Gear Tuning

[SylvanPhoenix]

I'm seeking some advice on tuning my gear for my horc barbarian. I'm mainly thinking of EE content and survivability. He really has no trouble in anything else. I have all the gear below except those marked with *.

Trinket - Planar Prowess - Str +8
Head - Purple Dragon Helm
Neck - nothing great (exc fort +25%, silver flame talisman)
Eyes - GS HP Air
Cloak - Wolf Cloak, Bear Cloak
Armor - Cormyrian Red Light *
Ring - Dun Robar, Ins Con +2, Stunning +10
Ring - Encrusted - 20% Healing Amp
Belt - Knost's Belt
Wrist - Bracers of the Wind, Bracers Twisting Shade *
Gauntlets - Purple Dragon Gauntlets
Boots - Treads of Falling Shadow *

So one thought is to swap out my air HP googles for a radiance HP version. I originally thinking of going with smoke for the blur/displacement but with my bracers I have blur covered and it seems the radiance (or possibly enervation) would be more gear efficient.

The other idea was to build a second GS item in the neck slot with enervation guard likely with the exception reflex saves. I'm not sure sure that stacks nicely with normal resistance but I think it should. This would be a situational item and I'd cleanse it so I could wear both.

Are there any other suggestions for improving other slots?

Cheers,
Sylvan

[ChemE]

I think you are leaving out some essential damage gear fot this other stuff. Mainly an Epic Claw Set, Madstones and Epic Abishi set. There's still no sub for these in my opinion.

[HalfORCastrator]

This is what I'm planning for mine(warning: wall of stats):


34pt Horc Barb 20
ABILITY POINTS:
20str+5tome+6lvlups
12dex+4tome
16con+4tome
07int+4tome
08wis+3tome
07cha+4tome


FEATS:
3x THF
1x Power Attack
1x Improved Crit
2x Cleaves
1x Overwhelming Crit
1x Stunning Blow



Current setup:

Helm: PDK set
Goggles: Tharne's Goggles
Necklace: Smoke HP GS
Trinket: Litany of the Dead
Cloak: Adamantine Cloak of the Wolf
Armor: Light Cormyrian armor
Bracers: Claw set
Gloves: Claw set
Belt: FB set
Ring1: FB set (20% amp)
Ring2: Ring of the Stalker tier 3 (1 exc dex, 4 resistance)
Boots: Madstone Boots

str: 20base+5tome+6lvlups+7item+1exc+2ins+2fbset=43+2ca pstone+8mightyrage+4barbpowerrage+2orcpowerrage+2o rcenh+6frenzies=67+5primalscream+2yugo+2ship=76+1d estiny+1profane=78+2madstone=80
dex: 12base+4tome+6item+1exc+1profane=24+2ship=26
con: 16base+4tome+7item+1exc+2ins+2fbset=32+8mightyrage +3barbhardyrage+2barbenh=45+5primalscream=50+2ship =52+1profane+1destiny=54+4madstone=58
hp: 58-10=48/2=24*25=600conbonus+240barb+20heroic+10argo+50epic +50ld=975+30gfl+20toughnessitem=1020

stun dc: 80str-10=70/2=35strbonus+10base+6ld=51
trip dc: 80str-10=70/2=35strbonus+10base+6ld=51


80 str
1020hp
10% dodge
8 SA (8 tohit, 13dmg)
+4 damage
51 stun/trip dcs
15 seeker
permablur

---------------

Future, for general use:

Helm: PDK
Goggles: Tharne's Goggles
Necklace: Min2 HP GS
Trinket: Litany of the Dead
Cloak: Adamantine Cloak of the Wolf
Armor: Whisperchain EE
Bracers: Random Loot Bracers (30% heal amp, superior parrying)
Gloves: Nether Grasps EE
Belt: FB set
Ring1: FB set (20% amp)
Ring2: Seal of DunRobar (2 exc con, 5 exc combat mastery)
Boots: Madstone Boots

str: 20base+5tome+6lvlups+7item+1exc+2ins+2profane+2fbs et=45+2capstone+8mightyrage+4barbpowerrage+2orcpow errage+2orcenh+6frenzies=69+5primalscream+2yugo+2s hip=78+2destiny=80+2madstone=82
dex: 12base+4tome+6item=24+2ship=22
con: 16base+4tome+7item+1exc+2ins+2fbset=32+8mightyrage +3barbhardyrage+2barbenh=45+5primalscream=50+2ship =52+4madstone=56
hp: 56-10=46/2=23*25=575conbonus+240barb+20heroic+10argo+50epic +50ld=945+40sfl=985

