Barbarian Rage [Archive] - Wizards Community

Barbarian Rage [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Dazzer
08-09-07, 09:31 PM Hey,

I have a question about the Barbarian Rage Class Feature

It has probably been asked a million times but I can't find any post about it...searching is hard here!

I am a 10th level Barbarian, I have gone into a Rage and gained +4 con (20 hitpoints).

I am hit really really hard, and go down to 10 hitpoints. My healer is unconcious/dead/non-existant. I have no items of healing.

When my rage runs out, I lose 4 Constitution, and 20 hitpoints. Do I die?

If No, explain

If yes, Is there any way (other than frost-rager) to avoid this, based off of pure merit. No houserules, no personal suggestions please. An actual official way to avoid this as a pure 10th level barbarian. Anything that isn't healing. Lets assume all the per-day stuff is gone, and my healer died during the battle etc. Preferably a feat, or other such ability but an item will also do, again, stay away from healing items, they can get used easily!
Nephlite
08-09-07, 11:56 PM I am a 10th level Barbarian, I have gone into a Rage and gained +4 con (20 hitpoints).

I am hit really really hard, and go down to 10 hitpoints. My healer is unconcious/dead/non-existant. I have no items of healing.

When my rage runs out, I lose 4 Constitution, and 20 hitpoints. Do I die?

Barring healing, yes, you die. -10 activates te status called death is D&D.

If yes, Is there any way (other than frost-rager) to avoid this, based off of pure merit. No houserules, no personal suggestions please. An actual official way to avoid this as a pure 10th level barbarian. Anything that isn't healing. Lets assume all the per-day stuff is gone, and my healer died during the battle etc. Preferably a feat, or other such ability but an item will also do, again, stay away from healing items, they can get used easily!

Sorry, I must give a suggestion:
Nope, don't rely on Rage to keep you alive. Keep the amount you gain seperate from your health score number. Use this number only for staying alive to be healed: think of your self going to die if you are rely on it.

Other than healing items: items that auto-stabilize you won't help at -10. You still die.
Death kills you. Simple as that.

Don't let Rage end before you heal. I'd buy a healing belt and use it in emercencies (yes, it is X/day, but it refills it self the next).
pres_man
08-10-07, 12:21 AM I find it easier to add it on the bottom.

So let's say you had 90 hp and raged (get 20 extra hp), how I would play this is that you can go to -30 before you actually die. At -20 you are staggered, from -21 to -29 you fall unconscious (unless you have the die hard feat, which I suggest you get).

Doing it this way, if you are sitting at -15 hp, you know that you are on borrowed time, and as soon as your rage ends you'll be dead (less than -10).

My suggestion, always have a few healing potions handy, or never get into those extra hp if your cleric is out of action.
Nid_Food
08-10-07, 07:15 AM Don't let Rage end before you heal. I'd buy a healing belt and use it in emercencies (yes, it is X/day, but it refills it self the next).

I'm not sure what a healing belt is, but if it requires any kind of command, then you can't use it while raging.
runestar
08-10-07, 07:26 AM The hp loss from rage ending is not as bad as people make it out to be. You are basically losing hp which you never had to begin with, so you are not really any worse off.

If ending rage would kill you, then it is actually a "blessing in disguise", since without this extra hp, you would have been dead in the first place.:)
pres_man
08-10-07, 08:11 AM The hp loss from rage ending is not as bad as people make it out to be. You are basically losing hp which you never had to begin with, so you are not really any worse off.

If ending rage would kill you, then it is actually a "blessing in disguise", since without this extra hp, you would have been dead in the first place.:)
That is exactly true, that is the reason I add them on the bottom.

As for how to stay alive, you might consider multiclassing into dragon shaman and getting the healing aura. The extra point of healing each round might just be enough to keep you alive after your rage ends.
Dungeonrenter
08-10-07, 08:21 AM I have always thought this kinda sucked actually. In effect, once a barbarian gets more than 10 bonus hit points all the extra beyond that are worthless. As the others have pointed out, a straightforward reading of the rules indicates yes, most babraians who use there extra hp at all are toast.

