Looking for tips for Barbarian PotD post 3.02

[Skie Nightfall]

Been a while since I played. Looking for highlights regarding an aggressive melee barbarian build. I don't even know what weapon type to aim for

 

Looking for suggestions on weapons, and talents mostly, but anything useful.

 

TIA

[Dorftek]

Been a while since I played. Looking for highlights regarding an aggressive melee barbarian build. I don't even know what weapon type to aim for

 

Looking for suggestions on weapons, and talents mostly, but anything useful.

 

TIA

The Tidefall greatsword is insane on an offensive barbarian.

High INT and ring of Overseeing for bigger AoE.

Dump resolve and use potions of spiritshield instead for concentration. You'd need high perception aswell depending on your setup especially early game, so dump some Con too I'd say.

[Skie Nightfall]

I remember Tall Grass used to be a big thing.

 

I tend to keep some resolve for conversation still.

 

Thanks for the input.

[omgFIREBALLS]

I remember Tall Grass used to be a big thing.

I'm playing a barbarian on PotD with TG. It's a pretty recent character. I haven't tried the class much previously but I'm absolutely loving this. I can't say if it's Carnage or TG+Carnage that's won my heart, but from what I'm seeing you can't go wrong with it <3

[rheingold]

Its really difficult to go wrong with tall grass, in fact I prefer it to tidefall..

[Boeroer]

Tall Grass is great - so is any weapon that does something special on hit or crit with a barb (We Toki, Godansthunyr, Hours of St. Rumbalt and so on). The chance the effect procs is much higher because of carnage. But since a barb has rather poor ACC and no class specific means of raising ACC besides of Accurate Carnage, you will need to buff and debuff so you can get the most out of on-crit-effects.

 

If you follow Dorftek's suggestion of lowering RES and don't want to sip potions all the time, you could also use the Celebrant Gloves. They will cast Holy Meditation every now and then if you receive hits and crits. That should boost your concentration. You can combine that with Shod-in-Faith boots for good self healing. You will need that with low RES.

 

A Barb with Tall Grass can stand in the second row and still poke enemies, so he can be build even more aggressive/offensive.

 

Tidefall is also very nice. The AoE draining adds a lot of survivability even with low RES - and the barb's immense health pool prevents early K.O. from low health. 

 

But the real deal are melee weapons with spell chance like the Unlabored Blade, St. Ydwen's Redeemer, Grey Sleeper, Vent Pick, The Giamas Morning Star and so on. Because they trigger on 10 to 25% of all hits/crits, a barb will trigger those all the time if his carnage area covers three or more enemies. And since they don't rely on crits, you don't have to push your ACC too much. Unlabored Blade for example is just devastating on a barb who stands in the middle of a mob. He will proc Firebug multiple times - it doesn't even matter if he does any weapon damage - the firebugs alone will kill most ememies quickly. I can see a fire godlike retaliation build with Scion of Flame and Unlabored Blade.

Edited March 25, 2016 by Boeroer

[Skie Nightfall]

Great stuff.

 

What about talents?

[Boeroer]

Depends on your build idea/playstyle. For example you don't need One Stands Alone and Savage Defiance if you use Tall Grass. Accurate Carnage, Greater Frenzy and all dmg+ and ACC+ things are your friends then.

 

If you want to stand amidst the mob you might want to take One Stands Alone, Savage & Stalwart Defiance, Barbaric Retaliation and talents that help you to survive. With high MIG and INT Veteran's Recovery is good.

 

If you play a dual wielder with sabres and have a paladin and/or chanter and/or priest I highly recommend high MIG and INT, Blooded, Vengeful Defeat and Heart of Fury plus an aggressive approach and second chance. You will go down all the time - but the full attacks of Vengeful Defeat are really good and you can get raised all the time. You will me a monster magnet - like a living bait - but still do good damage.

Edited March 25, 2016 by Boeroer

[KDubya]

I always have trouble roleplaying a Barbarian with genius level intellect who comes up with a battle plan revolving around getting knocked out repeatedly in a fight

 

With the new cripple on KO that'd increase the number of rests unless you just keep going with lots of injuries until health damage requires resting.

[omgFIREBALLS]

Hahahaha. Thanks for the new signature.

[Boeroer]

I always turn off injuries on K.O. It's just annoying. Especially for this kind of build obviously.

 

You can play that barb as a disciple of Zahua's philosophy - with Novice's Suffering and monk's outfit and so on. Would totally make sense.

[Skie Nightfall]

Now debating between two handed style and two weapons style

[Boeroer]

Dual Wielding sabres is good for barb's dps because of the high base damage of sabres. You need a bit of base damage to compensate for the loss of damage from carnage. It only has 60% of the original damage I think. That's not too good if you have low base damage since it has to overcome the normal DR of foes. Dual wielding with faster, lighter weapons might result in lower damage overall because lots of it gets eaten up by enemies' DR. You can counter that with Vulnerable Attack and other means of DR bypass though (rending, Ryona's Vembraces and so on).

The only thing that is not so great about sabres is that there is not one which does something nice on hit/crit.

