Reaper endgame Dwarf Ravager

[Gilga1]

Small but necessary premise: this is a flavor build. This build is not meta or good dps.
The latest changes to FotW and doublestrike put Barbarian in a very good spot but OS and Ravager are both terribad options compared to FB. If you want to play a good barb you have to take FB T5 (and FB capstone maybe).

With that said, here we have a **** - and fat - dwarf Constitution based barbarian. Greataxe and Visage of Terror!
The last time I played a dwarf ravager was in 2018... we already had reaper and it was a quite fun experience. After 3 years of power creep, I gave it another try

Dwarf Barbarian 20 FotW

Here’s a screenshot of my stats in reaper (self buffed, I'm not using Yugo Con pots ofc).
I have all the PLs and all the reaper trees filled.



Weapon stats


As expected, a STR based FB sheet shows way bigger numbers. These stats are not trash tho.
Please consider I used trance without any swap for this screenshot: 30 seconds + lag swap means that I swap items for trance (obtaining +11 dmg) only a few times per quest.

Enhancements


Ravager capstone for Visage, and T5 for self-healing (friendly reminder: Ravager is a flavor tree, not a good tree). FB is where the good things are: core 5 is strong, better take it. I went for 200% strikethrough counting FB+FotW.
Throw your weight around costs 3(+15) points in the racial tree. 5(+1) points left, so you can take KtA.

Feats
Nothing unusual... THF line, PA, Cleave, Great Cleave. Please note I skipped Stunning Blow (being Con based...). This build still provides decent CC featuring Dire Charge, Visage (visage is no fail CC for reapers), Adrenalines, and Trip (200% strikethrough).

ED
FotW is an amazing destiny for any THF build. After the changes, you never run out of adrenalines. Wow, just wow.


Twists: Martial Hymn, Meld into Darkness, Haste Boost, Legendary Tactics, and Dance of Flowers.

Gear setup


I decided to slot 7 Summer and 4 Winter, so I had to use a weapon slot for the augment set (Wild Fortitude). I sacrificed Bloodrage Chrism (not a big loss, since I have insightful, quality and artifact PRR/MRR and my doublestrike needs the reaper boost to cap).
Legendary Sight of the Sleepwalker goggles is a great fit for Summer (Accuracy, Seeker, Deception). My Changestone is not perfect: Accuracy is redundant, but Insightful Accuracy is needed. Magmatic Cleaver is a forced pick too. Rune Lodestone is bugged: it does not break Cold Iron DR but bypasses 500% dodge.... poor dodge champions XD


Pros:
- Visage of Terror. Visage is fun. Visage backup is no fail CC.
- HP and Defenses. Not a real tank, but you are a tough mobile unit to crack.
- Amazing self-healing, even in R10. That's good if you pug with bad players who don't heal Please note you are bad too (see Cons below) XD
- Easy to play... This thing is good for lazy players. You have very few active things to manage:
1) Frezy+Death Frenzy+KtA upkeep
2) Boosts: Haste/Damage + Reaper's Strike
3) Few special attacks for dmg/CC: Cracking attack, Adrenaline + Boulder's Might, Laughter, Dire Charge, the 4x Cleave spam when needed, Trip if needed, Visage.
4) Temp hp from Blood Feast/Affirmation

Cons:
- DPS is decent, but way behind the current meta.
- In order to cap doublestrike you have to use Reaper's Strike
- Your survivability is top tier, but you can't heal. And that sucks.
- 30 seconds trance. If you are experiencing some lag swap during play, that means you have to skip most of the trance swaps. I slotted Int and Insightful Int augments in my gear: +13 is bad, but still better than the insightful deadly/tactics the actual items offer.
- To Hit. Viable, far from excellent. Pump your Strength using Yugo and Toven Cookies, Raging Strength etc. With 34+16 accuracy from gear, I had almost no issues with grazing hits on R10 quests, but I did my runs with my bard friend Vinci
- Armor Piercing. 34+16+25 from gear and Cracking Attack are good but you'll need support. Vs high fort targets, you need external help to land your big hits.

Ravager in 2021 vs Ravager in 2018
In conclusion, I made an interesting comparison with my 2018 ravager stats.
The power creep we had in the last years is quite evident. Gear should be toned down imo.

Reaper stats 2021 vs 2018:
- Melee Power: 365 (prowess melee bonus up) vs 361 (old prowess melee bonus up)
- Doublestrike: 102% (boosted) vs 72% (boosted)
- Sustainable Dire Charge DC: 139 vs 133
- Sustainable Visage DC: 85 vs 75
- HP: 6324 vs 4033
- Healing Amplification: 318 vs 263
- PRR: 319 (no Bloodrage Chrism) vs 292 (with Bloodrage Chrism)
- MRR: 149 (no Bloodrage Chrism) vs 112 (with Bloodrage Chrism)

In conclusion, it's a fun build to play when you are lazy and you want to be a chubby dwarf.

Feel free to ask for more information

[Komradkillingmachine]

Love this!

30 second KtA tho. Oof.

Wish devs would update dwarf tree - reduce AP costs and finally add CON to-hit with Throw your weight around.

It would go a long way to help a bunch of builds, especially Hate Tanks.

[polymath]

I have always loved the idea of a con based dwarf barb.

Quick side note and not to take away from your thread, but what exactly is meta compared to this ?

Seems like this would work great in high reaper!

Poly

[TFerguson]

Did I miss a feat breakdown?

EDIT: yes I did, and I found them.

[Vish]

i always like builds where theres a changestone involved

just keep doing this for all the classes,
and well know whre the game is

[Gilga1]

Quick side note and not to take away from your thread, but what exactly is meta compared to this ?
Seems like this would work great in high reaper!