Also its not a blessing in disguies. Normally you would probably be rendered unconsiouce and reduced to -1 to -9 by a hit which gives you chances to stablize and your group a whole minute to prevent you from dieing. However, the barbarian could easily get to a point where he goes from standing and fine to instantly dead, without ever having been unconscious or having a chance to stabliize. Basically yoru first 9 bonus hit points are real and anything beyond that is a dead point, cause your already dead.

However, I seem to remember either a dragon magazine or some FAQ source around where somebody explained that you do not die, but instead should be placed back at -1 hp, unconsiuos and dieing. Thus a barbarian actually has a class feature of extra hit points. This also means that its a little easier to prevent high level barbarians from just dieing the moment combat ends. I will have to go and see where I saw that.
Morwen
08-10-07, 08:54 AM However, I seem to remember either a dragon magazine or some FAQ source around where somebody explained that you do not die, but instead should be placed back at -1 hp, unconsiuos and dieing. Thus a barbarian actually has a class feature of extra hit points. This also means that its a little easier to prevent high level barbarians from just dieing the moment combat ends. I will have to go and see where I saw that.

That's a spell called Revivify, from the Spell Compendium.
Ace_of_Night
08-10-07, 09:18 AM It's a blessing in disguise, as where you'd normally have -10 hp and be dead, you'd have 10 hp now which gives the healer time to heal before the rage ends. It isn't about surviving when there's no means to heal you anymore, it's about surviving until you can get healed.

Edit: even when healing has run out, if you have enough health to run around but too little to fight on when it ends, you can at least help the others survive (maybe allowing them to resurrect you)
FponkDamn
08-10-07, 09:23 AM There's a feat in the Mini's Handbook which lets you heal yourself (as a free action) once per day to the tune of your Con modifier. It's not much, but at least Rage makes it better. Might be enough to keep you on your feet.

When you Rage, and you're damaged to the point where you're only left with Hit Points that you wouldn't normally have, it's true - you're dead already.

But fighting and killing when you're already dead is AWESOME. That's why Barbarians are cool.

- Johnny
BilopTheFleshwarper
08-10-07, 10:00 AM HAHA! You think Rage is bad? Frenzied Berserker...

at forth level you get deathless frenzy, no matter how far into the negatives you go you keep fighting. good luck on getting the healing to come back from -400, before the frenzy ends, and hope your priest is brave enough to get near you to cast on you.
runestar
08-10-07, 10:26 AM Also its not a blessing in disguies. Normally you would probably be rendered unconsiouce and reduced to -1 to -9 by a hit which gives you chances to stablize and your group a whole minute to prevent you from dieing.

Not quite true. Consider a 10th lv barb with 100hp.

If he raged, he would have 120hp. Bear in mind that rage does not automatically end when the barb is unconscious or the encounter has elapsed. Considering that rage usually lasts at least 7 rounds (3+modified con score of 18 <--at least), and combat typically lasts 4-6 rounds, the party should have ample time to aid you.

Assume he took 110 damage or more. If he had not raged, he would have been literally chopped to bits. At least with rage, he still has a few extra rounds for the party to come up with some means of healing him.

If he had taken 100-109 damage, ending the rage would have placed him anywhere from 0 to -9 hp. Either way, he still has a chance of stabilizing, and he was still conscious for the duration of the fight, all the better to get in some extra knocks.

Anything less than 100 damage and he is no better or worse off regardless of whether he had raged or not. You could just see the extra hp as a side-effect of the con boost (which also helps increase your fort save). Plus, the extra hp is nice for helping in resist the various power word spells.:P
pres_man
08-10-07, 11:10 AM Barbarian raging who has lost more hp than he normally has (when not raging):
It might be clear, but he has a crossbow bolt sticking out if his neck (must have upset the wrong WizO ;) )
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q261/pres_man/rage1.jpg
Same barbarian after coming out of a rage without any healing:
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q261/pres_man/rage2.jpg
Heros_Backpack
08-10-07, 03:30 PM You might like to take a look at the Scarab of Stabilisation in the DMG2. As well as stabilising you at -1 to -9 as many times as necessary, it will also stabilise you from -10 or lower to -9 once.
Dazzer
08-10-07, 05:22 PM hmm,

I like the scarab of stabilization idea. This is really what I was asking for. An method of stabilizing or healing that requires no action of my own to do so, but also requires no action from anyone else. Something automatic. Due to the fact that in theory I could have

100hp, 120hp raging, go down to 10hp...fail a will save against calm emotions and die...

