“If yeh got any questions about crushin’ heads, jest ask me.” – Thane Brondir, Barbarian Guildmaster of Var Bandor
A terror in combat, the barbarian is a crushing force of unparalleled destruction. The barbarian’s methods are as crude and harsh as the ancient world which shaped them; the axe, the mace, and the wilderness are their steadfast companions. Barbarians may be of any alignment, but due to their wild, roaming natures, they may never be lawful.
The oldest of Avendar’s naturalist creeds, the barbarian has been a fixture of the wild since the earliest ages of man. The first of the fallen alatharya shamans were eager to call upon their strength and fury in times of need; the brutal srryn, and young humanity would all seek power through similar means. The terrifying vision of the horde which broke the Republic is never far from cityfolk who encounter the modern barbarian, ensuring that their guilds are never exulted in civilized city-states.
The barbarian’s methods are as crude and harsh as the ancient world which shaped him; the axe, the mace, and the wilderness are his steadfast companions. He is most well-known for his mighty hews, which have broken the bodies of adventurer and creature alike. His skill with the mace allow him to shatter bone or daze his foes, striking fear into the hearts of spellcasters who might oppose him. He can create simple, ad-hoc weapons and necessities in forests. Finally, he can feast upon the flesh of the defeated, and craft clothing from their hides.
Barbarians may be of any alignment, but due to their wild, roaming natures, they may never be lawful. Enirra and Dolgrael are often popular amongst humans and alatharya, while srryn are near-universally heed the call of Sythrak. However, barbarians are as diverse and free-natured as the great beasts who roam Avendar’s vast wilderness, leading many to serve only their own personal whims.
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Syntax: Automatic
Bladed weapons with a typically short haft, axes are most often favoured by
barbarians, who enjoy their lack of subtlety and learn specific techniques for
them. Axes may be found in many sizes, for both one and two-handed use. They
typically deal slashing damage, and they are characteristically poor at
fending off blows, due to their balance and lack of finesse. The weighty
swings often required by axes make it suited against both shield blocking and
deflection, but much easier for opponents to fend off or stone phalanx.
Primary Attribute: strength
See also: PARRY
Syntax: Automatic
A flail is a weight attached by a chain or hinge to a handle, designed to
penetrate armor through blunt or piercing force, though they are often used
interchangably with the less flexible maces. Only gladiators recieve extensive
training in the usage of flails, but other professions are taught the basics.
Because of their flexibility and the somewhat awkward movements to wield them,
they are not terribly suited to defend with, and will make it more difficult
to parry when they are offhanded. Flails are particularly effective against
foes who are dodging, deflecting, or shield blocking.
Primary Attribute: strength, dexterity
See also: PARRY
Syntax: Automatic While some may feature ornamentation or spikes, maces are at their heart a very simple weapon: a short length of metal or wood, typically used as a means of blunt force. For this reason, they are often favoured by scholars and templars of the earth, as well as barbarians, though several guilds train in the usage of this weapon. Due to the length and balance of these weapons, maces do not parry blows very well, and if offhanded will hurt one's main-hand parrying. Maces will get around both shields and watchers' deflection relatively easily. Primary Attribute: strength See also: PARRY
Syntax: Automatic One of the most commonly-produced and commonly-trained weapons in Avendar, swords are simple to learn the basics of, but may take decades to master. The only weapon with an entire profession dedicated solely to their usage, in the hands of most others, swords are a particularly average weapon. Typically slashing or piercing, they range from slender rapiers to massive two-handed claymores. Primary Attribute: strength, dexterity See also: PARRY
Syntax: Automatic
Dodge is a melee defense skill focused on the avoidance of blows. It is
particularly difficult to dodge flails and polearms, and easier to dodge
whips. Dodge is the favored defense of rogues, but it is taught in many other
schools as well.
All aelin receive a bonus to this skill.
Primary Attribute: dexterity
Syntax: Automatic
The art of fisticuffs is taught by several of Avendar's martial guilds.
Students will hit harder while unarmed than those who are untrained. If
someone who is trained in both fighting unarmed and dual wielding has even a
single free hand, he will use that as an off-hand attack. Having claws, both
srryn and kankoran will do more damage with this skill than other races.
However, this basic training only goes so far, and those who fight without a
weapon in hand will find themselves unable to parry.