stun dc: 82str-10=72/2=36strbonus+10base+6ld=52+5excmastery=57
trip dc: 82str-10=72/2=36strbonus+10base+6ld=52+5excmastery=57

reflex: 6base+6dexbonus+4supparry+4gh=20

82 str
985hp
10% dodge
10 SA (10 tohit, 16dmg)
1ab/dmg (2 more str)
57 stun/trip dcs
15 seeker
permablur

---------------

More specialized, reflex save:

Helm: PDK
Goggles: Min2 HP GS
Necklace: Grim's Bracelet (2 good luck)
Trinket: Litany of the Dead
Cloak: Adamantine Cloak of the Wolf
Armor: Terrorweb Chitin Breastplate (8 str)
Bracers: Random Loot Bracers (30% heal amp, superior parrying)
Gloves: Nether Grasps EE
Belt: FB set
Ring1: FB set (20% amp)
Ring2: Seal of DunRobar (2 exc con, 5 exc combat mastery)
Boots: Treads of Falling Shadow EE


str: 20base+5tome+6lvlups+8item+1exc+2ins+2profane+2fbs et=46+2capstone+8mightyrage+4barbpowerrage+2orcpow errage+2orcenh+6frenzies=70+2yugo+2ship=74+2destin y=76
dex: 12base+4tome+8item+1exc+3ins=28+2ship=30+1profane= 31
con: 16base+4tome+7item+1exc+2ins+2fbset=32+8mightyrage +3barbhardyrage+2barbenh=45+2ship=47+1profane=48
hp: 48-10=38/2=19*25=475conbonus+240barb+20heroic+10argo+50epic +50ld=845+30gfl+20toughnessitem=895

stun dc: 76str-10=66/2=33strbonus+10base+6ld=49+5excmastery=54
trip dc: 76str-10=66/2=33strbonus+10base+6ld=49+5excmastery=54

reflex: 30dex-10=20/2=10dexbonus+6base+4supparry+6resist+4gh+2goodluck =32+6unearthlyreactions+2braceforimpact=40 / 40-2braceforimpact=38+6draconicperception=44(for when you don't need the extra fort, ie eh citw)

76 str
895hp
10% dodge
54 stun/trip dcs
15 seeker
medium armor prr
40/44 standing reflex save (+6 uncanny dodge)

---------------

More specialized, reflex save(better than the last, imo):

Helm: PDK
Goggles: Smoke HP GS
Necklace: Grim's Bracelet (2 good luck)
Trinket: Litany of the Dead
Cloak: Adamantine Cloak of the Wolf
Armor: Terrorweb Chitin Breastplate (PDK, 8 str)
Bracers: Random Loot Bracers (20% heal amp, superior parrying)
Gloves: PDK
Belt: Spare Hand tier 3 (heavy fort)
Ring1: Seal of Avithoul
Ring2: Seal of DunRobar (10 stunning)
Boots: Treads of Falling Shadow EE


str: 20base+5tome+6lvlups+8item+1exc+2ins+1profane+2fbs et=45+2capstone+8mightyrage+4barbpowerrage+2orcpow errage+2orcenh+6frenzies=69+2yugo+2ship=73+1destin y=74
dex: 12base+4tome+8item+1exc+3ins=28+2ship=30+1profane= 31
con: 16base+4tome+7item+1exc+2ins+2fbset=32+8mightyrage +3barbhardyrage+2barbenh=45+2ship=47+1profane=48
hp: 48-10=38/2=19*25=475conbonus+240barb+20heroic+10argo+50epic +50ld=845+30gfl+20toughness=895

stun dc: 74str-10=64/2=32strbonus+10base+6ld=48+5excmastery+10stunning= 63
trip dc: 74str-10=64/2=32strbonus+10base+6ld=48+5excmastery=53

reflex: 30dex-10=20/2=10dexbonus+6base+4supparry+6resist+4gh+2goodluck =32+6unearthlyreactions+2braceforimpact=40 / 40-2braceforimpact=38+6draconicperception=44(for when you don't need the extra fort, ie eh citw)

74 str
895hp
10% dodge
8 SA (8 tohit, 13dmg)
3 ab/dmg
5 seeker
63 stun dc
53 trip dc
permablur
medium armor prr
40/44 standing reflex save (+6 uncanny dodge)

I think you are leaving out some essential damage gear fot this other stuff. Mainly an Epic Claw Set, Madstones and Epic Abishi set. There's still no sub for these in my opinion.

