Berserk

Requirements

Base Attack Bonus: +5

Alignment: Any nonlawful

Feats or Equivalent: Medium Armor Proficiency, Martial Weapon Proficiency (longsword, battleaxe or warhammer), Shield Proficiency

Summary

Berserks are warriors who dress themselves in bearskins (“berserk” comes from “bear sark,” or “bearshirt”), taking advantage of the fear most people have for wild animals and simultaneously inviting the wild rage of the animal into the warrior’s body. Berserks whip themselves into a battle frenzy, biting their shields and howling like animals. They are ferocious fighters and seemingly insensitive to pain while this madness lasts. Berserks make formidable enemies. In their rage they have even been known to attack the boulders and trees of the forest, and it is not uncommon for them to kill their own people. Barbarians generally disdain berserks, whose lack of control in battle goes beyond even barbarians’ legendary rages. The Asgardian gods are often arcane spellcasters themselves, so even wizards and sorcerers may find themselves “blessed” with battle fury.

Role: DPS

Characteristics: Savage warriors with battle fury and the ability to shift into an animal.

Source: Deities and Demigods

Game Rule Information

The Berserk has the following game statistics.

Abilities: The same big stats you need as a barbarian, your physical stats, Strength, Constitution and Dexterity, Wisdom and Charisma are not bad as tertiary ability scores

Alignment: Any Nonlawful

Hit Die: d12

Starting Gold: N/A

Class Skills

The Berserk's class skills are Animal Empathy (Cha), Climb (Str), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), and Wilderness Lore (Wis).

Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) × 4

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Berserk.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Berserk is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light armor and shields

Battle Fury Ex: Starting at 1st level, berserks can enter battle fury as a standard action. They gain +6 to Strength, +6 to Constitution, and a +3 moral bonus on Will saves, but suffer a -2 penalty to AC while in battle fury. The increase in Constitution increases the berserk's hit points by 3 points per level, but these hit points go away at the end of the fury when the Constitution score drops back to normal. (The Extra hit points are not lost first the way temporary hit points are.) While in his fury, a berserk cannot use skills or abilities that require patience and concentration, such as moving silently or casting spells (the only class skills he can't use are Animal Empathy and Wilderness Lore.) He cannot use ranged weapons. He can use any feat he might have except for Expertise, item creation feats, metamagic feats, and Skill focus (if it's tied to a skill that requires patience or concentration). While in a fury, berserks attack every being they can see. When a berserk begins attacking a foe, she continues until the foe dies, the berserk dies or becomes incapacitated, or the fury ends.

In order to avoid attacking a friend or innocent bystander, the berserk must make a Will save (DC 15 + number of rounds already spent in a fury). A fit of battle fury lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the character's (newly improved) Constitution modifier. The berserk may not prematurely end the battle fury voluntarily. If there are no longer any beings in sight, the berserk randomly attacks walls, rocks, trees, doors, or anything else she can see. At the end of a fury, the berserk is fatigued (-2 to Strength, -2 to Dexterity, can't charge or run) for the duration of that encounter. The berserk can only fly into a fury once per encounter and only a certain number of times per day (determined by level).

Movement Bonus Ex: At 1st level, berserks increase their movement rate by 10 feet. This bonus only applies to the berserk's human and hybrid forms.

Damage Reduction Ex: Beginning at 2nd level, the berserk gains the ability to shrug off some amount of injury from each blow or attack. Subtract 1 from the damage the berserk, takes each time she is dealt damage. At 4th level, this damage reduction rises to 2. At 6th level it rises to 3. At 8th level it rises to 4. Damage reduction can reduce damage to 0 but not below 0.

Beast Shape Su: At 3rd level, the berserk selects a totem animal from the following list: bear (brown), boar, eagle, raven, whale (cachalot), or wolf. A number of times per day determined by level, the berserk may change shape into a hybrid creature with features that combine human and animal, or into the animal itself. A hybrid retains the use of human arms, hands, and intelligence, but loses the power of speech. A hybrid cannot use skills or abilities that require patience and concentration, such as moving silently or casting spells ( the only class skills he can't use are Animal Empathy and Wilderness Lore). He can use any feat he might have except for Expertise, item creation feats, metamagic feats, and Skill Focus (if it's tied to a skill that requires patience or concentration). Hybrids also gain +2 Strength and +2 Constitution. The increase in Constitution increases the berserk's hit points by 1 per level, but these hit points go away at the end of the fury when Constitution score drops back to normal. ( These extra hit points are not lost first the way temporary hit points are.)

While in animal form, the berserk gains the abilities and movement speeds of the animal and retains her human intelligence. A berserk cannot use battle fury while in either hybrid or animal form, nor can she use beast shape while in battle fury. A berserk can always change back to human form. No equipment or clothing transforms with the berserk.

Table 1-1: Berserk Progression

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1st	+0	+2	+0	+0	Battle fury 1/day, +10 ft. movement
2nd	+1	+3	+0	+0	Damage reduction 1/—
3rd	+2	+3	+1	+1	Beast shape 1/day
4th	+3	+4	+1	+1	Battle fury 2/day, damage reduction 2/—
5th	+3	+4	+1	+1	—
6th	+4	+5	+2	+2	Beast Shape 2/day, damage reduction 3/—
7th	+5	+5	+2	+2	—
8th	+6	+6	+2	+2	Battle fury 3/day, damage reduction 4/—
9th	+6	+6	+2	+2	Beast shape 3/day
10th	+7	+7	+3	+3	—