Berserkers and Calm...

[L-A]

Mya's kind of like a mine. You dig through lots and lots of dirt' date=' but sometimes you find a beautiful gem.[/quote']

C'mon, that's a bit harsh isn't it? I had no saves, a magic vuln an aggro cleric who thought an ogre zerk was an easy payday and the right weapons for the job. Sometimes you just have to work with what you've got :-)

As for what zerks do and don't do well - here's my take:

10 battle matchup:

Vs rogues: 9 - 1 in favour of zerk (assasinate is that one).

Vs Mages: 7 - 3 in favour of zerk (maybe 8 - 2, necro's can be tricky).

Vs Communers 7 - 3 in favour of zerk (paladins bring this up).

Vs Melee/hybrids: 3 - 7 not in favour of zerk (will get wins on monk and blm more often than not, will not beat warrior, ranger or dk very easily at all).

As for clerics specifically the advantage lies with the zerk but its not an easy matchup. Probably 6 - 4 (assume everyone in correct saves and burnproof gear).

Basically, the zerk will be aiming to get the cleric on the backfoot with free hits either while cleric can't cast or is without some protections. After this, the chase to build advantage while cleric recasts begins. Once enough advantage is built the cleric can't recover by 'dancing' and will have to cut and run. Certain builds of zerk will play the matchup differently. Anger is probably strongest vs cleric (haymaker), closely followed by devastation (massive hp, ability to resist path/ray on sanc being dispelled). Fury is weaker on this matchup (though fury retains advantages on several other matchups).

- Rage is the first command entered.

- Headbutt at the start of the tick for a tick of the cleric running about chased by a rage (read: autoattacking) zerk. Every shot landed adds one more cure critic once the cleric can cast again.

- Any haymaker that lands and takes spells means recasts for the cleric. Either fight below full strength or risk more free shots for the zerk while you attempt to recast.

- Any non-burnproof item is gone. Five shields is great but you still take a full round with no shield block. That is expensive on hp even if you use holy hands.

- Roar is nice.

The cleric's biggest advantage is their ability to be almost unkillable so a zerk has to be VERY fast (or pray on a lucky round after haymaker) to score a kill. Betting on using dispel/path (ray) to reduce the zerk down or get the raged and in combat to the point when they can't get sanc up (won't be happening against an experienced opponent).

- Calm before rage isn't that useful. A clever zerk will disappear and let it wear off. This is probably the only time a cleric will have a chance to pursue the zerk at an advantage - a simple dirt kick gives a tick of escape time.

- Dispel/path(ray) while raged with no sanc sources is probably the only chance a cleric has. This is unlikely to happen against a skilled player (as is the zerk being baited to over extend themself). Best you can hope for is probably 1 round and 1 cast so maybe a couple of hundred HP. Anger zerks will time the sanc recast (in combat) to coincide with your next cast and haymaker giving the possibility of a full reversal in one round. Devastation zerk may be completely unaffected by the cast and again will time the recast to increase the rounds of 'status quo.' Fury zerks will hate you're burnproof items (if you managed to get any).

- Steel wall is a must though don't expect this to win for you like it did at lvl 30.

- Kiss non-burnproof items good-bye.

L-A