Human Barbarian AC

[khaldan]

I always watch drunk people blame others for being drunk!

I can use Boosts to AC, after boosts i assess the situation, can i go through with rage or retreat with Expeditious Retreat, Sprint Boost and Invisibility potion! It's all about assessment.

Don't need testimonials, it's well kept on my mind.

Your Characters may be gimp this one isn't!

'after boosts'? How is 'Your AC isn't high enough to be a useful defensive ability even during the small amount of boosted uptime' so hard to get?

[KillEveryone]

I always watch drunk people blame others for being drunk!

I can use Boosts to AC, after boosts i assess the situation, can i go through with rage or retreat with Expeditious Retreat, Sprint Boost and Invisibility potion! It's all about assessment.

Yes you can assess the situation after the boost, espically if the shrine is a bit of a distance you will have plenty of time to think about things.

Your Characters may be gimp this one isn't!

My gimps are not a gimppy as this train wreck comming down the tracks.

[Nich]

This build has gimp written all over it. All this character will be is a waste of a party slot...

So, a high hp barbarian, with high strength, able to switch between dps & tanking mode depending on the situation, is a waste of space for you? I know it is difficult for some, but try to be less narrow minded, barbarians can, like few others classes, hit high AC, high UMD, high DPS, without even splashing rogue/fighter/whatever.

Since it seems you dont know the class well, please have a look at this particular thread: http://community.codemasters.com/for...barbarian.html

You will see that although the builds are lvl16, they give you a clear picture of what barbarians can be with some dedication.

[khaldan]

So, a high hp barbarian, with high strenght, able to switch between dps & tanking mode depending on the situation, is a waste of space for you? I know it is difficult for some, but try to be less narrow minded, barbarians can, like few others classes, hit high AC, high UMD, high DPS, without even splashing rogue/fighter/whatever.

This build does none of this.

As for the high str, I find this exceptionally funny, as my halfling rogue has a higher str than this barbarian.

[Nich]

This build does none of this.

As for the high str, I find this exceptionally funny, as my halfling rogue has a higher str than this barbarian.

Indeed the OP didn't really post a (good) build, and some of the advices offered to him were good. However some stated that he can't build the kind of barbarian he wants without being a piker somehow. Thus I pointed OP & those who don't know what is doable or not barbarian's build wise to some templates (link in previous post).

[khaldan]

Indeed the OP didn't really post a (good) build, and some of the advices offered to him were good. However some stated that he can't build the kind of barbarian he wants without being a piker somehow. Thus I pointed OP & those who don't know what is doable or not barbarian's build wise to some templates (link in previous post).

It's not about being able to build a high dex barb, it's about why on earth you would want to. Those builds were posted from when the cap was 16, where no PrEs existed and madstone boots were the best dps increase ever made.

What with all the fighter/paladin PrEs focussed around being an AC tank, the idea of making a barbarian, a low AC class, into a high AC class just seems useless.

[KillEveryone]

The wizard splash isn't helping things.

[Nich]

What with all the fighter/paladin PrEs focussed around being an AC tank, the idea of making a barbarian, a low AC class, into a high AC class just seems useless.

Well, it adds versatility to your character. If you re the kind of player that just takes the 5/11 first persons who apply to your lfm, its good to be able to fill 2 roles.

To build a barbarian for AC is bad, I agree. To get the items needed to make your AC viable if needed is a smart move in my book.

[khaldan]

Well, it adds versatility to your character. If you re the kind of player that just takes the 5/11 first persons who apply to your lfm, its good to be able to fill 2 roles.

To build a barbarian for AC is bad, I agree. To get the items needed to make your AC viable if needed is a smart move in my book.

Displace/stoneskin/jump are all available on Shroud clickies and add a lot more survivability than a mid 70s AC.

[r3dl4nce]

Barbarian are TANKS. They simply tanks on HP instead of tanking on AC. Their survivabilty depends on having a HUGE dps and a HUGE amount of HP, giving time to healers to heal them. So they do dps and tank (via HP). Why put in AC? Moreover, if you gimp a lot your dps to go AC route, you will neven need your AC, because every well build dps will take the aggro from you. No aggro from mob = no need for ac.

[Nich]

Displace/stoneskin/jump are all available on Shroud clickies and add a lot more survivability than a mid 70s AC.

Well, it's added to your AC, just another part of your survivability.

As I said, the "classic" and usual way to build a barb is indeed to prioritize (spelling?) hp & dps. However, given you have the will & time (it requires quite some grinding), it is doable to add another utility to your barb, such as having a decent AC, which can prove to make the difference in some situations.

In the end, it s all about playing a char that provide an enjoybale gameplay for you, and to still contribute to the party you are in. The game is not that hard that you need to min/max absolutely or you cant complete a raid/quest.

[r3dl4nce]

As I said, the "classic" and usual way to build a barb is indeed to prioritize (spelling?) hp & dps. However, given you have the will & time (it requires quite some grinding), it is doable to add another utility to your barb, such as having a decent AC, which can prove to make the difference in some situations.

