Barbarian Rage Question [Archive] - Wizards Community

Barbarian Rage Question [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
davenx01
04-19-07, 11:25 PM Ok this came up in our game last week. Please let me know if I did this right.

The situation, a 4th Level Barbarian who had is Rage up. (So he would have 8 extra temporary hit points).

Was in combat obviously and he got hit and dropped to -2 hit points (modifed hit point total). With Unconciousness, his Rage IMO, was ended, meaning he would lose all benefits, +2 Str, +2 Con etc.

With his normal CON score back, the extra 8 hit points, would go away, bringing him to -10. Is this correct?

Does this happen immediately, or at the beginning of his next action.

Basically what happened, was he went unconcious and died, before the cleric could attempt a heal.

does the extra (8 damage), actually apply.

The player was asking me these questions today.

The impression I see about Rage from PHB, is that the effect immediatly go away.

If this is the case, Rage is very dangerous for Barbarians, you can be dead and not even know it.
Krusk
04-19-07, 11:26 PM correct. Technically i am not sure if his rage would end, but if it does he looses his 8 hp and is dead. One of the scary parts of rage. It ends and you die.
runestar
04-19-07, 11:53 PM Your rage does not end when your barb falls unconscious.
Thus, your barb at -2 hp would be dying, but still under the benefits of rage(until its actual duration of 3+con mod rounds has elapsed).

For example, your barb with 16 con rages. It normally lasts for 8 rounds. Next round, the orc barb npc scores a lucky crit on you and brings you down to -2hp. You still have that 8 rounds of rage left. If your cleric heals you to above 0hp, you can return to the fight, with your rage still intact.:)

It is not really a drawback anyways. Without the 8 hp from rage, you would have been dead anyways. Rage simply prolonged the inevitable. People seem to be making it out to be some sort of henious drawback, but however I see it, it has not disadvantaged you in any ways...:confused:
Bob Loblaw
04-20-07, 12:07 AM According to the FAQ:

Does a raging barbarian lose the effects of his rage (including the extra hit points from his increased Constitution) when he falls unconscious?
No. Nothing in the rage class feature indicates that the effect ends if the barbarian is rendered unconscious. The Sage shudders to think how many more dead barbarians would be lying around the battlefield if being reduced to –1 hp meant that the barbarian instantly lost additional hp equal to twice his HD! As a general rule, activated effects remain active even if the activating character is rendered incapable of acting (paralyzed, unconscious, dead, and so on) unless the effect stipulates otherwise.

I hope this answers your question.
Neutronium_Dragon
04-20-07, 12:16 AM Generally, unless something is listed as requiring concentration to maintain, it does not end simply because you fall unconscious. Barbarian rage has no such stipulation, so it doesn't end.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
davenx01 04-19-07, 11:25 PM	Ok this came up in our game last week. Please let me know if I did this right. The situation, a 4th Level Barbarian who had is Rage up. (So he would have 8 extra temporary hit points). Was in combat obviously and he got hit and dropped to -2 hit points (modifed hit point total). With Unconciousness, his Rage IMO, was ended, meaning he would lose all benefits, +2 Str, +2 Con etc. With his normal CON score back, the extra 8 hit points, would go away, bringing him to -10. Is this correct? Does this happen immediately, or at the beginning of his next action. Basically what happened, was he went unconcious and died, before the cleric could attempt a heal. does the extra (8 damage), actually apply. The player was asking me these questions today. The impression I see about Rage from PHB, is that the effect immediatly go away. If this is the case, Rage is very dangerous for Barbarians, you can be dead and not even know it.
Krusk 04-19-07, 11:26 PM	correct. Technically i am not sure if his rage would end, but if it does he looses his 8 hp and is dead. One of the scary parts of rage. It ends and you die.
runestar 04-19-07, 11:53 PM	Your rage does not end when your barb falls unconscious. Thus, your barb at -2 hp would be dying, but still under the benefits of rage(until its actual duration of 3+con mod rounds has elapsed). For example, your barb with 16 con rages. It normally lasts for 8 rounds. Next round, the orc barb npc scores a lucky crit on you and brings you down to -2hp. You still have that 8 rounds of rage left. If your cleric heals you to above 0hp, you can return to the fight, with your rage still intact.:) It is not really a drawback anyways. Without the 8 hp from rage, you would have been dead anyways. Rage simply prolonged the inevitable. People seem to be making it out to be some sort of henious drawback, but however I see it, it has not disadvantaged you in any ways...:confused:
Bob Loblaw 04-20-07, 12:07 AM	According to the FAQ: Does a raging barbarian lose the effects of his rage (including the extra hit points from his increased Constitution) when he falls unconscious? No. Nothing in the rage class feature indicates that the effect ends if the barbarian is rendered unconscious. The Sage shudders to think how many more dead barbarians would be lying around the battlefield if being reduced to –1 hp meant that the barbarian instantly lost additional hp equal to twice his HD! As a general rule, activated effects remain active even if the activating character is rendered incapable of acting (paralyzed, unconscious, dead, and so on) unless the effect stipulates otherwise. I hope this answers your question.
Neutronium_Dragon 04-20-07, 12:16 AM	Generally, unless something is listed as requiring concentration to maintain, it does not end simply because you fall unconscious. Barbarian rage has no such stipulation, so it doesn't end.