I would like to have some contingency against that essentially. It isn't always about me running out of duration! It's sometimes about the pure up killer damage or killer spells that just end me.

I had a similar problem with a fighter of mine who had a belt of +2 con, when he was level 13, I went to around 5 hitpoints and then a smart wizard dispelled my belt, essentially taking me out of the fight, since I lost 13 hitpoints, I went to -8. I had in advance thought of this, but decided that the chances of someone doing that are about as like as someone killing me with outright damage (at that point at least!).

However, with the barbarian, it might be that I do end the other person, and have several rounds of rage left, with no healing magic in sight, and to activate my belts or my this or that, I need to not be in a rage....which would kill me instantly. Not happy.

If anyone could show me anything else, I'd be more happy XD Thanks so far!

btw, the barbarian in question is level 1 now, but will quickly level up; and I want to prepare in advance against my own demise! He has lots of hitpoints, endurance and die-hard so that he can still heal himself when in the negatives (if needed)
Morwen
08-10-07, 06:46 PM I would like to have some contingency against that essentially. It isn't always about me running out of duration! It's sometimes about the pure up killer damage or killer spells that just end me.

Simple :)

Have your party cleric take the feat "Craft Contingent Spell" from Complete Arcane. Then have him craft the Revivify spell as a contingency on your barbarian, with the trigger effect being your death.

That's how my party's Frenzied Berserker survives (last time he ended up at negative 3000 or so :D )

