Berserking as a technique

[Anders]

According to the Basic Set, you can make a Will-based roll to work yourself into a Berserk rage. What do you think of a technique to increase that? Average technique, defaults to Will, max Will+4? Something like that?

[vicky_molokh]

Sure, why not. It's a pretty narrow use of Will. Non-Combat-Skill Techniques are in desperate need of more love anyway.

[Peter V. Dell'Orto]

Originally Posted by Asta Kask

According to the Basic Set, you can make a Will-based roll to work yourself into a Berserk rage. What do you think of a technique to increase that? Average technique, defaults to Will, max Will+4? Something like that?

It would cost out to the same as Will with a maximum accessibility limitation (-80%), which seems totally fair. I'd go for it.

[Christopher R. Rice]

It occurs to me that a technique to also snap yourself out of it might be useful as well...

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by Ghostdancer

It occurs to me that a technique to also snap yourself out of it might be useful as well...

Now, an SC-based Technique?

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

Now, an SC-based Technique?

Huh. For some reason I thought that snapping out required another Will roll. I wonder if making it a Hard technique with a extra -1 penalty (for breaking rules, from the MA technique build system) couldn't be used? Switch the SC roll to Will. And let you buy the roll to snap out of it up to Will (but no higher). So a strong-willed berserker might have a better chance of bringing himself out of a rage. Could be a crock though.

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by Ghostdancer

Huh. For some reason I thought that snapping out required another Will roll. I wonder if making it a Hard technique with a extra -1 penalty (for breaking rules, from the MA technique build system) couldn't be used? Switch the SC roll to Will. And let you buy the roll to snap out of it up to Will (but no higher). So a strong-willed berserker might have a better chance of bringing himself out of a rage. Could be a crock though.

Or just base the technique off SC but that probably is a point crock.

[gilbertocarlos]

A perk would suffice.

[Bruno]

Originally Posted by gilbertocarlos

A perk would suffice.

I'm really dubious about this. If you want a different roll to snap out, you should take a different SC in the first place.

EDIT: to clarify, as someone who's played a berserk character for a while, a big chunk of the disadvantage value is the failure to snap out. Going berserk can be quite useful as long as you aren't 80 lbs soaking wet, unarmored, and have a low max HP.

[malloyd]

Originally Posted by Bruno

EDIT: to clarify, as someone who's played a berserk character for a while, a big chunk of the disadvantage value is the failure to snap out. Going berserk can be quite useful as long as you aren't 80 lbs soaking wet, unarmored, and have a low max HP.

Essentially *all* of the disadvantage is the can't snap out of it easily. I'm skeptical of making it easier to turn on, and I'd never permit anything that makes it easier to turn off.

If you could turn it on and off more or less at will Berserk is a hefty advantage. Try rebuilding all the beneficial components as separate advantages with a limitation (only while berserk) and you'll see that pretty clearly - you have to make the base only attack, might attack allies state an incredibly serious disadvantage to get close to the original costs.