Barb build for heroics only?

[mikarddo]

I am usually not much for playing a melee but I figure I may just give it a limited spin again after several years of ranged and casters.

I am considering a barb racial life (1-20 only) using the ravager self heal that's not reduced in Reaper.

But I am unsure how many barb levels I should go with except that I need 5 at least obviously. I have a feeling going pure when I am not going into epics might be a waste so suggestions on which class mix to use for this are welcome. I am guessing 12 barb and some ftr could be useful but my knowledge about melee builds is very low.

[Fedora1]

Pure barb works great for heroics, but yes, you won't really use the L20 core.

First thoughts are either splashing rogue for traps/locks or fighter for heavy armor, feats, and haste action boost. Just be careful about multi-classing or splashing for something that cannot be used while raged.

[mikarddo]

Pure barb works great for heroics, but yes, you won't really use the L20 core.

First thoughts are either splashing rogue for traps/locks or fighter for heavy armor, feats, and haste action boost. Just be careful about multi-classing or splashing for something that cannot be used while raged.

Thanks for the input. Considering I usually do both Estar sagas the L18 core would also be used very little. Often fewer than 10 quests.

Rogues are out. I hate doing traps and evasion wont be used.

Fighter does look good though. Heavy armor and extra feats - though defensive stances obviously are not an option. I am guess 1 or 2 levels of FTR.

What about 1 level of Wizard to get the extra cleave from EK and 1% doublestrike for 1 ap and possibly Improved Mage Armor for the extra AC? The bonus feat wont be all that useful though augment summoning may do a little for hirelings. The loss of one BAB might hurt though. 2 Wiz could open up Improved Shield enhancement.

Maybe 1 level of Monk for the free feat, slightly better saves and 1ap into HeM for +3 prr and +3 melee power.

[the_one_dwarfforged]

Cleric splash for domain that lets you use heal scrolls while raged and divine might, rogue/arti/lock/bard splash for max ranks UMD. Obviously the best splash out of those would be a trap one but you could decide based on the other benefits.

Thinking more of reaper than elite.

If not reaper or if you have a static group with healer, I'd still grab DM but instead of the skill splash I'd take fighter in that case for haste boost, extra charges, and better feat progression.


Maybe 1 level of Monk for the free feat, slightly better saves and 1ap into HeM for +3 prr and +3 melee power.

Let us know how that works for you.

[mikarddo]

Cleric splash for domain that lets you use heal scrolls while raged and divine might, rogue/arti/lock/bard splash for max ranks UMD. Obviously the best splash out of those would be a trap one but you could decide based on the other benefits.

Thinking more of reaper than elite.

If not reaper or if you have a static group with healer, I'd still grab DM but instead of the skill splash I'd take fighter in that case for haste boost, extra charges, and better feat progression.

Let us know how that works for you.

Cleric Domain - not a bad idea, thanks.

Monk + Barb - I sense an alignment problem, thanks for the hint :)

[cru121]

few druid levels for bear? anything worth taking there? not sure.

there's the bear dance...

[unbongwah]

Cleric splash for domain that lets you use heal scrolls while raged
Destruction domain only applies to cleric spells, unfortunately; other Rage-blocked activities like using wands & scrolls, disarming traps, etc. are still blocked.

few druid levels for bear? anything worth taking there? not sure.
Unfortunately, the devs changed Ursa Protector bonuses so they require a shield equipped. [On Lama you only needed to be in bear form.] So apart from the novelty of being a raging bear, I don't see much upside to going barb / druid just for a heroic life.

[cru121]

Destruction domain only applies to cleric spells, unfortunately; other Rage-blocked activities like using wands & scrolls, disarming traps, etc. are still blocked.

Someone has tested this elsewhere and according to them, the Destruction domain is more liberal than what you're saying
http://ddowiki.com/page/Domain#Destruction


I don't see much upside to going barb / druid just for a heroic life.

the dance is easily worth 50 melee power at least.

[Enoach]

One strategy of running a Heroic Only life is to simply plan for 18 levels (Holding 18 until you reach cap)

I say this for build planning purposes.

Splashing another class can help shore up a weakness you do not want.

