Gear Progression for Newb Barbarians

[Teech]

So my Barb is getting closer to 20 and is obviously gimp. No need for us to discuss that at all. What I'd like to hear are any suggestions for gear for a 18+ Barb.
Easy stuff please. Nothing that requires too much grinding I hope...

Helm: Pirate Hat - Seeker & Balance
Goggles: REALLY **** stuff. Don't even look. Just suggest something.
Neck: +6 Con
Trinket: 16 Spyglass for True Seeing
Armor: 16 Calvary Plate
Cloak: All my greater resists
Bracers: Bracers of the Claw (also have Bracelet of Thaarak)
Gloves: Gloves of the Claw
Belt: Heavy Fort & Poison Immunity
Boots: 20% Striding
Ring1: +6 Strength
Ring2: Swap slot between underwater action, feather fall and disease immunity.
Weapons: Rubbish stuff again. I have a +1 Metalline Righteousness and a Holy Lawful Outsider Bane for normal Shroud?

So yes, that's my rubbish equips.
Help me improve on it!

I'm not looking for suggestions on what EPICS I should get. I see myself as far from that. I'd just like to know how I can improve my equips through the AH or by farming quests (preferably). Or perhaps anything I should have that I do not? (I have guild curse pots. =p)

========================================
The following gear list is my compilation of the gear that has been suggested by helpful forumites in this thread.

Helm: Minos Legen / Seeker Pirate Hat
Goggles: Goggles of Time Sensing / Tharnes / Blindness Ward of Battle Skill (Crafted)
Neck: Nightforge Gorget (H.Fort) / HP Neck (GS) / Jorgundal's collar
Trinket: Shimmering Arrowhead / The Bloodstone / Dusk Heart / Bold Trinket
Armor: 16 Calvary Plate / DT Armor (Healing Amp, Saves, Guards)
Cloak: All my greater resists / (No mention of cloaks as yet, maybe GS HP slot?)
Bracers: Bracelet of Thaarak (If not Minos) / Levik's Bracers / Claw Set
Gloves: Charged Gauntlets / Claw Set / +6 Str Item / Spectral Gloves
Belt: Knost's Belt
Boots: Madstone Boots
Ring1: ???
Ring2: ???
Weapons: Holy Burst of PG / MinII / LitII / PosII

Thank you all for your comments.
Am sure this will help newb barbs everywhere.
I'll continue to update the OP as more info comes in.

[somenewnoob]

How about for those goggles something like the goggles of time sensing from Chrono, haste clickie? Not the greatest thing in the world but nice to have if that slot has garbage in it now.

[Kourier]

Trinket: Shimmering Arrowhead from amrath
Goggles: Tharnes from VoD or GreenSteel OR Goggles of insight from Korthos
Bracers: Bracers of Tharaak
Belt: Get a con +6/GFL belt from Amrath quests (Ex: Vorne's)
Neck: Heavy Fort (Nightforge Gorget) (Maybe minII hp necklace?)
Armor: Dragontouched?

Upgrade to 30% striding (ring or boots) and pick up something for featherfalling.

Cloak is also another slot to consider for GS.

[gw17252009]

Trinket: Shimmering Arrowhead from amrath
Goggles: Tharnes from VoD or GreenSteel OR Goggles of insight from Korthos
Bracers: Bracers of Tharaak
Belt: Get a con +6/GFL belt from Amrath quests (Ex: Vorne's)
Neck: Heavy Fort (Nightforge Gorget) (Maybe minII hp necklace?)
Armor: Dragontouched?

Upgrade to 30% striding (ring or boots) and pick up something for featherfalling.

Cloak is also another slot to consider for GS.

Knosts belt from Amrath is great. also get the engraved ring from ToD. the lvl 16 Cav plate from smugglers rest is better than DT. GS Googles with poison, fear, blindness, disease is good. for the cloak get The Mantle of Worldshaper from Threnal. the cloak combined with Voice gives true seeing. Brawling fists gloves from Smugglers rest good too. Minos legens a must for the haevy fort and toughness

Taeriks--Argo lvl 18 barb and too many toons to list

[pal_sch]

I've capped my barb (dwarf, TWF) but haven't got much in the way of gear yet. The big problem is I haven't got many packs either and spent my early TP poorly. I'm not likely to make any more purchases in the near future unless I get really bored and decide to favour farm for them. The adventure packs I have;

The Catacombs
The Seal of Shan-To-Kor
Tangleroot Gorge
The Necropolis Part 1
The Vault of Night
The Vale of Twilight
The Reaver's Reach

Of these I haven't explored Reaver's much yet other than clearing the explorer areas so I could use a guild navigator to get there. Got lots of my mid level experience from the Cove so didn't miss the lack of content for that, but I think I'm going to be hurting for gear soon.

