I'm going BERSERK!

[Durendal]

Not really, I just wanted to know what people thougt of the berserker strength alternative class feature from the PHB2. Good, bad, better than rage, broken, etc.

[Dhavaer]

I like it. It's not actually stronger than Rage, or at least it doesn't seem to be, but I prefer not to have /day abilities. My main gripe with it is that it doesn't multiclass well.

[ocato]

Sorry, what's it do?

[Thinker]

It kinda sucks compared to regular rage. You don't qualify for feats or PrCs that require rage to get in. You also can't activate it when you want it.

[Dr. Weasel]

It basically automatically sends you into a slightly modified version of a rage as your character nears death. Here's (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20060501a&page=3/") a link to the variant.

[Dhavaer]

Sorry, what's it do?

You get rage-like benefits when you go below a certain amount of hp. The reason it doesn't multiclass well is because the amount of hp is based on barbarian level, not character level.

[ocato]

Eh, I can see how you might like it, but I prefer to be able to control when I rage, even if it is less often.

[Durendal]

Hmm...I hadn't thought of it like that. But your right, by RAW it is based exclusively of barbarian levels. Wonder if that couldn't be house ruled to be based on character level.

Anyways, has anyone actually played a barbarian with berserker strength? Just wondering if anyone had actual game experience with it.

[Dhavaer]

I have, but I never took enough damage to use it. I think. It was a while ago.

[Jack_Simth]

Huh.

You know, if you had a barbarian using that variant that, for suicidal reasons, had a Con score of about 4, he'd gain (on average) 4 hp per level (after first level, when he'd have 9 hp). After about 5th level, he'd always be below threshold, even when fully healed.... assuming he EVER made it that far.

[CockroachTeaParty]

I actually like the idea behind it. It would be fun to pair up with Endurance and Diehard, so you could keep fighting on with bloodthirsty frothing until the bitter end. But unless you plan on going straight Barbarian 20, it isn't quite as useful as normal rage. If you're still wanting something funky-fresh, there's the Cityscape barbarian variant... what's that called? It boosts your STR and DEX...

[Kurald Galain]

After about 5th level, he'd always be below threshold, even when fully healed.... assuming he EVER made it that far.

Yep. There was some kind of weird cheese build made on that. It involved using some grafts? to drop your HP further, and be permanently boosted. Or boosted once you took 1 hp of damage, or something like that.

[Zincorium]

The berserker strength can actually work fairly well in a party with a dragon shaman, due to the healing aura it provides when down below half health (i.e. when you're doing a lot of damage, but also taking a lot).

[its_all_ogre]

it is less versatile because you cannot choose to turn it on, most fights are over in a few rounds and if you rage at the start you can end them quicker than normal.

[AtomicKitKat]

I think it's based on the Savage Species Feat that put you into "perma-Rage" once you dropped below half(or took 50 HP of total damage, or something like that).