Ok, as you said, "ADD".
So you must keep:
- high dps
- high hp
and ADD
- useful AC.

So max STR, max CON, rest in DEX. Power Attack and enhancements, Power Rage (it lowers AC), frenzy berserk (so you need Cleave), 3xITHF, Toughness. DPS sets from ToD.

Can you explain WHERE can you fit stat and items to ADD ac ?

[Nich]

Can you explain WHERE can you fit stat and items to ADD ac ?

Trying to, but seems I was wrong heh.

[hecate355]

lots of good points against this gimpage have already been said, if you count 2 different short time boost plus shield clicky reasonable ac, then sorry no comments, by the time you finish boosting and self buffing, mobs are already dead

another side of your ac consists of assumptions, assuming you have every single endgame item that is counted into that ac, epics, tier3 shroud items(all those occupy inventory slots); another side of assumptions are party member buffs, some of em being spells that are broken and hardly used.

there isnt always paladin with max ac aura around you, nor do you all the time have bard with you to sing ya ac

90% of your playtime you dont even break 60 ac line, and im being generous, thats when you wield insight +4 ac weapon, where does the dps come from with that weapon?

not to bash you or anything, if your ac without short boosts is acceptable to you and if you are willing to work hard for half a year or more to get that kind of gear go for it, your dps however will be junk.

[ragwa1]

I think Ddobard is funny! Completely wrong but funny, none the less.

Definitly a good read.

[ddobard1]

Barbarian 18/Fighter 1/Wizard 1 first line melee two handed fighting, +700 HP not raged and not buffed, 52 AC not buffed and not Raged, +14 AC from external buffs + Improved Uncanny Dodge 30 Seconds (6) + Human Versatility Armor Class Boost 20 Seconds (5). Didn´t calculate DPS, but estimate 80% DPS. Spells Shield, Expeditious Retreat, Protection From Evil. Human initial abilities (32 pt) 14/14/14/14/14/10.
Some say it's gimp. Doesn't matter to me. I like the Character using AC. (Max 76 AC during 5 x 30 seconds.)
Feats (10): Dodge, CE, Toughness, thf, ithf, gthf, Power Attack, Cleave, Improved crit, Extend.

[r3dl4nce]

Human initial abilities (32 pt) 14/14/14/14/14/10.

14 STR on a barbarian. and 14 wisdom... why 14 wisdom? and why 14 int when you only need 11+2tome to get CE? Sorry, you don't know anything about good character builds.

Some say it's gimp.

Yes, it is, you should start taking your wis and cha to 8, lowering int to 11 +2 tome to get CE, raising you STR and con with left points. Removing wizard level, you could go 18barb/2fighter. Stats will be: STR 17 / DEX 14 / CON 16 / INT 11 / WIS and CHA 8.
Feats (7+1human+2fighter) will be:
- Toughness x 2
- THF/ITHF/GTHF (GTHF as of now is nearly useless so you could even skip it and put another toughness)
- Power Attack
- Cleave
- Improved Critical slash
- Dodge
- Combat expertise

Now you have the base to think a good build. Start from this stats and feats, and try to fit in the gear slots items to get AC-mode (without lowering too much dps) and items to get max dps mode, you will have to do a lot of item switch, 2 dragontouch (one with guards for max dps and one with protection+5 and insight+4 ac) but you could do it.

[Nich]

Barbarian 18/Fighter 1/Wizard 1 first line melee two handed fighting, +700 HP not raged and not buffed, 52 AC not buffed and not Raged, +14 AC from external buffs + Improved Uncanny Dodge 30 Seconds (6) + Human Versatility Armor Class Boost 20 Seconds (5). Didn´t calculate DPS, but estimate 80% DPS. Spells Shield, Expeditious Retreat, Protection From Evil. Human initial abilities (32 pt) 14/14/14/14/14/10.
Some say it's gimp. Doesn't matter to me. I like the Character using AC. (Max 76 AC during 5 x 30 seconds.)
Feats (10): Dodge, CE, Toughness, thf, ithf, gthf, Power Attack, Cleave, Improved crit, Extend.

spell shield from 1lvl of wiz is useless, buff UMD and use a 10min wand.

the starting stats from the poster above are a good base to build upon.

[ddobard1]

Ty for the feedback, but i like AC as it is. As said before this isn't my build, only using this to speak about AC in Barbarian.
I prefer 1 Caster level to get also Expeditious Retreat, can use it at any moment in an emergency with Sprint Boost and an Invisibility potion.

[r3dl4nce]

Ty for the feedback, but i like AC as it is. As said before this isn't my build, only using this to speak about AC in Barbarian.

Ok you like playing gimps then. Happy rerolling.

I prefer 1 Caster level to get also Expeditious Retreat, can use it at any moment in an emergency with Sprint Boost and an Invisibility potion.

Expeditious retreat clickie