U25 Cetus: Barbarian with Manyshot

[Cetus]

Cetus: Purple Dragon Knight 18 Barbarian / 1 Favored Soul / 1 Ranger

Note #1: This build is designed for advanced players who desire effectiveness in epic elite content. It is also centered around +6 tomes for the purposes of meeting stat requirements.
Note#2: I am not claiming in any way that I invented this build. This is merely a thread to organize the build decisions in detail for the purposes of improving it through feedback and providing others with a template.

Class Progression: Will not go into this, this is an endgame build. Feats have no particular order and I'm not concerned with outlining a leveling progression.

Starting Stats: Strength: 18, Dexterity: 11, Constitution: 12, Intelligence: 8, Wisdom: 8, Charisma: 17 (This will most likely change)

Feats

Ranged:

1. Improved Critical: Ranged
2. Bow Strength (granted through ranger level)
4. Manyshot (much later when +6 Dex tome kicks in)
5. Point Blank Shot
6. Rapid Shot

Melee:

7. Power Attack
8. Two Handed Fighting
9. Improved Two Handed Fighting
10. Improved Critical: Bludgeoning
11. Cleave
12. Overwhelming Critical
13: Greater Two Handed Fighting
14. Level 26: Perfect Two handed fighting
15. Level 28: Perfect Two Weapon Fighting

Skills: All Levelup skills went into UMD, Balance, Search (leftovers into whatever you want, perhaps spot, intimidate etc.)

Twists:

This assumes maximum fate points:

For normal questing:

Wild Weapons (4)
Grim Precision (3)
Hail of blows (2)
Primal Scream (1)

Alternate possibility:

Crusader (4)
Consecrated ground (2)
Hail of Blows (2)
Primal Scream (1)

And one more:

Wild Weapons (4)
Reign (3)
Hail of Blows (2)
Primal Scream (1)


Enhancements:



These may change situationally or based on player preference. Tier 5 ravager uncanny balance is one that might get picked up.

*Divine Might: Everytime I use damage boost and haste boost, I automatically hit divine might. When I had the second tier version of it, I ended up hitting it like every thirty seconds anyway just as part of the boost rotation. So, tier 2 is not needed - but I have a razr naga mouse that accommodates efficient boosting, if you don't then this decision might not be optimal for you.

Main Destiny Points:



Gear:

Necklace: Epic/Mythic Vim and Vigor: Good Luck +2 Augment
Helmet:: Dragon Masque: Insightful Charisma +2 Augment, Globe Slotted
Goggles: Epic Glimpse of the Soul: Fear Immunity, Draconic Soul Gem (Swap to Drow smoke goggles for more manslayer DPS
Armor: Medium Shadowscale w/ shadow striker : Slotted PRR +16, Charisma +8
Bracer: Epic Bracers of the Claw
Ring 1: EE Consuming Darkness: Topaz of power +250
Ring 2: Seal of House Avithoul: Insightful +2 Dex
Boots: Epic Boots of the Innocent: Dexterity +8, Armored Agility +2
Gloves: Epic Gloves of the Claw: Healing Amplification +60
Belt: Battle-Rager's Harness w/ Vitality + 20 Slot
Cloak: Adamantine Cloak of the Wolf: Exceptional Seeker +5, Attack bonus +4 - Swap to remnant cloak for extra healing amp in situations where you think you'd need extra healing
Trinket: Epic Litany of the Dead: Golems heart, Constitution +8
Quiver: Quiver of Alacrity/Quiver of Poison

Weapons:

Trash: Thunder-Forged Maul: Tier 1: Touch of Flames (trash dies too fast for vulnerability to stack), Tier 2: Armor Piercing 35%, Tier 3: Mortal Fear. Red Slot: Meteoric Star Ruby, Orange Slot: Vampiric Augment, Colorless Slot: Balance +15 Augment

Red Named: Thunder-Forged Maul: Tier 1: 1st Degree Burns, Tier 2: Armor Piercing 35%, Tier 3: Crippling Flames. Red Slot: Meteoric, Orange Slot: Deconstructor, Colorless Slot: Balance +15 Augment

Boost Regenerating Weapon: Thunder-Forged Maul with Draconic Reinvigoration Tier 3

Ranged: Longbow Versions of the three Mauls above



Videos:

EE TOEE part 1 Solo:

[Cetus]

Reserved

[xTethx]

You forgot to list your epic claw bracers. Everything else looks straight for this build, best dps in game, even though i went twf since its better (for me)

[Cetus]

You forgot to list your epic claw bracers. Everything else looks straight for this build, best dps in game, even though i went twf since its better (for me)

I think you're right about dragon masque - thought maybe black scale for the 5% damage, but shadow striker + crusader seems to work pretty nice.

