I've always disliked the rules about exhaustion, in particular, what happens when a Berserker Barbarian uses their Frenzy effect.  It seems a bit too punishing.  In another thread, someone said "A creature can remove the levels of exhaustion it gained during the chase by finishing a short or long rest."  It's in the rules about running a chase, but I wonder if it's not a good general rule to apply to exhaustion.  Yes, it's tinkering with the rules, and I know full well it's not RAW.  It might be RAI, I'm looking more for Rule of Fun.  This isn't always the best place for that, but when it comes to it, this is the place where the most people are going to know about Rules & Game Mechanics.

Berserkers need an upgrade - exhaustion doesn't need a nerf.

RAW isn't all it's cracked up to be... some people cling to it too tightly, like a man overboard hanging onto a life preserver.

Want a great example of how RAW fails... there's a feat in Tasha's called Telekinetic that allows you to use the Mage Hand cantrip to simulate your telekinetic abilities. It states that if you already have the mage hand cantrip then the range for you is 60 feet (doubling the normal range of 30 feet).

Then in the next paragraph it mentions you have a chance to shove someone within 30 feet. This clearly means the range of mage hand, which normally is 30 feet, but if you have the range of 60 (from already having the mage hand cantrip before you take this feat), then you should be able to shove someone within 60 feet. But because it is written down as 30, some DMs refuse to accept this and apply the range of 30.

This is only one example. It clearly means that if you don't already have the cantrip, then the range is 30... but if you do, then the range is 60. Those with an underlying understanding of how the game works and the rules should be able to see this. it might even just be a typo but because it's written, then they blindly follow RAW.

As for exhaustion in general I haven't had any real problem with it. 

But in regards to the berserker barbarian as you mentioned I agree, and would likely alter it a bit, something like:

"All exhaustion levels gained from Frenzy are removed after finishing a short or long rest. Exhaustion gained from other sauces dont benefit from this feature"

Quote from Brian_Avery >>

RAW isn't all it's cracked up to be... some people cling to it too tightly, like a man overboard hanging onto a life preserver.

Want a great example of how RAW fails... there's a feat in Tasha's called Telekinetic that allows you to use the Mage Hand cantrip to simulate your telekinetic abilities. It states that if you already have the mage hand cantrip then the range for you is 60 feet (doubling the normal range of 30 feet).

Then in the next paragraph it mentions you have a chance to shove someone within 30 feet. This clearly means the range of mage hand, which normally is 30 feet, but if you have the range of 60 (from already having the mage hand cantrip before you take this feat), then you should be able to shove someone within 60 feet. But because it is written down as 30, some DMs refuse to accept this and apply the range of 30.

This is only one example. It clearly means that if you don't already have the cantrip, then the range is 30... but if you do, then the range is 60. Those with an underlying understanding of how the game works and the rules should be able to see this. it might even just be a typo but because it's written, then they blindly follow RAW.

 I never read this as a failure of RAW. The bonus action is not using Mage Hand because Mage Hand can't shove anyone, and the feat in no way implies that you are using Mage Hand to do so. Your range to telekinetically manipulate things is increased, and at close quarters your powers are strong enough to actually shove creatures around. They are two separate things with different ranges and different actions to use them and the one that requires more power has a smaller range. It's like arguing that cantrips simulate a wizard's magical power, so all cantrips should have a range of 120 feet because Fire Bolt does. Different powers have different rules.

Exhaustion rules in general are fine.  The rules on berserkers and chases are trash.  Berserker because that's a rather extreme cost for a relatively minor bonus.  Chases because the rules are designed for characters with exactly the same speed.  I have yet to have an encounter, much less an actual chase, where that was the case.

Quote from quindraco >>

Berserkers need an upgrade - exhaustion doesn't need a nerf.

 So true.

I gotta say, I was unimpressed enough with the chases that I forgot about that entirely.

I also agree with the general consensus that exhaustion itself isn’t a problem, but the Berserker needs help. This was my first solution to fix that subclass:

Frenzy

Starting when you choose this path at 3rd level, you can go into a frenzy when you rage. If you do so, for the duration of your rage you can make a single melee weapon attack as a bonus action on each of your turns after this one. When your rage ends, you must succeed at a DC 13 Constitution check or suffer one level of exhaustion. The DC increases by 2 for each additional frenzy after the first, and resets to 13 whenever you finish a long rest.

I have also seen a similar method in which the DC started at 15, but it uses a Con Save instead of a Con Check. Since that’s a proficient save for Barbarians it gets much easier at higher levels where my version stayed the same from 3rd - 20th level. 

