In any case, there is a subtle but important difference that I’m trying to aim at here. I’m not talking about being hit, I’m talking about getting hurt. As far as I see it a gargantuan beast might not care in the least bit about some adventurer scratching its foot with a sword, but might be concerned about something chopping off its leg.

Armor usually goes well with this distinction: doesn’t (usually) help you not to get hit, but helps you in not getting hurt. The vehicles thing of course would be out of the picture (not because of setting, but more because of they not having a sense of pain.)

Thinking about those goblins being whipped into action makes me think that it’s not that they don’t want to get hurt, it’s just that the pain that they’re experiencing right now feels more real than the possible pain that they’d feel by fighting (which is something that will probably change as soon as they get into the carnage.)

Of course, we must consider the psychological element in this. We are not always talking about pain as a thing, but the pain that seems more real to a being at any particular time, even if it’s the pain of things to come. Then again, it’s not always efficient to apply this kind of reasoning so good judgment is paramount.

That being said, thanks a bunch for the comments, you’re really making me think these things through. The idea of using berserkers as a broad category it’s really cool, specially on a rules lite take on OD&D.

Fred.

On a more heroic note, hordes of goblins forced to attack by those wielding whips, and other such situations where the enemies simply are not capable of not being hit.

The problem happens when combat is built around the paradigm of combatants doing everything they can to not be hit. Not an insurmountable problem, and as mentioned, not relevant in human-centric games.

A combat option like berserking might very well take of the entire deal; those who can’t or won’t dodge simply are considered to be berserking.

Then again, saving from some berserker type of fiend, or some that has no sense of touch… I’d be a little puzzled as to why monsters might not care about getting hurt. Note here that I disregard any non-wounding hits. They exist, but for the most part wounds either incapacitate you, or (for the duration of the fight) they’re not relevant (take this last with a grain of salt… I’m not talking about an objective quality of the wound… take Corwin making a small cut on Eric’s wrist on the first book of the Amber saga, which does nothing to Eric’s health, but has devastating psychological repercussions.)

Fred.