Classes which I think work with a Primarily Barbarian Life


Rogue - some trapping, evasion and skill points
Fighter - Mainly for feats, but getting the heavy armor proficiency can be good too
Cleric - This is because of the domains - Keep in mind you only benefit from domains at 2, 5, 9, and 14 levels of Cleric so pick a domain based on its benefit at the number of levels you are splashing. But for a Barbarian Past Life 9 is the top number of cleric levels you will want to go for Domain, but you want to balance that with the Core Enhancement you want access to for your build.
Druid - Bear form, with 4 levels and 22 points in Nature's Protector you can cast while raged. However, there are other benefits from having Druid levels

[HungarianRhapsody]

the dance is easily worth 50 melee power at least.

Dance? I looked through the enhancements and didn't find anything.

[acemonkey]

Dance? I looked through the enhancements and didn't find anything.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKU0uM0IsDY

I'm not sure I'd give up 50 melee power for it. Maybe 50 spellpower on a pure barb.

[unbongwah]

Someone has tested this elsewhere and according to them, the Destruction domain is more liberal than what you're saying
http://ddowiki.com/page/Domain#Destruction
I'm pretty sure when I tested, I couldn't use cleric wands while Raged. Maybe I need to go back and re-test, though.

[Wh070aa]

I did Int based Harper 8barb 6roge/6artificer repeater build thing. Really bad in epics, but it was pretty fun.

[mikarddo]

How would 5 warlock for shining through + displacement sla and lots of other defensive stuff measure up? I realize alot of ap would be sunk into this including the T5.

[Selvera]

There is an old saying that the best thing to splash in barb is more barb.

That being said; I've had some success with barb/fighters; both with and without the fighter defensive stance. (It blocks rage; but if you're in heavy armor and a defensive stance, you're more like a fighter who can self heal and run fast then a barb). I however haven't done the final test life to see if I can have a fighter/barb keep up with the speed of some of my other heroic melee builds, I plan to do that in 3 lives from now.

If you're going a predominantly barb life and plan on using rage; heavy armor is not much better then medium through heroics.

Heavy Armor: PRR = 2*BAB = 40
Medium Armor: PRR = 1.5*BAB +10 while raged = 40

Medium armor has a better dodge cap; but heavy armor does have NoWorries levels of AC.

You'll probably want to THF; since AoE damage is better then single target damage in heroics. Also because Imporved Power Attack is pretty good at lower levels.

A different and interesting build (if you want) is always the bardbarian. (Swashbuckling rapier has 13-20 x4 while raged with critical rage).

[Tilomere]

AoE stun everything. (https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/496822-The-Call-to-Soundburst)

Mix in appropriate divine might/will/presence.

Add supreme cleave.

Collect loot.

[Riddle_of_Steel]

Did my Barb life as an 18 Barb / 2 Ftr.

All STR, cleave, cleave, cleave in heavy armor with the 2nd and 3rd heavy armor feats from the FTR as I recall.

In Non-Reaper I was literally unkillable. Reaper was a little tougher due to the self healing nerf but it just meant I had to stop between some fights to pot up and wade on in.

Just dragged the mobs into a ball of meat and mowed them down. In a group it was a crazy effective pure DPS build.

[Selvera]

Did my Barb life as an 18 Barb / 2 Ftr.

All STR, cleave, cleave, cleave in heavy armor with the 2nd and 3rd heavy armor feats from the FTR as I recall.

In Non-Reaper I was literally unkillable. Reaper was a little tougher due to the self healing nerf but it just meant I had to stop between some fights to pot up and wade on in.

Just dragged the mobs into a ball of meat and mowed them down. In a group it was a crazy effective pure DPS build.

While you reminded me of an actual reason to wear heavy armor as medium gives a raging barb more PRR at base from levels 11-19; I think your memory is a little at fault here. The 2nd and 3rd heavy armor feats require 6 and 10 levels of fighter respectively. Which makes them hard to take on a build with only 2 levels of fighter.

A fighter/barb with the enough fighter levels for heavy armor feats could theoretically get better PRR by wearing heavy armor then by wearing medium.

[Fedora1]

While you reminded me of an actual reason to wear heavy armor as medium gives a raging barb more PRR at base from levels 11-19; I think your memory is a little at fault here. The 2nd and 3rd heavy armor feats require 6 and 10 levels of fighter respectively. Which makes them hard to take on a build with only 2 levels of fighter.

A fighter/barb with the enough fighter levels for heavy armor feats could theoretically get better PRR by wearing heavy armor then by wearing medium.

Also take into consideration that there are some nice named pieces of both medium and heavy armor. Depending on what one has, this might make heavy armor more desirable in some cases.

[brian14]

Can bard songs be played while Raged?