GLOG: The Berserker

A Berserker, to go with the Ranger, Druid, and Paladin that I've written recently. In traditional D&D parlance you might call this a Barbarian, but that framing is neither sensible for my setting nor sensible in general. My thought with this new series of classes is that I might add them to Carolingia as "advanced classes", where you get a somewhat stronger and more directly flavorful class at the cost of starting as someone else's retainer (perhaps even another PC's) rather than with your own domain. The obvious role for this class specifically is as a Norse berserker, but there's also certainly a niche for it as a Cu Chulainn-type.

 

Starting Equipment: A bearskin cloak with head, a mail shirt, a bearded axe or sword, a shield, a sack of hallucinogenic mushrooms (3 doses), and a flat river stone bearing the runes ᚦᛚᛘ (thur lögr maðr).

Skills: Wrestling and 1d3: 1. Sailing, 2. Drinking, 3. Scar-Reading

For every template of Berserker you have, gain +1 HP. Every second template, gain +1 to-hit.

A: Berserk Rage, Cunning Forager

B: Indomitable

C: Immovable, Terrifying Onslaught

D: Inexorable

 

Berserk Rage: You may enter a berserk rage at will. When in a rage, you may attack twice per round rather than just once, but you may only act violently, not constructively, creatively, collaboratively, or prudently. This rage lasts 2d3+[template] rounds or until all present enemies are dead, incapacitated, or beyond your ability to pursue. If any of your allies attempt to prevent you from committing violence, they become enemies as well. If you take hallucinogens before entering the rage, you also gain +1 HP per template (subtracted from your current total when the rage ends) and +1 to-hit for the duration.

 

Cunning Forager: Over the course of 6 hours in the wilderness, you can always find and prepare either 1 dose of hallucinogens or 1 ration.

 

Indomitable: When in a rage, if you roll on the Death and Dismemberment table, ignore any result short of instant death until the rage ends. You are also immune to fear, charm, and sleep effects while raging. If you have a steady supply of recreational drugs, wounds heal twice as quickly.

 

Immovable: You cannot be moved against your will under any circumstances while conscious. You take only half damage from poison, and have a 50% chance of ignoring the effects of poisons which do not deal damage.

 

Terrifying Onslaught: The first time you attack a given foe while raging, you can force them to check morale. You cannot use this ability twice on the same foe in the same combat.

 

Inexorable: While raging you may add +7 to Strength checks, skill checks related to physical strength, and grappling rolls. You also gain +1 damage with armed melee attacks and +1d6 with unarmed attacks (assuming unarmed attacks normally deal 1 damage).