Primary Attribute: strength, dexterity
See also: PARRY
Syntax: Automatic Most of the non-scholarly guilds offer their students training in heightening the force of their blows. A higher skill will see better results at these techniques, as will a better weapon. Primary Attribute: strength See also: BRUTAL DAMAGE, PROWESS
Syntax: Automatic Characters with proficiency in this skill will attempt a second attack each round with both their main and any offhanded weapons. Mastery of this skill does not guarantee the attack will be attempted every round, but it does make it very likely. Primary Attribute: dexterity, strength See also: DUAL WIELD
Syntax: Automatic Shield block is the art of using a shield to ward off blows in melee. This skill is primarily effective against daggers, and least effective against whips, flails, maces, and axes. Shield block is the favoured defense of of water and Void templars and most fighters, though other schools teach the skill as well. It's much harder to shield block after an arm has been boneshattered. Primary Attribute: strength, dexterity
Duration : Level/2 Hours
Syntax: Night Vision
This skill allows the user to see in the dark without benefit of a light
source, though this skill cannot pierce magical darkness of any sort.
Primary Attribute: wisdom
See also: INFRAVISION
Duration : Instantaneous Cost: 5 mana Range : Single PC or mob Syntax: Lunge <target> Many adventurers are able to make a highly accurate lunge at an enemy, dealing damage with their main-hand weapon. Being struck by this skill leaves that target open to attack, and causes them to incur a penalty to their armor class for a brief period. Primary Attribute: strength, dexterity See also: armor class
Duration : 0.5 Hours Cost: 5 mana Range : Single PC or mob Syntax: Dirt <target> This skill attempts to temporarily blind a person by kicking dirt in their eyes. This skill cannot be used on or underwater, or in the air. Primary Attribute: dexterity
Syntax: Automatic Fast healing is a skill taught by most guilds, that their students might apply their knowledge to quicker recovery of bodily injuries, increasing the rate at which they gain hit points. Primary Attribute: constitution See also: hit points
Syntax: Forage Minimum Cost: 5 move Skilled at living off the land, all naturalists learn early on how to forage the wilds for food, finding some often delicious snacks. Different terrains will produce different results, though there is little edible that can be found underground or in the air. Primary Attribute: wisdom See also: COOK, CREATE FOOD, FIND WATER
Duration : (4+Level)/2 hours Minimum Cost: 10 mana Syntax: Findwater Naturalists are skilled at living off the land, and may use this water to find groundwater, bringing it up in a small spring. This skill will not work in any place where the ground has been paved over, and in the air. This skill is also obviously of little use on or under water. Primary Attribute: wisdom See also: COOK, CREATE FOOD, FORAGE
Duration : Level/8 Hours Cost: 12 mana Range : User Only Syntax: Savagery Barbarian warriors are known for their ferocity in battle and ability to withstand physical blows. With the savagery skill, they are able to strike with much greater ferocity than before, and at the same time entirely shrug off some blows directed at them. They are more likely to shrug off attacks that would have dealt physical damage than magical, though it is still entirely possible to so disregard magical attacks. Primary Attribute: constitution See also: hitroll, damroll
Duration : Level/10 Hours Minimum Cost: 3 mana Range : User Only Syntax: Grip Many combatants learn to grip tightly onto their weapons, providing them a significant defense against being disarmed, being stripped, or affected by the magnetic grasp spell. Due to their intimate awareness of the strip skill, gladiators have a heightened defense against it. Primary Attribute: strength
Syntax: Automatic Characters with proficiency in this skill will attempt a second attack each round with both their main and any offhanded weapons. Mastery of this skill does not guarantee the attack will be attempted every round, but it does make it very likely. Primary Attribute: dexterity, strength See also: DUAL WIELD
Syntax: Automatic Rangers and barbarians learn to swim early on, obviating the need for a boat. Greater facility with this skill will make travel on water easier, reducing the movement cost it takes to move; poor swimmers will consume additional movement points. Primary Attributes: strength, constitution
Duration : Instantaneous Cost: 6 mana Range : Target PC or mob Syntax: Bash <target> A commonly taught method of preventing an enemy's action, a bash is an inelegant attempt to simply ram into another person. If successful, the target will fall to the ground and be lagged briefly. Because it is so commonly taught, there are many methods of preventing or discouraging this skill, though perfect protection is few and far between. It is not ordinarily possible to bash someone underwater. Primary Attribute: strength See also: LAG
Syntax: Automatic Despite their vast diversity of training between the ranger, fighter, barbarian, and watcher classes, all of them are used to bouts of hard or speedy travel. With the endurance skill, the user will have a heightened regeneration rate of movement points. For the trait, please see help ENDURANCE-TRAIT. Primary Attribute: constitution
Duration : Permanent Cost: 10 mana
Reuse Delay: Varies
Syntax: Wildcraft <item>
Further enhancing their ability to live off the land, naturalists may craft a
variety of objects while in the wild. As they gain in level, weapons they
produce will be more powerful. Nets may be crafted in the woods, grasslands,
or swamps, while all the others may only be created in the woods.
