Bearsark and Ulfhednar PrC's

[Nyaricus]

Due to a lack of interest on my main Berserker thread ( http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=144925 ), i am posting up its two Prestigue classes in hopes of getting some feedback. Thanks in advance.

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Some Berserkers attain great levels of valor and prestigue, and their tales are written in the greatest sagas of the world. Some of them can tap into something even more primal and feral that a rage; they can focus their fury to the point that they can shape-change into fearsome animals; namely wolves and bears.

Those who gain this ability to become a bear are called Bearsarks (as you may know already, the name berserker is derived from this > it means "bear shirt" approximately). Those who choose the wolf are called Ulfhednars. These two use the same PrC as a base, but gain specific abilities depending on which animal they choose.

The Bearsark and Ulfhednar PrC

REQUIREMENTS:
*Alignment: Any Chaotic
*Race: Human
*Base Attack Bonus: +7
*Skills: Intimidate 4 ranks, Knowledge (Religion) 4 ranks
*Feats: Cleave, Power Attack, Skill Focus (intimidate) and one of the following: Improved Bull Rush, Improved Overrun, Improved Sunder
*Special: must have Rage class ability and must go through a rite of passage with a Bearsark or Ulfhednar

[if you want to use the standard barbarian, remove Skill Focus: Intimidate]


BAB: +1
Saves: good Fort, bad Ref and Will
HIT DICE: d12
CLASS SKILLS: The Bearsark/Ulfhednars class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Str), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Survival
(Wis), Swim (Str).

1. Bear/Wolf Shape I
2. Rage +1/day
3.
4. Bear/Wolf Companion
5. Bear/Wolf Shape II, Bear/Wolf Attributes I
6. Rage +2/day
7.
8.
9. Bear/Wolf Shape III
10. Rage +3/day, Bear/Wolf Attributes II


CLASS FEATURES
Weapon and Armour Profs: The B/U does not gain proficiency with any weapon or armour. Furthermore, like a Berserker, a B/U may not use any armour except his bear or wolf cloak.
Bear/Wolf Shape I (Su): At first level, a B/U may use a Rage attempt per day to instead shape-change into a fearsome bear or feral wolf. This uses a varient of the polymorph spell (and the druids wildshape class ability). First: the Bearsark. A Bearsark shape-changes into a black bear (medium size). While in this form, he gains +6 Str and +4 Con, but retains his own Int, Wis and Cha scores. A Bearsark also gains +10 feet of movement, +2 Natural Armour, low-light vision, the scent ability, a +4 racial bonus on swim checks, two claw attacks (1d4 damage), a bite attack (1d6 damage) and the Run feat. The Ulfhednar shape-changes into a Wolf (medium size). While in that form, the Ulfhednar gains +6 Dex and +4 Con but retains his own Int, Wis and Cha. An Ulfhednar also gains +20 feet of movement, +2 Natural Armour, low-light vision, the scent ability, a +4 racial bonus on survival checks made while using scent, a bite attack (1d6 damage), the Track feat and the wolves Trip (ex) ability.
Unlike the polymorph spell, the B/U doesn't regain HP after he has shapechanged, and this change lasts for a 1/2 hour per Bearsark/Ulfhednar level. Changing form (to animal or back) is a standard action that doesn't provoke an Attack of Oppertunity. The B/U cannot speak in its new form.
Rage +x/day (ex): At second level (and every four levels after) the B/U gains an additional Rage per day.
Bear/Wolf Companion (ex): At fourth level a B/U gains an animal companion as a Druid of his level. His druid (or ranger) levels stack for the purpose of determining the addional abilities the animal companion may have, but the B/U may ONLY have a bear or wolf as a companion; all others must be "released from service," as it is.
Bear/Wolf Shape II (Su): At level five, the B/U may use his Bear/Wolf shape independantly from his rage ability, up to 1/2 his normal uses of his rages per day, rounded down. For example, a Berserker 7/Ulfhednar 5 may rage a total of 3 times per day. He may take his Wolf Shape once per day (3/2 = 1.5, rounded down is 1).
Bear/Wolf Attributes I (ex): Also at level five, a B/U gains a permanent, +1 bonus to Str (Bearsark only) or Dex (Ulfhednar only). A B/U also gains a permanent Limited Scent ability (as the Scent ability per the MM, but with 1/2 range)
Bear/Wolf Shape III (Su): At ninth level, a B/U may use his Wolf or Bear Shapes a total number of times per day equal to the number of rages he has per day. These do not count against his Rages per day. For example, a Berserker 7/Ulfhednar 9 may Rage 4 times per day, and Wolf Shape 4 times per day.
Bear/Wolf Attributes II (ex): At level ten, the both the Bearsark and the Ulfhednar gains a permanent +1 to Con. Furthermore, the Limited Scent ability is replaced with Scent, per the MM

 

[Sigurd]

I like this

I think the Berzerk makes a much better prestige class over fighter than it does as a core class.