Of course, this doesn't work until the Cleric is 9th level (so that he can cast 5th-level spells).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Dazzer 08-09-07, 09:31 PM	Hey, I have a question about the Barbarian Rage Class Feature It has probably been asked a million times but I can't find any post about it...searching is hard here! I am a 10th level Barbarian, I have gone into a Rage and gained +4 con (20 hitpoints). I am hit really really hard, and go down to 10 hitpoints. My healer is unconcious/dead/non-existant. I have no items of healing. When my rage runs out, I lose 4 Constitution, and 20 hitpoints. Do I die? If No, explain If yes, Is there any way (other than frost-rager) to avoid this, based off of pure merit. No houserules, no personal suggestions please. An actual official way to avoid this as a pure 10th level barbarian. Anything that isn't healing. Lets assume all the per-day stuff is gone, and my healer died during the battle etc. Preferably a feat, or other such ability but an item will also do, again, stay away from healing items, they can get used easily!
Nephlite 08-09-07, 11:56 PM	I am a 10th level Barbarian, I have gone into a Rage and gained +4 con (20 hitpoints). I am hit really really hard, and go down to 10 hitpoints. My healer is unconcious/dead/non-existant. I have no items of healing. When my rage runs out, I lose 4 Constitution, and 20 hitpoints. Do I die? Barring healing, yes, you die. -10 activates te status called death is D&D. If yes, Is there any way (other than frost-rager) to avoid this, based off of pure merit. No houserules, no personal suggestions please. An actual official way to avoid this as a pure 10th level barbarian. Anything that isn't healing. Lets assume all the per-day stuff is gone, and my healer died during the battle etc. Preferably a feat, or other such ability but an item will also do, again, stay away from healing items, they can get used easily! Sorry, I must give a suggestion: Nope, don't rely on Rage to keep you alive. Keep the amount you gain seperate from your health score number. Use this number only for staying alive to be healed: think of your self going to die if you are rely on it. Other than healing items: items that auto-stabilize you won't help at -10. You still die. Death kills you. Simple as that. Don't let Rage end before you heal. I'd buy a healing belt and use it in emercencies (yes, it is X/day, but it refills it self the next).
pres_man 08-10-07, 12:21 AM	I find it easier to add it on the bottom. So let's say you had 90 hp and raged (get 20 extra hp), how I would play this is that you can go to -30 before you actually die. At -20 you are staggered, from -21 to -29 you fall unconscious (unless you have the die hard feat, which I suggest you get). Doing it this way, if you are sitting at -15 hp, you know that you are on borrowed time, and as soon as your rage ends you'll be dead (less than -10). My suggestion, always have a few healing potions handy, or never get into those extra hp if your cleric is out of action.
Nid_Food 08-10-07, 07:15 AM	Don't let Rage end before you heal. I'd buy a healing belt and use it in emercencies (yes, it is X/day, but it refills it self the next). I'm not sure what a healing belt is, but if it requires any kind of command, then you can't use it while raging.
runestar 08-10-07, 07:26 AM	The hp loss from rage ending is not as bad as people make it out to be. You are basically losing hp which you never had to begin with, so you are not really any worse off. If ending rage would kill you, then it is actually a "blessing in disguise", since without this extra hp, you would have been dead in the first place.:)
pres_man 08-10-07, 08:11 AM	The hp loss from rage ending is not as bad as people make it out to be. You are basically losing hp which you never had to begin with, so you are not really any worse off. If ending rage would kill you, then it is actually a "blessing in disguise", since without this extra hp, you would have been dead in the first place.:) That is exactly true, that is the reason I add them on the bottom. As for how to stay alive, you might consider multiclassing into dragon shaman and getting the healing aura. The extra point of healing each round might just be enough to keep you alive after your rage ends.
Dungeonrenter 08-10-07, 08:21 AM	I have always thought this kinda sucked actually. In effect, once a barbarian gets more than 10 bonus hit points all the extra beyond that are worthless. As the others have pointed out, a straightforward reading of the rules indicates yes, most babraians who use there extra hp at all are toast. Also its not a blessing in disguies. Normally you would probably be rendered unconsiouce and reduced to -1 to -9 by a hit which gives you chances to stablize and your group a whole minute to prevent you from dieing. However, the barbarian could easily get to a point where he goes from standing and fine to instantly dead, without ever having been unconscious or having a chance to stabliize. Basically yoru first 9 bonus hit points are real and anything beyond that is a dead point, cause your already dead. However, I seem to remember either a dragon magazine or some FAQ source around where somebody explained that you do not die, but instead should be placed back at -1 hp, unconsiuos and dieing. Thus a barbarian actually has a class feature of extra hit points. This also means that its a little easier to prevent high level barbarians from just dieing the moment combat ends. I will have to go and see where I saw that.
Morwen 08-10-07, 08:54 AM	However, I seem to remember either a dragon magazine or some FAQ source around where somebody explained that you do not die, but instead should be placed back at -1 hp, unconsiuos and dieing. Thus a barbarian actually has a class feature of extra hit points. This also means that its a little easier to prevent high level barbarians from just dieing the moment combat ends. I will have to go and see where I saw that. That's a spell called Revivify, from the Spell Compendium.
