The Definitive Guide to Barbarians

[Wraith_Sarevok]

Simple:

Your biceps will not be frequently mistaken for overlarge slabs of ham.

Forget stats, gear, epics, buffs, DR breakers, GS items, Epic gear, TOD sets and all of that. Forget spreadsheets, videos, numbers, twitching, attack speeds, crits and anything like that. Forget it all.

Having your biceps be recognized for the overlarge slabs of ham, is the single most important thing to have, come end game. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying to you and trying to deceive you.

It cannot be overstated and overemphasized just how important this is end game.

It cannot.

Overlarge slabs of ham.... ftw and profit!!!!

Sooo what happens when I get old and my arms go limp?

[Khanyth]

Sooo what happens when I get old and my arms go limp?

Barbs die young. In battle.

If you are a barb and you do not die in battle, in peak fighting prowess.... you're doing it wrong.

Furthermore, your barb should die at an age where your overlarge slabs of ham never goes limp. Unless the dozen or so plundered virgins are.... plundered, so to speak

[BodenDDO]

Here's a video of my barb doing over 500 DPS:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yt9xH3xMly0&hd=1

While I agree with most of the points in your post... this video is way outdated. You can't twitch to that effect any more. Sure glancing blows replace some of the lost damage, but it is a bit of a white lie saying that kind of play is still possible and using it as a comparison point.

[wax_on_wax_off]

Cool guide.
2 things:
1. Twitching doesn't give 25-30% attack speed boost, it gives 18% boost as per Vanshilar's thread.
2. Against foes with high DR twitching will be better (eSoS without augment, litII GA vs bosses, elementals, portals etc).

[Shade]

While I agree with most of the points in your post... this video is way outdated. You can't twitch to that effect any more. Sure glancing blows replace some of the lost damage, but it is a bit of a white lie saying that kind of play is still possible and using it as a comparison point.

mmm you can still twitch and do exactly what I did in that video.

It might take longer sure.. But the fact barbs got nerfed so long ago doens't make the video a lie. It is entirely legit for what it is. People can read the date on the video and know what era it is from.

Tell you what tho.. I'll do the same video on my half orc barb soon, and may even kill him faster. A similar amount DPS is still possible today - maybe a bit lower, maybe a bit higher... Just the character, attack style and gear needed has changed.

Besides, remembering the past and the power we used to hold can only motivate us to want to get stronger today and break those limits. It may or may not be possible, but ultimately, finding out is one of my goals.

[Shade]

2. Against foes with high DR twitching will be better (eSoS without augment, litII GA vs bosses, elementals, portals etc).

For portals with DR10/-, Don't think so. Other bosses, not many have DR/-, and onest hat do are generally very low (barb type DR, so 1 to 7/0)
Other bosses with bypasable DR - mm you should be bypassing the DR with an appropriate weapon.

But I will test it in my DPS challenge and see If I can indeed get a faster time with twitch on the portal.

[bryanmeerkat]

Barbs die young. In a trap .

Then get ressed , to die in battle , before getting ressed again ...

[Khanyth]

Then get ressed , to die in battle , before getting ressed again ...

Hey now!!!! That is a vicious misquote.

Barbs don't die in traps; it's just our savage, wildman method of disarming them for the rest of the party.

Rogues use thieves tools..... we use walking.

Irregardless, no spike trap can ever pierce a pure barb's overlarge slabs of ham anyways.... it just bounces off and the DM apologizes

[Shade]

Decided it was time to finish this guide.. So for my 10,000th post. I did.

Section added:
Epic and beyond.

Should be done for now. Ofcourse may and may need updates eventaully ,as they change things and (hopefully) add new epic gear.

Enjoy the new section. Should cover a lot of the PMs I've been getting on whats the best endgame/epic gear.

[Nymph83]

ty shade, as always your work is greatly appreciated.

-ragedancer of khyber

[Tyrantico]

Decided it was time to finish this guide.. So for my 10,000th post. I did.

