Berserker

(White Dwarf #19)

Roger Moore brings life to the Monster Manual Berserker, turning it into a playable class. There’s not much here to be honest and it probably won't make the cut. The Barbarian from WD #4 & #12 feels more fleshed out. The article introduces a berserker cleric which suffers the same downsides as the berserker only worse - losing their ability to cast spells while berserking.

What does the Berserker get?

• HP: d8+2, more dependable hp than a regular fighter.
• Battle Lust: Grants either an extra attack per round or +2 to hit. The extra attack seems like the obvious choice. Battle Lust also makes you immune to mind-affecting powers, reminiscent of the Baldur’s Gate Berserker. I have sunk far too many hours into that game. This suggests that Roger influenced the immunity to mind-affecting powers that was part of the 2e kit, and arguably the Barbarian class from 3e onwards.
• Improved weapon throwing: While in Battle Lust, you can throw weapons at double the normal rate. Throwing 4 daggers a round with a high strength could cause serious damage. Range penalties will matter here.

The Downside 

• Rubbish AC. Restricted to leather armor and shields, with no magical options. Expect to be hit often.
• Battle Lust. Forces you to fight to the death unless continued combat is obviously futile (e.g., fighting gargoyles with non-magical weapons). This removes tactical options for both the player and the party.

Why add the class? 

If you want a faithful adaptation of the Monster Manual Berserker, this class is it. It’s a very simple class and while the extra attacks are strong, the lack of armor and inability to retreat makes this class unplayable.