Infinite rage combo - is that legal?

[Heavenblade]

Hi everyone! while researching skinwalkers, I stumbled upon this interesting rage power -

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/barbarian/rage-powers/paizo-rage-powers/fueled-by-vengeance


Basically, it says that if I deal weapon damage to a creature who dealt me damage since the end of my last turn, I regain one round of rage.

so here is how the combo works -

get yourself a vicious weapon, and some form of fast healing
Make sure you make at least one attack of opportunity against someone during the round, and activate the vicious weapon property.
in yor turn, make an attack, and activate the vicious weapon property again.


Thus, you have dealt weapon damage (from the vicious weapon property) to someone who dealt you damage since the end of your last turn (yourself), and thus regain the round of rage.


Now, I know it's not really RAI, but I think that the image of a barbarian who cuts/hits himself during battle in order to stay enraged is pretty interesting, and is the mundane equivalent of the elemental kin barbarian ability


my question is - By RAW, does this combo work? are there any ways to improve it? and in general, what do you guys think about it?

Thanks in advance!

[Kurald Galain]

It strikes me that by the level you can get that power, you'd already have more rage rounds per day than you'd need. So it doesn't strike me as a big deal.

[Heavenblade]

I guess so, but since I grew up with extra - vicious gms who always liked to throw extra/surprise battles at my team, I always like being ready for anything (:

[StSword]

Well it still works, but there is something I think you overlooked.

From what I see, vicious isn't a weapon special ability that requires activation.

Magic weapon special qualities that require activation take a standard action to do so, so even if it required activation it's not something you can turn on and off while making attacks.

So you'd be doing that 1d6 damage to your character with every attack, unless you had another weapon in your other hand, that's going to eat up hit points fast.

Using a Siccatite (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment/special-materials/) weapon would be far less expensive for this purpose, doing 1 point of fire or cold damage per round you wield it.

[Heavenblade]

Hmm, I didn't consider the fact that vicious is always on...
The question is, would siccatite damage be considered "weapon damage" for the purpose of this ability?

I do think that wielding another weapon when I do not want to activate the vicious property is a better method

But thanks for drawing my attention for the problem!

[StSword]

Well I would think so- it's damage from a weapon, after all.

But mileage may vary.

[exelsisxax]

Legal, but you are going to struggle actually making those attacks of opportunity on a build that can do anything else. You'd save feats by just taking extra rage, and you should have plenty of rounds by that sort of level anyway.

[grarrrg]

Using a Siccatite (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment/special-materials/) weapon would be far less expensive for this purpose, doing 1 point of fire or cold damage per round you wield it.

Right material, wrong Barbarian option.
Burn Rider (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/barbarian/archetypes/paizo-barbarian-archetypes/burn-rider-barbarian-archetype/), Level 5:
"if a burn rider takes fire damage while raging, she regains 1 round of rage"

Find a way to heal 1 every round (Regenerative Vigor (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/barbarian/rage-powers/paizo-rage-powers/regenerative-vigor-ex) is in-class if nothing else), and you can Rage ALL DAY EVERY DAY without having to actively 'do' anything.

And you get a free Pony!

[StSword]

Ooooh, what delightful cheese that is.

Since one can get by with only one point of fire damage, you can take care of that with Regenerative Vigor (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/barbarian/rage-powers/paizo-rage-powers/regenerative-vigor-ex) which will give a barbarian fast healing until the end of their rage.

But with this trick, you don't have to leave rage.

Well, unless someone disarms you or something.

[Kurald Galain]

Also, ninjas can't grab you if you do that.

https://66.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4nbcwZn0i1rx33xqo1_400.jpg

[grarrrg]

Ooooh, what delightful cheese that is.
...
But with this trick, you don't have to leave rage.

Well, unless someone disarms you or something.

Well, make an Armor or Helmet or whatever out of Siccatite (underpants?). Then it's that much harder for them to get rid of it.



Also, ninjas can't grab you if you do that.

https://66.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4nbcwZn0i1rx33xqo1_400.jpg
Sadly, being "on fire" does ~3.5 damage/round, so you need a bigger/better source of healing. But it's worth SOOOO many more 'style points'.