Berserkers

[Fizz]

Hi all-

Who here is familiar with the Berserker class from the Viking's Campaign Sourcebook (AD&D 2nd edition)?

I am debating using the berserker class in my campaign. For those of who you don't have it, the berserker has similarities to the 3E barbarian (mainly the whole rage thing), but at higher levels has the ability to shapechange; into a wolf at low levels and a cave bear at higher levels.

My worry is that shapechanging might be a bit overtly magical for Birthright. However, the Rjuriks have their Dooms, of which shapechanging is one, and the Vos berserker kit (2nd Ed) mentions that every berserker has a totem animal (though it has no game effect).

With those points in mind, perhaps this berserker could work. What do you think? Thanks for the input!


-Fizz

[RaspK_FOG]

I am aware of a certain Huntsman class that may want to do a little resurfacing here.

[kgauck]

I added a feat that allows Barbarians to used their numbers of rage per day to shapechange instead. Its only available to Rjurik. Substitute one rage for a shapechange.

Keep in mind the Rjurik battlecard that has shapechangers.

Since there is a nice class, Barbarian, that does much of the same stuff, I prefer to find ways to use Barbarian to get to Berserker rather than make a new class that would duplicate a lot.

Whether Vos shapechange (or what the effect of the totem animal is) I leave to others who have played Vos campaigns.

[Fizz]

I am aware of a certain Huntsman class that may want to do a little resurfacing here.

OK, you must elaborate for those of us who don't know what you're talking about...

-Fizz

[Fizz]

I added a feat that allows Barbarians to used their numbers of rage per day to shapechange instead. Its only available to Rjurik. Substitute one rage for a shapechange.

Keep in mind the Rjurik battlecard that has shapechangers.

Since there is a nice class, Barbarian, that does much of the same stuff, I prefer to find ways to use Barbarian to get to Berserker rather than make a new class that would duplicate a lot.

Whether Vos shapechange (or what the effect of the totem animal is) I leave to others who have played Vos campaigns.

Yeah, i wouldn't have both classes- there's too much overlap. My next campaign may be run in 2nd Ed, so i wouldn't have the barbarian as a standard class.

-Fizz

[RaspK_FOG]

Osprey had written up a Huntsman class that pretty much does what you refer to: a totem warrior with class features such as bonuses to skills and change to the shape of his or her animal totem.

[Sigmund]

There's a prestige class called Bear Warrior that seems aimed at the barby class...can't remember off the top of my head where it is, but it includes shapeshifting, first to a black, then brown, etc... as levels progress.

[RaspK_FOG]

Oriental Adventures, then revised for a more generic D&D/barbarian feeling in Complete Warrior.

[Fizz]

Reading it some more, i'm thinking i'll allow it, but only for Vos. The Rjurik already have a unique class, while the Vos essentially only allow warriors and priests. They need a class of their own too. I do like the shapechanging ability, so i'll tweak to appropriate animals the Vos would like.

Both the Rjurik battle-ragers and shapechangers are meant to be class-independent. Not sure how that affects balance, but there it is.


-Fizz

[Starmage21]

The Berserk PrC is in Dieties and Demigods in the Norse Pantheon section.