Barbarian problems - is it me?

[skaffen]

Hi,

started a PotD-run and thought I´ll go for a almost completely different party composition this time, among them a barbarian. I was planning to use him as a second row melee damage dealer - but so far he´s absolutely underwhelming.

 

-Pathing problems: even with quarterstaff he has problems striking from the second line and keeps running around the enemy mobs to attack directly and not across my tanks, of course getting slaughtered.

 

-What´s the range of carnage? Is there any way to display it? I have him with 18 int but don´t think I´ve had a single carnage trigger from the second row on those occassions that i could get him to strike from there (leaving aside the stupid fact that carnage radius is int and not weapon based which I find almost revoltingly stupid).

 

How do you use a barb properly? I have 2 tanks (pal and chanter - as I said I wanted a different party composition so no fighter) but he causes me nothing but grief so far and without the carnage triggering from the second line what´s the point? Might as well go for a ranger or range rogue with less hassle...

 

Thanks for any help, somehow i desperately want to like him but it´s just not clicking yet.

[Matt516]

No way to display the radius, but with 18 int you should be making Carnage attacks against all enemies adjacent to or a wee bit further from your target. The range is measured from your target, not you - so it should still trigger off the back line. I use a quarterstaff sometimes on my barb and haven't noticed issues - though I can check later tonight to make sure.

 

As for pathing issues, use command queueing. Shift click frenzy, then a move order right behind your tank, then an attack order on the enemy you want to hit. You have to do that kind of micromanagement with reach weapons sometimes, but with command queuing it's no problem..

 

EDIT: Also, by default Carnage has a -10 accuracy modifier (it has to roll individually for every enemy it affects). You might check the log to see if maybe you're making Carnage attacks but just rolling unluckily.

Edited April 11, 2015 by Matt516

[Doxy]

Barb is meant to be played on the front line with your tank. 

High CON+draining weapon+carnage+one stands alone passive make barbs Guts from Berserk

[skaffen]

Barb is meant to be played on the front line with your tank. 

High CON+draining weapon+carnage+one stands alone passive make barbs Guts from Berserk

Hmm... that's not the playstyle I had envisioned.

 

Might be workable with fighter tanks, at the moment (level 3) I am hard pressed to keep aggro with my chanter and pal tank and keep getting overwhelmed / outflanked. I'll see if hold the line at 4 makes a difference, if not I guess I'll go back to fighter tank and see how it goes with a barb. PotD is really tough, might have to go for 2 tanks and 4 artillery after all

[Eos]

if not I guess I'll go back to fighter tank and see how it goes with a barb. PotD is really tough, might have to go for 2 tanks and 4 artillery after all

Fighter + Chanter works like a charm

[PIP-Clownboy]

With a 2h reach Barb on POTD you're going to want Brute Force/Threat Presence and spread Weakness with your casters for insane accuracy boosts. One Stands alone is bugged and will probably be nerfed in 1.05, so I wouldn't build around it unless you were making a maintank retaliate Barb.

[skaffen]

OK, finally got carnage to proc and things seem a bit more manageable now that I have reached indoor areas. But it seems you really need a reach weapon in the second row, generic two hander not enough.

 

Does the DR bypass of an estoc and other weapon modifiers get applied to carnage or is it flat damage?

[Eyonik]

One Stands alone is bugged and will probably be nerfed in 1.05, so I wouldn't build around it unless you were making a maintank retaliate Barb.

Where you got this from? Edited April 15, 2015 by Eyonik

[Eos]

 

One Stands alone is bugged and will probably be nerfed in 1.05, so I wouldn't build around it unless you were making a maintank retaliate Barb.

Where you got this from?

 

 

In law they call it 'systematic interpretation', i.e. looking at something in relation to other examples from the same environment. In this case: every other talent in the game adds %-based damage. Stand Alone is the only one which adds a flat damage bonus. There isn't really a reason why this should be the only talent that works this way, at least no obvious one. So most people assume that it's a unintended leftover from the beta in which several skills/talents had flat damage bonuses and all of them except for Stand Alone were changed to being relative.

 

So in no way absolute certainty, but rather likely that it's just an oversight and will be changed.

 

Also because it's crazy op :D

Edited April 15, 2015 by Eos

[Kelstrom]

My advice is to drop the 2h weapon. At lower levels the barbarians have a hard time hitting enemies and the carnage is even harder with -10 accuracy. Use a single spear until at least level 5 where you can get OSA (one stands alone). If you get the retaliate armor (sanguine armor) you can switch to any 2h weapon and use the barbarian as a tank.

 

Also get Savage Defiance - very useful ability.

Edited April 15, 2015 by Kelstrom

[CriticalFailure]

(leaving aside the stupid fact that carnage radius is int and not weapon based which I find almost revoltingly stupid).

I could be wrong, but I think it's somewhat related to the weapon you're using as well. I seem to reach more enemies with Carnage with a greatsword than with a one-handed weapon.

[Exoduss]

Had same problem , in theory its all good and nice , when you get in game on POTD with barbarian he just does some retarded pathfinding and dies without an impact i guess more pactice and micromanagement is needed than i would like to give to melee guy with this pathfinding system