Good question
Let's talk about R10 quests only.
To be efficient a melee build must meet three requirements, imo.

1) DO NOT DIE - dying is the worst thing you can do if you are looking for fast completions. Survivability means passive defenses, but above all active defenses (like temp hp or dodge buffs) AND cc.
Barb is excellent at surviving. A FB dps specced or this Ravager can both count on Blood Fest, Affirmation and Blood Tribute, and Improved Uncanny Dodge. On the CC side, Ravager has Visage (long cd tho), FB has stunning blow (and more strikethrough).

2) DO FAST KILLS
The dmg output of the FB is vastly superior. Main reason is the critical profile: FB with Tail has 15-18 x4, 19-20 x7. Ravager with greataxe has 17-18 x3 19-20 x6.
FB has way more to hit/dmg/melee power via gear (full dps gear, so quality deadly, bloody thorns etc) and enhancements (FB capstone + falconry for +30% vs helpless and +50% fort bypass OR VKF capstone for 5% speed).
FB can cap doublestrike using gear/enhancements, so you can use Reaper boosts for more fort bypass or crit dmg. FB is a clear winner.

3) FAST MOVEMENT
Both FB and Ravager are fast: 10% movement speed + sprint boost.

[polymath]

Good question
Let's talk about R10 quests only.
To be efficient a melee build must meet three requirements, imo.

1) DO NOT DIE - dying is the worst thing you can do if you are looking for fast completions. Survivability means passive defenses, but above all active defenses (like temp hp or dodge buffs) AND cc.
Barb is excellent at surviving. A FB dps specced or this Ravager can both count on Blood Fest, Affirmation and Blood Tribute, and Improved Uncanny Dodge. On the CC side, Ravager has Visage (long cd tho), FB has stunning blow (and more strikethrough).

2) DO FAST KILLS
The dmg output of the FB is vastly superior. Main reason is the critical profile: FB with Tail has 15-18 x4, 19-20 x7. Ravager with greataxe has 17-18 x3 19-20 x6.
FB has way more to hit/dmg/melee power via gear (full dps gear, so quality deadly, bloody thorns etc) and enhancements (FB capstone + falconry for +30% vs helpless and +50% fort bypass OR VKF capstone for 5% speed).
FB can cap doublestrike using gear/enhancements, so you can use Reaper boosts for more fort bypass or crit dmg. FB is a clear winner.

3) FAST MOVEMENT
Both FB and Ravager are fast: 10% movement speed + sprint boost.

Thanks for getting back! For the FB build would you recommend pure barb?

[Soulfurnace]

Why ravager over OS? The OS crit mult seems more fun - especially in fury - and in general OS just seems a more solid option for a fat sack of not-dying. No visage though, in fairness

[Gilga1]

Thanks for getting back! For the FB build would you recommend pure barb?

For general questing, pugs, etc (and if THF) I'd say yes. Aasimar (fallen bond + hands), FB (capstone), Falconry (trance, helpless, expose weakness), VKF (haste boost, 5% doublestrike). You can cap doublestrike using twists (Hymn, Meld, Dance, 6+3 doublestrike). Basic stuff, having hands is a big plus imo.
Other options (halforc, wood elf) are good too and have a slightly better damage output.
VKF capstone is an option for 18-x splits where x is usually 1 fvs 1 druid (if you miss Rams Might) or 2 cleric. Warforged is also an option for 18-x splits.

Why ravager over OS? The OS crit mult seems more fun - especially in fury - and in general OS just seems a more solid option for a fat sack of not-dying. No visage though, in fairness

I don't find any fun in a ****** critical profile... 18 x4 19-20 x8... XD
Like I wrote, Ravager and OS are both terribad. Ravage has Visage. I see no reasons to play OS, even as a flavor build just for fun.

[mikarddo]

For general questing, pugs, etc (and if THF) I'd say yes. Aasimar (fallen bond + hands), FB (capstone), Falconry (trance, helpless, expose weakness), VKF (haste boost, 5% doublestrike). You can cap doublestrike using twists (Hymn, Meld, Dance, 6+3 doublestrike). Basic stuff, having hands is a big plus imo.

I really enjoy your posts despite not playing melee, thank you for posting in such detail and with such vigor.

If you find the time to post a gear setup for an Aasimar pure Barb as outlined above it would be futher appreciated

[Gilga1]

If you find the time to post a gear setup for an Aasimar pure Barb as outlined above it would be futher appreciated

Hey sure. There are a lot of possibilities... here's a more offensive gear setup:




Unfortunately, the most important factor is the mythic/reaper mp bonuses you have on items, so my best gear setup could be different from yours (a +14 mp prowess ring is different from a +8 prowess ring).

[Darkfury]

This looks great, I love the fact that you are happy to try a 'flavor' build and are still happy to share the details, thanks very much for taking the time.

[mikarddo]

Hey sure. There are a lot of possibilities... here's a more offensive gear setup:

Unfortunately, the most important factor is the mythic/reaper mp bonuses you have on items, so my best gear setup could be different from yours (a +14 mp prowess ring is different from a +8 prowess ring).

Much appreciated.

[Hawkwier]

Nice build! Closest I've seen to my own current favourite, though this is more survivable and soloable with T5 Ravager and a chunk more HP, at the expense of DPS.

For a supposed flavour build, this should be very capable for R10 quests/lower dif raid PUGing at cap. Great survivability, with enough DPS to contribute significantly too.

Ravager capstone is often underestimated IMO. Doesn't work on all mobs, but when it does it's very nice.

Biggest drawbacks I find with barb are around getting to 100% standing DS (especially after U49 changes) (having to use Reaper Strike is a PITA) and attack bonus (pity they don't allow KTA to add attack bonus along with damage/tactics like with some other trances, but hey ho).

Thanks for posting this Tronko!