Berserkers are fighters who are able to release powerful but unpredictable beastly battle lusts during combat.  The most powerful of these are able to become animals.

  Berserkers may use any armor.  They fight as fighters, with multiple attacks at higher levels and against 0 level opponents.  They advance in level as the Ranger, and earn d10 hp per level.  Berserkers may be good, neutral, or evil, but must be chaotic.  They may be loyal, trustworthy, and noble, but are always unpredictable, and may be wild and willful.  Each starts with 2 weapon proficiencies, and gains one every three levels.  They may use any weapons except missile weapons which have no melee function.

  To achieve a berserk state, the berserker must spend one round working himself into a frenzy, biting his shield, howling, et cetera.  At the end of the round, the berserker must make a save v. death to reach the berserk state; otherwise, he may continue for up to ten rounds, saving at the end of each round.  If he has not reached the berserk state before this, at the end of the tenth round of working, the berserk state is reached automatically.

  The berserk state automatically increases Strength by 2 points, or one "category" if 18, up to a maximum of 19; all strength effects including weight allowance, hit and damage bonuses, doors, bars & gates apply.  The berserker also gains 2 hp per level added to the total hp during the frenzy, which are used before normal hp.  AC also improves, base AC improving by 1 class per level to a best AC of 0.  Armor class bonuses such as shield, magic, and dexterity still apply (achieving a better AC), but armor negates this benefit.  The berserk state also confers a +2 bonus on saves v. charms and mind-based attacks.  However, once the berserk state is reached, the character must enter melee immediately.  He may choose his opponent, but if he holds back from battle for more than two rounds he loses the berserk state.  Once an opponent is chosen, the berserker will not change opponents until the opponent is slain or flees beyond the berserker's ability to pursue.  If the character retreats, he loses the berserk state immediately, including all benefits gained.  The state will end whenever the berserker wishes it to, or at the end of number of rounds equal to the character's constitution.

  At the end of the berserk fury, the character must save v. death to avoid exhaustion.  Exhaustion is manifested by strength five points below normal until the character has the opportunity to rest; it returns at the rate of one point per turn of rest.  During this time of reduced strength, the character cannot become berserk again.

  At level 4 the berserker can shape-change into a wolf, once per week.  Attack table, attacks, hit points, and saves are not changed, but the character gains the speed (18"), armor class (AC7) and damage (d4+1) of the wolf.  There are no strength bonuses, and the character cannot go berserk.  He can understand human speech, but cannot speak without some magical intervention.  He can speak to and understand wolves, but loses this power upon resuming human shape.  The transformation takes one round, and no clothing or gear is changed with the berserker.

  At level 7, the berserker can change into a cave bear, under the same terms and in addition to the ability to change into a wolf.  In bear form, movement is 18", armor class is 6, and the character attacks three times per round doing d6/d6/d8 points of damage.  If either of the first two attacks (paws) hit with at least an 18, the bear can hug for an additional 2d12 damage.

  Followers are attracted at level 9.

  At Be12, the berserker can shape-travel, called "hamfarir".  The character sends his spirit out in the form of an animal, usually a bear, bull, falcon, raven, or wolf, but never a horse.  It requires the berserker to place himself in a deep trance, and he cannot be disturbed and is unaware of his surroundings.  One turn after entering the trance, his spirit form appears within 100 yards.  It is an actual physical presence; only true seeing or second sight will be able to determine it to be other than an animal.  It has the hp, saves, and hit probability of the character, including the +2 save bonus v. mental attacks.  Its armor class is that which the character would have in his unarmored berserk state.  He has his normal sensory abilities through the animal form.  Damage is transferred to the berserker when the trance ends, as well as the affects of any magical attacks.  Movement, attacks, and damage are dependent upon the animal form selected.  The animal form cannot communicate with humans, but can communicate with like animals.  This can only be done once per day, and lasts for a number of turns equal to the wisdom of the berserker.  If the spirit form is slain, the berserker dies.  The hamfarir can be ended upon the berserker's choice, or if he is shaken, attacked, or roughly disturbed.

  When the hamfarir ends, the character must make a save v. death with a -4 penalty; failure indicates exhaustion such that strength and wisdom are cut in half.  These are regained at 1 point per hour of rest, strength first, then wisdom.

  In addition to standard experience points, the berserker earns 200 experience points for bravery in initiating combat.  The berserker must be the one who leads his side into battle against a superior force, before the opponents attack.

  Advancement table:
 

  325000 xp/level above the 12th.

  Viking Humans and Trollborn may be Berserkers.

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