trying a new barb

[slumbering_dragon]

trying a new wf barbarian, gonig lat least 18lvls for the FB and 2wf as well. one problem i keep runing into is my ac, its so low i get hit way to often. any ideas to get me through the first 10 lvls? thought about going dwarf and wearing mith full plate, but not sure what to do.

[Impaqt]

Suck it up. A WF Barb should have Plenty of Hit points to survive the low levels. Carry Lots of Repair Pots, and Wands to give to Arcanes.

You can always swap out a Feat for Mithral, Or even adamantine plating until you feel you have enough hit points as a stop gap.

[HeavenlyCloud]

You either kill fast on those low levels or run past a lot of enemies :D just grab some pots and take it like a barb!

[Vengenance]

*sigh* My new WF Barb, currently at level 10 has AC in the teens when fully raged. Like others have said, kill fast and carry lots of pots. I've also found tripping is your friend, monsters can't hit you when they're on their arse. I can't wait until higher levels when I can pick up Stunning Blow, which will also mitigate some of the damage I take.

This is my first WF and first Barb, and I must say it's by far the most expensive character I've ever played. I buy pots in stacks of 100 and end up using 50 or so each quest. Between Rage pots, haste pots, and repair pots my higher level characters are having a hard time suporting this motorized monstrousity, but he is sure fun to play. :D

[Noctus]

If you want higher AC on your Barbarian take the "Adamantine body" feat. and swap it out once oyu hit the Gianthold area. You wont be able to keep your AC in a working range. So better invest that feat into something useful.

[BlackSteel]

get and use the DR boost very liberally. Atleast until you can score a defiance. Using the boost in large groups of mobs or with heavy hitters will knock down your potion use considerably.

Once you get in your teens look to acquire one of two bracers (or both) DQ bracers and Hound bracers (VoD bracers are situational, but nice too) Hound bracers will help when the healer likes to do a majority of healing with mass cures like the pit fiend, for regular questing nothing beats the DQ bracers. Its a free potion every 3-4 hits on you, combined with DR you'll potion use will go way down. Difference in the first week i had them, went from using 200-300 potions a week to maybe 20.

[TommyBoy]

one word: fearsome

If they hit you they get feared if they're feared they dont hit you. after they save from fear they'll come back.

other then that have a haggle bard in your pocket or a wf friendly caster.

[Sequell]

I have recently experienced a similar issue with my new Barb. Here is my take on the low and mid levels and my solution.

Levels 1-7 Rage isn't a necessity because your STR is exactly the same as any fighter of the same level therefore you can just drink a Bull Strength pot and go S&B and kill right along side everyone else with a decent AC.

Levels 7-10 Buy some Barkskin pots, get a protection item or buy some SoF pots, use them liberaly and keep a S&B weapon set up in case stuff gets too nasty or your HP gets to low and you need a copuple extra AC there while you drink some repair pots.

Levels 10-13 Keep the BS pots and SoF pots going, at this level the paralyzers come available and are **** nice to have around. Get a nice Greataxe or any available 2 hander and reage up drink a haste pot and give'em hell! :D

Levels 13-Cap By now you should be grouping with almost full parties or at least compotent people so the acquisition of some nice raid gear and other things that make you more healer friendly should be much easier.

Hope this helps a little for ya. :)

Edit: Never ever use Fearsome! You can't kil stuff that is running away effectively imo.

[TommyBoy]

Edit: Never ever use Fearsome! You can't kil stuff that is running away effectively imo.

first off feared mobs dont always run away they often run into a corner or other mobs.

second let them run off while you finish thier friends. I personally dont chase unless its the last one of the group. let the caster or ranged people get them

third use a shield? seriously?! ok so you just loose all advantage for a very small amout of ac (at any lvl) that really wont make a defference. if he's going wf fb barb then he's going for the wf thw and the fb thw thing that gives you the magic attack on the glancing blows. hence using a shield to go from 10 ac to 14 ish is silly.
low lvls you can one hit nearly everything at the higher lvls you want to be doing the heavy damage of a thw (or why take that route to begin?)

oh and lastly i kill stuff very effectively thats running away

[Sequell]

first off feared mobs dont always run away they often run into a corner or other mobs.

second let them run off while you finish thier friends. I personally dont chase unless its the last one of the group. let the caster or ranged people get them

third use a shield? seriously?! ok so you just loose all advantage for a very small amout of ac (at any lvl) that really wont make a defference. if he's going wf fb barb then he's going for the wf thw and the fb thw thing that gives you the magic attack on the glancing blows. hence using a shield to go from 10 ac to 14 ish is silly.
low lvls you can one hit nearly everything at the higher lvls you want to be doing the heavy damage of a thw (or why take that route to begin?)

oh and lastly i kill stuff very effectively thats running away

wow...looks like i either hit a nerve or someone has a little inferiority complex about their barb lmao. :D you play your way i'll play mine, and if you think a Barb can't reace a respectable AC then you obviously don't play a very efficient Barb and i for one am quite glad i don't have to cleric for ya. FYI it is quite simple to reach a mid 40's AC without a shield also.

