Berserker

Midianite berserkers have mastered the zen of anger. These specially trained warriors can enter into a special mental state when fighting. Non-berserkers call this special state 'fucking nuts'.

Berserk warriors began as a Dwarven tradition, and spread to the other Heldanic Freeholders. Contrary to common belief, this is not insanity, nor is it uncontrollable rage; rather it is well-controlled rage. Berserkers are in mostly full control of their faculties unless this background is coupled with the traits natural born killer, or short-fuse. If you have either trait, then your berserk fury could cause problems for those around you; you must make a saving throw versus self-control (roll 14 or better) to avoid going into berserk-mode and attacking wildly whenever angry or engaged in combat. Willpower bonuses for paralysis add to the saving throw.

While the classical berserker is an enraged, screaming, red-faced bundle of fury, some Midianite berserkers are more like psycho-killers, quietly unstoppable slashers. You get to pick which sort you are. The difference can be described as either being too furious to tell friend from foe, or too callous to give a crap about friends versus foes.

When berserk, you gain a bonus of +2D6 on attack, damage, Strength checks, and saving throw rolls. Roll once at the start of each berserk and apply that roll to all of those elements. Double that same amount is added to your maximum hit point capacity. You also cannot be stopped until the damage you have taken exceeds your maximum capacity for both hit points and life points: do not make Willpower checks to stay conscious when your hit point capacity has been exceeded. You do not suffer from pain or shock, nor do you make system shock rolls. Although stress, fatigue, and hit points still accumulate, you do not suffer any penalties until the berserk ends. You feel no fear.

Higher cognition is affected during the episode. A Wits check (with a penalty equal to twice the 2D6 intensity roll above) must be made for complex or mystical skills, such as telekinesis, tactics, or any divinatory skills. More active, combat-related, mystical skills might not be affected, for example intuitive reflexes, wayfarer, or activating weapon tattoos. This lack of higher cognition also prevents them from being mind-controlled while berserk; going berserk will break extant control. Most social skills are useless against them (or used by them) during the episode.

Berserkers are unable to actively defend themselves while berserk, and cannot block, parry, or dodge. No berserker makes any Common Sense checks while berserk, and all such checks are automatically forfeited. Voluntarily entering the berserk state requires two uninterrupted rounds to prepare, and four rounds to calm back down. Those with the natural born killer or short-fuse traits can berserk involuntarily in an instant, and take twice as long to try and calm down.

When the damage has exceeded your maximum life point capacity, the cumulative damage finally snaps you out of your berserk state at the end of that round. You gain full benefits from berserking until that end, however. Dwarven anger drives them further: they get an extra 1D4 rounds of near-death berserking. All this fury is tiring; you suffer from all penalties that you were able to ignore during your battle, and take 2D12 points of stress/fatigue. It is easy to overexert yourself: you cannot feel pain or fear, and may fall unconscious (or die) when the berserk state ends.

Humans (all cultivars) seem to have a difficult time compartmentalizing their rage and anger. They cannot use ranged weapons against their foe; they must close to attack. Human rage is too well focused to allow them to concentrate on anything else but slaying the opponent directly in front of them. Firearms seem to be an exception to this. Because guns, that's why. No berserker, regardless of species, can reload a weapon of any sort during this divine fury, however.

Berserkers do not automatically attack their friends or companions—unless your friends are the ones who pissed you off—but you are still much more easily upset while berserking. Anyone who could be perceived as threatening you while in your red haze—or maybe even anyone who just gets in your way—could easily become the new target. There are no game mechanics for this (Midian does not typically force actions like that) but keep it in mind for roleplaying purposes. Berserkers are frequently dangerous to those around them.