Why do so many people not know how to play a Barb?

[Kominalito]

if you boil down posts like these they always resolve to : my epeen is way, way bigger than yours. also, i am the best player in all of Eberron.

[Bilger]

How you play your Barb smartly all depends on the group makeup.

If there is a tank yeah the barb should do his best to stay on back and dps things down and take as lil damage as possible.

If no tank then it's the barbs job(highest dps and HP) to IMO get the aggro with cleaves and such to bring the healing to 1 person.

Really it all depends on situation and group make up.

A good healer can keep a barb up easily even a wf barb.

I play both healer and barb and at least 1 of every other class accept druid yet. I see it from both sides. I would rather that 1000 hp barb grab aggro than that 600 hp kensai.(who most of time is as squishy as barb)

Seriously, there isn't one specific way to play a barb, or any character in game. It's all about the group makeup and working together to be as efficient as possible.

[Sgt_Hart]

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cwc/20041209a/

Barbarian Weaknesses

As with members of any other character class, the barbarian's many advantages come at a price. Here are a few of the disadvantages you should keep in mind if you're considering a barbarian character.

• Curiously Vulnerable: In spite of the barbarian's formidable defenses, he can die quite easily if you aren't careful about how you play him. His rage ability lowers his Armor Class just when he needs it most, and his superior speed makes it easy to outrun his allies just when their aid might be most valuable. Furthermore, the loss of his temporary hit points after rage makes it easy for him to die after giving his all.

Just saying...

[Meowin]

(...) I'm not trying to tell any one how to play your toon (...)

Then stop doing it already.

Seriously, do you really think you can succeed with that "I´m not trying to tell anyone how to play your toon, but here´s how you play your toon" approach?

Where´s that Shade guy everyone pulls out of the hat when it comes to barb discussions?

Barbs are fine, if they die before their enemies do, they probably put too less points into CON & STR?

[Mrphish]

i have a barb i run around with every once in awhile when im bored, and judgeing from my experience with the time spent on him i would disagree with your statement about barbs not needing intimidate. i find it highly invaluable, but i dont run into a group of 5 to 8 mobs and spam intimidate and cleave, instead i use it when a healer/caster/x squishy class has aggro and is takeing unnessicary damage, just intim to pull it off of them, or trip it so they can get away and recover while i have it's attention. saved so many party wipes because of intimidate... so imo it's not the tool, but it's how the tool is used and knowing when and when not to use it.

Now your story about IQ has me a bit curious as to why you would use that as a base back story to your point, let me explain. IQ quests are either ran by characters in the 17-19 range looking for some at level gear and xp for doing epics and what have you, or they are running them purely to flag for iuon stone farming. barbs do need some healing amp so that the healers mana isn't drained while trying to keep their 900 health bar up, but the large sources of healing amp on items doesn't come from items easily acessable to characters within this quota. items like DT, epic bracers of the claw/lavik's, purple dragon knight gloves, i also believe the bracers from house cannith quests have some healing amp aswell. now a good amount of these items are out of reach for most characters in this level range, unless they are a TR and have them laying around for them... so it could be that this barb in particular was just not geared enough to stack on said healing amp... he could of just been a new player still learning his class, he could of also just been an idiot. i dont know but i think your statement of saying "barbs arn't tanks, dont take intimidate" is poor advice. and barbs can tank in an emergency in certain content, especially in 6 man heroic quests... those types of quest dont exactly scream "have xxxx ac number and threat gen or gtfo"

[wax_on_wax_off]

I tend to start quests as soon as I have ship buffs regardless of who's joined. Anyone is welcome, including barbs, I have plenty of back pack space for you if you can't self heal/don't manage your aggro/expect others to heal you.

[Lord_WC]

Barbs are good if someone tanks for them or heals them.
In a raid, it's okay.
In a group, having two people doing the job of one is a luxury. Divine can BB, implode, whatever, it's sp actually spent moving a quest forward. Healing a guy who will not kill for two is not. But it's okay, since quests are easy, but seeing a barb at least trying (or the same applies to about any other melee who cannot self-heal) with chugging pots, or - gosh - not equipping the best dps items (which would be an overkill anyway for regular questing) but trying to get some defenses instead goes a long way to have a better questing experience.