[Livmo]

Goggles: Epic Glimpse of the Soul: Slots: Armored Agility +2, Draconic Soul Gem (This item will most likely get scrapped - haven't decided how to improve this yet. Possibly greensteel.

You can get L25 EE Intricate Field Optics. Comes with:

• Spot +20
• True Seeing

One of the following ability bonuses:

• Charisma +8
• Insightful Charisma +3
• Intelligence +8
• Insightful Intelligence +3
• Wisdom +8
• Insightful Wisdom +3

And

• Yellow Augment Slot
• Green Augment Slot

I usually slot a yellow topaz of Blindess Immunity into the yellow slot and I put my 2nd Golem Heart into the green slot. I usually run either the Insighful CHA or INT, depending on the toon.

However, if the goggle slot is somewhat free, them it could be fun to run with a GS or Cannith crafted for some flair.

[Cetus]

You can get L25 EE Intricate Field Optics. Comes with:

• Spot +20
• True Seeing

One of the following ability bonuses:

• Charisma +8
• Insightful Charisma +3
• Intelligence +8
• Insightful Intelligence +3
• Wisdom +8
• Insightful Wisdom +3

And

• Yellow Augment Slot
• Green Augment Slot

I usually slot a yellow topaz of Blindess Immunity into the yellow slot and I put my 2nd Golem Heart into the green slot. I usually run either the Insighful CHA or INT, depending on the toon.

However, if the goggle slot is somewhat free, them it could be fun to run with a GS or Cannith crafted for some flair.

Yea, I thought about optics - but not much use out of them that glimpses don't give me. Insightful 3 cha would work, but that'll just throw me odd. Greensteel I can get a stacking 3 saves and some other stuff.

Also thought about tharns, and scrapping the avithoul ring - but then I lose improved deception and just have deception on helm then.

[xTethx]

Yea, I thought about optics - but not much use out of them that glimpses don't give me. Insightful 3 cha would work, but that'll just throw me odd. Greensteel I can get a stacking 3 saves and some other stuff.

Also thought about tharns, and scrapping the avithoul ring - but then I lose improved deception and just have deception on helm then.

Cant help you there, I use an int 11 accuracy 10 goggles then just switch to glimpse when needed.

[Livmo]

Yea, I thought about optics - but not much use out of them that glimpses don't give me. Insightful 3 cha would work, but that'll just throw me odd. Greensteel I can get a stacking 3 saves and some other stuff.

Also thought about tharns, and scrapping the avithoul ring - but then I lose improved deception and just have deception on helm then.

Green slots. I like that your are using augments. Some blues to consider; 2x Golem Hearts, Crushing Wave Guard, and possible a Protection, Natural Armor, Defense (PRR) or HP. The main benefit to a named or Cannith would be that green slot.

A 2 augment slot lootgen pair of googles is always white and yellow. You can find 1 slot greens. No slot with GS, but you can make allot of cool options.

Rings can be tricky, but basically named for a green slot. The double slot lootgens are white and yellow as well. I do craft some nifty single green slot rings, but mostly for casters. I like having seeker and attack/dam bonus on rings. Maybe a lootgen with seeker/green slot and another for attack/dam/greenslot?

I like the build. Allot of ways you can go with gear and weapons.

[Silverleafeon]

....Skills: All Levelup skills went into UMD, Balance, Search....

Any particular reasoning for this?

Perhaps you are carrying scrolls of "Find Traps" and you wish a high search skill to compliment it?
If so, does a Rogue friend disable for you as teamwork, or are you merely wishing to find secret doors?

Just wanting to know your philosophy on the matter?


UMD I can understand, also balance, and with your Str jump is likely ok already.
That leaves Concentration (which you don't need), Swim (which you don't need), Heal (which you might not need), Intimidate (which you could let go of), etc..

[Bloodskittle]

I like a medium intim, something in the 60-80 range is good, high enough to pull trash while not high enough to affect bosses, can be very handy in Fire on Thunderpeaks when the trash gets going and starts harassing your dragon kiters.

[Eth]

Do you guys have any problem using glimpse of the soul? I still can't use it on my barb. Lags out the whole instance 10 secs to a full minute everytime I swap it.

If you could fit in morphic arrows you could increase the crit range of your bow by 2 (but doesn't look like there's any AP for that ).

Also, does armored agility work when you don't slot it on the armor?

