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Table of Contents
Berserker
“The battlefield is a canvas, and my rage paints the masterpiece. They call it chaos; I call it artistry.”
More than anything else, you are defined by your rage. You lack the extensive training of the Ranger or the Guardian, or the natural talent of the Warrior or the Duelist. What you subtitute for this is your all-encompassing rage.
It is a dangerous line to walk. As you do battle, your rage escalates as you are damaged. You are less likely to be wearing the heavy armour that other combatants favour, and are not so nimble at dodging attacks. Therefore, you are more likely to be wounded. But the more heavily wounded you are, the more potent your rage, and the greater the damage you inflict upon your foes.
Despite this focus on howling aggression, however, the Berserker's role on the battlefield is to draw attention away from their allies. They are a threat that cannot be ignored, but also one that becomes more dangerous as they are attacked. Their lack of talent with ranged weapons cements this role; they are up close and personal, in the front lines of the battle.
Attributes
When you select Berserker as your class, you gain a +1 bonus to Body. Then choose one of Agility, Charisma or Foresight. You gain a +1 bonus to the selected attribute.
Stamina
When you select this class, you gain forty-five stamina, plus five times your Body score. Your Recoveries are equal to five plus your Body score.
Training
You may train a number of skills equal to your Education score plus two. Choose these skills from the following list: Acrobatics, Athletics, Bows, Insight, Intimidation, Nature, Perception, Survival. You receive one training rank in each of the selected Skills.
Don't worry too much about the lack of weapon skills in the above list. Those will be added when you select your Combat Style.
Defences
Add your Level to your Body and Foresight defences.
Combat Style
The Berserker is almost always found in the front line, tearing their way through their foes. However, the precise manner by which they lay waste to their opponents can vary wildly. When you choose the Berserker as your class, select one of the following combat styles.
Harasser
This style trades off skill training for simple speed. Their increased rate of movement allows them to close on soft targets and strike without mercy. They can then break off when heavier force is brought to bear against them, always striking only when the situation is in their favour.
If you choose the Harasser Combat Style, choose two of the following skills: Blades, Blunt Weapons, Polearms, Unarmed Combat, Unbalanced Weapons. You gain one training rank in each of those skills. Increase your speed by one, and gain one additional recovery.
Tactician
Even in the most heated rage, the Tactician is able to see the ebb and flow of the battlefield, and place themselves in a position to do the most good. Theirs is the only Combat Style to bother at all with shields or ranged attacks.
If you choose the Tactician Combat Style, you become trained in the use of shields. Choose one of the following skills: Blades, Blunt Weapons, Polearms, Unbalanced Weapons. You gain one training rank in this skill, as well as in the Thrown Weapons skill. When you reach Level 3, your damage dice with Thrown weapon basic attacks increases to 3[W]; when you reach Level 5, it increases to 4[W].
Warcaller
The Warcaller uses psychological warfare to gain an advantage in battle. Their barbs and spiteful taunts are designed to rattle their enemies, drawing ire upon themselves and away from their allies. They lure their foes into positions of weakness by exploiting their vulnerabilities or capitalizing on their mistakes.
If you choose the Warcaller Combat Style, choose two of the following skills: Blades, Blunt Weapons, Polearms, Unarmed Combat, Unbalanced Weapons. You gain one training rank in each of those skills. In addition, gain one training rank in Intimidation. If Intimidation is already trained, you may either improve its training bonus to +2, or you may choose a skill that you have not yet trained and increase its training by +1 instead.
Basic Attacks
Berserkers tend to prefer heavier weapons, particularly two-handed weapons. However, they are notably weak in ranged combat. The exception to this is the Tactician, who is more likely to be using a one-handed throwable weapon and a shield.
Melee: Skill vs Agility.
- Hit: 2[W] + Body + Rage. The damage dice increase to 3[W] at Level 3, and to 4[W] at Level 5.
- Miss: 1[W] + Body + Rage.
Ranged: Skill vs Agility.
- Hit: 2[W] + Dexterity.
- Miss: 1[W] + Dexterity.
Rage
Hitting you only makes you more angry. Whenever you are struck in battle, and take damage as a result (meaning you actually suffer a loss of stamina or increase in hit points), you gain one point of Rage. There is no limit to the amount of Rage that you can gain in this manner.
You may add your Rage to any damage inflicted by a melee or unarmed strike that you make. However, at the end of your turn, if you have not made an attack, and have not been attacked since the end of your last turn, you lose all of your accumulated Rage.
Rush of Victory
The love of battle sings in your veins, reinforcing your spirit with every successful battle. At the start of any combat, you gain temporary stamina equal to four times your current Victories.
Hybrid Berserkers
If you select the Berserker as a Hybrid Class, you gain their Rage feature, including their ability to add Rage to their melee and unarmed attack damage.
Berserker Features
When you select Berserker as your Class, choose one Heroic-level feature and add it to your character.