Hit Die: d12

Requirements:

• Dwarven
• Non-Lawful alignment
• Base Attack: 7+
• Concentration: 5 ranks
• Rage ability
• Rage of Fury
• Endurance
• Toughness

Class Skills: The Battlerager's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (STR), Concentration (CON), Craft (INT), Intimidate (CHA), Jump (STR), Perform (CHA), Profession (WIS), Wilderness Lore (WIS).

Skill Points: 2 + INT bonus each level

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Battlerager is proficient with all simple and martial weapons. Battleragers are proficient with all armors and shields.

Table: The Battlerager

Battlerage: Starting at 1st level, the Battlerager gains his signature ability, the ability to enter a special type of rage, a Battlerage. He is trained in the dwarven secrets of Battlerage, learning how to build up his rage to such a degree that he releases its full power rather than only the surface rage most others experience. A Battlerage is treated as a normal rage with the following additions:

• An additional +2 STR, +2 CON and +1 Will save increase over the usual rage bonus
• Speed increases by +10
• Gain Damage Reduction (x/-), where x equals the total rage bonus to CON you enjoy (usually +6, but can be +8 with Greater Rage)
• Immune to Fear
• Extra Partial Action each round of Battlerage
• Ferocity: you may continue to fight in a Battlerage even at negative hitpoints, but you can take normal actions during this time, not the usual partial actions Endurance affords you. If reduced to the usual death level in negative hitpoints, you may make Fortitude saves each round at DC 10 + number of hitpoints past the death level to remain alive, just as with Endurance, but you gain a +4 bonus to this save; failure means you succumb to your wounds and die
• You ignore the effects of subdual damage while in a Battlerage. The damage still accumulates on you, but you do not suffer its effects until after the rage ends
• Cannot use missile weapons except what you can throw. Cannot cast spells or use spell-like or supernatural abilities that require activation. Cannot activate magic items (those already in operation or always active still work)
• Frenzy: you must attempt to attack the nearest creature (friend or foe) each round you are raging. If you have no creature in your attack range, you must run toward one and attempt to attack them. If no more creatures are within your sight or hearing, you must attack the nearest object or even the ground. You cannot end your rage early unless you pass a special Concentration check (see next). If you wish to control your actions for a round, so you avoid attacking an ally or attempt to end your rage early, you must pass a Concentration check DC 15 + the number of rounds you have raged + the total damage you have suffered that round (if any). If successful, you can choose your target or end your rage

You may choose to use your Battlerage as a normal rage (thus not including the above modifiers for a Battlerage) if desired, and you can use any other rage you have from another source as a Battlerage if you desire.

Entering a Battlerage is not easy or quick. It involves the chanting of dwarven war songs or battle hymns describing atrocities against the dwarves over their history so a to stir up the inner rage of the Battlerager. The Battlerager activates one of his rage attempts, and at this point or at any subsequent round of rage must choose whether he will attempt to enter a Battlerage or just remain in a normal rage. If he chooses to remain in a normal rage, he gains the usual rage effects for that round. If he chooses to begin the process of entering a Battlerage, he loses the rage bonuses (but the AC penalty and other rage restrictions still remain in effect during this time) for that round and for the two to follow as he internalizes the rage to produce a Battlerage. He can act normally during this time; he just loses the rage bonus during these three rounds while still suffering the rage penalties (he is still in a rage and focusing so hard on internalizing the rage he still suffers the rage AC penalty and other rage drawbacks). Once he starts this process it is risky for him to attempt to abort it, but it is possible. If he desires to abort the attempt at a Battlerage, he can simply re-enter the normal rage on his action, but this requires a Concentration check DC 15 + rounds spent raging + damage suffers that round (if any). Should the check fail, he has snapped himself out of the rage instead, and suffers the immediate fatigue effects of this. If the Battlerager spends all three rounds internalizing the rage, on the fourth round, he enters the Battlerage. The Battlerage lasts for the remaining rounds of that rage (as the rounds spend preparing count against the rage duration).

Battleragers learn how to channel their rage as well. If desired, a Battlerager can sacrifice 1 rage per day to replace 1 of the rounds required internalizing his rage before he can enter a Battlerage. If the Battlerager gave up 3 additional rages per day (in addition to the one used to enter a rage), for example, he could then enter the Battlerage immediately (the same round). Giving up rages in this way is a free action. Battlerage is an extraordinary ability.

Although not a direct part of the rage, Battleragers have a special drink called Gutshaker, which is a dwarven secret as to its brewing, but the Battlerager must drink at least a gallon of this stuff each day or the fatigue of ending a Battlerage will last all day rather than clearing up after the encounter as for a normal rage. Any other who drinks it must make a Fortitude save DC 25 or become violently ill (Nauseated) for 1 minute. They must make the save at the end of the minute (only if they failed the first) or suffer d6 STR damage. Dwarves always provide Gutshaker free to their Battleragers, but should a Battlerager be stranded without access to any, the fatigue suffered after a Battlerage will last the whole day (requiring 8 hours of rest to recover from). This is not true of a normal rage, only of a Battlerage. Many Battleragers take Craft (Gutshaker) to be sure they can make their own if needed. To make Gutshaker requires at least 1 rank in this Craft skill as it requires learning the dwarven secret ingredients (what the 1 rank represents). The craft DC is only 10 and the effective value of 1 gallon is 1 silver piece (only for determining how many gallons can be brewed in a day). The Battlerager cannot buy these ingredients, as they must be fresh. The ingredients can be found only underground, and requires a Wilderness Lore check of DC 15 (+2 synergy for this check with 5 or more ranks in Craft (Gutshaker)) and a full 8 hours of work to locate them (with a -5 penalty the time can be cut in half (4 hours), this is cumulative, so a -10 penalty requires only 2 hours, a -15 only 1 hour and a -20 only half an hour). The Battlerager will find enough for 1 gallon with a successful check, plus enough for another 1 gallon for every 2 points over DC he made his check.

Bonus Rage Feat: At 2nd level and every even level after that, the Battlerager gains a bonus feat. This feat must be taken from the fighter feat list. This feat only applies during a rage (normal or Battlerage), when not raging the Battlerager does not benefit from this feat.