Each individual class learns a different variety of tools; barbarians would
gain little from crafting arrows, and only druids know the means of crafting
totems, as an inexhaustive example. One may receive a list of craftable items
by typing 'wildcraft' without argument.
Hand-crafted arrows may be banded with varying colours. Hafts created by
druids may be shaped with the shape timber spell.
Primary Attribute: dexterity
See also: ARCHERY, COOK, ENTANGLE, BAND ARROW, SHAPE TIMBER
Duration : Instantaneous Range : Target corpse in room Syntax: Cook <corpse> In the presence of a campfire, a ranger or a barbarian may carve up any corpse in the room into chunks and prepare the meat over the fire into delicious morsels. Larger corpses and greater facility at cooking will produce more chunks, and higher skill levels will create more filling food. Undead or otherwise inedible corpses will produce poisonous food. Primary Attribute: wisdom, dexterity
Duration : Instantaneous Range : Current Weapon-Wielding Opponent Syntax: Disarm Combat-oriented classes can use this skill to knock a weapon from their foe's hands. Two-handed weapons are more difficult to disarm, while certain other weapons such as whips and flails are easier to use to disarm others. Most weapons will fall to the ground when disarmed, though those that bear the nodrop or inventory flags remain in the character's inventory. Items with the noremove and nodisarm flags cannot be disarmed with this skill. mobiles who are able to see at the time they are disarmed will immediately pick up their weapon. This skill must be used while already in combat, and only against the person the user is currently fighting. Primary Attribute: dexterity
Syntax: Automatic Characters with proficiency in this skill will attempt a fourth attack each round with both their main and any offhanded weapons. Mastery of this skill does not guarantee the attack will be attempted every round, but it does make it very likely. Primary Attribute: Dexterity See also: DUAL WIELD, THIRD ATTACK
Duration : 3 Hours Minimum Cost: 10 mana
Range : User's Current Opponents
Syntax: Warcry
Most barbarians have a bloodcurdling warcry, used to instill powerful, primal
fear in their opponents. Upon using this skill, he will shout out his warcry,
healing himself and causing all enemies currently fighting him to lose all
their attacks in the next round of combat. Additionally, they will be lagged
for that round.
Primary Attribute: Charisma
See also: BATTLECRY, LAG
Syntax: Automatic While a scholar with this skill is affected by the frenzy spell, they will receive damage reduction (comparable to that enjoyed inherently by most races) against all sources of damage besides fire and cold. Additionally, this ensures that self-incurred damage, such as via Baptism of Fire, will always affect the caster. Primary Attribute: Strength, Constitution
Syntax: Automatic After a barbarian or gladiator has slain an opponent, the bloodlust skill allows him to become energized by the death of his enemy, using his body's own adrenaline to help him recover from some of his wounds. Primary Attribute: Constitution
Duration : 1 Hour Range : Current opponent Syntax: Grapple A barbarian may attempt to close the gap with his opponent and grapple with his foe, attempting to pin him. It is more difficult to grapple with those who are affected by astral form. If successful, the stress of the grapple will penalize the target's dexterity and strength for the duration. Additional attempts may disrupt any songs the victim is playing, or prevent them from beginning new ones. Due to the nature of grappling with someone, it may only be attempted on solid ground. Primary Attribute: Strength, Dexterity See also: MEND WOUNDS, PLAY
Duration : 4 Hours Minimum Cost: 10 Mana Range : User Only Syntax: Rage Similar to but less extreme than the ability to berserk, a barbarian can give himself over to his rage, focusing single mindedly on the battle at hand. While so enraged, he will deal a substantial amount more damage in combat, but be unable to flee. Primary Attribute: Constitution
Duration : 2 Hours Minimum Cost: Special Range : PC in Current Area Syntax: Warpath <target> Barbarians are noted for being able to go on the warpath for an unfortunate victim. While so focused on that person, the user will immediately engage in combat with the object of his hunt when next he encounters him. The barbarian will not stop until either the skill expires or the victim is dead. This skill costs 10 mana per tick, and an additional mana point for every room traversed while on the warpath. It costs 10 to initiate this skill. Primary Attribute: Wisdom
