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9 months ago ::
Sep 17, 2012 - 1:23PM
#1
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Date Joined:
Sep 17, 2012
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Hello and welcome to my first post!
I have made a barbarian in Dungeons and Dragons and I made him calm. I took away 2 skill points to give him literacy therefore not making him dumb as nails. Now this is where I'm confused. I made him a calm and quiet barbarian, which I'm trying to figure out how that will work. I'll either need to find a way to change his attitude during battle, or to change his rage ability to something maybe similar to the Deadly Calm ability from World of Warcraft. If someone could give me some ideas that would be awesome.
I am playing 3.5e
Thank you and happy Roleplaying.
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9 months ago ::
Sep 17, 2012 - 1:25PM
#2
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Just roleplay it like that. Nothing says you have to spaz out and rant and rave and spit all over yourself when you activate the Rage ability. Just re-name it to Deadly Calm and RP it like that, you're set. See also: tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Tran...
Another day, another three or four entries to my Ignore List.
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9 months ago ::
Sep 18, 2012 - 1:47PM
#3
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Date Joined:
Nov 30, 2005
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Here is an alternative class feature you can use. Swap it out for rage, and whenever rage improves so does it, in the same way. Deadly Calm Spoiler:
Show
A barbarian can enter a state of Deadly Calm a certain number of times per day. While Calm, a barbarian temporarily gains a +4 bonus to Strength, a +4 bonus to Constitution, and a +2 morale bonus on Will saves, but he takes a -2 penalty to Armor Class. The increase in Constitution increases the barbarian’s hit points by 2 points per level, but these hit points go away at the end of the Deadly Calm when his Constitution score drops back to normal. (These extra hit points are not lost first the way temporary hit points are.) While Calm, a barbarian cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except for Balance, Escape Artist, Intimidate, and Ride), the Concentration skill, or any abilities that require extended mental focus, nor can he cast spells or activate magic items that require a command word, a spell trigger (such as a wand), or spell completion (such as a scroll) to function. This is due to his focus on the battle at hand. He can use any feat he has except Combat Expertise, item creation feats, and metamagic feats. Deadly Calm lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the character’s (newly improved) Constitution modifier. A barbarian may prematurely end his Calm. When Deadly Calm ends, the barbarian loses the modifiers and restrictions and becomes fatigued (-2 penalty to Strength, -2 penalty to Dexterity, can’t charge or run) for the duration of the current encounter (unless he is a 17th-level barbarian, at which point this limitation no longer applies).
A barbarian can enter a Deadly Calm only once per encounter. At 1st level he can use his Deadly Calm ability once per day. At 4th level and every four levels thereafter, he can use it one additional time per day (to a maximum of six times per day at 20th level). Becoming Deadly Calm takes no time itself, but a barbarian can do it only during his action, not in response to someone else’s action.
5e comments and thoughts all in one place. Check it out to provide feedback, mock, or steal ideas.
http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/28835423/Krusks_5e_Design_Goals?sdb=1
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9 months ago ::
Sep 20, 2012 - 6:05PM
#4
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Date Joined:
Aug 19, 2007
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Your rage state is a set of game statistics. You get them by triggering your class feature. How you choose to portray that is entirely a narrative choice.
It could be your tribe's war dance, putting yourself into some sort of battle trance, mind-over-body discipline, or using some natural herbal potion known only to your tribe to physically enhance yourself.
Hell, I used to have a guy named Feargol the Fearless who was so afraid of being thought a coward that he'd have a complete emotional breakdown and run screaming incoherently into battle.
Spoiler:
Show
I am the Magic Man.
(Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.)
I am the Lawnmower Man.
(I AM GOD HERE!)
I am the Skull God.
(Koo Koo Ka Choo)
There are reasons they call me Mad...
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9 months ago ::
Sep 20, 2012 - 6:47PM
#5
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While there is a tendancy to theme "beserkers" as crazed, half hung, madmen, there is also a common portrayal of them as calm, rational and even intelectual individuals as well. When in battle they might go into a rage, but outside of battle they are calm, rational and even gentle creatures. Raging is a technique they use in battle, not a way of life. Stern from Dragon Age is an example of this. Even the Hulk, the ultimate rager, is a peace loving scientist.
