My second barb to play...

[trashstack]

I finally capped my first character, and I'm planning to build another, mainly to do more shroud runs. For now I don't have enough time to grind gear for him; my focus will be on my main. So my only expectations for him are:

1. To do decent dps and have great survivability in most pug raids/quests without good gear... even without a +45hp gs item.
2. To have the potential to become a serious dps and/or hate-tank if I can spend more time on him.
3. To have at least a little flavor to play with.

Below is what I came up with after reading some forum posts (mostly Shade's AND Consumer's...^^)

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 3.8.1

Level 20 True Neutral Dwarf Male
(18 Barbarian / 2 Rogue)
Hit Points: 390
Spell Points: 0

BAB: 19/19/24/2929
Fortitude: 15 (enough^^)
Reflex: 12 (+4gh +4item +5racial= 25 +6uncanny= 31)
Will: 6 (+3rage +4indomitable +5racial +4item +4gh= 26)

Starting Feat/Enhancement
Abilities Base Stats Modified Stats
(32 Point) (Level 1) (Level 20)
Strength 18 23
Dexterity 15 17
Constitution 16 18
Intelligence 9 10
Wisdom 9 10
Charisma 6 6

Tomes Used
+1 Tome of Intelligence used at level 3
+1 Tome of Wisdom used at level 3
+2 Tome of Dexterity used at level 7

Starting Feat/Enhancement
Base Skills Modified Skills
Skills (Level 1) (Level 20)
Balance 6 19
Haggle 2 2
Jump 8 10
Open Lock 6 23
Spot 3 4
Tumble 6 7
Use Magic Device 2 21

Level 1 (Rogue)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness
Level 3 (Barbarian)
Feat: (Selected) Power Attack
Level 6 (Barbarian)
Feat: (Selected) Cleave
Level 9 (Barbarian)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Slashing Weapons
Level 12 (Barbarian)
Feat: (Selected) Two Weapon Fighting
Level 15 (Barbarian)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Two Weapon Fighting
Level 18 (Barbarian)
Feat: (Selected) Greater Two Weapon Fighting

Enhancement: Barbarian Damage Boost IV
Enhancement: Barbarian Power Attack III
Enhancement: Barbarian Frenzied Berserker III
Enhancement: Dwarven Axe Attack II
Enhancement: Dwarven Axe Damage II
Enhancement: Rogue Haste Boost I
Enhancement: Barbarian Sprint Boost I
Enhancement: Barbarian Extend Rage II
Enhancement: Barbarian Extra Rage II
Enhancement: Barbarian Hardy Rage II
Enhancement: Barbarian Power Rage IV
Enhancement: Barbarian Improved Damage Reduction II
Enhancement: Barbarian Constitution I
Enhancement: Dwarven Constitution I
Enhancement: Dwarven Spell Defense III
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Barbarian Toughness II
Enhancement: Rogue Sneak Attack Training I

And I need some feedback on this build and some questions:
1. Is it worth it to drop toughness and put on stunning blow on this build?
2. Will a warforged 18ftr/2rog dps suit my purpose better? (Saves will probably be lower though?)

Thanks in advance:)

[Shade]

Shade's AND (that guys name shouldn't share the same line as mine)...^^)


eh I have a hard time recommending the rogue splash if you don't go all the way and get enough int to take advantage of traps too. Id recommend dropping what you need to (maybe a point of con, or several dex and go thf instead), to get that extra int = 1 xtra skill point and lvl and pick up trap skills.

You can also sacrifice some jump, haggle and umd to get search maxed, and another skillpoint to help with some disable ranks. Maybe you cant max disable, but you can definetley get enough to do most normal/hard traps, and some elites.

UMD serves very little purpose on a barb.. Sure you can equip the odd RR item of the wrong race - but that doesnt matter long as greensteel and epics eventually beat most lootgen.. or to do some minor self healing. But evnetually even heal scrolls aren't nearly enough to keep you going, and have to dismiss rage to use them is a real issue. Ultimately, endgame self healing has to come from silver flame potions if you desire it.

Just seems like you give up way too much from not being pure, or doing the ftr splash, for so little of what rogue gives.. That you really should take full advantage of the splash.

Guide here on rogue splash (also just updated the rogue splash section as I had the recommended stats kinda screwed up):
http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?p=3533475#post3533475

[Kamo]

Might wanna work on that int a little more. Sorry but when I see a rogue splash that cant do traps i question the viability. Evasion and added dps aside

[trashstack]

Thanks for the feedback:)

I didn't think of building a trapper barb... Yes it's going to be very possible if using thf... but I personally prefer twf barbs, with reasoning similar to KoTC builds (and too lazy to twitch and all:p).

I might try out a thf pure barb and see how it compares with twf, or build a 18ftr/2rog instead.

[Consumer]

Thanks for the feedback:)

I didn't think of building a trapper barb... Yes it's going to be very possible if using thf... but I personally prefer twf barbs, with reasoning similar to KoTC builds (and too lazy to twitch and all:p).