Section added:
Epic and beyond.

Perfect timing, Shade, thanks a lot. Hit 20 about a week ago, and I've been hanging out in the Epic channel on Khyber wondering exactly what I needed to be considered "ready". A couple of questions, if you don't mind:

Min2... was afraid you'd say that. Seeing as how LDS have been dropping for me like rain in the Sahara so far, it's been a bit of a drag - but I imagine my +4 met GA of righteousness won't cut it in the big leagues. Priority 1, or should I add the 3rd tier to my doublepos maul first?

Regarding DT - what do you think of a Sov rune of Destruction, particularly for the, ahem, undergeared among us?

Last but not least, I at least had the forethought to make a t3 Epic Ratkiller. What do you slot in there?

[Shade]

Minor update to the guide:
THF vs TWF section updated to remove references to auto crit.. As well as remove some pros from TWF being offhand procs no longer work on trip/stun.. Really TWF has become much less attractive due to the changes.

Minor fixes to gear section as well.

Perfect timing, Shade, thanks a lot. Hit 20 about a week ago, and I've been hanging out in the Epic channel on Khyber wondering exactly what I needed to be considered "ready". A couple of questions, if you don't mind:

Min2... was afraid you'd say that. Seeing as how LDS have been dropping for me like rain in the Sahara so far, it's been a bit of a drag - but I imagine my +4 met GA of righteousness won't cut it in the big leagues. Priority 1, or should I add the 3rd tier to my doublepos maul first?

Regarding DT - what do you think of a Sov rune of Destruction, particularly for the, ahem, undergeared among us?

Last but not least, I at least had the forethought to make a t3 Epic Ratkiller. What do you slot in there?

Min2: Less of a priority now given crafters can make you an unbound holy silver geob weapon.. Might need to update the guide for that.. But I still really like having a min2 myself despite having that (actually i have a hobglob version)

For a few reasons:
Covers more DRs.. Carrying around a dozen different metal types/greater banes is messy and difficult.. So as a great all around, min2 is still king. Great for anythign with DR it works on: Demons, Devils. Constructs, Mindflayers, Tharaak hounds.. Where as a crafted one can only handle 1 of those at a time, at best.

its also good for 100% fort targets, as it does lots of bonus dice that works great on most 100% fort targets (acid works well vs undeads, elementals, etc)

And and the crafters prices are generally not too far from min2 costs, and the grind option is rather long - as long as getting a min2 at least.

So yea I'd still recmomend working on one. If you have some spare plats you couild get a HS geob in the mean time, but id still finish the min2 for general use.

don't worry about finishing the double pos maul too soon. Youll really only want that if you start running something like epic wizking regularly, or abbot.

Sov rune - oh yea forget destruction in the guide, thats likely best if your to hit is not quite maxxed yet.
Air Guard (Very nice in certain cases, like tanking Horoth)
Smiting (can be good if your running a quick von5 normal to do von6epic)
Destruction (-4 AC can help hit high AC targets, especially epic)

Ratkiler:
If you mostly run devil content - good to bypass DR.
If you mostly run non-devil epic content - +7 to hit more often.

I have one of each.. Tend to use the +7 one most, since if i wanna bypas DR for DPS, im using a dps weapon anyways.

[dfgdsdfv]

Sov rune
Air Guard (Very nice in certain cases, like tanking Horoth)

ok, noob question: is that assuming you swap your boots between banishments cooldown, or does the guard (for some strange reason) actually work with the boots on?

[Shade]

ok, noob question: is that assuming you swap your boots between banishments cooldown, or does the guard (for some strange reason) actually work with the boots on?

Works with boots on.

You can ofcourse take off boots and request a much longer haste too.. Which is what I usually do, but the air guard haste actaully partially stack with normal haste too (least the to hit and reflex save portions)

[Munkenmo]

Works with boots on.