I think, and this will not be popular, that given the prestige classes one might remove the Barbarian as a core class in favour of a prestige variety. The more rounded barbarian might be a ranger then a Berzerk.

As I said in your other thread I think it is more interesting if you expand the role of those around the berzerk. People that take care of things that the class is not prepared for - like finding food

Sigurd

 

[Nyaricus]

i will be up front here - that is what i wanted to do in the beggining. But then, Seeing as how there are Bearsarks and Ulfhednars with shapechaging powers and all, i felt it was necessary to make the Berserker a base class.

The (Celtic) Druid is also a problem of mine which i am trying to fix. I know what i am going to do with the Ranger (make the Ranger a orc/goblim/evil being hating hunter blah blah blah, right out of Tolkien PrC) and throw in a Woodsman Base class (similar to the Wheel of Time base class) and other than that, shift most archtypes into PrC-dom, where many belong.

Class List As of Dec 1st:

Berserker (Nordic)
Cutthroat
Druid (Celtic)
Noble
Priest
Shaman
Theif
Warrior
Wizard
Woodsman

Bards are PrCs now, Paladins/Blackguards will be a more generic "Crusader" PrC, Monks are out completely as is (being Shaolin Monks) and Benedictine Monks are in as a PrC that give many *neat* abilities, Sorcerer is out, since they are a "blaster" class, and Wizards are item-crafter/loremaster ish people. Fighter just got a name change over his main and clunky tag, Vut throat is a martial rogue, Theif is a quick-handed, quicker-witted type, and the rest are pretty self explainitory.

My purpose was to make base classes as generic as customizeable as possible, while still fitting themes and expectations of roles. PrCs are for guys who want to seem this way or that way, and are going to very important in my campaigtn world.

Anyways, as for skills, i still hesitate. Since Berserkers were shock-tropers, they would have ahd many slaves (basically) to do stuff for them. All they did was fight fight fight. Other than in-game problems, is there any reason why i should bring more skilsl back in (as in balance or real-life evidence)

anyways, time for bed. Thank you for the feedback man See you Around

 

[Land Outcast]

To me they seem to be quite balanced, but for some reason I'm wondering aboout the Hybrid form of lycanthropes... I think that would suit them better.

Then there's the fluff...

connotations lie with "poetry, inspiration" as well as with "fury, madness."

That's Odin, both historical warriors mentioned here pledged alliegance and undying loyalty to him.
Do you have Odin in your pantheon for this world/campaign in creation? If you do so, I'd add having Odin as a patron as a requirement to enter the class.

Depending on how influenced by Noerse history your setting actually is, I'd be glad to contribute in any way possible.

 

[Nyaricus]

Sorry for the long wait between posts, I forgot about this thread

To me they seem to be quite balanced, but for some reason I'm wondering aboout the Hybrid form of lycanthropes... I think that would suit them better.

Here's the thing - I'd rather give bonuses I can control than stuff I can't. That's why isn't mostly fluff rather than pure mechanics for the bonuses they get - otherwise a bear would be a better choice than a wold by far (this is going by the MM animals, not lycanthropes themselves). The new druid varient actually does just this, which amuses me All the stat bonuses are set, and go up in level, instead of being purely dependanty on the creature chosen. I'm not sure how the new polymorph errata would change this - that's another beast again *sigh*

That's Odin, both historical warriors mentioned here pledged alliegance and undying loyalty to him.
Do you have Odin in your pantheon for this world/campaign in creation? If you do so, I'd add having Odin as a patron as a requirement to enter the class.

Odin sepcifically? No. I haven't actually fully fleshed out my Tullan (read: scandinavian/norse) pantheon yet, but the idea for my campign is that there is only one group of gods who go under different guises in different lands - so the "greek/roman" (Sulrian) god Nyaricus (god of healing, amoung other things) is known as the Tullan god Narkus. My battle-god is know as Brawlsk in Tul, adn there is the god of wisdom Namik, so there are paralells, if not clearly-drawn lines.

Point is, I'd agree with you and add a hypotheitcal warrior-god as a prerequiset

Depending on how influenced by Noerse history your setting actually is, I'd be glad to contribute in any way possible.

Well, this part of my setting is, adn I'd love to flesh out detaisl in any way - what do you ahev in mind? (maybe a new thread someplace?)

 

[Land Outcast]

I was thinking along the lines of:

What do you need about them?
(Maybe it's already complete and you don't feel like there'd be anything to add for the time being)

Example :
Need something about buildings?
I'll traduce some to D&D and maybe map it down in paint.