 

Two Handed weapons have the advantage of higher base damage but are also a lot slower. But there are some nice two handed weapon with special on hit/crit effects that work especially well with barbs: Hours of St. Rumbalt, Tall Grass, Tidefall, St. Ydwen's Redeemer, Grey Sleeper, Mabec's Morning Star and so on.  

 

We could also take weapon & shield into account. When bash will work with carnage, this is a good setup with those bashing shields that do something on hit/crit. Namely Badgradr's Barricade and Dragon's Maw. The Maw's enchantment for barbs is very nice. Imagine that with the Unlabored Blade... phew. Drawn in SPring with Badgradr's Barricade is also a great setup. I#M just playing this with the Devil of Caroc and it works great. For some reason Thrust of Tattered Veils will now shoot twice every time I crit with the bash... but hush! Don't tell OBS! 

Edited March 26, 2016 by Boeroer

[Teioh_White]

Well, while it's cheesy and I don't use it, Spelltongue is amazing for Barb. Anyone else and it's a thin line if they can keep the buffs up, one swing from a Carnage will generally give enough leeway when Monk #42 knocks you on the ground. And while Spelltongue also boosts potions and team buffs, Barb at least comes with some nice in-house stuff to get started, keeping up a perma Frenzy and Savage Defiance.

 

As for Shields, I like em, but not the Soulbound one, because it can't get Durgan'd. Helps get that recovery down to zero, and lets you just keep swinging with the Unlabored Blade rather than alternating with something that's not as good. Only weapon I'd really share with the Blade would be a Spelltongue.

 

As for 2hand v. 2Weapon, it depends. Dual Wield is great if you can't otherwise get recovery down to zero, as dual wield makes it a breeze to do so. Just by itself, it'll take away 52% of recovery once Durgan Steel comes, where 2hand will only be at 15%.  Sword'n'board at least can get 30% as well, leaving 2hand at a distinct disadvantage post Durgan Steel. And teh madx dpsors comes from getting that recovery down to 0.

 

Dual Sabers is great early on, as the main issue with Sabres is that they don't really have a top flight one for endgame. Best they'll do is +0.5 Crit mod and draining, which is actually a decent mod for a Barb as they do so much damage. But nothing cool like Unlabored Blade, which can just wreck stuff with it's proc. But their weapon trait, basically +18% base damage, blows the other weapon traits outta the water, so before the other weapons get their cool uniques, just picking up 2 Sabres is the best bet.

 

Can even get two decent ones early, as the 4th floor of Endless Paths has one with 0.5 crit mod and 20% graze->hit, and can buy a cheap Exceptional on in Salty Mast shop. Both of these will be picked up around level 5-6, and it can last until you've got more a handle on the game and can find some uniques to decide which way to go.

 

And what exactly is the malus for Carnage? I read back in 1.X it was a -0.33 mod, which is basically nothing end game, but I've never gone and tested it. I think it just be a mod rather than a % would fit more with how Pillars normally does mechanics, but I've no first hand knowledge on it.

Edited March 26, 2016 by Teioh_White

[Skie Nightfall]

Having not playing the expansion yet, I don't even know what Durgan's Steel does yet

 

Also, not planning to use shields with my barbarian myself, but this is some good information to anyone else who comes looking. Thanks

Edited March 26, 2016 by Skie Nightfall

[Madscientist]

I play a barbarien at the moment and I agree with Boeroer:

- give him tall grass and let him attack from the back row to be on the save side.

- Dual wielding one weapon that stunns and one weapon that knockdowns is nice, in case enemies are immun to one of this

- A fire godlike with vent pick and unlabored blade looks also nice, both damage and RP wise

- If you fight a group of vessels with st. waidwens redeemer, you start a genocide.

 

- I dislike to build around vengeful defeat: you want to have your char killed just to get a full attack? I prefer to CC enemies and avoid taking damage.

 

Basically a barbarien is all about spreading debuffs and interrupts with carnage. Some int and per is a must, the rest is up to you if you want brute force, survivability or speed.

 

bonus question: Does retaliate (from fire godlike, barb skill or equipment) still cause carnage?

[Dorftek]

I love my barbarians! Currently running Barb-Tidefall, Barb-St Rumbalt, Barb-Tall grass and a paladin to support them. They mow through mobs like they are nothing, creating walls of mobs prone on the ground! Never had this much fun in endless paths before!

Thinking about adding a cipher to put "Flanked" on mobs and get the +dmg against flanked resting bonus for them.

 

What does that unique Morningstar u listed do and where do I get it?

Edited March 26, 2016 by Dorftek

[Blades of Vanatar]

I prefer Resolution with Azureiths. Both can be picked up by lvl 4-5 easily. Add Shod in Faith and Vets Rec, high Int n Might. First rate melee damage dealer with sustainability built by lvl 5.

[Dorftek]

What does that unique Morningstar u listed do and where do I get it?

Nvm this, I put my laziness aside and actually googled it *gasp*

 

I want this Morningstar! My RNG sucks

 

Generally, stunning is better then prone right?

Edited March 26, 2016 by Dorftek

[Boeroer]

Generally yes. Less immunities and the debuff is more hefty. You can get that from Godansthunyr (war hammer) and Cladhaliath (spear), too.