My current setup;

Helm: Pirate hats - 6 seeker + 15 balance/intim or heavy fort + 15 balance
Goggles: Tharnes or +2 attack + blindness ward + guild slot (currently borked)
Neck: +6 con
Trinket: Bold/Stalwart. I have an epic spyglass I used for TS before I got Tharnes.
Armour: Epic Cavalry Plate
Cloak: Resists
Bracers: Nothing. I use this as a swap spot for clickies.
Gloves: Epic Brawling Gloves (+7 str and SA when not using Tharnes)
Belt: Proof against poison + heavy fort
Boots: 30% striding, swap with featherfall +10 jump
Ring1: Epic Ring of the Buccaneer
Ring2: Disease immunity + spell resistance (19)

Weapon sets;
+3 HBoPG adamantium DA with icy burst ritual and +4 HBoPG
2x HoLEOB silver DAs
2x Epic Brigand's Cutlass (vorpal/incite)
2x ghost touch of wasted space
2x muckbane
Dwarven Thrower

All Cove items are tier 3 level 20.

I'm wondering if it's worth going for a 45HP GS item before starting on weapons. My HP is decent but not fantastic: 480 unbuffed, 500 with Stalwart and a small guild crystal, but that sacrifices Tharnes and the Bold Trinket. I farmed the Shroud quite a bit last time I was on timer so can easily craft a first or second tier GS item or single weapon in the next week. I had intended on going for the first two tiers on a cloak or bracers to bump up my HP and maybe gain a useful clicky while I farm larges.

Right now I'm mostly tempted to go for a +45 HP airguard cloak (+6 dex skills) but I'm open to ideas.

I'd also really like to find a deathblock item that would work as a swap. Right now I carry a robe but it costs me my superior false life, resistance and demonic shield from the Cavalry Plate. Most of the time I just gamble on making my saving throws, and my saves aren't really good enough for that. Unfortunately the deathblock trinkets I know of are from packs I don't have. Am I missing something obvious?

[Maxallu]

also get the engraved ring from ToD. the lvl 16 Cav plate from smugglers rest is better than DT.

I really have to disagree with you here, unless Demonic shield procs constantly. Maybe I am missing something, but how is

Cavalry Plate (Level 16)(Tier 3) - +5 Fullplate: +13 AC, Tier 3, Mithral, Demonic Shield, Greater False Life, DR 3/Chaotic, Resistance save +4,

Better than

DT armor: +5 Enhancement Bonus, +5 resistance, corrosive salt guard, Disintegration Guard


I don't know any Barbs that give a hoot about AC.

[Teech]

Just a quick thanks for the ideas so far.
Should I switch out the claw set for the bracers of Thaarak?
I ask because I hear good things about the claw set even non-epiced.
I'm at 500hp unbuffed so fully buffed and raged should be 600+ I think.

I'm working on getting the gems to be flagged for reavers reach so I can start on Dragontouched. I read that Barbs should choke it full of healing Amp and maybe destruction so I'll probably do that.

I missed out my rings so I'll edit those in.
+6 str on one
The other is a swap slot rotating between underwater action, feather fall and disease immunity.

I confess to having an unnatural fear of GS crafting as it looks terribly complicated...

[Rydin_Dirtay]

I'm working on getting the gems to be flagged for reavers reach so I can start on Dragontouched. I read that Barbs should choke it full of healing Amp and maybe destruction so I'll probably do that.

Nah I wouldn't go with Destruction on a barb, because you won't have problems hitting things, generally speaking.

Go for Guards and/or Healing amp instead.

[Postumus]

I confess to having an unnatural fear of GS crafting as it looks terribly complicated...

Don't fear the green steel!


I'm not a big crafting guy, but after spending untold hours in the new crafting hall, green steel seems downright quick.