This is what I changed it to as my current solution:

Frenzy

3rd-level Berserker feature

You can go into a frenzy when you rage. If you do, for the duration of your rage you ignore the effects of exhaustion, and can make a single melee weapon attack as a bonus action on each of your turns. If you use this ability more than once between long rests, when your rage ends, you suffer one level of exhaustion.

I feel like that seems more punishing then normal since half speed has a big effect on both combat (especially for melee), as well as slowing travel pace by a lot if on foot. 

1. ability checks isnt highly punishing, just annoying since it drops your passives, and makes you less likely to spot, find etc. things..

2. Speed half: At the point you hit level 2, it begins to be an issue.. I would say the half speed is loud reminder that you need to find a place and rest (forcing you to slow down)

3. Disadvantage on atk and saving throws: If you hit this from natural exhaustion you dun goofed choosing to ignore the last level. It fits being 3, cause before this you might not notice getting attacked while long resting, but you can fight.. At this point you need to find a super safe camp spot, and hope no attacks gonna happen.

TLDR: Disadv. Abi checks > Speed halved > Disadv. atk+save... Official seems imo to be better:
While yours has better chance to notice creatures while locating a camp site, it will take twice as long as normal cause of movement halved.
Why I find Official better is that you'll be around 2x quicker to find a set up camp, though it could be more likely to be assaulted.

Official why:  If ambushed during the long rest, 2 level exhaustion only relevant con is half speed,  on the other hand,
                        if we were using your concept table for the same,  have halved speed and disadvantage on atk + save. 

                       If you want to work on a better exhaustion ranks I'd say it would likely need to be throwing old out and making new ones. 

Personally, I really like the Exhaustion mechanic and feel it is often underutilised. I homebrew rules to include it more. Being biased in this way, I feel that the Frenzy feature is fine as it is, especially because swinging that Greataxe an additional time is a powerful feature.

The idea of a Short rest reducing Exhaustion is a good way to get the party to take more short rests, which is often also an underutilised mechanic, but I prefer the incentive to spend a Long rest that Exhaustion gives players. I like the game enforcing the need for downtime, as it gives a slightly more realistic feel (my preference) to the game in my opinion, without taking away the feeling of being powerful individuals.

That being said, I can't think of a reason why reducing Exhaustion on a Short rest instead of a Long rest would be an exceptionally bad idea, unless you don't want the game to feel even more heroic than it already is or if it bothers you that effects causing Exhaustion will be less effective in general.

"As long as everyone is having fun, there is no wrong way to play D&D"  I try to live by that motto.  So I'm trying not to be too critical, but I've got to say that's kind of strict.  Assuming a 20 Strength, the average damage for a swing of a Greataxe is 12 points of damage.  Is that really all that powerful?

Exhaustion works just fine, and doesn't need changing.

Frenzy also works just fine. It has a big drawback because it's extremely powerful, particularly when you pick it up at just 3rd level. It effectively gives the Berserker 2 attacks at level 3 (200% damage of any other weapon based class) and 4, and 3 attacks at level 5+. (150% weapon damage of any other weapon based class) which is only caught up to at level 11 for fighters. 

This is a massively powerful ability. It's supposed to have a major drawback, and frankly, it's not even that big of a drawback.

Personally I wish there were more abilities like this in the game, where you could take a longer term disadvantage for a temporary power boost.

I have a love-hate relationship with the exhaustion mechanic because I find it's both underutilized and overpowered.

At low levels or in dungeon crawl campaigns (regardless of level), even a couple points of exhaustion can be deadly. If a character's survival is dependent upon making it through a gauntlet of deadly traps where long rests are few and far between, having disadvantage on ability checks is quite literally killer. If it ramps up to halved speed and disadvantage on attacks and saves, your only choice is to stay very far from everything, rely on a healer, and pray to the dice gods. 

That said, exhaustion is a really cool mechanic that throws a bit of lasting grit and consequences into a game. I've imposed it for recovery from infection, and as a side effect of a poor resurrection (in my games, Revivify is not a guarantee, there's a skill check involved). Then again in my campaign, long rests come every four or five sessions at minimum, so players really have to live with their choices for a while. 

Quote from Geann >>

"As long as everyone is having fun, there is no wrong way to play D&D"  I try to live by that motto.  So I'm trying not to be too critical, but I've got to say that's kind of strict.  Assuming a 20 Strength, the average damage for a swing of a Greataxe is 12 points of damage.  Is that really all that powerful?

It is not only the damage associated with the specific type of weapon that makes it powerful, but all the additional effects that might trigger upon a hit. Examples include your weapon being a Dragon Slayer Greatsword (potentially adding an extra 3d6 damage); the target being under an effect that is harmful (such as could the Grave cleric's Path of the Grave feature [doubling your damage]); causing the target to lose concentration etc.
While the extra damage itself is a benefit, the increased chance of landing a hit on your target would be the greatest benefit of all in my opinion, as it can trigger various effects like those listed above.

