D&D 4E How does the 4E Barbarian Rage ability work?

[RigaMortus2]

I've read it several times and just can't wrap my head around it. It seems to me that you have to be a in "state" of Rage, of which, only the daily powers of the Barbarian is considered Rage. But it also states you have to have at least 1 Rage power unused, which would mean that you couldn't Rage until level 5 as that is the soonest you get a 2nd daily power.

How does one use the Barbarian Rage class feature? Can someone supply an example? Maybe I just read it wrong...

 

[logopolis]

I think you're interpreting it correctly. And I agree, it is a bit of a clunky mechanic.

First, you use a Barbarian daily power to go into a rage. Then, while you're raging, you have the option of spending another Barbarian daily power to do a large amount of damage.

 

[GorTeX]

you enter 'Rage' when you use a daily power.

If you want to use 'Rage Strike', you expend another daily power to use it.

You have to be raging to use rage strike.

Even if you do not use Rage Strike, you are considered to be raging once you use one of your daily 'rage' powers.

 

[Caliban]

You use a Daily power to Rage, which lasts the rest of the encounter. Then, while you are Raging you can use the Raging Strike (or whatever it's called) at the cost of an unused Daily Rage power.

So you can't use Raging Strike until lvl 5 unless you have an item (such as Veteran's Armor) that allows you to regain a daily power.

From the discussion thread on this, it seems that this is to allow the barbarian to make use of his extra Daily powers without having to end his current Rage. Other classes can use multiple daily powers in a single combat if they feel the need, but a barbarian can't do it without ending the benefits of his current Rage Daily - thus the Raging Strike is really a "generic" Daily power that you can convert your remaining Daily powers into while you are Raging.

 

[Gunpowder]

Yes the barb enters in a rage via his dailies. Rage is like stances in that they last for the encounter, until you drop it, or use another daily. It is the second condition that rage strike is a work around for. Otherwise in a major battle where all other characters can drop their second or third dailies for extra oophm, the barb's dailies would overwrite each other decreasing their impact especially if one rage effect is very effective for the fight (the frost one versus a red dragon for example). so rage strike exists so the barb can duplicate all other class's ability to nova in a fight without giving up desiable rage conditions.

 

[Larrin]

I'll give an example:
lets say you have this rage,

level 1 rage:
Mad Dog rage:
str VS AC
hit: 3W+str
miss: half damage
effect: you enter the mad dog rage, you gain +1 fort.

so when bob the barbarian is in a fight against a bunch of goblins and he wants to enter his rage, he uses the daily power 'Mad dog rage' and makes the srt vs AC attack against an enemy. Hit or Miss, he then enters the rage until the end of the encounter, ie he gets the +1 to fort. His is considered raging for all powers and abilities that key off of raging. This rage lasts until the encounter is over, he enters a different rage, he drops below 0 hp, etc.

lets say he has another rage:

level 5 rage:
Angry cat rage
str VS AC
hit: 3W+str
miss: half damage
effect: you enter the angry cat rage, you gain +2 damage.

Now if Bob the barbarian is in his mad dog rage and wants to use his level 5 rage he has two options.

1) use the level 5 power as normal: he makes an attack for 3W+str, and then gains the +2 damage, but loses the +1 fort. he is still considered raging, but its now the angry cat rage.

2)He can use up the level 5 power with rage strike and deal 4W+str damage, but keep his +1 to fort and not gain the +2 damage. He is still considered raging and its still the mad dog rage.

 

[RigaMortus2]

It just seems strange that they would give you a class feature that you have to wait until level 5 to actually use, or rely on a magic item to use (which the designers specifically said they were trying to get away from people designing characters based around magic items). Class features should be useable and viable from level 1 IMHO.

I would definately make Rage work differently...

Rage
You fly into a furious rage, wreaking havoc upon your foes.
Encounter (Special) ✦ Primal, Rage
Special: You can use this power a number of times per day
equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1), but only once
per encounter.
Minor Action
Target: Self
Duration: Rage lasts a number of rounds equal to your Constitution modifier or until you fall unconcious. After Rage ends, you become Slowed until you take a short rest.
Effect: You deal an extra 2 damage with melee attacks as long as you are in a Rage. This raises to 4 extra damage at level 11, and 6 extra damage at level 21.
Effect: You gain temporary hit points equal to your Constitution modifier.

Then certain powers will work better if you are under the effects of Rage.

 

[Gruns]

Rage building...

It just seems strange that they would give you a class feature that you have to wait until level 5 to actually use

You can rage at level 1... You just can't use Rage Strike (which is pretty weak compared to most dailys) until level 5. Don't think of Rage Strike as a class feature. Think of it more as a way to waste a daily power that you'd never want to use.

Besides, I'm sure there's bound to be a feat that lets you use Rage Strike x times per day/encounter without using up a daily power.

Later!
Gruns

 

[Larrin]

It just seems strange that they would give you a class feature that you have to wait until level 5 to actually use, or rely on a magic item to use (which the designers specifically said they were trying to get away from people designing characters based around magic items). Class features should be useable and viable from level 1 IMHO.

The only reason barbarians have this feature is because of a problem that doesn't start until level 5, namely rages don't stack, so being in a rage kind of limits your ability to use other dailies. This is a problem no other class has (so far) so this is the first time we've seen delayed gratification from a class feature, but there is no reason to feel scared. Rage strike is definitely NOT a focus of the class, its a minor feature that fixes what would otherwise be an annoying problem. It ONLY EXISTS because of the way they decided to do rage (well, thats my guess anyway), and i like the way they do rage, but it creates a situation where a barabarian doesn't really want to use more than one daily per encounter. Rage strike fixes this. Thats its whole point, and the only reason its there.

Bottom line: Not getting it until level 5 is irrelevant to the way the class plays up until that point. Its not like if a paladin couldn't use his divine challenge until level 5. that would be bad, and effect his tactics. This is like not being able to use a secound daily until level 5. This is how it works for everyone, and this is how it should be.

 

[SteveC]

This new ability is interesting, but I wonder if it starts to have the old "15 minute adventuring day" creep back in.

Deliberately bringing in an ability that encourages using more than one daily power in a battle seems a little sketchy to me.

--Steve