Enhancement Question

I'm working up a Dwarven Barbarian THF build for myself, and I had two questions for those that have run barbarians.

1) How essential is the DR Boost enhancement? I understand what it does, but is its usage critical? And can you activate it while raged? Trying to allocate how I would like my APs and deciding between maxing the DR boost vs taking power rage 4 and axe attack 2.

2) With Extend Rage IV, how many Extra Rages are needed, on average? I was figuring 1, but have seen other builds say 2. Mainly looking for experienced input to help me make the final decision.

I don't use any boosts on my barb, most people will argue you need speed boost but I just don't like extra things to click on when they only last 30 seconds. If your going for dps dr isn't really needed, almost all tank builds take it.


With all the enhancments you spend on rage you want to rage as long as possible, you won't out damage a fighter with only 1 extra rage. If you take them all you should have about 23 min of rage, that will get you from 1 shrine to the next in most quests.

I love my DR boost, but it's also because I regularly use intimidate and it helps me mitigating some damage. It also depends a lot on the player, some people tend to forget to use their boosts...

I also prefer to balance Extra and Extend Rage (taking both of them up to about the same level), because they basically do the same thing (more raging - I did the maths once and it turned out they had about the same increase in total rage duration), so the best use of APs is to balance them out. Consequence: I'd pick Extra Rage III before Extend Rage IV.

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Originally Posted by Karethon

I'm working up a Dwarven Barbarian THF build for myself, and I had two questions for those that have run barbarians.

1) How essential is the DR Boost enhancement? I understand what it does, but is its usage critical? And can you activate it while raged? Trying to allocate how I would like my APs and deciding between maxing the DR boost vs taking power rage 4 and axe attack 2.

2) With Extend Rage IV, how many Extra Rages are needed, on average? I was figuring 1, but have seen other builds say 2. Mainly looking for experienced input to help me make the final decision.

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Yes, you can click the DR boost while raged. I have the second lvl DR boost and I find it helps against boss type mobs and when in a party with no AC tank to take the beating for ya. I've only made it to lvl 9 so I'm not sure if this will remain usefull at higher levels.

It's my opinion that extend rage IV is a waste of action points (4 APs for going from x1.75 -> x2 or a 14% increase in Rage Length). I have Extend III and Extra Rage II on my barb and I very very rarely need more.

However, I'll probably respec Extra Rage III back in for the new content, since we'll probably be moving slow through them for a while.

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Originally Posted by A_Sheep

It's my opinion that extend rage IV is a waste of action points (4 APs for going from x1.75 -> x2 or a 14% increase in Rage Length). I have Extend III and Extra Rage II on my barb and I very very rarely need more.

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Much like many of the IV enhancements (ToughnessIV excluded since they broke the enhancement system by uber-buffing it), cost versus gain is high. It is questionable whether 4 APs for 24 seconds per rage (with my 36 CON) is worth it. Granted when *7 rages that's the equivalent of 1 extra rage per rest. I have ExtendIV planned, but will see if I truly need it.

I chose not to take any DR boost (after having used it for a long time). Instead I took the two permanent DR/- enhancements. This gives me 6 DR/- all the time, without needing to think about clicking.

I do not take any extend rage or extra rage enhancements. I take both WF and Barb Con enhancements, which get my rages up to 2:20/rage with 4 rage/rest. I don't rage all the time, only for specfic parts/areas of dungeons, ie. large mobs, bosses, things that are hard to kill, have high HP or DR.

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Originally Posted by Citymorg

I don't rage all the time, only for specfic parts/areas of dungeons, ie. large mobs, bosses, things that are hard to kill, have high HP or DR.

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When I started playing my barb I played like this, then I got 7 rages and just having that many makes you play differently because you normally have more then enough to stay raged all the time. There is a huge difference in raged damage against non raged damage, and I think you want to be able to keep your damage up at all times.