And what do you think about ToD ring with 40 hamp for avithoul + Tharnes Goggles? You still have max. sneak damage. Just don't know how much it hurts dropping from improved deception to deception.
This would even open up the option to swap to Knosts belt for fun, so you whole character looks like straight out of U11 with all that vintage gear.

[Cetus]

Do you guys have any problem using glimpse of the soul? I still can't use it on my barb. Lags out the whole instance 10 secs to a full minute everytime I swap it.

Yea, I try to keep it on and not swap it.

If you could fit in morphic arrows you could increase the crit range of your bow by 2 (but doesn't look like there's any AP for that ).

Yea, but the bigger problem there is going 3 ranger and losing death frenzy.

Also, does armored agility work when you don't slot it on the armor?

Yup - 2 extra dodge no matter where you put it.

And what do you think about ToD ring with 40 hamp for avithoul + Tharnes Goggles? You still have max. sneak damage. Just don't know how much it hurts dropping from improved deception to deception.

Hmm..the improved deception vs. deception is a good question. Not sure if it's a big difference, freeing up that ring slot would give 40 hamp a place, or ring of the stalker for manslayer.

This would even open up the option to swap to Knosts belt for fun, so you whole character looks like straight out of U11 with all that vintage gear.

Haha, yea I'm really surprised to even mention things like claw set and tharnes right now.

[Cetus]

Any particular reasoning for this?

Perhaps you are carrying scrolls of "Find Traps" and you wish a high search skill to compliment it?
If so, does a Rogue friend disable for you as teamwork, or are you merely wishing to find secret doors?

Just wanting to know your philosophy on the matter?


UMD I can understand, also balance, and with your Str jump is likely ok already.
That leaves Concentration (which you don't need), Swim (which you don't need), Heal (which you might not need), Intimidate (which you could let go of), etc..

Just makes me more self sufficient soloing quests (like HH or break in the ice). I can get it mid 70's, which works well for stuff I needed it for. Skills are pretty much up to player preference.

[Therrias]

Cetus: Purple Dragon Knight 18 Barbarian / 1 Favored Soul / 1 Ranger

Are you sure that manyshot is worth giving up the FB capstone?

[Cetus]

Are you sure that manyshot is worth giving up the FB capstone?

I think they're both great options. Manyshot + Divine might vs. capstone is a pretty fair trade off.

Depends if you enjoy the versatility. For me, a pure barb build was too simple.

[Eth]

Yea, but the bigger problem there is going 3 ranger and losing death frenzy.

Derp, nevermind, forgot it requires 3 levels.

[Cetus]

Here's another idea:

To retain manyshot and go pure barb, I'd have to give up GTHF + ITHF.

It seems that losing 3 melee power from the feats, 3 melee power from harper, 24% glancing blow damage (angry arms), and divine might in exchange for mighty rage, a 5% proc of >1100 damage, 10 melee power (4 net), and storms eye might be worthwhile.


Won't have the AP to go with KTA if I want berserker capstone and tier 5 ravager.

Would actually get a boatload more HP through all that extra con (wouldn't have to worry about charisma)

Thoughts?

[Therrias]

Here's another idea:

To retain manyshot and go pure barb, I'd have to give up GTHF + ITHF.

It seems that losing 3 melee power from the feats, 3 melee power from harper, 24% glancing blow damage (angry arms), and divine might in exchange for mighty rage, a 5% proc of >1100 damage, 10 melee power (4 net), and storms eye might be worthwhile.


Won't have the AP to go with KTA if I want berserker capstone and tier 5 ravager.

Would actually get a boatload more HP through all that extra con (wouldn't have to worry about charisma)

Thoughts?

Which of the Barb goodies are applying to manyshot? Should just be just crit rage and +1 frenzy multi IIRC from when I tested stuff last fall.

You'd also lose Bow Strength with that setup. Seems to me like you can either optimize for melee, or you can be pretty good melee with a pretty good manyshot burst.

[Zoda]

This reminds me of Dark's pre expansion kensai build. I think you flamed him for dropping the capstone

[Stinging_Bee]

Here's another idea:

To retain manyshot and go pure barb, I'd have to give up GTHF + ITHF.

It seems that losing 3 melee power from the feats, 3 melee power from harper, 24% glancing blow damage (angry arms), and divine might in exchange for mighty rage, a 5% proc of >1100 damage, 10 melee power (4 net), and storms eye might be worthwhile.


Won't have the AP to go with KTA if I want berserker capstone and tier 5 ravager.

Would actually get a boatload more HP through all that extra con (wouldn't have to worry about charisma)

Thoughts?

That is a nice idea...
I might try something like that with TWF line but without the cleaves...