I have played countless villagers until the last few years where I got sick of the majority of people who played them and I switched to mages so I am not complaining from the mage side without having played the other.

You say that DB is a balancing factor for ranking because they don't have magic or communes. That is a weak argument because a RBW can still group with a paladin or healer who can tank or make your third a decent tank. Warriors are designed to do lots of melee damage anyway and the majority of normal warriors don't have a pocket transmuter to make them buff while ranking. Add to that the other rager path caled scout that doesn't get deathblow. What do they get for ranking? Answer is 'nothing' so arguing that deathblow is to help berserkers rank is a no go.

Deathblow was originally to help ragers combat masters with sanctuary/voker shields (later) and massive hp mages in the main enemy of Masters. Add to that the gangs from Shadows and later, Imperials then deathblow could help turn your fight to a draw, maybe even a win. Now gangs do exist for RBWs from Empire still but it is BECAUSE they have deathblow, not the other way around.

The Imms often speak of characters not all rushing to hero and the game is not all about being Hero but being a mid-ranked mage with RBWs who can run up to you and pincer for a double MANGLES, followed by some melee hits including two deathblow OBLITERATES and a DISMEMBERING parting blow kind of removes the fun stick for the mage who has 600hps (ish). Bare in mind that this mage was actually one of the luckier ones who was using shield and aura because he managed to find some non-sleek ones in. The same said RBW also had enough mvs to run to darsylon and then back to galadon to get the other mage who had the recall spell and used it (and bloody quickly too, almost Marcus style quick!)

Now the arguement could be that when and if you happened to see him coming you should have teleported because we have established that word may not be enough, you run the risk of getting stuck, trapped, mullered by mobs and eating a mobdeath. I still fail to see the fun part.

The last few ragers I played were scouts or defenders because I feel that deathblow IS that bad and I wanted people to fight with me for mine and their enjoyment. RBW with deathblow at the level it is, is like playing Street Fighter II Turbo for the first time against M.Bison with full turbo on! You may eventually win but it appears to be so pointless trying.

-----Abernyte

P.S. I know it scales with level but a rank 35 warrior, through aura and shield, chucking out multiple OBLITERATES? Not scaled enough or just not needed to kill mages at those ranks.

P.P.S. I will always love the rager cabal, it was my CF home for 10 years as a serial rager player and I don't want it nerfed, just moved up to rank 40.