Berserk
by Menix

Class: Barbarian
Tag: BERZ

Introduction

Historically beserkers were seen as extremely strong, tough, and ferocious and often associated with bears. Legends speak of shape-changers which turned into bears during berserkergang.

To show this association berserkers might assume a "bear name", meaning a name containing the element *bjorn* or *biorn*, such as Jaibiorn, Kvarobjorn, Olobiorn, Eflobiorn, etc. See the link below for other possible animals (i.e. Hildulf = battle wolf).

If you want an Old Norse name there's a website that has tons of different names link.

Rules

Even though no-retreat is only required when in a state of Berserkergang (after using Whirlwind) you should try to not run away from enemies which can be handled without much risk. This is not a limit, but a berserk who runs around a corner just because he doesn't want to use up an extra health potion really doesn't fit his role. Also berserkers are often lonely people. The fact that they can snap at any moment and kill everyone around them makes them a teeny bit unsociable. I don't want to restrict coop-play, so if you do end up in a party try to SCREAM a lot and generally act like a berserk.

Example
Sorceress - "Ok, when Diablo comes we retreat back to the-"
BERZ - "I SEE HIM! ARGHHHHHHHHHH!" *charges Diablo*
Sorceress - "What the!? Get back here!"
BERZ - "ARGHHH!" *chop chop smack gut splat slash*
Sorceress - "Damned berserk!" *joins battle*

Items

Armor
Berserks often wore animal skins into battle. Legends speak of berserks who shape-shifted into ferocious animals in combat. Therefore, berserks can wear any non-plate armor associated with a powerful animal (specifically: ox, fox, wolf, tiger, mammoth, serpent, drake, dragon, wyrm).

Otherwise, berserks are restricted to non-metal armor. The assumption is that armor of a certain animal is a collection of skins from that animal type. To facilitate the survival of berserks, rares which give bonus HP within the range of 5 and 39 or bonus MP within the range of 11 and 59 are considered to be skins of their respective animals and may be worn (as long as the base armor is not plate). The Berserker prefix and its respective value (+2 barb skills) is also allowed since it is assumed that a "Berserker" armor already consists of animal skins. However, this doesn't override the non-plate rule.

Helms
Anything is allowed except for crowns (*crunch* *crunch* you call this armor? *spit*). Helmets that completely cover the face are only allowed with animal properties (and their rare counterparts). Frightening helms (skulls/masks) are favoured, but are optional. Berserkers were usually terrifying on the battlefield due to their rage, body painting, and their armor, so a frightening helmet fits the role.

Shields
Disallowed. Why would a berserk hide behind a shield?

Weapons
Any weapon class is allowed, a frenzied warrior really doesn't give a damn which weapon opens his enemy's skulls. Throwing weapons may only be used in melee. Poisoned weapons are disallowed (ARGHHHH! Oops, wait gotta stop and poison my weapon........ there we go - ARGHHHH!). King's, Lord's, and Knight's are all disallowed (berserkers were pretty low in society because of their tendency to go berserk and kill their own people).

Enchantments
Ease and simplicity (-req%) are disallowed. Battle isn't an easy affair; items that simplify battle are for cowards.

Skills

War Cries
Battle Orders and Battle Command are restricted. If you really want to use War cry you can put points into these as prereqs but War Cry takes a lot of mana. Find potion/item are restricted to 1 point and grim ward is restricted to 4.

Combat Masteries
Throwing mastery is restricted (can't throw anyway). According to legends, berserkers were very hard to kill due to their painless rage. Iron skin must be used once you get it and pumped at least once every 5 levels thereafter. Natural Resistance, Increased Stamina, and Increased Speed must receive at least one point after they are available (when in a berserking rage, berserks can go on fighting for long periods of time without tiring). Everything else is unrestricted.

Combat
Leaping can only be used to close in with the enemy, not to escape. Frenzy, Double Swing, and Berserk (called "Power Strike" since Whirlwind serves as the "berserking" attack) are all prized skills and should all receive at least one point. Try to use them if you have a chance, they show a berserker's power without sending him directly into a blind rage. Whirlwind can be used as described in the section below.

Whirlwind (Berserkergang)
Whirlwind is considered the "berserking state" which is also known as "berserkergang". Once initiated, the berserker should attempt to continue the rage and kill every opponent on the screen (eg. Dance of Death until everything is dead). Even if mana supply is completely depleted the berserk must kill everything nearby or die in the process. Once there are no nearby enemies, the berserk may leave the berserking state.