Abbzug

It's really stifling in the early game to take a weapon focus I feel, which is why I've opted to take gallant's focus instead. It's only two accuracy less but it makes you so much more versatile and it's also an aura. I find it's an especially good talent for barbarians and chanters since they both like running with max int and they have a lot of free space for talents. Plus you can give your paladin zealous endurance instead.

I'm doing my first PotD playthrough (somewhere in WM now) and using a barbie. I went with an 18 might, 20 intellect start with everything else at base. Character is not so squishy that it needs reach weapons, so it's been hard to settle on a weapon style with so many good ones available once you get into act 2. DW doesn't really seem viable before you can get vulnerable attacks though, but afterwards it seems fine. Not the best single target damage (that's what other party members are for) but damage done is way far ahead of anyone else on my team. One thing I like about barbies is that they're very low bandwidth (though probably not as true if you dump stat con or res). They have enough defenses that I don't really need to ever worry about him doing his job, which gives me more time to focus on the casters. Buffs and debuffs obviously amplify his strength greatly, but they also help everyone else.

I think the subtext of the patch is that they've nerfed every martial except paladins, so take a hint already.

You've phrased this as a discussion but you don't seem to want any that disagrees with you. And that synergies like equipment choices, buffs and debuffs (i.e. things that actually exist in the game) don't belong in this discussion, but that PvP (something which isn't in the game) should be included is a bit stupefying. It all feels very artificial.