[HatsuharuZ]

How you play your Barb smartly all depends on the group makeup.

If there is a tank yeah the barb should do his best to stay on back and dps things down and take as lil damage as possible.

If no tank then it's the barbs job(highest dps and HP) to IMO get the aggro with cleaves and such to bring the healing to 1 person.

Really it all depends on situation and group make up.

A good healer can keep a barb up easily even a wf barb.

I play both healer and barb and at least 1 of every other class accept druid yet. I see it from both sides. I would rather that 1000 hp barb grab aggro than that 600 hp kensai.(who most of time is as squishy as barb)

Seriously, there isn't one specific way to play a barb, or any character in game. It's all about the group makeup and working together to be as efficient as possible.

+1

That wf barbarian you mention.... it would be a good idea to ask him whether or not he has healing amp. Ever tried being the sole healer in an elite Amrath quest with 3 wf melees with little or no healing amp? Your SP gets sucked out through a straw ;_;

[herzkos]

agree partially with the op.

The following is for pugs only, what you do in your guild is your business.

What people need to do (imo) is to stay aware of the party as a whole. Watch the bars,
if you see a problem with the quest progress/bar status recommend a tactics change to the party.
This approach doesn't just apply to "healers"-whatever class they may be- it applies to all players
in the party.
if you're the "healer", it's real easy to notice how much damage someone is taking.(red bar)
if you're the rogue and notice that the blue bars are going down very fast then say something.
if you're the "manasponge/tank/barb", keep an eye on the healers sp. if it's going down too fast, recommend
a change in tactics.

example of what not to say: " you're the healer, your job is to keep me up so stop wasting spells on cc/implosion".
example of what TO say: "uhhm, guys, we're runnin' through sp pretty quick here. Maybe we ought to slow
down a bit and work together so Udinaas doesn't blow through a dozen majors."
If Udinaas is cool with drinking the pots, then by all means, carry on.

If you're the "healer", just type afk bio and the party will be waiting for you or they'll wise up considerably
or the worst offenders will be dead and it will be clear just how much propping up you've been doing.

To the guy who said e-peen and best player on the server . I think you're right, I'm just not sure if you
were referring to the OP and his post or if you meant the superstar who thinks that everyone playing the game
is there to witness his awesome.

[Nahual]

Slander and Lies

Barbarians need no healing!!

[Ambulance]

fixed

+1 ^^

[Ambulance]

@ OP:

Maybe you've just run into the wrong kind of barbarians. The ones with no/low healing amp and/or no/low dr and/or "low" HP?

[Gridwalker]

What there is to know? Turn all clickies, and swing. Maybe some movement skill. U can't expect barbarian not to soak your sp.

[grayham]

@ OP:

Maybe you've just run into the wrong kind of barbarians. The ones with no/low healing amp and/or no/low dr and/or "low" HP?

Yes, quite. You must have had some pretty bad experiences with Noobarians OP. I always rush straight into battle, stun one mob, trip another, gather the aggro so the casters don't have to and slaughter everything. If the red bar takes a tumble then I chug a pot. Most things are dead before I've even started to drop significant health.

I'm not boasting or trying to sound Ub3r, but that's my playstyle.

[Lord_WC]

What there is to know? Turn all clickies, and swing. Maybe some movement skill. U can't expect barbarian not to soak your sp.

Yeah I would expect it.

Stoneskin/displacement clickies are cheap and easy to make.
They sell pots about everywhere. Should nicely work with your heal amp. Because you have serious heal amp, don't you?
When pots are not enough anymore you should have access to silver flame pots.
Lot of things bestow you 10% incorporal miss chance as well.
You have access to stun and trip. Use them.

If you think these things are hard to get maybe don't roll a barb. Or don't be suprised when in an effortless quest where noone should require any healing at all they stop healing the sp sponge.

On a personal note, I would probably level a barb up with a rogue or bard level for umd and/or wand usage and just burn a +1 heart at 20. But I notoriously hate relying on someone else, it's just a waste of resources.

[Sani_Medicor]

My "barbarian" has radiant server II, so I'm good! I start my aura, run into the mob, then get my rage on! Anyone that wants to join in has a steady stream of heals too.