Category: Profession

Description: A berserker is a warrior who goes into a state of berserk rage at times. In this state, the berserker is much more dangerous and much harder to kill. Unfortunately, the berserker can't always tell friend from foe while berserk.

While berserk, the berserker is affected in some of the following ways (dependant upon the game world):

• Can do nothing but attack the nearest enemy
• Can only use melee weapons
• Gains bonuses to attacking and, possibly, penalties to defense
• Has "temporary" hit points that keep him alive longer
• Immune or resistant to mind-affecting spells
• Immune or resistant to pain
• Is unaffected by healing spells
• May attack an ally by mistake
• Suffers damage from being berserk (perhaps not until after the berserker is no longer berserk)

To stop being berserk, the berserker must kill all present enemies.

It's even possible to have a berserker paladin, though that is somewhat odd. There is a series of books with a berserker paladin as the protagonist. (Coincidentally, the third book reveals that he's also a Rider and a wild mage.)

Many berserkers are also Barbarians.

Combat Technique: Some berserkers go berserk on purpose and then attack. Others try to hold back. Either way, once they're berserk, they just keep charging the nearest enemy until there's no one left.

Preferred Skills: Melee fighting skills.

Benefit: The berserker may concentrate for 1 minute to become berserk.

Disadvantage: When severely wounded or placed in a stressful situation, there's a chance that a berserker will go berserk and attack whoever's around. High intelligence statistics should reduce the chance of this happening. The berserker receives a penalty to reactions with any Npcs (perhaps with the exception of his own tribe if the berserker is some sort of barbarian).

Fictional Examples: Hradani (from The War God's Own)

Real World Examples:

Appropriate For: Anyone, though somewhat less appropriate for heroes