Duration : Automatic Known for their mighty blows, barbarians wielding two-handed weapon will be able to attempt an additional attack beyond what they ordinarily would be capable of. If the weapon is not naturally two-handed, this is subject to all the same benefits and penalties of wielding a weapon in this unintended manner. Primary Attribute: Dexterity See also: SECOND ATTACK, TWOHANDS
Duration : Instantaneous Weapon : Mace Range : Single PC or Mob Cost : 10 Mana Syntax: Bludgeon <target> When a barbarian wields a mace, he has the opportunity to make use of the weapon's crushing power. Delivering a powerful overhand smash, this skill deals a substantial amount of damage and may lag the target or disrupt their attempts to initiate psionic foci or spells. This skill does more damage when the mace in question is held with both hands. Primary Attribute: Strength
Duration : 6 Hours Minimum Cost: 15 Move Syntax: Fortitude Barbarians are able to turn their notorious endurance to force their own bodies to ignore certain pains. While this skill is active, the user will have a chance to disregard statistic penalties that are inflicted for the duration. If he is in a state or rage or berserk, the chance increases sharply. Primary Attribute: Constitution
Duration : Level/4 Hours Cost: 5 Mana
Range : User Only
Syntax: Bloodsigil
With this skill, a barbarian may cut themself for a miniscule amount of damage
and use the blood from the wound to draw an elaborate sigil upon themself.
This will help them to ward off magical effects, giving a bonus to saves.
Primary Attribute: Constitution
See also: SAVES
Duration : Automatic A barbarian with this skill has a chance to deliver a final attack against his killer. Should this blow kill the victim, it is the barbarian who will survive, albeit barely. Characters seeking to improve at this skill will need to fight in a state close to death. Primary Attribute: Constitution
Syntax: Automatic
A basic technique for focusing one's thoughts, meditation is a skill taught by
all guilds that their students may recover mana more quickly.
Primary Attribute: Intelligence, Wisdom
See also: TRANCE, MANA
Duration : Automatic Barbarians are so able to focus on their target that little will be able to impede them. With the ferocity skill, should the barbarian's opponent in battle be rescued or cower away from the front lines, the barbarian has a chance to remain focused on the at opponent, ignoring the rescuer or cower-ee. Even city guards or bouncers have a chance to fail to interpose themselves. However, this skill can do little against the dedicated attention of a fighter covering an ally. Primary Attribute: Wisdom, Dexterity See also: RESCUE, COWER, COVER
Duration : 4 hours Weapon : Mace/Flail Range : Single PC or Mob, Their Arm or Leg Cost : 5 Mana Syntax: Boneshatter <target> <arm/leg> The great strength and primitive savagery of the barbarians has lead them to this particularly brutal technique. Smashing a mace or a flail into their foe's limbs, they may attempt to outright break either his arm or leg. A broken arm will cause both a strength and dexterity penalty, and render the target unable to dual wield until it heals; they will also have a much harder time shield blocking. A broken leg penalizes dexterity, increases movement costs, hinders dodging, evading, and tumbling, and deals damage with every step the victim takes. When neither the arm or leg is specified, this skill will default to the arm. This skill may be used with a dual wielded weapon, but this skill will always do less damage when the weapon is held in only one hand. Primary Attribute: Strength See also: MEND WOUNDS
Syntax: Automatic Barbarians are trained to wield their weapons with such strength and ferocity that they are able to inflict damage beyond the ordinary enhanced damage. While not as effective by itself as enhanced damage, because the two skills work in conjunction, the overal effects are highly pronounced. Primary Attribute: Strength See also: ENHANCED DAMAGE
Duration : Level/16 Hours Minimum Cost: 25 mana Range : User Only Syntax: Berserk Barbarians have the ability to drive themselves into a mindless frenzy, a state known as berserking. It is easier to do so while already hurt or fighting. This ability provides a significant bonus to both the user's hitroll and damroll, and penalizes his armour class. While anyone in a berserker rage is unable to clearly identify how wounded he is, his hit points may go into the negative while in this state. Primary Attribute: Strength, Constitution
Each character in Avendar has an adventuring class. The class determines the character’s abilities. Guilds are established throughout the land to help train characters in their class’s abilities. Click the class name below to view the details about the class’s abilities. The…