The blanks are very easy to make. And the web tools make it - well- decipherable. Try this one (even I was able to figure it out): DDO Crafting Planner

[JollySwagMan]

With the new crafting system, you can currently create Blindness Ward of Battle Skill +2 Goggles (Competence bonus, same type of bonus as Korthos goggles, Necklace of Contemplation or Spectral Gloves), not the greatest but a solid slot before Tharnes or greensteel goggles. Disjunct some end reward goggles from the Sharn Syndicate, Waterworks or STK to make a bound to account version.

Do you have Improved/Greater False life on any slots? The Dusk Heart trinket (Improved False Life, 10% Blur) drops fairly often out in the Sands, and can be a good option on that slot when you don't need True Seeing (or can have someone hit you with a scroll/clickie). Alternately if you have the Bold trinket from the Pirate Event it can be pretty neat (especially on a character with a fast attack rate!)

Are there any slots which you prefer to keep as non-swap?

[Kourier]

The ideal dragontouched for you I think would be to have +5 saves/20% healing amp/radiance guard - barbs don't need destruction, generally.

You should definitely look into GS crafting, otherwise you deprive yourself of very very powerful items (45 hp from said items, for example).

[wolflordnexus]

http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/~delallea/ddo/shroud/

That's the shroud planner I use lets you reverse engineer your loot very nice

[Trivle]

This thread is relevant to my interests. Trivle is my first character in this game, and this is my first MMO. I think I am pretty twinked for lv 13. THF Dwarf Barb

Head: Minos Legens
Neck: Sirens Charm +4 con
Trinket: The Bloodstone
Armor: +4 Mithral Full Plate
Bracers: Bracers of the Claw
Gloves: Gloves of the Claw
Rings: +5 Wis, Signet of Silver Flame
Cloak: Mantle of the Worldshaper
Boots: +5 Dex
Belt: Greater False Life
Goggles: +1 save or something pointless

I do have belts of disease and poison immunity I switch out.

I would like some feedback, maybe what I should seek out next. I feel like I have been ridiculously lucky, had someone give me my final 6 taps today, and got the Bloodstone on my 10th try.

[Teech]

Thanks all for your suggestions.
I think what I'll do is compile those suggestions and edit them into my OP so that other barbs will have an easier time if they're in the same situation looking for gear.
(I'll get around to it ... soon...)

This thread is relevant to my interests. Trivle is my first character in this game, and this is my first MMO. I think I am pretty twinked for lv 13. THF Dwarf Barb

Head: Minos Legens
Neck: Sirens Charm +4 con
Trinket: The Bloodstone
Armor: +4 Mithral Full Plate
Bracers: Bracers of the Claw
Gloves: Gloves of the Claw
Rings: +5 Wis, Signet of Silver Flame
Cloak: Mantle of the Worldshaper
Boots: +5 Dex
Belt: Greater False Life
Goggles: +1 save or something pointless

I do have belts of disease and poison immunity I switch out.

I would like some feedback, maybe what I should seek out next. I feel like I have been ridiculously lucky, had someone give me my final 6 taps today, and got the Bloodstone on my 10th try.

You *&%$
Yes, I do think you are pretty lucky.
My short comment to a fellow barb is that your mithral full plate probably isn't going to help you for much longer. My personal estimate for useful AC is (lvl x 4), so if at 13, you're not hitting 52 AC or so, you may want to forego it and look for armor with other useful attributes. Crystal Cove plate is good from 16 onwards. If you have the Attack on Stormreach Pack, Crimson Chain could be a nice one.

Also, before I upgraded my belt to include Proof of Poison, I chucked my poison ring and just ran with potions. I'm hitting the stage (I think) where I'm thinking of getting tons of guild pots for everything and just chucking out gear so that I don't have to switch stuff around mid-combat. But that's just me... (Get guild remove curse pots if you have not. Guild pots can be used while raged. Very useful for a barb...)

[Bobthesponge]

Suggestions:

Helm: Minos Legens - easy to get and frees up your belt for a con item
Trinket: bloodstone - hard to get and nice to have but not essential.
Belt: Named +6 con belts drop all the time in Amrath. I think defender of sybaris is the +6 and GFL one
Boots: Madstone - medium to hard to get but stacking rage is awesome on a barb
Neck: Jorgundal's collar - medium to hard to get

[Zildoran]

Knost's Belt also has +6 con and GFL and is part of the frenzied berserker set drops from Genesis Point

[Maxallu]

If you are a fleshy barb, I would recommend that you skip the healing amp on the DT armor and go with something like:
+5 saves/Salt guard/Dust guard (two untyped damage guards that do big damage). Barbs are about damage and terrible ac, this only increases your damage and 18+ healers will have no problem healing you.

