New shifter ability

[atreus]

A little bit in the same spirit as Kraven's mastery suggestion (although I didn't read about it until I did a search to see if someone had already suggested my idea)...

A new ability for shifters, haven't thought of a good name yet, but it would be a "last stand" typeish ability, meaning that when you are in imminent threat of death (eg. low hp in combat), the bestial instincts take over and you go in a desperate battle frenzy to save your life.

Personally, I would make it a user-triggerable ability but with a small chance of happening spontaneously (eg. if you have low self-control and/or control of the inner beast skill levels, you might not be able to hold the bestial impulses at bay). When you go in the frenzy you will still know who your friends are (wolves don't kill each other when threatened by a bear or a hunter) but you act out on instincts, making you a ferocious and formidable enemy not to take lightly in combat. Afterwards, since you've just performed a feat beyond your normal capabilities it would require uninterrupted rest.

In practice, I think it could go something like: you can trigger the ability when your hp drops below, say, 30% and also the self-control/CotIB checks are made when below that. While in frenzy your melee combat abilities are raised dramatically (eg. increased physical stats, combat assign points and melee skill), but you will be unable to use skills or spells. The frenzy slowly subsides once the battle is over but due to the extreme stretching of your abilities you will be wearied and suffer from fatigue (penalty in all physical stats, melee skill and combat assign points) that you will only recover from with uninterrupted rest or v-e-r-y slowly over time if you don't just stay still and rest. While you're recovering you will be unable to use the ability again, unless you get into even bigger trouble eg. hitpoints drop below 15% of base maximum (base maximum so people won't cheat with life boost or such spells/effects) and if you do, the after effects will be twice as dramatic and last much longer than if you had fully recovered before going into frenzy again.

If such a "diminishing returns" type of effect is applied to the ability, there should be an increasing chance of simply dying of exhaustion when triggering it if the ability is abused without proper rest in between.

Note that I'm not proposing this to minmax shifters, my goal is to try and come up with ideas that will add to the appeal of STAYING in the guild. Shifters already is a guild that requires dedication if you really want to be good in it and I'd very much like to see more life added to it in the form of small tricks and effects and such that don't make it stronger, just more interesting and versatile.

Let me know what you think.

.atr.

[khade]

i think that while in this state, maybe call it heat of combat, you automatically attack like a beast, so auto use of furious assault and a slight increase in your masteries for a limited time, damage wise. also, in order to recover all the way, much eating will be required

[felgand]

I think this type of ability would make more sense for someone in the militia than a shapeshifter.

[dunn]

I think that's an interesting idea to shifters and very well fits in theme with the guild.. However, I don't think it would necessarily work because if a shifter goes that low on hps they are in danger of dying in the next round, if this ability would somehow increase their defensive capability or damage resistance for one round or so (hafling its proposed offensive bonus), with effects based on pain resistance and kinship then maybe it wouldn't seem like they will just "go out with a bang" given this feature.

And I like the rest idea afterwards.

I like a feral ability that you could use when very low of hps. It makes sense. A cornered and wounded animal is always more dangerous.

[khade]

maybe we could call it rabid or feral instincts, and give the militia the heat of combat one, or we could do what some strategy games that i have played do and give the militia a change of becoming a veteran soldier in the middle of a fight, lasts for one uptime before it wears off. maybe this is the wrong place to put that idea, i might put it in the correct thread later.

grr, need to check spelling before submitting

[belannaer]

Put the idea into new Army of Vaerlon with name death or glory.