Barbarian Rage
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Introduction
Avlis has made some changes to some of the barbarian rage feats in NWN. In addition, we have added a Barbarian Rage System (BRS) that allows barbarians to customize their rages.
Changes to Rage Feats
Rage/Greater Rage
When using this feat you receive a rage bonus equal to the number of your barbarian levels divided by ten (rounded down), plus two. This rage bonus increases some of your stats:
- Attack Bonus: rage bonus * 1
- Fort Save: rage bonus * 1
- Weapon Damage: rage bonus * 1
- Discipline: rage bonus * 3
- Concentration: rage bonus * 3
- Temporary Hit Points: rage bonus * total character levels
You also receive a -2 AC penalty while raging.
The duration of this rage, as well as all of the rages outlined below, is a number of rounds equal to the sum of 7, your PC's CON modifier, and your BRS level (see below for more information on BRS). You gain an additional 2 rounds for greater rage (gained with 15 barbarian levels).
- Example: Randy of Ra-Ghul is a 5th level barbarian with 12 CON who has 5 levels in BRS. His rage bonus is 2 + 5/10 = 2. When he rages, he receives a -2 AC, +2 AB, +2 fort save, +2 weapon damage, +6 discipline, and +6 concentration. He receives 2 * 5 = 10 bonus hit points. His rage lasts for 7 + 1 (modifier for 12 CON) + 5 = 13 rounds.
- Example: Ruk the Ripper is a 20/20 barbarian/fighter with 18 CON who does not use BRS. His rage bonus is 2 + 20/10 = 4. When he rages, he receives a -2 AC, +4 AB, +4 fort save, +4 weapon damage, +12 discipline, and +12 concentration. He receives 4 * 40 = 160 bonus hit points. His rage lasts for 7 + 4 (modifier for 18 CON) + 0 + 2 (greater rage) = 13 rounds.
Mighty Rage
Mighty Rage is the same as Rage and Greater Rage, with the following exceptions:
- Your rage bonus is increased by 1
- You no longer incur an AC penalty
Also, if you have the Mighty Rage feat, all of your Rages or Greater Rages count as Mighty Rages. In other words, if you take the Mighty Rage feat, you will no longer incur an AC penalty when raging.
- Example: Randy of Ra-Ghul is now a 21st level barbarian with 21 CON and 10 levels in BRS. His rage bonus now is 2 + 21/10 + 1 = 5. When he rages, he receives +5 AB, +5 fort save, +5 weapon damage, +15 discipline, and +15 concentration. He receives 5 * 21 = 105 bonus hit points. His rage lasts for 18 + 5 (modifier for 21 CON) + 5 + 10 = 38 rounds.
Thundering Rage
In Avlis, the Greater Magic Weapon spell can grant temporary massive criticals to a weapon. These will stack with the additional 2d6 points of damage on a critical hit which Thundering Rage produces. There is also the 25% chance for a creature hit by one of the barbarian's weapons to be deafened for 3 rounds.
Terrifying Rage
The DC for Terrifying Rage is the sum of your Intimidate ranks and your BRS levels.
- Example: Randy of Ra-Ghul is now a 30th level barbarian with 20 BRS levels. He has 25 ranks in Intimidate. When he uses Terrifying Rage the DC for his fear aura is 25 + 20 = 45.
Barbarian Rage Specializations (BRS)
Rage Items and Accruing Rage Experience
The rage specializations must be learned. To learn a BRS, a barbarian must use what is called a rage item before going into a rage. There are different rage items for each BRS rage type. If you use a rage item corresponding to a certain rage type, the next time you go into a rage, you will get the bonuses and penalties of that rage type, as well as gain BRS experience for that rage type for every creature you kill while raging.
Rage items will sometimes be dropped by slain foes. They can also be purchased from several player-owned p-merchants, as well as in the shop in the Fury of Ra-Ghul guildhouse in M'Chek. Rest assured the Temple of Ra-Ghul near Visimontium offers them also, as well as NPC merchants in Deglos and the Underdark.
BRS Levels
BRS rage types follow the same level progression as character classes. When you gain 1000 BRS xp and reach 2nd level for that rage type, it becomes your active rage type. This means that you no longer need to use a rage item before raging to get the bonuses and penalties of that rage type. In other words, every time you go into a rage, you will automatically use that BRS rage type, and you will continue to gain experience and levels in that rage type as you damage enemies while raging.
You can gain BRS experience infinitely. However, your effective BRS level is either your BRS Levels or your barbarian levels, whichever is lower. Your effective BRS level is what is used when calculating the strength and duration of rages. In other words, your BRS abilities are capped by your barbarian levels.
Your current active BRS rage type and your BRS xp and level for all rage types can be checked at any time by typing /check brs into the chat window in-game.