[Thrudh]

Fearsome armor is very good...

Barbarian DR boost is also very good...

[Beherit_Baphomar]

Edit: Never ever use Fearsome! You can't kil stuff that is running away effectively imo.

Negative. Fearsome is a barbs friend....when used wisely.

Dont be using fearsome in a shroud run, its just a PITA.

[TommyBoy]

wow...looks like i either hit a nerve or someone has a little inferiority complex about their barb lmao. :D you play your way i'll play mine, and if you think a Barb can't reace a respectable AC then you obviously don't play a very efficient Barb and i for one am quite glad i don't have to cleric for ya. FYI it is quite simple to reach a mid 40's AC without a shield also.

a nerve. because all i hear from fearsom haters is "oh you got to chase them fearsom sucks." It doesnt, it work vary well. yes im sure that 40's ac is attainable but to me it cost to much in the way of loss to other things. especially when you have high ac builds complaining that even a 65ac doesnt help. I havent run the shroud with my barb so i'll defer to the person that said that fearsom wouldnt be good there. so far i have found it to be very effective concidering that i have a low ac.

as far as my build it is very much a kill them before they kill you build.high str high con high dmg. Im sure its not the best build but then again i never need to switch to s&b just trying to keep up with a fighter. for that i never had to keep up with a fighter, rangers are another all together but never fighters.

as for clerics... i have a haggle bard, i buy my own pots and i have bought for clerics or handed off maj/grt mems. and I try too get casters to repair.

[captain1z]

*sigh* My new WF Barb, currently at level 10 has AC in the teens when fully raged. Like others have said, kill fast and carry lots of pots. I've also found tripping is your friend, monsters can't hit you when they're on their arse. I can't wait until higher levels when I can pick up Stunning Blow, which will also mitigate some of the damage I take.

This is my first WF and first Barb, and I must say it's by far the most expensive character I've ever played. I buy pots in stacks of 100 and end up using 50 or so each quest. Between Rage pots, haste pots, and repair pots my higher level characters are having a hard time suporting this motorized monstrousity, but he is sure fun to play. :D

funny. I recently started a WF barb, hes a 2hander type. hes 12th level now and its a love hate deal. Most expensive... check. 50 pots per quest...... check. my 1st full barb....check. I like the big numbers but I dont like this level of dependancy on others.


I have recently experienced a similar issue with my new Barb. Here is my take on the low and mid levels and my solution.

Levels 1-7 Rage isn't a necessity because your STR is exactly the same as any fighter of the same level therefore you can just drink a Bull Strength pot and go S&B and kill right along side everyone else with a decent AC.

Levels 7-10 Buy some Barkskin pots, get a protection item or buy some SoF pots, use them liberaly and keep a S&B weapon set up in case stuff gets too nasty or your HP gets to low and you need a copuple extra AC there while you drink some repair pots.

Levels 10-13 Keep the BS pots and SoF pots going, at this level the paralyzers come available and are **** nice to have around. Get a nice Greataxe or any available 2 hander and reage up drink a haste pot and give'em hell! :D

Levels 13-Cap By now you should be grouping with almost full parties or at least compotent people so the acquisition of some nice raid gear and other things that make you more healer friendly should be much easier.

Hope this helps a little for ya. :)

Edit: Never ever use Fearsome! You can't kil stuff that is running away effectively imo.


This is exactly what I did to survive to level 12.

Using fearsome gets negative feedback from other players so I havent used any yet.

One thing has reduced my repair pot consumtion dramaticly. Not everyone will be lucky enough to get one but the sword of shadows is dropping mobs in 2-4 hits. A great Axe of enfeebling will net you similiar results and is a lot easier to come by. Combine that with a good party and a high AC who doesnt mind grabbing aggro 1st and a kindly sorc/wizzy and its all good.

Make friends of good players who can cover the holes in your defense.