Barbarian Rage : Temporary Hitpoints

[Ken14]

Just a quick suggestion, inspired by zDark Shadowz's Unchained Rage thread:


The fact that Barbarian Rage increases CON temporarily has always been a rather sore point. Having rage fade when at low health has killed many a barbarian.

So, I propose a simple change: Instead of giving CON, have it give the Barbarian temporary hitpoints that last until the rage fades.

Regular Rage : 2 * Barbarian Levels
Greater Rage : 3 * Barbarian Levels
Mighty Rage  : 4 * Barbarian Levels

If you have reckless rage, add +1 to the numbers above.

You get the same extra points as the CON would, only they're the first hitpoints subtracted.

Could you still stack extra CON on top of that and get more health? Sure, but you're able to easily lose it when dispelled/fading, which can have the same disastrous effects as Rage fading.

[Abear]

I honestly would rather the con buff just go away. It's a detriment far more often than it's a boon.

Corpsing due to my constitution buff fading, whether that be Rage or Bear's Endurance, likely rivals the amount of times I've been corpsed by mobs.

[MAB77]

While I understand the reasoning behind this idea, you have to consider that it is the intended concept of the barbarian rage that one may push himself over the limit and drop dead after raging. The source material makes it very clear these are not intended to be temporary hit points.

[...]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 rage when his Constitution score drops back to normal. (These extra hit points are not lost first the way temporary hit points are.)[...]

Is it detrimental? It certainly can be, but the pros of classes and races comes with their cons. Barbarian rage remains a useful boost most of the time, it's just safer to use with a healer around.

[zDark Shadowz]

Going down into bleedout because of rage fading is fine.

Instant corpsing when that happens, or being hit into a bleedout state with enough damage not to debuff you, and then fading into a corpse--not so much.

Not all healers have raise dead / resurrection as a spellbook option. The temporary hitpoint alternate is just kinder with the weirdness that is NWN. If in P&P using similar bleedout rules that's intended though, fair enough.

Edit: Upon reviewing rulings made online it seems this is the intent for rage. In that extra gap of HP your barbarian is fighting beyond the point they should have already died. Bites for the bleedout opportunity, but thems the breaks.

Best invest in second wind (benefitting off that con modifier if still present when you are down) or back to the wall.

[Skelni]

It can definitely ruin your day when you corpse from raging. It's happened to me a few times.

But hey. That's sort of the risk with "I'm going to get so pissed off I physically change and evoke more strength and resilience for a hot moment before I burn out."

I think it's working fine - Raging is a risk if you're low health. Work around it or use it with caution.

[Nularia]

I've never even heard of the concept of someone dying because their rage wore off, before coming to Ravenloft. Same with people utterly despising the Bears Endurance buff in general.

It Wouldn't be nearly a problem if people could likely patch up more often, but the homebrew rules set to make bandaging being applied only -after- you rest (not to mention making the heal skill basically useless), while Con buffs fade before you heal. Is probably what exacerbates this issue.

Getting dropped also shouldn't immediately remove all your buffs IMHO, which also leads to bears sometime skilling people because their HP is reduced when bears suddenly gets poofed from getting downed.

getting downed doesn't suddenly make the magic you cast or had cast upon you disappear, that only really happens when you actually die. A barbarian fainting after his rage wears off because the adrenaline isn't keeping them going makes far more sense than just outright dying.

[umtic]

18th level Barbarian player
Please, keep Rage as is.

[Raposa]

I agree wholeheartedly with this suggestion. Temporary HP would help immensely. Perhaps make it a feat, "Berserker Vigor" or something?

I don't think the negative feedback from getting insta-corpsed is warranted simply because you raged in combat. Being knocked unconscious like everybody else is enough.

[i stole this username (slash)]

18th level Barbarian player
Please, keep Rage as is.

As another high level barbarian, ditto

Please just leave Barb Rage alone. It doesn't need any tweaking in terms of hit points

Also the proposed buff is an unnecessary (and probably unintentional) nerf to Barbarians. Remember, Barb Rage's timer is based off of a Barbarian's Constitution modifier after the Rage buff is applied. Please please just leave it alone.

[Maverick]

Don't change the rage. Its fine as it is.

[Maiyannah]

I honestly would rather the con buff just go away. It's a detriment far more often than it's a boon.

Corpsing due to my constitution buff fading, whether that be Rage or Bear's Endurance, likely rivals the amount of times I've been corpsed by mobs.

Roxane only corpsed once and it wasn't over the many times she went Local Garda Literally Too Angry to Die.

Well, twice, I guess, if you include her closure.