Ace_of_Night 08-10-07, 09:18 AM	It's a blessing in disguise, as where you'd normally have -10 hp and be dead, you'd have 10 hp now which gives the healer time to heal before the rage ends. It isn't about surviving when there's no means to heal you anymore, it's about surviving until you can get healed. Edit: even when healing has run out, if you have enough health to run around but too little to fight on when it ends, you can at least help the others survive (maybe allowing them to resurrect you)
FponkDamn 08-10-07, 09:23 AM	There's a feat in the Mini's Handbook which lets you heal yourself (as a free action) once per day to the tune of your Con modifier. It's not much, but at least Rage makes it better. Might be enough to keep you on your feet. When you Rage, and you're damaged to the point where you're only left with Hit Points that you wouldn't normally have, it's true - you're dead already. But fighting and killing when you're already dead is AWESOME. That's why Barbarians are cool. - Johnny
BilopTheFleshwarper 08-10-07, 10:00 AM	HAHA! You think Rage is bad? Frenzied Berserker... at forth level you get deathless frenzy, no matter how far into the negatives you go you keep fighting. good luck on getting the healing to come back from -400, before the frenzy ends, and hope your priest is brave enough to get near you to cast on you.
runestar 08-10-07, 10:26 AM	Also its not a blessing in disguies. Normally you would probably be rendered unconsiouce and reduced to -1 to -9 by a hit which gives you chances to stablize and your group a whole minute to prevent you from dieing. Not quite true. Consider a 10th lv barb with 100hp. If he raged, he would have 120hp. Bear in mind that rage does not automatically end when the barb is unconscious or the encounter has elapsed. Considering that rage usually lasts at least 7 rounds (3+modified con score of 18 <--at least), and combat typically lasts 4-6 rounds, the party should have ample time to aid you. Assume he took 110 damage or more. If he had not raged, he would have been literally chopped to bits. At least with rage, he still has a few extra rounds for the party to come up with some means of healing him. If he had taken 100-109 damage, ending the rage would have placed him anywhere from 0 to -9 hp. Either way, he still has a chance of stabilizing, and he was still conscious for the duration of the fight, all the better to get in some extra knocks. Anything less than 100 damage and he is no better or worse off regardless of whether he had raged or not. You could just see the extra hp as a side-effect of the con boost (which also helps increase your fort save). Plus, the extra hp is nice for helping in resist the various power word spells.:P
pres_man 08-10-07, 11:10 AM	Barbarian raging who has lost more hp than he normally has (when not raging): It might be clear, but he has a crossbow bolt sticking out if his neck (must have upset the wrong WizO ;) ) http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q261/pres_man/rage1.jpg Same barbarian after coming out of a rage without any healing: http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q261/pres_man/rage2.jpg
Heros_Backpack 08-10-07, 03:30 PM	You might like to take a look at the Scarab of Stabilisation in the DMG2. As well as stabilising you at -1 to -9 as many times as necessary, it will also stabilise you from -10 or lower to -9 once.
Dazzer 08-10-07, 05:22 PM	hmm, I like the scarab of stabilization idea. This is really what I was asking for. An method of stabilizing or healing that requires no action of my own to do so, but also requires no action from anyone else. Something automatic. Due to the fact that in theory I could have 100hp, 120hp raging, go down to 10hp...fail a will save against calm emotions and die... I would like to have some contingency against that essentially. It isn't always about me running out of duration! It's sometimes about the pure up killer damage or killer spells that just end me. I had a similar problem with a fighter of mine who had a belt of +2 con, when he was level 13, I went to around 5 hitpoints and then a smart wizard dispelled my belt, essentially taking me out of the fight, since I lost 13 hitpoints, I went to -8. I had in advance thought of this, but decided that the chances of someone doing that are about as like as someone killing me with outright damage (at that point at least!). However, with the barbarian, it might be that I do end the other person, and have several rounds of rage left, with no healing magic in sight, and to activate my belts or my this or that, I need to not be in a rage....which would kill me instantly. Not happy. If anyone could show me anything else, I'd be more happy XD Thanks so far! btw, the barbarian in question is level 1 now, but will quickly level up; and I want to prepare in advance against my own demise! He has lots of hitpoints, endurance and die-hard so that he can still heal himself when in the negatives (if needed)
Morwen 08-10-07, 06:46 PM	I would like to have some contingency against that essentially. It isn't always about me running out of duration! It's sometimes about the pure up killer damage or killer spells that just end me. Simple :) Have your party cleric take the feat "Craft Contingent Spell" from Complete Arcane. Then have him craft the Revivify spell as a contingency on your barbarian, with the trigger effect being your death. That's how my party's Frenzied Berserker survives (last time he ended up at negative 3000 or so :D ) Of course, this doesn't work until the Cleric is 9th level (so that he can cast 5th-level spells).