Rolling to stay alive at the end of a Berserk

[OldSam]

IMHO two things are obvious:

1) Assuming the character is at -HP or at least 0 HP or less, the character still has to make HQ-rolls to stay conscious but it's harder without the bonus.
2) The character is most likely bleeding due to the injuries...

So without medical help death or at least unconsciousness is still likely, anyway.

[Kromm]

You do what the rules say: If you must roll to stay conscious or alive while berserk, then you must roll – but you do so at +4. Once the altered state wears off, if you're in a state where you would risk unconsciousness or death, you must roll against HT for each effect, and without the +4. Snapping out of a berserk state is considered a shock sufficient to trigger further HT rolls. That's the top reason why Berserk is a disadvantage ("You must All-Out Attack" comes second, as it can be blunted with sufficient armor and tends to kill those who would counterattack).

[vierasmarius]

Originally Posted by Kromm

You do what the rules say: If you must roll to stay conscious or alive while berserk, then you must roll – but you do so at +4. Once the altered state wears off, if you're in a state where you would risk unconsciousness or death, you must roll against HT for each effect, and without the +4. Snapping out of a berserk state is considered a shock sufficient to trigger further HT rolls. That's the top reason why Berserk is a disadvantage ("You must All-Out Attack" comes second, as it can be blunted with sufficient armor and tends to kill those who would counterattack).

I guess that makes sense then. Am I right that you only roll for death once, even if below -2xHP?

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by vierasmarius

I guess that makes sense then. Am I right that you only roll for death once, even if below -2xHP?

Only once at the end of your berserk.

[Rune]

First off: thank you very much Kromm for the clarification. Perhaps you can be persuaded to also help with the new point of uncertainty:

And to David Johnston2:
What makes you so sure it is only one roll to stay alive? If you are 2xHP below (and both multiple has been acquired during berserk) the those are pretty much 2 effects that has to be rolled against.
We agree that you ARE already at -2xHP, and you only have to roll whenever you acquire a new multiple of HP below 0. But since Kromm just said that "you must roll against HT for each effect", and the book says "all your wounds immediately affect you," it is quite easy to interpret this as one HT roll for each multiple of HP below 0.

I would say you roll again for EVERY multiple of HP below 0.

[Blind Mapmaker]

Originally Posted by Rune

I would say you roll again for EVERY multiple of HP below 0.

That's my opinion, too. Frankly, berserkers are a bit of a pain in the butt for the GM and fellow players and I think the disadvantage of rolling all death checks again balances the inherent advantages out so nicely that it doesn't become the total power gamer magnet.

[PseudoFenton]

Does this mean if I'm at -4xHP before I enter berserk, and then take little to no damage during berserk so that I'm still above -5xHP (so alive). When I end berserk, I have to roll four more Death Checks despite not rolling any during my berserk?

If not, what if I'm at -2xHP and get knocked down to -4xHP whilst in berserk - do I roll two or four Death Checks? If I roll four in both cases this is looking a lot worse than a -10 disadvantage, even with all the 'benefits'.

[johndallman]

Well, what I though Kromm was saying was that you only have to roll once each for death and unconsciousness at the end of a Berserk period. You're pointing out some extra cases.

Originally Posted by PseudoFenton

Does this mean if I'm at -4xHP before I enter berserk, and then take little to no damage during berserk so that I'm still above -5xHP (so alive). When I end berserk, I have to roll four more Death Checks despite not rolling any during my berserk?

The great advantage of going Berserk at this point is that your rolls to stay conscious are at +4. Since you weren't required to make any rolls to stay alive while Berserk, I reckon you don't need to make any to stay alive when snap out of it, although you definitely need to make one to stay conscious.

Originally Posted by PseudoFenton

If not, what if I'm at -2xHP and get knocked down to -4xHP whilst in berserk - do I roll two or four Death Checks? If I roll four in both cases this is looking a lot worse than a -10 disadvantage, even with all the 'benefits'.

As I understand Kromm, you make two while berserk, at -3xHP, and -4xHP, both at +4. When you snap out of it, you then make one without the +4, for ceasing to be berserk.

My reasoning is based on this:

Originally Posted by Kromm

You do what the rules say: If you must roll to stay conscious or alive while berserk, then you must roll – but you do so at +4. Once the altered state wears off, if you're in a state where you would risk unconsciousness or death, you must roll against HT for each effect, and without the +4. Snapping out of a berserk state is considered a shock sufficient to trigger further HT rolls. That's the top reason why Berserk is a disadvantage ("You must All-Out Attack" comes second, as it can be blunted with sufficient armor and tends to kill those who would counterattack).

"you must roll against HT for each effect, and without the +4" seems to be to regarding "death" and "unconsciousness" as the "effects", and doesn't mention doing it several times. And he's saying "You do what the rules say", as in "don't over-interpret".

[Brandy]

One roll for consciousness and one roll only for death is how I'd play it. In general, GURPS damage has no "memory".

I believe that is the intent of the rules, and of the Kromm-post -- which isn't to say you can't house-rule otherwise.

[Ze'Manel Cunha]

Originally Posted by PseudoFenton

Does this mean if I'm at -4xHP before I enter berserk, and then take little to no damage during berserk so that I'm still above -5xHP (so alive). When I end berserk, I have to roll four more Death Checks despite not rolling any during my berserk?

No, you roll once for consciousness and once for Death just like you would when reaching that level of -HP.

Originally Posted by PseudoFenton

If not, what if I'm at -2xHP and get knocked down to -4xHP whilst in berserk - do I roll two or four Death Checks? If I roll four in both cases this is looking a lot worse than a -10 disadvantage, even with all the 'benefits'.

You only ever make the Death Check based on your current wound level, if you have 10 HP and someone takes you from -9 HP to -40 HP you make one Death Check, not 4, the other HT roll you're making is for Knockdown/Stunning, and if you take an action the next turn you make a HT roll to stay Conscious.

You would only make 4 Death Checks if someone took you down to -HP, then -2xHP, then -3xHP, then -4xHP.

Keep in mind that anything below -HP is critical status and you should be getting treated in an ICU, only getting discharged out of Intensive Care into a normal hospital bed once you were above -HP.

When coming out of Berserk, if you're below -HP you make both a single Death Check and an immediate Consciousness roll.
Then, if you are taking any actions while below 0 HP, you must make another Consciousness roll.