Perk: Berserk. Your opinions?

[vicky_molokh]

Greetings, all!

Some GMs have seen players take the Berserk Disadvantage at SC(15) to use it only willingly and not fall into a rage due to the SC roll. OTOH, one could always add Temporary Disadvantage (Berserk) to some cheap combat advantage, like Striking ST, if semi-supernatural abilities are allowed. So, some GMs (including me and my GM so far) accept the use of a Berserker Perk, which gives the ability to enter the rage willingly, but doesn't activate on its own. What do you think about such a solution?

Thanks in advance!

[Icelander]

I'd allow it without reservation.

Berserk state is dangerous enough so that it's unlikely to be unbalancing in any way.

Heck, I'd allow someone to take Berserk as Quirk, representing a Disadvantage without a self-control roll. That would mean that the character had a choice when to enter a rage, but he had to role-play the Quirk somehow.

A person whose not prone to Berserk rages but can if she wants to enter such a state sounds like someone with your Perk.

[Bruno]

You will still need a self-control rating to roll against to snap out of the berserk state, or you'll need some other game-mechanic to determine when the 'zerker stops berserking.

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by Bruno

You will still need a self-control rating to roll against to snap out of the berserk state, or you'll need some other game-mechanic to determine when the 'zerker stops berserking.

I'd think that the default was 15- if taken as a Quirk. Heck, as a Perk I'd allow him to decide when he stops raging. And in both cases I'd allow Will to be used instead of a SC as a Special Effect which has no effect on point cost.

[PK]

I'd just generalize this:

Perk: Switchable Disadvantage

You can affect the state of your mind, allowing you to temporarily "suffer" from a single mental disadvantage. Each disadvantage is its own perk and must be purchased separately. In all cases, use your Will as the self-control number, if any. There is no roll required to enter this state, but deactivating a disadvantage may require a Will roll in certain "trigger" situations (e.g., turning off Berserk in the middle of a fight or turning off Gluttony with tasty food present) at the GM's option.

Not all mental disadvantages are appropriate for this perk. The GM, as always, has the final say.

[Flyndaran]

Rev. I'm hard pressed to think of anything in the RAW your idea would work with other than "Berserk".
I can make myself terrified: phobia?
I can make myself unmotivated: lazy?
Just not seeing it.

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

Rev. I'm hard pressed to think of anything in the RAW your idea would work with other than "Berserk".
I can make myself terrified: phobia?
I can make myself unmotivated: lazy?
Just not seeing it.

Callous or Bloodlust, for a normal human.

That might make this unbalanced, however, as Switchable Callous is much less dangerous to the PC when activated.

I'd only use it for Berserk, unless some other disadvantage was suggested and I didn't see any potential for abuse.

[sir_pudding]

Could you have switchable Honesty or Overconfident and still get the reaction modifier?

[PK]

Switchable Amnesia, for disavowing yourself when captured and interrogated.

Switchable Callous, for coming across as a cold-blooded sociopath.

Switchable Clueless, for better resisting Sex Appeal and the like.

Switchable Charitable, for not having to lie when convincing others that you are an incredibly caring, wonderful person.

Switchable Delusions, for living a double life where it'd help to have one side truly believe something the other didn't.

Switchable Easy to Read, for hustling people.

Switchable Obsession, to force yourself to stay on the right track.

Switchable Overconfidence, for impressing naive followers.

Switchable Split Personality, for a variety of useful reasons.

Switchable Supersensitive, for knowing if you're alone.

Switchable Weirdness Magnet, which is pretty much a perk the way most GMs seem to erroneously play it, but don't get me started on a rant...

Anyways, in addition to Berserk and the above examples, there will be times in many campaigns when it's useful to "fake" something without fail. Acting and Fast-Talk will both fall by the wayside under serious Interrogation or ridiculous levels of Detect Lies, but if you can actually give yourself the disadvantage in question, there's no doubt in anyone's mind that you have it. So Switchable Pacifism will leave someone walking away from you convinced that you cannot, will not, and would never kill a person, no matter how perceptive they are. Want to join those mystic monks, but they'd never let a jerk like you in? Switchable Disciplines of Faith will show them that you're every bit as pious as they are! And so on. There aren't many occasions where this will be a wonderful, amazing ability, but then again, it's a perk. It shouldn't be game breaking. :)

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by Icelander

Callous or Bloodlust, for a normal human.

That might make this unbalanced, however, as Switchable Callous is much less dangerous to the PC when activated.

I'd only use it for Berserk, unless some other disadvantage was suggested and I didn't see any potential for abuse.

I'ld call switchable callous almost normal for people. When one's life is truly in danger, it's amazing how much one suddenly doesn't care about others. Look at survivors' guilt and how badly they feel about crawling over the bodies of others trying to escape tragedy.
I wonder if it might be a subsection of combat reflexes. Drop all thoughts not absolutely necessary for survival. Feel crappy later.