Berserkers in Eberron [Archive] - Wizards Community

Berserkers in Eberron [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Charles Phipps
10-23-05, 04:33 AM Given the Seren are seemingly the only real barbarians whom aren't halflings, one of my players offered a rather curious justification for being a Berseker in Eberron and I was pleased with it. I was curious if anyone had any other ideas for Berserkers in Eberron?

His was...

1) The character in question was traumatized by his experiences by war and surviving hand to mouth in the region of Eberron. Not quite a Fighter with their extensive skill and experience, he was a foot soldier whom nevertheless developed a brutal "kill or die" mentality in the worst hand to hand fighting of the war as his attack style became extraordinarily effective but was largely unrefined by comparison. After the war, he was released traumatized into the lands of Khovaire but was unsuited for civilian life as any temperment might lead to a brawl that he would not stop until his enemy was dead.
The White Sorcerer
10-23-05, 05:04 AM Given the Seren are seemingly the only real barbarians whom aren't halflings.
Don't forget Marchers and Wastelanders, and that one clan of dwarves.

Shouldn't this be in the Class forum?
Charles Phipps
10-23-05, 05:42 AM Don't forget Marchers and Wastelanders, and that one clan of dwarves.

Shouldn't this be in the Class forum?

Not necessarily.

This is also to discuss their role in Eberron storywise.
Mr. Wilson
10-23-05, 05:48 AM The character's explanation seems reasonable enough to me.
DarkWarriorKarg
10-23-05, 09:50 AM Works for me...

I don't always see the Berserker (which is what the Barbarian should have been called IMO) as an illiterate thug with anger management problems. (That's the FB...)

What you're suggesting would suit a traumatized half-trained (lack of armour proficiencies & tracking) fighter or ranger.

Heck, maybe said guy could have even trained to release his/her anger (Fighter/Ranger 1, Barb X)
Gurv
10-23-05, 10:45 AM I see no problem with this approach, as I have seen it work well several times. In a pre-Eberron game, we had an elven aristocrat who was basically a psychopathic killer. He used barbarian levels, acted perfectly gentleman-like most of the time, and would flip out and go into a murderous rage whenever anything didn't go his way.

But, Seren is hardly the only place for true barbarians. The Demon Wastes has tribes and tribes, several detailed in the ECS. The Shadow Marches are perfect for them, since they're not at all civilized. The Eldeen Reaches are perfect for a barbarian with a wilderness focus. The Talenta Plains aren't 100% populated by halflings, but it is likely that any others living there have picked up some of their ways. And both Q'barra and the Lhazaar have a strongly uncivilized nature as well. And using your idea about non-cultural barbarians using the class to represent their abilities, I can picture them cropping up anywhere.
Charles Phipps
10-23-05, 02:22 PM Honestly, I think the class is in need of renaming since a Berserker tradition is hardly the only thing you'll find in barbarian lands.

After all, Berserk is set in Medieval lands ;-)

Other options that have been suggested to me include warforged with severe mental defects and possibly the use of magical potions manufactured during war that gradually became less needed.
6FootGnome
10-28-05, 07:50 PM The Mourning did it
Galahad_Knight
10-28-05, 08:05 PM You don;t nessecarily have to be savage and unclutured to be a barbarian.
Classes are just bundles of abilities pacaged together. All the fluff is nice, but it can get in the way of customizing your character to represent what you want him to. Take a level here, a level there, you're making up your own class as you go. Nobody walks around with "FIGHTER" branded on their forehead (Except maybe a Warforged ;-) )

There's no reason why you can't be a barbarian raised on the streets of sharn. You're a tough street thug with a mean temper and no formal education. Poof, done. Want to represent some street smarts? Throw in a level of Rogue. Want him to be a canny and skilled warrior? Toss him a couple fighter levels. Now you got yourself a mean, opportunistic street brawler with a violent temper and enough street smarts to make up for his lack of education.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Charles Phipps 10-23-05, 04:33 AM	Given the Seren are seemingly the only real barbarians whom aren't halflings, one of my players offered a rather curious justification for being a Berseker in Eberron and I was pleased with it. I was curious if anyone had any other ideas for Berserkers in Eberron? His was... 1) The character in question was traumatized by his experiences by war and surviving hand to mouth in the region of Eberron. Not quite a Fighter with their extensive skill and experience, he was a foot soldier whom nevertheless developed a brutal "kill or die" mentality in the worst hand to hand fighting of the war as his attack style became extraordinarily effective but was largely unrefined by comparison. After the war, he was released traumatized into the lands of Khovaire but was unsuited for civilian life as any temperment might lead to a brawl that he would not stop until his enemy was dead.
The White Sorcerer 10-23-05, 05:04 AM	Given the Seren are seemingly the only real barbarians whom aren't halflings. Don't forget Marchers and Wastelanders, and that one clan of dwarves. Shouldn't this be in the Class forum?
Charles Phipps 10-23-05, 05:42 AM	Don't forget Marchers and Wastelanders, and that one clan of dwarves. Shouldn't this be in the Class forum? Not necessarily. This is also to discuss their role in Eberron storywise.
Mr. Wilson 10-23-05, 05:48 AM	The character's explanation seems reasonable enough to me.
DarkWarriorKarg 10-23-05, 09:50 AM	Works for me... I don't always see the Berserker (which is what the Barbarian should have been called IMO) as an illiterate thug with anger management problems. (That's the FB...) What you're suggesting would suit a traumatized half-trained (lack of armour proficiencies & tracking) fighter or ranger. Heck, maybe said guy could have even trained to release his/her anger (Fighter/Ranger 1, Barb X)
Gurv 10-23-05, 10:45 AM	I see no problem with this approach, as I have seen it work well several times. In a pre-Eberron game, we had an elven aristocrat who was basically a psychopathic killer. He used barbarian levels, acted perfectly gentleman-like most of the time, and would flip out and go into a murderous rage whenever anything didn't go his way. But, Seren is hardly the only place for true barbarians. The Demon Wastes has tribes and tribes, several detailed in the ECS. The Shadow Marches are perfect for them, since they're not at all civilized. The Eldeen Reaches are perfect for a barbarian with a wilderness focus. The Talenta Plains aren't 100% populated by halflings, but it is likely that any others living there have picked up some of their ways. And both Q'barra and the Lhazaar have a strongly uncivilized nature as well. And using your idea about non-cultural barbarians using the class to represent their abilities, I can picture them cropping up anywhere.
Charles Phipps 10-23-05, 02:22 PM	Honestly, I think the class is in need of renaming since a Berserker tradition is hardly the only thing you'll find in barbarian lands. After all, Berserk is set in Medieval lands ;-) Other options that have been suggested to me include warforged with severe mental defects and possibly the use of magical potions manufactured during war that gradually became less needed.
6FootGnome 10-28-05, 07:50 PM	The Mourning did it
Galahad_Knight 10-28-05, 08:05 PM	You don;t nessecarily have to be savage and unclutured to be a barbarian. Classes are just bundles of abilities pacaged together. All the fluff is nice, but it can get in the way of customizing your character to represent what you want him to. Take a level here, a level there, you're making up your own class as you go. Nobody walks around with "FIGHTER" branded on their forehead (Except maybe a Warforged ;-) ) There's no reason why you can't be a barbarian raised on the streets of sharn. You're a tough street thug with a mean temper and no formal education. Poof, done. Want to represent some street smarts? Throw in a level of Rogue. Want him to be a canny and skilled warrior? Toss him a couple fighter levels. Now you got yourself a mean, opportunistic street brawler with a violent temper and enough street smarts to make up for his lack of education.