When the Vasgothian Passions swore their people to protect them from the coming Scourge they choose the strongest and mightiest warriors of the native barbarian tribes to fight at their side against the Horrors. Those warriors became the first Berserkers who had been granted special powers by the Passions in order to prepare them for the upcoming battle against the evil forces. Almost all of these Berserkers where killed along with the Passions. But these "special benefits" the Passions had made hereditary in order for their people to protect themselves should they in the worst case die. Since then Berserkers have become an important part of barbarian culture and warfare. They are the ones who lead the charges into battle and fight the fiercest and longest. Among Barbarians and civilized Vasgothians Berserkers are both feared and respected. There have also been known cases where people who entered the Place of re-Naming returned as Berserkers.

Important Attributes: Dexterity, Strength, and Toughness

Racial Restrictions: Elves, T'skrang, Obsidiman, and Windlings

Karma Ritual: To perform his Karma Ritual the Berserker has to be under the open sky. Then he rams his Totemstaff into the ground and starts to bodypaint himself with ritual runes. When the PC has done that he starts to dance around the Totemstaff psyching himself up until he goes berserk. When the PC has gone berserk the ritual is finished and he returns to his normal state.

Artisan Skills: Wild Animal Lore, Wood Carving, and Bodypainting

Note: The Berserker begins the game with an ornamated Totemstaff (as long as a Broadsword and at the top it has got a carved head of the totem animal and at the bottom it is pointed). He also begins the game with a totem animal as a companion.

FIRST CIRCLE
Talents

Animal Bond (D)

Avoid Blow

Berserking*(D)

Karma Ritual

Melee Weapons

Unarmed Combat (D)

SECOND CIRCLE
Talents

Animal Training (D)

Durability (7/6)

Sprint

THIRD CIRCLE
Talents

Swift Paw (Swift Kick) (D)

Tiger Spring

FOURTH CIRCLE
Karma: the Berserker may spend a Karma Point on a Recovery Test, or on any talent that substitutes for a Recovery Test.
Talents

Down Strike

Berserk Weaving (Thread Weaving) (D)

FIFTH CIRCLE
Spell Defense: Increase the Berserker's Spell Defense by 1

Totem Shout (Battle Shout)

Gliding Strike

SIXTH CIRCLE
Physical Defense : Increase the Berserker's Physical Defense by 1
Talents

Momentum Attack

Unshakable Earth (D)

SEVENTH CIRCLE
Social Defense: Increase the Berserker's Social Defense by 1
Talents

Paw Frenzy (Claw Frenzy, but with 2 Strain) (D)

Earth Skin

EIGHTH CIRCLE
Recovery Test: The Berserker gains 1 additional Recovery Test per day.
Talents

Crushing Blow (D)

Poison resistance

NINTH CIRCLE
Initiative: Increase the Berserker's Initiative dice by 1 step.
Physical Defense: Increase the Berserker's Physical Defense by 1.
Talents

Bestial Toughness

Critical Hit Howl (D)

TENTH CIRCLE
Spell Defense: Increase the Berserker's Spell Defense by 1
Totem Attribute: At the cost of 3 permanent damage points, the Berserker may increase one of his attributes by 2 points by taking on an attribute associated with his totem animal. The Berserker takes on a characteristic of his totem animal. For example a wolf would give the Berserker an increase in Dexterity and would become hairier, a hawk on the other hand, would give a Perception increase and the Berserker would now have eyes that resemble those of a hawk. This ability can only be used once.
Talents

Champion Challenge (D)

Totem Spirit (Lion Spirit)

ELEVENTH CIRCLE
Social Defense: Increase the Berserker's Social Defense by 1
Karma: Increase the Berserkers's Maximum Karma Points by 25.
Talents

Bestial Resilience (D)

Defense

* Denotes New Talent    

New Talent  

-The Berserker is immune to being knocked down

-The Berserker's Physical Defense increases by 1 point for every 3 Circles

-The Berserker's Mystic Armor increases by 1 point for every 3 Circles

-The Berserker's Death and Unconsciousness Rating increase by 10 points for every 5 Circles

Special Hindrances of going berserk -The Berserker can't stop fighting to use one of his available Recovery Tests

-Before going berserk the Player tells the GM what his modified Death and Unconsciousness Rating is. The player is not told how much damage he is taking for the time of the combat. It is therefore very possible for the Berserker not to know until he drops dead. (After all, the Berserker can't feel any pain and therefore he cannot keep track of how close he is to death.)

 

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