The basic mechanism of rage and its improvements with further barbarian class levels as presented in Pathfinder Beta is excellent and easy to execute, as it is basically "on" or "off". While rage points seemed at a glance to be complicated, they at least served to shorten how long a barbarian remains in a rage with the expenditure of rage points not only to initiate and maintain the rage - with a cost that increased as the character hit 11th and 20th levels -, but also to unlimber the heavy barbarian artillery while within that state.
Sooner rather than later a barbarian could be reasonably expected to burn off all their rage points for the day. While the rest time afterwards seems to be a bit funky, with enough rage points burned through in a lengthly fight the barbarian would be quite debilitated.
The one criticism I have of the recovery of rage points is that it does not dovetail in with the recuperation of any casters' spells nor the monk's ki pool. Only the barbarian gets a full "refill" with 8 non-consecutive hours' rest ? That is inconsistent with everything else in the game.
With the revised rage powers presented here, however, the barbarian gets to rage for FAR longer, in and of itself an inherent problem. While the duration is more predictable (total # of rounds per day rather than by consumption of
rage points), the rapid recuperation of rage completely outstrips all the other class' recuperative abilities.
The rage abilities in and of themselves come fast and furious, on par with a rogue's talents rate of acquisition, both starting at 2nd level and accumulating every 2 levels afterwards. I would recommend a similar structuring of "rage powers" (those available before 12th level) and "greater rage powers" (those available after acquiring greater rage). It is worth noting that while most of a rogue's "good stuff" does not come into play until 10th level, only
two of a barbarian's rage powers are unavailable until 12th level.
In order of availability rage powers are structured as follows (listed alphabetically by minimum barbarian level to select):
2nd level: Animal Fury, Guarded Stance, Intimidating Glare, Knockback, Low-light Vision, Moment of clarity, Night Vision , Powerful Blow, Quick Reflexes, Rolling Dodge, Roused Anger, Strength Surge, Surprising Accuracy and Swift Foot.
4th level: Night Vision , Renewed Vigor. Renewed Vigor seems pretty weak, especially for something usable only once a day. 5d8 +CON modifier at 20th level ? Meh.
8th level: Clear Mind, Increased Damage Reduction, Terrifying Howl and Unexpected Strike.
12th level: Elemental Rage and Mighty Swing.
Total of 21 rage powers, although if one's barbarian is a half-orc or a dwarf, there are only 19 rage powers, as you ignore the Low-Light vision and Nightvision powers. For elves, gnomes and half-elves there are only 20. Over the course of levels 2 through 20, a barbarian garners a hodg-podge of 10 powers, most of which consume the character's swift action for the round.
I've also noticed an interesting suggestion by several others - to structure rage powers in "trees" or "themes", which makes either more sense or at least an interesting mental exercise. Examining the rage powers, one notes several 'themes' amongst the abilities. Perhaps instead they are combined into a "raging mindset" that is learned at 2nd level that carries the chracter on through the rest of their career, albiet at the expense of any immediate and swift actions whilst raging. Two example mindsets follow for perusal.
Barbarian-Fighter Mindset: In alphabetical order this is embodied in the Guarded Stance, Moment of Clarity, Quick Reflexes, Rolling Dodge, Surprising Accuracy, Unexpected Strike and Mighty Swing rage powers. This mindset represents a warrior who fights with precision and skill while swimming in a red haze of rage.
* At 2nd level a barbarian-fighter mindset garners the character a +1 dodge bonus to AC against melee attacks while raging.At barbarian levels 6, 10, 14 and 18 this bonus improves by another +1 to a maximum of +5 at 18th level.
* At 4th level a barbarian-fighter mindset improves the 2nd level dodge bonus to AC to cover both melee and ranged attacks while raging. Note that this is a dodge bonus, so it is not a perfect counterbalance to the generalized penalty to AC a barbarian suffers while raging.
* At 6th level a barbarian-fighter mindset garners the character a +1 morale bonus on the first melee attack roll they make in a given round of combat. This improves to a +2 bonus at 12th level and a +3 bonus at 18th level.
* At 8th level a barbarian-fighter mindset garners the character an increase in the number of attacks of opportunity they are able to make by one.
*At 10th level a barbarian-fighter mindset garners the Unexpected Strike rage power as it is written, save that using it counts as 2 of the character's attacks of opportunity.
*At 12th level a barbarian-fighter mindset garners the Mighty Swing rage power as it is written, save that it is explicitly limited to one use per round during the character's turn.
*At 15th level a barbarian-fighter mindset garners the ability to exercise the benefits and drawbacks of the Moment of Clarity rage power as it is written, save that it is a free action to use for that particular round.
A Barbarian-Fighter Mindset requires at least a modicum of functioning intellect, becoming unavailable to the character if at any time they have an INT or WIS score reduced to 5 or less. This mindset cannot be learned by a barbarian with either ability score below 6.
Rampaging Fury Mindset: In alphabetical order this is embodied in the Increased Damage Reduction, Knockback, Powerful Blow, Roused Anger and Strength Surge rage powers. This mindset represents a warrior who seeks solely to crush his enemies and see them driven before him at all costs.
*At 2nd level a rampaging fury mindset masters the first element of this mindset, garnering a +1 bonus on the damage roll for the first attack the character makes in a given round. This improves to a +2 bonus at 8th level, a +3 bonus at 14th level and a +4 bonus at 20th level.
*At 4th level a rampaging fury minsdet the character can make one free bull rush attempt in combination with their first attack in a given round. If successful the barbarian does not have to move back with the target, even if that target is knocked back more than 5'.
*At 6th level a rampaging fury mindset gains DR 1/- while raging.This improves to 2/- at 12th level and again to 3/- at 18th level. This stacks with the damage reduction all barbarians develop as they gain levels in the class.
*At 8th level a rampaging fury mindset can, as a free action once per minute, add his barbarian level as a Strength bonus on one Strength check or bull rush check.
*At 15th level a rampaging fury mindset can enter a rage even if fatigued or exhausted. If he enters a rage while fatigued, he is exhausted for an hour after this rage ends, as is normal for the exhuasted condition. If he enters a rage while exhausted, the character collapses unconscious and helpless for an hour after this rage ends then wakes in an exhausted condition.
A Rampaging Fury Mindset requires at least a modicum of a force of personality, becoming unavailable to the character if at any time their CHA score is reduced to 5 or less. This mindset cannot be learned by a barbarian with a Charisma score below 6.
Going out on a limb here, but why place restrictions on choice into groupings? Barbarian's are naturally chaotic types, they don't have strict training paths, if training at all.
"Mindset" ^_^
While many creatures are chaotic, only slaadi, demons, gibbering mouthers (and creatures similar to them) and the truly, utterly, non-functionally insane are what I think of as naturally chaotic.
As chaotic as people can be, they cannot approach truly chaotic developmental paths. And no one literally grows into proficiency with body armor, shields and four or five dozen different weapons - at least for player characters, they are taught by some one or something, and hard knocks is a poor means of learning how to fight with the kind of arsenal D&D characters know how to fight with at the degree of proficiency they can use them at.
I do not really want to straightjacket barbarians per se with the mindsets. But it may well be that the development team has found that it gets too freeform when compared to the other character classes, or who knows.
They are basically just "well, instead of a random scattering of bits and pieces, how about this ?".
What did you think of the stuff before the mindsets ?
EDIT: With a bit more pondering, perhaps this is a legitimate method to use, much like a sorcerer's bloodline, clerical/druidic domains and wizard's chosen/universalist school...