Also, a single level of Exhaustion is not a huge drawback in a fight. Of course It can be depending on the context, but often a fight is about attack rolls and saving throws, not ability checks. It is even less of a drawback for a Barbarian as they will simply roll an even roll on STR checks, which is probably the type of check they're most prone to use (grapple/shove).

Ok.  Misty, You do have a point, but I have to wonder something.  A Dragon Slayer Greatsword is a simple +1 sword unless you are fighting a Dragon.  What level exactly are you going to throw a Dragon at someone, and do you expect the Barbarian to solo the fight?  Is an extra 3d6 going to help all that much?  By the current rules, you recover one level of Exhaustion per Long Rest.  I honestly think that Berserker Frenzy ought to be something you can use more than once per day without risk.

Thank you everyone, it's always a disappointment when you have what you think is a good idea and it gets shot down, but 80% of you said you didn't like my idea, only two of you said you'd tinker, and I rather doubt they meant to do exactly what I had in mind.  I probably should have had that as one of the choices so people could avoid any chance of accidentally appearing to agree with me.

You did have a good idea. If your table like that better and it isn’t a problem in other ways then it’s a wonderful idea. And we didn’t say we didn’t like your idea, we just said our ideas were different is all. Just because someone disagrees with something doesn’t necessarily mean they “don’t like it.” It could just mean they like something else better. I like cheeseburgers, but I really really like pizza. If you asked me if I thought cheeseburgers were the best I would say no, but that doesn’t mean I think you shouldn’t like cheeseburgers best. I’m not trying to tell you to like pizza better, just that I like pizza better. Make sense?

Your only mistake was trying to discuss your idea for a houserule in this forum. (This is all RAW all the time. Like the soup nazi, “NO RAF FOR YOU!!” Next time put ideas like that in the Homebrew & Houserule forum, or at least General Discussions, you’ll get a better reception for that kind of thing in forums intended to discuss such ideas. (In here? Nope, “ONLY RAW!!!”)

This forum is where you should come if you want one of two things:

1. An education on RAW.
2. To debate about RAW.

Quote from MaximusCathril >>

...this to me at least feels reasonable.

 i too like the switching of 1&2, but i'd keep 4&5 the way they were. For a person to be exhausted to the point where they can't move at all, they're very close to death already.  I'd look at 3 examples:

• Dwayne Johnson - the guy who cut his arm off to get out from under a boulder (Between a Rock and Hard Place-book and a movie) - I'd so by the time he decided to cut his arm off, he was already at 1/2 HP - he was there for like 3 days before he decided it was time to move. His extreme exhaustion was the reason for moving.
• Simon Yates - the guy who was mountain climbing and left for dead by his buddy (Touching the Void-documentary), and then crawled for days - loosing like 1/2 his body weight in the process.  That guy would have kept moving clear to his grave. This may be an exception, but remember, as adventurers, characters are also exceptions.
• The photos that Kevin Carter took before he killed himself - of starving Sudanese kids, who literally crawled along the sides of the roads until they just died there. http://100photos.time.com/photos/kevin-carter-starving-child-vulture

putting 'speed = 0' before '1/2 HP' means your adventurer just gives up, lays down, and waits for death.

Quote from Geann >>

Ok.  Misty, You do have a point, but I have to wonder something.  A Dragon Slayer Greatsword is a simple +1 sword unless you are fighting a Dragon.  What level exactly are you going to throw a Dragon at someone, and do you expect the Barbarian to solo the fight?  Is an extra 3d6 going to help all that much?  By the current rules, you recover one level of Exhaustion per Long Rest.  I honestly think that Berserker Frenzy ought to be something you can use more than once per day without risk.

Thank you everyone, it's always a disappointment when you have what you think is a good idea and it gets shot down, but 80% of you said you didn't like my idea, only two of you said you'd tinker, and I rather doubt they meant to do exactly what I had in mind.  I probably should have had that as one of the choices so people could avoid any chance of accidentally appearing to agree with me.

 Roughly 25% of the dragons listed in the sourcebooks have a CR of 2 or less. Personally I feel it works great introducing a wyrmling early in the campaign so the characters have a reference point when they meet a larger one later.

Of course it was an exaggerated example with the Dragon Slayer Greatsword, but it was to prove a point, and it seems to have worked. The Frenzy feature can be powerful, and the drawbacks should match the potential. That is balanced.
However, as I said earlier, if you enjoy a more heroic feel to your games then I don't see any larger issues with having Exhaustion reduced after a Short rest.

I know it feels awesome when people agree with you, and less so when people don't, but hopefully you realize that your idea wasn't really "shot down". That would be an entirely different experience, and people have behaved very civil in this thread :s