Get a tharnes goggles out of VOD
Grab a +6 con GFL belt from amrath
DT armor
madstone boots out of reaver
if you want healing amp grab a pair of bracers out of HOX
get yourself a bloodstone
and a minis for your head
If larges are short make yourself a triple earth hp item out of shroud for earthgrab guard and 45 hps.

[Feithlin]

Helm: Pirate Hat - Seeker & Balance
Goggles: REALLY **** stuff. Don't even look. Just suggest something.
Neck: +6 Con
Trinket: 16 Spyglass for True Seeing
Armor: 16 Calvary Plate
Cloak: All my greater resists
Bracers: Bracers of the Claw (also have Bracelet of Thaarak)
Gloves: Gloves of the Claw
Belt: Heavy Fort & Poison Immunity
Boots: 20% Striding
Ring1: +6 Strength
Ring2: Swap slot between underwater action, feather fall and disease immunity.
Weapons: Rubbish stuff again. I have a +1 Metalline Righteousness and a Holy Lawful Outsider Bane for normal Shroud?

Imo, your feeling of gimpness comes mainly from your weapons. Try to get some holy silver greataxe for shroud.
You didn't mention your other weapons. Don't use your boss beater all the time (seems obvious, but I meet some players who only have 1-2 weapons in their backpack).
Check regularly AH and House D/Amrath Pawn shops for something good to grab. No need to spend all your money, it's just a question of time before you find something really interesting. A holy (burst) of pure good is a fine all around weapon.

Start your GS greataxe(s) too. An option could be to start both your main weapon (Lit II or Min II) and a Pos II. No need to craft the last one to tier-3. It will be an efficient weapon to use for questing and it will give you a raise clicky. I would focus first on these 2 weapons, then start to think about items. However, if you have problems to get your large scales, you could have enough ingredients to do 1 or 2 tier-2 items (remember that you won't be able to wear both at the same time, so at least one will be something to swap). Some possibilities are a Displacement clicky, a Haste clicky or a HP item (+25 HP, low cost would be Earth/Earth).

For your armor, the CC plate is nice, as it gives you both GFL and resistance. You can stick to it until you finish a DT armor. Personnaly, I wouldn't focus on it though. It's nice to have, but getting decent weapons is certainly the most important for you atm.

Between the Claw set and the Bracelet of Thaarak, you basically, with the gear you possess or can get easily, have the alternative between:
* Claw set, Minos Legens: Gains +2 damage, toughness (+20 HP) and frees belt slot, but looses Seeker.
* Bracelet of Thaarak, Pirate hat: Gains toughness (+20 HP), Seeker and frees gloves slot, but looses +2 damage. (+2 dodge is pretty useless for you so I don't account for it).
The 2nd seems better, especially if you have Seeker +6 on your hat. For the gloves, you could either get +6 Str gloves and free the ring slot (many good thing to put there) or simply get the chrono gloves. They are very low level, but would give you lightning strike (or whatever it's called: +10d6 shock on a '20').
The first option would be better if you can get Arrowhead or Bloodstone as trinket. Another option on this slot would be to craft something. There are some nice possibilities, and there are not many good trinkets running around.

[Trivle]

Thanks Teech, I was planning on running the Assault on Stormreach chain after my brother and I get done with Necropolis 3. I also didn't know that about the guild potions, that is helpful. I was confused why some potions worked while raging and some didn't. That way I don't have to take off my GFL belt.

[Cardtrick]

People always toss out Tharne's as though they're easy to get, but I have not found that to be the case. I have never pulled a pair on any of my characters. They don't drop all that frequently, and virtually every melee character in the raid is likely to roll on them.

(Part of why I love the epic gloves from the Crystal Cove so much.)

Tharne's are well worth searching for, but in the interim I would actually suggest crafting a pair of goggles. That may mean Green Steel, although that's a bit of a waste if your end-goal is Tharne's. But you can actually make some really useful goggles with the new crafting system, at relatively low levels of skill -- mine give +2 attack bonus (it's called "battle skill" in the crafting menu), blindness immunity, and a small guild slot slotted with +10 stacking HP.

Just something else to think about for that slot!

EDIT: I am dumb, just realized JollySwagMan posted virtually the same thing above. Not sure how I missed that. Disregard this.