You can ofcourse take off boots and request a much longer haste too.. Which is what I usually do, but the air guard haste actaully partially stack with normal haste too (least the to hit and reflex save portions)

I'm assuming you are referring to the Air guard dragontouched rune?

I had not heard this claim before and thought it warranted a test, so i had someone smack me in the pvp pit with my triple air greensteel goggles and boots equipped, after 3 minutes of beating my ass silly nothing procced.

within seconds of switching to standard boots (to be specific random 30% striders large guild slot) my 30 second haste would proc, let it cool down, and within seconds it would happen again.

Either i'm doing something wrong, the guards are different, or this is something that has been fixed.

BTW tested in the lobster on sarlona and there wasn't a dispel in sight, i was disappointed.

[Cetus]

I'm assuming you are referring to the Air guard dragontouched rune?

I had not heard this claim before and thought it warranted a test, so i had someone smack me in the pvp pit with my triple air greensteel goggles and boots equipped, after 3 minutes of beating my ass silly nothing procced.

within seconds of switching to standard boots (to be specific random 30% striders large guild slot) my 30 second haste would proc, let it cool down, and within seconds it would happen again.

Either i'm doing something wrong, the guards are different, or this is something that has been fixed.

BTW tested in the lobster on sarlona and there wasn't a dispel in sight, i was disappointed.

It works, I have a hotswap air guard item that I use occasionally when I tank horoth during times when my haster is too occupied.

[Gaijinn]

What item do you use for +6-7 DEX? Adds to reflex saves, also how important do you find reflex saves to be? I'm currently considering either using Fleshshapers Brigandine with +10 reflex on it, with hp shroud helm and +4 seeker +3 SA goggles from acute delirium, how much different would this be from your Greater Abishai Might set; epic helm of frost, boots of corrosion and envenomed cloak with hp goggles and marilith chain? I lose +4 seeker compared to epic marilith chain, I also lose+2 profane strength (I'm using litany which is also profane so I only gain +2). BUT I gain +5 reflex saves, 10% heal amp, semi useful 20% neg absorb.

What are your thoughts on this, Shade?

[Shade]

What item do you use for +6-7 DEX? Adds to reflex saves, also how important do you find reflex saves to be? I'm currently considering either using Fleshshapers Brigandine with +10 reflex on it, with hp shroud helm and +4 seeker +3 SA goggles from acute delirium, how much different would this be from your Greater Abishai Might set; epic helm of frost, boots of corrosion and envenomed cloak with hp goggles and marilith chain? I lose +4 seeker compared to epic marilith chain, I also lose+2 profane strength (I'm using litany which is also profane so I only gain +2). BUT I gain +5 reflex saves, 10% heal amp, semi useful 20% neg absorb.

What are your thoughts on this, Shade?

I got both.

Swap in the +10 reflex tank armor for when tanking dangerous bosses like horoth.

dex +6, fit it into one of the epic slots. Think boots might work best.. Havent done mine yet, still a scroll of to complete set.
+4 dex on the madstone boots suffices until you can get that together.

updated epic section with this stuffs.

[Shade]

It works, I have a hotswap air guard item that I use occasionally when I tank horoth during times when my haster is too occupied.

Yea used to work for me.. Tho haven't bothered with it in years. Maybe nerfed, but i doubt it.

It works because its a seperate spell from haste. Yea it looks the same, and works mostly the same, but its a seperate ID/icon.

Maybe only the armor version works or something.

Either way, the new fleshshapers brigandine is better horoth tank armor now. Just get boots off and haste/madstone when its safe to do so (from 0-55 seconds after a banish)

[lugoman]

Decided it was time to finish this guide.. So for my 10,000th post. I did.

Section added:
Epic and beyond.

Should be done for now. Ofcourse may and may need updates eventaully ,as they change things and (hopefully) add new epic gear.

Enjoy the new section. Should cover a lot of the PMs I've been getting on whats the best endgame/epic gear.

You should do a section on hate tanking. Gear layout, tactics etc.