I have just started a game with a DM new to Pathfinder. I am playing a human Barbarian. His name is Gath Bloodaxe.
The DM ran a mini adventure for each character, as part of the background for them. Long story short, I had an episode right out of Conan the Barbarian. I stumbled across an ancient tomb, and discovered a Cold Iron Greataxe covered in corrosion and filth, just like in Conan. I hit it against some rocks, and the crud fell off, revealing a very impressive Greataxe. (I have the rich parents trait, and actually paid for this, but he worked it into the story, very cool.) I also found on the skeletal kings head an untouched by the ravages of time horned helmet. Anyone familiar with Gath the Barbarian will know what this looks like. If your not, just google Gath the Destroyer, and you will see what it looks like. The DM had seen these pictures, and modeled the helmet off the pictures.
Now, similar to the original story of Gath the Destroyer, the helmet, once put on, will not come off.
Here is where the moral dilemma comes in. The helmet gives me a power. That power is immunity to exhaustion and Fatigue!!
Now, I know that the DM doesn't know about rage cycling. I also know that the helmet is in some way part of the story he is running. Do I inform him that he has broken my character? He specifically mentioned that I wouldn't have to worry about being fatigued after raging, so having a helmet stuck on my head isn't as bad as it could be. Do I tell him how EXCELLENT it actually is? By the way he described the helmet in great detail, and went on about how nice it is, even though my character hates having the damn thing on, I know its a vital part of his game, but even so...
CROM, I don't know what to do...
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It doesn't really break your character. Rage cycling is something that will come online eventually anyway, through any number of means (from magic items to multiclassing), and as long as you don't go out of your way to abuse it it's fine.
I would point out to your GM that it's possible to abuse it in some ways (Strength Surge or Furious Finish every round of combat, for example), and see if he still is fine with the idea.
However, not being Fatigued as normal isn't going to break anything if you just want to drop in and out of Rage as you like.
But if you promise him you won't be a dick about the gift he's given you, it should be fine. Or just make it a point to not take full advantage of it in the first place.
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Well, I'd wait and see. He may be new to Pathfinder, but he seems to be doing a great job story wise. He even apparently sees that you can't be exhausted. He might have a plan. Perhaps the helmet has an unexpected downside that you haven't been told of yet. Or... perhaps it will gain one once he realizes what he's done. It may even turn into a nice little side quest for you and your party.
EDIT: On second thought the others make good points, even if he has a plan, you may want to tell him what's up just in case. He may make it a once a day remove exhaustion thing.
Yes. Definitely tell him. That is way too powerful for a starting 1st level character.
He is going to realise the horrible mistake he has made anyway within the first few sessions of play. Save yourselves the awkward moment.
EDIT: ninja'd by Rynjin.
1) you can keep it
2) you can avoid rage cycling unless necessary
The "unless necessary" is the iffy part. Basically, don't break it unless it's required. Apply self-control.
Obviously you guys aren't as powerfully tied to RAW so much as FLAVOR, so, if it becomes a problem, work with your GM, actively giving him ideas on how to reign your character in. One thing to remember is that you'll eventually gain this ability anyway (at least I presume).
In that case, it's not really breaking your character, so much as enabling the same thing earlier.
But mostly it just comes down to you - telling your GM isn't a bad thing at all, but mostly it's irrelevant - simply utilize your rages carefully and work at not breaking the game.
The reasoning in-character? Your character doesn't like the helmet. He doesn't trust the helmet. He wouldn't actively use (and thus wouldn't actively abuse) the helmet, unless he thinks there is no other choice at all.
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That is way too powerful for a starting 1st level character.
Yeah! I mean, look at all those ways they can abuse rage cycling at level one! [/notreally]
Won't get much steam until later on. Might want to say "oh hey, did you know I can do this with this?". Like Rynjin said though, eventually you'll have something like it. Usually helps to mention things instead of dropping them on people unexpectedly though.
That is way too powerful for a starting 1st level character.Yeah! I mean, look at all those ways they can abuse rage cycling at level one! [/notreally]
Won't get much steam until later on. Might want to say "oh hey, did you know I can do this with this?". Like Rynjin said though, eventually you'll have something like it. Usually helps to mention things instead of dropping them on people unexpectedly though.
This.
It isn't game breaking really, potent, yeah, abusable, I guess maybe... just build the character so that you don't get ridiculous with it, and it'll be fine.
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I completely agree with MrSin. Be upfront and honest about possible game breaking situations.
I am in a homebrew game and the GM allowed keen and improved critical to stack. I'm TWF with keen wakizashis right now (level 6). I told him out of game that I planned on taking improved crit and that my crit range would be 12-20. So basically if I hit its a crit, and how broken that would be especially since he uses the crit deck. He was surprised and grateful for my honesty.
I may have hurt the power level of my character but in the long run it will make for a better game and there will be no ill feelings at the table.
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Sage advice, indeed. I will definitely tell him, soonest. After thinking about how the session went, though, I wouldn't be surprised if he knows already. He's cagey like that, and it isn't really a game breaker, like you guys mentioned.
With the build I have, I wouldn't be worried about rage cycling until much later on, anyway. Oh, I have a few powers that would benefit early on, I suppose. My true concern was it changing something in his game that throws everything off. He makes up some seriously intricate games, and he told me a while back that the little things are the real breakers for his stories. And they are epic stories! So, really don't want to be the one that threw the monkey wrench in, you know what I mean?
But, thanks for bringing me back to earth by pointing out how un-impressive it really is. I just heard so much about it on the various forums, that I didn't see the reality of the situation, and responded to the apparent hype. LOL, I am an excitable old cuss, I guess.
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Turns out he did know about it, and expects me to use it, too. Works for me.
Turns out he did know about it, and expects me to use it, too. Works for me.
Awesome! Win-win for the honesty! :D
Look for rage powers that can be used once per rage.
With rage cycling you drop rage, enter rage, both as free actions. Normally you would be fatigued when rage is dropped and can not enter a second rage.