can a frightened barbarian enter Rage?

[Duhwoo X. McKeener]

Barbarian is *not* raging, suddenly gets hit by fear: can enter Rage after fear starts? (to improve movement for escape?)

"A frightened creature can use special abilities, including spells, to flee; indeed, the creature must use such means if they are the only way to escape"...(emphasis added)
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12th-level Barbarian *not* raging, gets hit by fear -- but has Fearless Rage power: can enter Rage after fear starts -- thus engaging Fearless Rage -- and completely defeating fear?
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Barbarian *not* raging, gets Panicked -- but has Fearless Rage *and* Headband of Unshakable Resolve: can use Headband to downmode panic to fear, then enter Rage, engaging Fearless Rage -- completely defeating panic?

what's out there that tells me otherwise? near as I can tell, barbarian with Fearless Rage and Headband of Unshakable Resolve can completely avoid effects of being panicked or frightened (as long as he has rounds of Rage left -- and the the Headband isn't suppressed somehow)...

[Calth]

The only possible circumstance where Rage would be allowed for a frightened creature is if it granted them a special movement mode that was only available during rage and that is the only possible means of escape.

[chbgraphicarts]

Nothing about the Frightened condition prevents you from using abilities, especially Free Action abilities. It only says that you may use special abilities TO FLEE, meaning that you don't have to just run - you are still competent enough to use abilities, and not so terrified that you can still use things like Dimensional Hop from the Travel Domain, or the Teleport spell.

So, it really doesn't matter - on your turn, as a Free Action, before you begin to Flee, you can enter a Rage without a problem, and voila - your Rage Powers allow you to ignore the Frightened Condition.

[chbgraphicarts]

Calth wrote:

The only possible circumstance where Rage would be allowed for a frightened creature is if it granted them a special movement mode that was only available during rage and that is the only possible means of escape.

I think you're thinking of Panicked.

PANICKED specifically calls out that no other actions besides running in a random direction can be taken.

If a Barbarian without a Headband of Unshakable Resolve becomes Panicked, he has to run, straight-out.

Frightened doesn't prevent the use of abilities at all, nor does it specifically say that you can't use abilities EXCEPT to flee; it just says that you MAY use abilities to flee, if you choose.

[Calth]

chbgraphicarts wrote:

Calth wrote:

The only possible circumstance where Rage would be allowed for a frightened creature is if it granted them a special movement mode that was only available during rage and that is the only possible means of escape.

I think you're thinking of Panicked.

PANICKED specifically calls out that no other actions besides running in a random direction can be taken.

If a Barbarian without a Headband of Unshakable Resolve becomes Panicked, he has to run, straight-out.

Frightened doesn't prevent the use of abilities at all, nor does it specifically say that you can't use abilities EXCEPT to flee; it just says that you MAY use abilities to flee, if you choose.

I was a little off in my first response, as I was mixing up a bit of frightened and panicked, but a frightened barbarians cant just use rage to take advantage of Fearless Rage. They must still flee if possible, and can only fight (and therefore rage) if fleeing isn't possible.

Frightened:

A frightened creature flees from the source of its fear as best it can. If unable to flee, it may fight. A frightened creature takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks. A frightened creature can use special abilities, including spells, to flee; indeed, the creature must use such means if they are the only way to escape.

Frightened is like shaken, except that the creature must flee if possible. Panicked is a more extreme state of fear.

So the same outcome is there. The difference between frightened and panicked is if the target can fight at all(frightened) or cowers(panicked).

[Nicos]

What if the barbarian have dragon wings? his best option for fleeing is to fly making him enter rage.

[chbgraphicarts]

Or if the Barbarian has Swift Foot - wouldn't adding 5ft movement improve their ability to run?

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A real hard-nosed DM wouldn't allow it at all, but the ability says nothing about not being able to do ANYTHING but run.

A conservative DM would force you to run before allowing you to Rage.

A looser DM would allow you to Rage first, then run if still under the effects of Frightened.

[Oddman80]

A barbarian would know inherently, he is best able to run away when he is strong and powerful, as it will allow him to bullish or overrun anything that gets in his way....

A barbarian knows he is at his best when in a rage (Other than when trying to perform tasks which are specifically forbidden from being performed while in a rage... But fleeing is not one of these forbidden tasks)

[Oddman80]

And while it may seem like a cop out, standard dumb barbarian logic "Gront run away better if not so scared. Gront go start Bloodrage so no more fear... Then Gront run away real good."

Enters Fearless Rage

"Huh? Me not know why Gront want run away.,, Oh well.., back to smashy smash!"