Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Candide 05-09-06, 11:32 PM	Okay guys, I'm gearing up to play a Dwarven Barbarian/Fighter for my DM's next game. I have this idea of him being the "uber" battlerager. So wild/crazy/stupid that even the other battleragers go "dude, calm down." However, I'm trying to come up with a background. I'm stuck as to the reason behind why he's this "crazy". A bit touched in the head? Hmmm maybe not. He's not smart, nor insightful, nor charimatic. Hmmmm.... Any help would be appreciated.
Fithero 05-10-06, 01:06 AM	Tons of reasons. -Mother was subject to an Insanity spell (or whatever spell causes that effect) for the duration of her pregnancy (or when the character was being born) -got cracked in the head so hard that his (ill just assume the character is male for simplicity) head actually cracked open. The priests were able to save him and heal his head, but his brain was pretty baddly damaged, he lost all his memory and has a new, warped perception of things. -theres always the good old "he touch a stone shard of pure rage and is now anger incarnate" if you go with this, add an element of rage to every action. Doesnt have to be violent or negative rage, he is just really intense. If he wins a battle, he lets out a blood curdling roar and beats his chest. Just make him really intimidating. -spent a few years in an insane asylum... didnt really have the desired effect. Instead of calming him down, he pretty much killed everybody (inmates and guards) during his escape, then burnt down the building. Now he thinks the ghosts of those he killed are after him, his only defense is to hid behind a wall of anger. On a side note, just make sure you take the Frenzied berserker prc from CW, totally suits this class. Heck, id even consider dropping the fighter levels, but its up to you. Well... thats about it for now, hope this helps somewhat. Later
Candide 05-10-06, 02:07 AM	Thought about Frenzied Berzerker, but DM doesn't allow it. I might have to check with him again though. The battlerager prc from Races of Faerun mentions that they [battlerager] are blessed by the dwarven gods. And that they rush into battle singing war ballads, etc. The teachings of the battleragers say that if a battlerager die in combat, he shall be returned to the world better than before. or some such. My DM is using the Norse pantheon, his rage might be a blessing of Thor. I might be a bit pious, even if the character doesn't understand what pious means. or even how to spell pious. I like your third idea the most. Portraying his intensity in everything. His anger hovering just below the surface.
Ivelios2 05-11-06, 11:24 AM	Just remember the dwarven battlerager ferocity serves a great purpose protection of ones dwarven brothers. Every crazy punch and hammer blow you deal is not for yourself but for the dwarf next to you and the dwarves it might save in the future. Therefor i think insanity is a bad choice for this concept because battleragers have a very firm grip on reality and control of their actions at all times they are just so fierce as to appear insane to their enemies. Also frenzied berserker would be a horriable i repeat horriable choice for a dwarf character. He would eventually kill ones of his brothers and violate all that he is or should be and any dwarven communtiy would immediatly banish any dwarf for attack his brothers let alone killing one. P.S. I may be abit biased as i seldom think frenzied berserker is appropriate for any character its just somthing people throw in to chesse up their power level and try to squirm out of the vastly bad consequences that should always follow such as killing party members.
Crusher Nate 05-11-06, 12:42 PM	Another god who'd be worth considering: Ygg the Terrible, an aspect of Odin that represents his berserker side. Thor works fine if you want him to be some sort of hothead who's easy to manipulate into doing something stupid, but if you want him to be just plain scary, Ygg is the way to go. Since Odin has one eye, and Ygg is his violent side, a modified Eye of Gruumsh might be right up a Ygg follower's alley. Just ask your DM to tweak a few class elements (in particular, change the anti-elf bonuses to work against giants instead and change the alignment requirements), and call it Eye of Ygg.
Fithero 05-11-06, 07:05 PM	P.S. I may be abit biased Jeez, ya think? :P A dwarf can be as insane as any gnome, a dwarf can be as selfish and hatefull as any human, and as crazily violent as any orc. And frenzied berserker isnt a bad prc, its just one that has to be used properly.What you just put up is just one age-old stereotype of dwarves. While were at it mate, lets just restrict dwarves to taking only the fighter, cleric and thief class. Go back to AD&D... Later
Ivelios2 05-12-06, 04:20 AM	Do you even know what insanity is my friend? It is the inability to grasp your own actions to determine reality from make bealive any dwarf who was truly insane could be a battlerager i suppose but wouldent work in a party because every time you did anything it would be almost completly random determined by your own twisted logic of the moment not based on anything real. So yes i suppose a battlerager could be insane but it would never be a PC.
Fithero 05-12-06, 06:46 AM	So yes i suppose a battlerager could be insane but it would never be a PC. Course it could, plenty of pc's have been insane before. There is no point in saying something "can never be this" or these people "always act like that" its just stupid to put those limitations on a fantasy role playing game. And yeah... i know what insanity is, trust me... been there, done that, still got the scars. The only differance is that your version of reality doesnt match that of everybody elses... this are just a little different for you. Heck, were seeing games these days with demonic paladins, kobolds who reach powers beyond the gods and dwarves who are just damn insane... Nothing is impossible, so never say never. Later