*They did have defensive buldings, for exampe (I'm not sure if that's a real one, but some fortressess had a similar structure) : http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Viking_Fortress.html)

Also, not-so-well-known viking rituals... (most people know of the typical funeral given to great warriors or chieftans)

Up-Helly-Aa: A group of vikings "raids" their own town (lead by a "Guizer Jarl", chieftan for the ritual), and later, at night, all the population along with the raiders join in circle around a Drakaar (Dragon ship) carrying torches.
At the end of the ritual they all throw their torches inside the ship.

Nowdays it's said the purpose of the ritual is to drive away winter and call back the sun.

 

[Nyaricus]

dude, that's some neat stuff right there Okay, how about this - how would stat up any beast of burden for D&D they used (indeed, what DID they use) and other than the dragon ships / longboats, etc, what did use for transportation.

I know that the Vikings were an off-shoot from the norse given to piracy, raiding, raping and pillaging; and that they went all over the North Sea and what not...


This reminds me that I need to read Ruska by Edward Rutherford

Peace, and thanks for the great discussion.

PS: any info on spellcasters in Nordic society would be great.

 

[Land Outcast]

Ponies! Both to carry stuff on them, but most of the time to pull carts. Heavy red hair covered them, isolating them from cold... which doesn't mean they left them to sleep outside.

"Ponies", actually the stats for the War Pony would fit just fine... with a +2 Str and Con, and the Special "Cold Endurance"...

Redhair Pony
Medium Animal
Init: +1
HD: 2d8+6 (hp 15)
Speed: 40 ft.
AC: 13 (+1 Dex, +2 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 12
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+4
Attack: Hoof +4 melee (1d3+3)
Full Attack: 2 hooves +4 melee (1d3+3)
SA: -
SQ: Cold Endurance, Low-light vision, scent
SV: Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +0;
Abilities: Str 17, Dex 13, Con 16, Int 2, Wis 11, Cha 4
Skills: Listen +5, Spot +5
Feats: Endurance
AL: Always neutral
CR: 1/2

Carrying Capacity: A light load for a Redhair Pony is up to 129 pounds; a medium load, 130-250 pounds; and a heavy load, 251-390 pounds. A warpony can drag 1,950 pounds

Cold Endurance: A Redhair Pony has a +6 racial bonus on Fortitude saving throws against exposure to cold.


They did have cattle (mixed varieties), but they didn't use it for transporting stuff, measure of wealth, blah, blah, blah.
Horses were also present, but that's another story.

 

[Land Outcast]

Based on the five elements: earth, air, fire, water, and spirit. Basically their magic was about summoning the esscence from gods, fey, and ancestors.

Runemasters were the oracles, those who knew how to read the runes and see in them insight to answers questions. There were others, seers, priestess of Freya (goddess of love and family), who didn't need the runes themselves... can't remember how they were called.

Berserkers , infused with the escence of Odin through rituals previous to battle which delivered them into a trance, you know the rest.

Those who imparted blessings, "exorcisized" evil, and once in a while delivered prophecies were other branch of "spellcasters". These were the ones to make sacrifices on stone altars.
And were also those who -through blessings- could modify the outcome of battles, games, raids, etc...

Interesting "fact"* I stumbled upon:

In Old Norse, the word for sorcery is finngerd – “the work of a Finn”. Finns were especialy prized by the Norse Vikings for their skills in wind magic. One finngerd involved binding the wind into a cord with three knots. Undoing the first knot produced a steady wind. Undoing the second produced a gale. Undoing the third, unleashed a hurricaine.

*Found on the internet, but probably true, I had read somewhere about the 3-knot thing.

 

[Nyaricus]

Ponies, alright Thanks for the stat-up

Based on the five elements: earth, air, fire, water, and spirit. Basically their magic was about summoning the esscence from gods, fey, and ancestors.

AEFW and Spirit? it seems just about every culture is that, or swaps spirit for wood or metal, or something... Are there any goof reference books for this; I'd love to read further

Runemasters were the oracles, those who knew how to read the runes and see in them insight to answers questions. There were others, seers, priestess of Freya (goddess of love and family), who didn't need the runes themselves... can't remember how they were called.

Runemaster PrC... we got somehting liek that already... I'll have to do more research and edit as necessary.

Berserkers , infused with the escence of Odin through rituals previous to battle which delivered them into a trance, you know the rest.

I know Is there anyhtign you'd do specifically to that class, however (if so, put recommendations in it's thread please )

Those who imparted blessings, "exorcisized" evil, and once in a while delivered prophecies were other branch of "spellcasters". These were the ones to make sacrifices on stone altars.
And were also those who -through blessings- could modify the outcome of battles, games, raids, etc...

Is there a name for these guys, or were they just "spellcasters"?

Interesting "fact"* I stumbled upon:

*Found on the internet, but probably true, I had read somewhere about the 3-knot thing.

neat fact