BRS Rage Types
Similar to the rage bonus used to calculate bonuses for standard rage, the bonuses associated with the BRS rages are tied to BRS Bonuses. These are related to your BRS level as follows:
| BRS Level | BRS Bonus |
|---|---|
| 1-3 | 1 |
| 4-6 | 2 |
| 7-9 | 3 |
| 10-12 | 4 |
| 13-15 | 5 |
| 16+ | 6 |
The BRS rage types, the items used to learn them, and their bonuses and penalties are outlined below.
| Rage Type | Item | Bonuses | Penalties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windwalker | Dust of the Windwalker | movement speed increase (BRS bonus * 5%) extra attacks (BRS bonus - 1) |
damage decrease (BRS bonus/2) |
| Flamedancer | Oil of the Flamedancer | fire damage (BRS bonus * 2) fire damage shield (BRS bonus * 3 + random) |
slashing/piercing/bludgeoning damage vulnerability(BRS bonus * 3%) |
| Waverider | Water of the Deep Well | concealment (BRS bonus * 5%) | miss chance (BRS bonus * 2%) |
| Stonewall | Stonewall's Brew | slashing/piercing/bludgeoning immunity (BRS bonus * 5 %) temporary hit points (BRS bonus * d10) |
movement speed decrease (BRS bonus * 5%) |
| Bloodthirster | Vial of Anointed Blood | vampiric regeneration on equipped melee weapons (BRS bonus * 2) | none |
| Whirling Frenzy | Draught of the Dervish | AC increase (BRS bonus) reflex save bonus (1 + BRS bonus/2) extra attacks (BRS bonus - 1) improved evasion |
AB decrease (BRS bonus) |
| Demonkin | Tanar'ri Essence | electric damage resistance (2 + BRS bonus * 8) fire/acid/cold damage resistance (2 + BRS bonus * 3) damage reduction (+3/soak BRS bonus * 5) spell resistance (8 + BRS bonus * 7) poison immunity |
divine damage vulnerability (BRS level * 15%) |
Examples:
- Randy of Ra-Ghul has 17 Windwalker levels, granting him a BRS bonus of 6. When he rages, in addition to standard rage bonuses he gets a 6 * 5 = 30% movement speed increase, 6 - 1 = 5 extra attacks, and a 6/2 = 3 damage decrease to all attacks.
- Ruk the Ripper has 1 Whirling Frenzy level. When he rages he gets a +1 AC bonus, 1 + 1/2 = +1 reflex save bonus, 1 - 1 = 0 extra attacks, improved evasion, and a -1 attack penalty.
Changing Rage Types
Barbarians can change their BRS rage type. If you have an active rage type, you can use a different rage type simply by using one of that type's rage items before raging.
Examples:
- Grazby the Gnome decides to quit being a merchant and joins a Tyeduan tribe, living as a savage. He starts off using Tanar'ri Essence, and rages enough under its influence to gain 500 Demonkin xp. Then he changes his mind and starts to use Oil of the Flamedancer. The next time he rages he gains Flamedancer xp.
- Ruk the Ripper has 15 Whirling Frenzy levels. Since it is his active rage type, whenever he rages he automatically gets the Whirling Frenzy bonuses and penalties. Before battling some druids of Verossa, he decides to take some Tanar'ri Essence for the first time. When he rages he goes into a Demonkin rage; the electric damage resistance helps him to shrug off their called lightning. He gains 50 Demonkin xp as a result of the battle. The next time Ruk rages he decides not to use any items, and thus he goes into a Whirling Frenzy, since it is still his active rage type.
You can only have one active rage type at a time. If you have 1000xp or more of a rage type, when you use an item of that type and then gain more BRS experience while using that type of rage, that BRS will become your active rage type. In other words, if you have 2 or more levels in more than one rage type, you can switch back and forth between having those rages as your active type by using rage items.
Examples:
- Grazby the Barbarian has been dabbling in all of the BRS types, and has reached 2nd level in all of them. His current active rage type is Windwalker. He enters a battle against orcs and goes into a Windwalker rage. After that rage wears off, he sees some giants approaching. He quaffs a Stonewall's Brew, goes into a Stonewall rage, and slays the giants, cackling as he shrugs off blows from their clubs. Since he already has 2 Stonewall levels, that rage becomes his active type. The next time he rages, if he doesn't use any items, it will be a Stonewall rage.
- Later that evening, some frost giants accost Grazby at his camp. Hearing their approach, he rises from between two buxom gnome maidens, puts on his loincloth, and rubs his body with Oil of the Flamedancer. Charging from the tent, he enters Flamedancer rage, searing the giants' flesh with both his flaming weapon and his fire-shielded body. Since he already has 2 Flamedancer levels, this becomes his active BRS. The next time he rages, if he doesn't use any items, it will be a Flamedancer rage.
You do not lose any rage experience or levels when changing rage types. As mentioned above, typing /check brs will give you a report that informs you of your current active BRS as well as your xp and levels in all rage types.
Ice Bear Rage
It is rumored that the Ice Bear Clan of Tyedu, the clan of the famous barbarian hero Tor Varson, has its own rage specialty. No rage items associated with this "Ice Bear Rage" have been found. It is thought that those who wish to learn the ways of this rage type would have to find Tor and submit themselves to his mercy.
Custom Rage Shouts
You can store and manage custom rage shouts to use when your PC enters rage. Refer to the Avlis Command Prompt for a how-to.