[FOCI]

Goes Berserk


GOING BERSERK

As a berserker, you're not in full control of yourself. When you take damage in combat (or inflict damage upon yourself), you might enter a state of insane rage, whether you wish to or not. Anytime you take damage in combat, you must make an Intellect defense roll whose difficulty is equal to the damage you take; if you fail, you go berserk. If you succeed, you don't go berserk, even if you want to (you can't choose not to make this defense roll, though you can choose not to apply Effort).

In addition, sometimes you spontaneously go berserk when angered, surprised, or scared. When this happens, the GM may allow you to attempt a difficulty 4 Intellect defense roll to avoid going berserk.

Once you are berserk, you remain so for up to ten minutes, unless you succeed on a difficulty 4 Intellect-based task to return to normal. When you return to your normal state of mind and body immediately after going berserk, the difficulty of all tasks you attempt is increased by one step for one hour, and you can't go berserk again until after your next ten-hour recovery roll.

In Translation

Something hurt you. It smashed you, bruised you, tore at you, and pushed you well past all your previous limits. You almost didn't survive. Mercy, hope, and love dissolved in your torment. Rage saved you. You tapped a core of incandescent fury, kindled by the very treatment designed to break you. When the fury overtook you, it was a sweet madness that lifted you away from the world, where everything was white light and simple movements. When you went berserk, you made everyone pay.

The experience that made you into a berserker may have been instigated by you as part of a ritual to become a warrior beyond compare, or it could have been an unexpected and unwelcome event. Either way, now that you can tap the anger, you've learned to be especially careful with it, because when you go berserk, all your regular relationships fall away, and all that remains is kill.

Your hair is short, your clothing sparse, and your skin is probably elaborately scarified and tattooed in a fashion that marks you as a berserker.

Equipment

Ardeyn clothing (or equivalent), light armor, one weapon of your choice, a bone talisman, tools for creating new scarification designs, and 20 crowns.

Minor Effect Suggestion

You can end your rage immediately if you wish.

Major Effect Suggestion

You are in full control of your actions while you are berserk on your next turn.

Tier 1

Berserk Action

When you go berserk (see the Going Berserk sidebar), you gain +8 to your Might Pool, +1 to your Might Edge, +2 to your Speed Pool, and +1 to your Speed Edge. While berserk, you attack every living creature within short range, starting with the closest. If no living creature is within short range, you move to seek out potential victims.

Action to go berserk (whether you want to go berserk or not).

Tier 2

Unarmored Fighter Skill

While unarmored, you are trained in Speed defense tasks (whether or not you are berserk).

Tier 3

Shake It Off Enabler

When you return to your normal state of mind and body after going berserk, you do not suffer the increase in difficulty of tasks (see the Going Berserk sidebar).

Tier 4

Controlled Berserking Enabler

Going berserk or returning to your normal state is now a difficulty 1 Intellect task.

Tier 5

Enhanced Berserking Enabler

When you go berserk (see the Going Berserk sidebar), you gain +11 to your Might Pool, +1 to your Might Edge, +4 to your Speed Pool, +1 to your Speed Edge, and +2 to Armor. This replaces the benefits of the tier 1 power Berserk.

Tier 6

Incarnation of Rage (4+ Intellect points) Enabler

While berserk, you retain your rational mind for two rounds. You can apply Effort to extend this period of rationality. Thus, to remain rational for four rounds (two rounds longer than normal), you’d apply two levels of Effort.

GM Intrusions: You go berserk when startled or angered. While berserk, you run through spikes, fire, or another damaging area and don't care. While berserk, you grab an ally and use him as an impromptu weapon.