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Originally Posted by Casta

When I started playing my barb I played like this, then I got 7 rages and just having that many makes you play differently because you normally have more then enough to stay raged all the time. There is a huge difference in raged damage against non raged damage, and I think you want to be able to keep your damage up at all times.

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Absolutely. I rage 99% of the time in 99% of dungeons. Most content has mobs everywhere...so you want to rage for each encounter.

I have 6rages per rest, and rage for 2minutes 40 secs a rage..and like I said I rage for every encounter. One of the most annoying things is waiting on people when raging...or PoP. PoP is FREAKING annoying as all hell. Normally I dont even shrine in PoP, but watching those measily 2 minutes tick away while people **** around with orbs and the like is so annoying.

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Originally Posted by Karethon

1) How essential is the DR Boost enhancement? I understand what it does, but is its usage critical? And can you activate it while raged? Trying to allocate how I would like my APs and deciding between maxing the DR boost vs taking power rage 4 and axe attack 2.

2) With Extend Rage IV, how many Extra Rages are needed, on average? I was figuring 1, but have seen other builds say 2. Mainly looking for experienced input to help me make the final decision.

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1. It is essential if you want to tank with any degree of usefullness aside from being a piece of meat for the mobs to beat on. 5-7 DR does very little. even weak mobs hit for 10-20, 15 stops allot.. Infact it stops 100% of the dmg from many types of mobs. Especially archers, it really rocks to be imune to archers because it allows you to open doors and continue the quest while being shot - this is very nice to have in chains of flame. If you don't have it, you cant open the door yourself, that simple.
If you always group with a pro intimdate tank, you can probably ignore it and hide behind him all the time, but what fun is that?

2. This really depends on your overall Con score, and your average questing speed. If you fly thru quests very fast and have 36 con like me, you can keep these pretty low and still be raged 99% of the time. If you take things slow and explore every detail carefully and/or have a moderate con score, keep them maxxed out for sure.

Pretty much I kept them maxxed out at lvl1-14 at first, because my con wasn't so great. You pretty much need top of the line gear to get a really good con score to keep the rage length up there, so until you got say a +2 tome and+6 con item, might wanna keep em maxxed.
Overall I aim for roughly 14 mins of rage total, about 1 non-extended buff cycle and generally the maximum time it would take me to reach the next shrine, even in a long quest. Think 36 con + that gives me around 6 rages at 2.5 min, so 15min or so.

Think I have extend 2 and xtra 2. Lowered em down like that to pick up dwarven spell resist 3 for uber pvp saves. Think in mod 5 ill respec back at least extend 3/xtra 3 to give a bit more time to explore and play around plus make use of the dismiss rage when nessasary.

Thanks to all for the insights, very good input for both sides of the decisons (and filling in the part about boosts while raged).

I think I have decided on the following, but will surely tweak it at some point during play: Damage Reduction Boost IV, Critical Rage II, Extend Rage III, Extra Rage II, Hardy Rage II, Power Attack III, Power Rage III, Axe Attack II, Axe Damage II, Dwarf Constitution I, Barbarian Constitution I

With a +6 Con item, that should net me a 34 Con with just barbarian rage (18 base +2 enhancements +8 Greater Rage w/ Hardy II +6 Item). Add in rage potions and eventually a +2 tome and Madstone, and it'll be pretty good. Should hit 36 Str while raged (figuring in a +6 item).

I don't expect to run with an intimitank, so I won't build for that.

These are the enhancments I have and I have been happy with them. Saves are a little low but this is about damage. I must be doing something right when I have crit for 234 and outkill almost every other fighter and barb. Even with the saves a little low and very low ac I haven't had a problem living.

Critical rage 1-2
Extend rage 1-4
Extra rage 1-3
Hardy rage 1-2
power attack 1-3
Power rage 1-4
Dwarven axe attack 1
Dwarven axe damage 1-2
Dwarven con 1
Barbarian con 1
Dwarven spell defense 1-2