Need some help with gear 12-20.

[selutha]

So few gear questions for you:

human barb max str/con

I took heavy armor feat. (I feel it has more survive ability)

I was using giant armor from tempest spine slotted with heavy fort. I was planning to change that out to black dragon heavy armor at 14.

Is there something you think would be better here? I have the Marlilth Chain but, I see it is now a light armor not a medium though not sure that even matters.

G-ax I am carrying:

Carnifex
Antique
insurrection
+1 Boreal G-ax of lacerating
hellstroke
Ogrish war axe

I have a ton of named stuff in the bank great swords and such. What weapon should I craft or get for the trip to my esos/epic antique? The only thing is I don't want to craft a GS weapon for this life. I did do a search seems most people are just using GS any more.

Also does the hellstroke just suck? Everything listed above seems to do as well or better; is there any reason to keep it around?

[Eth]

I'd say this is the best slashing two hander from 14-20: http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Cloudburst
...but it's a raid item and therefore not that easy to get.

If you were specced for bludgeoning weapons (which is a good choice for barbs nowadays) this one is likely the best (note the increased base damage and crit. profile):
http://ddowiki.com/page/Shining_Devastation
It's not easy to get either, but it's not bound therefore you may trade something for it.

...and obviously there's also the base SoS, if you happen to have it.

As far as easier to get weapons go, maybe these (I know those aren't axes, but still slashing weapons):
http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Windlasher_(Level_14)
http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Insanity
http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Whirlwind (maybe not that easy to get, but it's tradable)


Hellstroke Greataxe is only good at low levels, if you don't have a Carnifex.
Black dragon armor is the best choice at that level as far as heavy armor goes.

[the_one_dwarfforged]

at level 9 or 10 you can equip giantcraft plate armor. its basically black dragon armor and you get it very easily from gianthold traders.

if you dont have seeker, i would wear the marilith chain because dps is good and it does have 5 dr, which is still nice in heroics. yes it is a light armor so you wont have as much prr but, oh well. i would say mari chain is way better dps than giantcraft plate at these levels, but the gaint craft plate may be more well rounded due to the higher prr, haste guard, rage guard, and 5% dmg buff even if this leaves you without seeker.

for heroic weapons i would suggest a falchion or guardians dagger til carnifex, and carnifex til sos with no deviation. if you dont have sos then i would still use carnifex unless you find a weapon with way higher base dmg +on hit effects. in that case i would use a falchion if going mainly frenzy and a great axe/maul if going ravager/frenzy. if you do make a greensteel item, i recommend min2 because it has universal dr breaking and an ok clicky and personally i think lightning strike is overkill, unnecessary, and unreliable making it highly undesirable in modern heroic levelling.

for epics i would pretty much just use the best weapon you can find of the appropriate type depending on your enhancement spec useing the guidelines i pointed out above, with one important note. if youre going ravager/frenzy and plan to use legendary dreadnaught all the time, make sure you use a maul and take pulverizer.

also in this game i would never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever use a greatsword ever at all unless it has "sword of shadow" in its name (unless i am lvl 2-3 in which case i might use guardians dagger).

[Makkuroi]

not too hard to farm: lvl 12 cannith greataxe of fire, upgrade to tier 3 and craft with a holy shard for a general DR breaker (holy/metalline - dont forget masterful craftmanship). Slightly worse than a min2 greataxe, but much easier to get your hands on. A great weapon in the orchard, hits golems and vampires nicely.