


Mighty Blow (Ex): A level 8 viking can perform a relatively slow hit of great power against a foe in melee. Delivering a mighty blow requires a full round action, and provokes attacks of opportunity. You need to have a Str score of at least 12 and be proficient with the weapon you are using. Furthermore, the weapon must not be light. If a mighty blow hits your target (the attack roll is higher than AC, in other words), it counts both as a normal melee attack that deals weapon damage and a sunder attempt against whatever piece of armor, weapon or item you choose. Also, regardless of how much damage this attack deals, the target must still make a fortitude save against dying as if it was dealt massive damage.

Insta death at level 8? Sure, why not.


Dual Berserk: A level 11 or higher viking applies two traits to his berserk simultaneously.

So now the viking can apply other things than frightful berserk? Cool now I can do scalating fear effects and ability damage to two scores at the same time.


Viking Bones: A level 12 viking has incredibly tough bones from fracturing them multiple times, and a thick and protective coating of muscle to top it off. He becomes immune to bludgeoning damage.

That is too strong for a capstone, why is this at level 12?


Legendary Axe Wielder (Ex): A level 12 viking is treated as having Greater Weapon Focus and Greater Weapon Specialization with any weapon with axe in its name. He need not meet the prerequisites.

why would anyone play a fighter ever again?


Bloody Pursuit (Ex): A level 13 viking chooses an opposing target (must be hostile) within line of sight at the beginning of an encounter. As long as the viking takes no move action that would increase the distance between him and the target, he may charge despite difficult terrain as long as the charge is directed at the target. Also, the target receives a -2 penalty to attack rolls and concentration checks for the entire encounter if he ever takes a move action that would distance him from the viking.

how far can he charge?


Mighty Axe Wielder (Ex): A level 16 viking may wield axes 1 size category larger without incurring any penalty for doing so.

Strong and crazy but okay.


Herald for Valhalla (Su): A level 17 viking attracts the attention of the gods. He may Commune as a cleric of his level 4 times per day with any god with the War domain, and he gains a +2 sacred bonus to an ability score of his choice. This choice can be changed once per week.

Strong


Perpetual Aggression (Ex): A level 18 viking has spent so much of his life berserking that a part of that northern fury remains instilled in him. He must choose a level 1 or 5 berserk trait that he has not selected for its berserk feature itself. He permanently exhibits that trait, even when he is not berserking. He need not meet prerequisites, and if he chooses Hardy Berserk, does not gain the stacking fort bonus.

Wow man I repent saying that why wouldn't I pick frightful berserk. Man it was obviously for this for doing every ****ing time. This ability is way over the top.


Undying Slaughter (Su): Whenever a level 20 viking would die because of hit point damage, he can as a free action immediately return himself to full hit points by expending 10 rounds of berserking.

:smallconfused: For a capstone compared to class abilities that you earn at much lower levels its a bit disappointing. It is remarkably strong though.

On a side note I conclude two things of the class. Vikings are shounen main characters who like axes :smalltongue: Vikings don't need fluff they need Axe.