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9 months ago ::
Sep 20, 2012 - 8:48PM
#6
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Date Joined:
Sep 18, 2012
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There should be absolutely nothing stopping you from playing your barbarian how you want. As long as it doesn't go against the mechanics, what's the problem?
'Rage' could very well be your character becoming completely emotionless, tuning out all thoughts and becoming completely, utterly focused on the battle at hand. Nothing else exists for him: There is only himself, his enemy and the next sword strike.
Just bring it up to DM and ask if it's okay. A decent DM should be open to reflavoring powers and features. At least, that's my opinion: As long as a player isn't gaining a mechanical benefit beyond what another member of the class would, there rarely a reason not to allow it. D&D is a game that requires imagination, after all, so discouraging imagination just seems... wrong to me.
Gunmage, a homebrew arcane striker. (Heroic Tier playtest ready.) GDocs link. (More up to date.)
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9 months ago ::
Sep 23, 2012 - 2:32AM
#7
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You can also rp him as strong stoic character that seems himself as guardian of an individual or of the group.
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9 months ago ::
Sep 26, 2012 - 11:06AM
#8
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Date Joined:
Jun 20, 2012
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There should be absolutely nothing stopping you from playing your barbarian how you want. As long as it doesn't go against the mechanics, what's the problem?
'Rage' could very well be your character becoming completely emotionless, tuning out all thoughts and becoming completely, utterly focused on the battle at hand. Nothing else exists for him: There is only himself, his enemy and the next sword strike.
Just bring it up to DM and ask if it's okay. A decent DM should be open to reflavoring powers and features. At least, that's my opinion: As long as a player isn't gaining a mechanical benefit beyond what another member of the class would, there rarely a reason not to allow it. D&D is a game that requires imagination, after all, so discouraging imagination just seems... wrong to me.
Quiet anger is often the fire that burns hottest.
A rogue with a bowl of slop can be a controller.
WIZARD PC: Can I substitute Celestial Roc Guano for my fireball spells?
DM: Awesome. Yes.
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9 months ago ::
Sep 26, 2012 - 11:39AM
#9
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Date Joined:
Sep 18, 2012
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Quiet anger is often the fire that burns hottest.
Speaking as someone who spent quite a few years rarely speaking - or being able to speak - more than two sentences a day, this is true.
But back on the topic of barbarians: Silence (or quiet, at least) on a battle is disconcerting. It's almost inhuman not to roar and scream in combat. Now, imagine the barbarian - a strong, skilled, resilient warrior - silently marching towards you when, all around, soldiers are screaming for blood. He doesn't make a show of it, he just stares at you, marching towards you, unflinching. Soldiers clash all around him, but all he cares about is you.
That feeling? That feeling is why a calm barbarian should be allowed.
It's not the same as a screaming, psychotic barbarian who ignores wounds through adrenaline, but it accomplishes the same thing.
That and it's just so darn fun.
Gunmage, a homebrew arcane striker. (Heroic Tier playtest ready.) GDocs link. (More up to date.)
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8 months ago ::
Sep 27, 2012 - 10:42AM
#10
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Date Joined:
Jun 20, 2012
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Quiet anger is often the fire that burns hottest.
Speaking as someone who spent quite a few years rarely speaking - or being able to speak - more than two sentences a day, this is true.
But back on the topic of barbarians: Silence (or quiet, at least) on a battle is disconcerting. It's almost inhuman not to roar and scream in combat. Now, imagine the barbarian - a strong, skilled, resilient warrior - silently marching towards you when, all around, soldiers are screaming for blood. He doesn't make a show of it, he just stares at you, marching towards you, unflinching. Soldiers clash all around him, but all he cares about is you.
That feeling? That feeling is why a calm barbarian should be allowed.
It's not the same as a screaming, psychotic barbarian who ignores wounds through adrenaline, but it accomplishes the same thing.
That and it's just so darn fun.
Yep. And actions speak louder than words. 
A rogue with a bowl of slop can be a controller.
WIZARD PC: Can I substitute Celestial Roc Guano for my fireball spells?
DM: Awesome. Yes.
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