I was looking at the skills list and I noticed that we never put in the Berserker skill, which was, if I recall, meant to be the defining skill for Barbarians. This should be fairly easy to add into the code, I just need to decide what exactly it will do. Here are some ideas that come to mind both positive and negative. I don't want it to become a reason we have to buff all the mobs, so it should have both.
Some of my thoughts:
- Available at level 12.
- Entering a berserker rage is voluntary, not intuitive, but not really useful otherwise.
- Duration will random, maybe... D20+(level/5) combat rounds?
- While berserk, no casting magic.
- Add 2 dice to current weapon, ie, 5D8 becomes 7D8.
- Significant increase to bare hand damage, probably in line with mobs of the same level
- Bonus to THAC0 (offense)
- Penalty to AC (Defense, dodging, parrying)
- Increased MV usage while berserk
- No fleeing while berserk
Hrm, now that I look at that list, maybe there is a reason we never got around to it... ;-)
5 comments:
Well, it would make you do more damage for sure. However, if I understand damdice right, 20ish rounds is a long time to not be able to flee. It would probably make leveling easier, but most big mobs wouldn't be affected too much, since almost all of them require you flee regularly.
I like the idea of giving barbarians something. The two dice is fun because it makes dice distributions matter more. As it is written right now it looks like it would kill whoever used it however. More in line with the original rage maybe it could have two phases, a positive side and a negative side, neither of which you could flee during. Also a temp bonus in hps would be good to. For example:
Phase A:
-Max duration of phase A = (lvl/2)
-While berserked - no commands may be entered except: uppercut, stomp, etc. and exit berserk (which moves you into phase B immediately)
-Add 2 dice to current weapon
-bare hand increase
-bonus to THAC0
-no penalty to AC
-increased move
-temp hp = 10/level (can go above max hp)
-no fleeing
-especially no setting wimp
Phase B:
-Duration = (rounds in Phase A) or (rounds in Phase A/2)(min 5) or 1d10+10?
-immediate damage = temp hp to a minimum of 1hp remaining
-no fleeing
-penalty to THAC0
-penalty to AC
-normal MV usage
-penalty to damage
Basically you get a boost and hope you can kill the mob during that time otherwise you are back where you started or in a worse position.
I don't think this helps with the big mobs as it's making you go at least 6 rounds without fleeing or healing, and most mobs are going to kill you in that amount of time anyways. I think... maybe it'd do something to help you survive in a group fight.. It's an idea, throw it out if it's unbalanced or too difficult to code.
~Quandary
Maybe a whole different approach, not only to Barbarians, but to all classes.
At lvl 50, you get a special skill, that only can be used when you are that specific class, in this example Beserk a lvl 50 barbarian skill. Remort/goon to another class, loose this ability.
(no more people only sticking with priest/mage when going meta / champ whatever)
The way i'd like beserk to see, is a bit along the line as assassinate.
You do flee, but you'll be lagged for x rounds. So no doing anything when you entered beserk mode (only can be going into beserk while in combat)
As for affect:
Bonus:
increase dmg (2dx (x = weapon dice))
increase hr
Temp inc MAX dr (by 5, only for duration of beserk) (so it pays of for a barbarian to have a surplus of dr gear)
Negative:
double MV costs
no casting
lag (like assassinate) for x combat rounds.
Idea's for other classes along this 'theory':
- priest : less mana usage on healing spells at lvl 50
- mage : less mana usage on offensive spells
- paladin: bubble shield (10% dmg reduction, high priced spell, 5-10 mins duration)
- Fighter: could be a special attack, that drops AC on mob (damage the skin/gear of mob), bleeding wounds.. etc etc
Anyway, no reason to make a full list (yet..), just ... an idea ;)
Rahl
I like the idea of a Beserk skill, but not really a fan of the no-fleeing or increased temp HP. That sounds a little extreme for me. Like getting tripped/para'd, gaining some hp, then having your hp drop all of a sudden...
I'd like to see it be sort of like swift for Marissa brands. It'll last only a few seconds. The positive would be increased damage and only that, cuz that's what barbarians do..., but the negative would be loss of more movement like haste, penalty to AC, and maybe drop int/wis some so if you cast it'll cost more and maybe lose concentration (cuz you're in beserk mode...get it?!).
K that's bout it.
If you can't flee while you are in Beserk mode - people aren't gonna use it :)
Make it like assasinate, like Barney said ;)
What dice and duration it gives and what penalties it gives is up to the imps.
/Homie
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