I might try out a thf pure barb and see how it compares with twf, or build a 18ftr/2rog instead.

If you have read Shades posts you will see he is very biased towards his own Barbs.

The 18/2 split is more DPS than a pure, be it Fighter or Rogue splash.

ideally you would go HO Khopesh on an 18/2 Barb Fighter. Dwarfs are no longer near the top of the race picks. Dwarven Axes are not the best TWF weapons, Great Axes are not the best THF weapons, the con is not needed and the other advantages are minor.

Warforged are best for dedicated tanks as they can be repaired through curses while having good DPS to build hate and bonuses to con (not too helpful). Half Orcs provide the DPS option.

If you don't have p2p races the argument is between human and dwarf. The Dwarfs to hit and damage bonuses are restricted to Axes where as a human bonuses go into Str (human adaptability) and human versatility (a damage boost that can be activated at the same time as haste boost without extra delay). You also have healing amp enhancements compared to the Dwarfs bonus to con (of which the humans have an option for +1 anyway).

The d6+3 SA the Rogue gives stacks with Tharne's goggles for 14.5 average SA damage per hit, this is a good amount of DPS on a TWF toon. As this is a farming toon you are likely to be doing less DPS and generating less hate than other toons in a raid meaning that SA will be easier to apply. With level 2 Rogue you can also take SA accuracy giving +1 to hit while you don't have agro. Although you would get more to hit going pure (1 more) you are gaining increased short term DPS (better for boss fights). Higher attack speed increasing auto crit DPS in epics (SA also always applies on held mobs).


Imo if you have P2P races go HO 18/2, if not roll a human 18/2. Make sure you're using a Khopesh either way.

[trashstack]

One of the main reason I picked dwarf is the +5 racial saves against spells, which chimes with rogue evasion, and makes him not looking so helpless in those dancing spheres:p

Since I'm not so well-geared as either of you, nor do I run with elite players most of the time (I often have to carry my own elemental resist/haste items/pots...etc), evasion is relatively of more value to me... However, I'm not sure if the saves of this build will make his evasion "clean" enough.

Also, dwarven axe proficiency and enhancements grant me a feat for toughness (same reasoning as evasion). I agree its not the best dps weapon, but against fortified enemies like raid bosses, I guess I can tolerate that...(not sure again:p)

Basically, if going for barb, with human I get toughness+khopesh+healing amp, with dwarf I get toughness+saves+better to-hit with axes, with warforged I get immunities+khopesh... Meh I have no horc and I'm a bit confused now... wf 18ftr/2rog it is then...

Oh well in a barb forum I'm making the disgussion slowly drifting away... will try to stop^^


**EDIT: Hmm when I checked again I think human race may actually help with making a twf barb with full ranks of rogue skills and khopesh proficiency. I might really wanna build one but this won't be my farming build...

Level 20 True Neutral Human Male
(18 Barbarian / 2 Rogue)
Hit Points: 370
Spell Points: 0

BAB: 19/19/24/2929
Fortitude: 14
Reflex: 12
Will: 5

Starting Feat/Enhancement
Abilities Base Stats Modified Stats
(32 Point) (Level 1) (Level 20)
Strength 18 24
Dexterity 15 17
Constitution 14 16
Intelligence 10 12
Wisdom 8 8
Charisma 8 8

Tomes Used
+2 Tome of Dexterity used at level 7
+2 Tome of Intelligence used at level 7

Starting Feat/Enhancement
Base Skills Modified Skills
Skills (Level 1) (Level 20)
Balance 6 11
Disable Device 4 24
Open Lock 6 26
Search 4 24


Level 1 (Rogue)
Feat: (Human Bonus) Power Attack
Feat: (Selected) Toughness
Level 3 (Barbarian)
Feat: (Selected) Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Khopesh
Level 6 (Barbarian)
Feat: (Selected) Two Weapon Fighting
Level 9 (Barbarian)
Feat: (Selected) Cleave
Level 12 (Barbarian)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Slashing Weapons
Level 15 (Barbarian)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Two Weapon Fighting
Level 18 (Barbarian)
Feat: (Selected) Greater Two Weapon Fighting
Level 20 (Rogue)

Enhancement: Barbarian Damage Boost IV
Enhancement: Barbarian Sprint Boost I
Enhancement: Barbarian Improved Damage Reduction I
Enhancement: Barbarian Extend Rage II
Enhancement: Barbarian Extra Rage II
Enhancement: Barbarian Hardy Rage II
Enhancement: Barbarian Power Rage IV
Enhancement: Barbarian Power Attack III
Enhancement: Barbarian Frenzied Berserker III
Enhancement: Barbarian Constitution I
Enhancement: Human Adaptability Strength I
Enhancement: Human Greater Adaptability Constitution I
Enhancement: Human Improved Recovery II
Enhancement: Barbarian Toughness II
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Rogue Haste Boost I
Enhancement: Rogue Sneak Attack Training I
Enhancement: Human Versatility IV
Enhancement: Barbarian Extra Action Boost I