What do you value out of the Abishai set?

[ChemE]

Mainly its a fill-in at lvl 20 until you can wear all that lvl 23 and 24 ****. Also, while your planning such a long grind for gear, you may as well throw in Epic Chain. By far the best melee armor at lvl 20 and its tailor made for a barb.

[nivarch]

Snip

If you want to run EE, you should plan on getting at least 2 gearsets. 1 for Trash beating, 1 for boss DPS.
Trash beating should have a lot of survivability (dodge, healamp, blurry, ghostly, easy swap for displacement...) and can sacrifice some DPS.
Boss beating should be closer to max DPS (seeker, exc seeker, sneak attack, exc sneak attack, claw set...) and can sacrifice some survivability. Make sure you have at least 30% heal amp or your healer will hate you.

You can't do both at the same time currently. Time will tell if eGH helps with that

[HalfORCastrator]

Mainly its a fill-in at lvl 20 until you can wear all that lvl 23 and 24 ****. Also, while your planning such a long grind for gear, you may as well throw in Epic Chain. By far the best melee armor at lvl 20 and its tailor made for a barb.

Good fill-in stuff, but he's asking for end-game.

I've done over 80 runs of edq and have only seen 1 marichain shard(not in my name). For the ones not at lvl yet, using some deathblock light/medium armor of greater false life or some other random loot until getting lvl22 for goristro/terrorweb and then working on the pretty easy(red scales and increased drop rate comms) red armor would be better.

[ChemE]

I made the mistake of maling my epic chain on my other barb without the esos because I had 2 seals and 2 scrolls and just figured I'd get another shard easy. That was a year ago. I won't make that mistake again.Plenty of people still use the abishi set until they get better stuff. Its just something you should always consider as an option because its relativly easy to get.

[Purkilius]

I'm seeking some advice on tuning my gear for my horc barbarian. I'm mainly thinking of EE content and survivability. He really has no trouble in anything else. I have all the gear below except those marked with *.

Trinket - Planar Prowess - Str +8
Head - Purple Dragon Helm
Neck - nothing great (exc fort +25%, silver flame talisman)
Eyes - GS HP Air
Cloak - Wolf Cloak, Bear Cloak
Armor - Cormyrian Red Light *
Ring - Dun Robar, Ins Con +2, Stunning +10
Ring - Encrusted - 20% Healing Amp
Belt - Knost's Belt
Wrist - Bracers of the Wind, Bracers Twisting Shade *
Gauntlets - Purple Dragon Gauntlets
Boots - Treads of Falling Shadow *

So one thought is to swap out my air HP googles for a radiance HP version. I originally thinking of going with smoke for the blur/displacement but with my bracers I have blur covered and it seems the radiance (or possibly enervation) would be more gear efficient.

The other idea was to build a second GS item in the neck slot with enervation guard likely with the exception reflex saves. I'm not sure sure that stacks nicely with normal resistance but I think it should. This would be a situational item and I'd cleanse it so I could wear both.

Are there any other suggestions for improving other slots?

Cheers,
Sylvan

At least you can fill the neck slot for a while with the golden guile for more sneak attack dmg...

[SylvanPhoenix]

Thanks for the thoughts. I guess I should probably pursue two gear sets. I do have the stalker ring and madstone boots, which I normally run with. I haven't finished my claw set which I may still want to do for the dps boost. I just wasn't sure if it's still worth the grind for the classic dps gear as it used to be (abishi set, claw set, etc).

Cheers,
Sylvan

[SylvanPhoenix]

At least you can fill the neck slot for a while with the golden guile for more sneak attack dmg...

Oh, sure and it also gives ghostly so I could not worry about swapping out madstone boots if I wished to keep those over the Treads of Falling Shadow.

Cheers,
Sylvan