Rage

A berserker’s Rage ability (from the abilities menu, taking a wait’s time) gives them 12 rage. They are Raging (see Status effects) for as long as they hold any: Strength +2 and Toughness +2, Intelligence −2, and they can neither read nor spend mana.

Rage wears off a point every base turn (6 seconds), starting with the turn of the rage itself, and while resting too. Fighting feeds it:

• Every blow, shot, or throw that hits you builds 1. It need not hurt you: one your Protection soaks or you resist to nothing still counts.
• Every critical of yours that does damage builds 2.
• Every kill of yours builds 3.

A blow of yours that merely lands builds nothing. Rage holds 20 at most, so a long fight does not store up a long rage after it.

When rage reaches 0, the rage ends, its bar with it. The berserker is then Exhausted for two and a half minutes (150 seconds), and can have no rage until that passes. Anything else that ends being Raging ends the rage too.

The berserker’s later levels add to it (see Talents):

• Battle-scarred (level 6): Protection +1, and +2 more while raging (3 in all), whatever armour you wear.
• Headlong (level 12): while raging, every step costs a fifth less time, in any armour and under any burden.
• Blood frenzy (level 40): while raging, every melee attack costs a fifth less time, and every kill builds 5 more rage (8 in all).
• Mighty rage (level 50): Raging gives Strength +4 and Toughness +4, rage holds up to 30, and the exhaustion lasts 75 seconds.
• Unstoppable (level 60): while raging, bleeding and poison cost no hit points. A blow that would take your last hit point leaves it to you for 10 rage, as often as you have that much. Spending the last of the rage this way ends it.

The talent on it

Battle trance (Might; berserker, level 6): your rage starts at 18 instead of 12 (never above its maximum), and wears off at two thirds of its pace: a point about every 9 seconds instead of every 6.

See also: Resources, Buffs and hexes, and Stances and stamina.