strength barb is crap especially since your guide should be for "new players", they shouldnt learn it wrong from a guide...

you shud add that a "tank barb" is only useable in catas, or if you got a crazy 200ee wep you can solo ...



totally agree with this.

addon:
strenght gear fighter
dex gears barb

and imo damage > tank because, if there is a good mage you dont need a tank - if there is a bad mage or no healer your tank doesnt help much.
and its easier to solo with a damage barb.

from lvl 0-25 or 30 new weapon every 5 lvls
later is a new weapon every 10 lvls ok. 35 45 55

This post was edited by feinfuehl on Aug 2 2009 12:00pm

This is so not true, I use a 97ee lvl 55 weap with a 45 109ee max life plate with the 100 vit tank build and I soloed my whole mq easily slow but steady, try it before you speak?

And a full strength barb works nicely in teams if the purpose of the char is to kill it is the most powerful of feeder classes.

I'm going to strongly disagree with everything and anything feinful has said.

1) Having a Tank char in a catacomb group is very important as it will save the healer loads of mana. However barb isn't ideal feeder to make tank IMO
2) Why would you recomend going 120 dex on a barb? Completly useless as your barb should focus on more damage not more defense since he isn't the most efficient tank. Also if your doing a 120 dex build, make a fighter it's starting stat points are better placed for such a build.
3) Recent tests seem to show higher str will give higher average damage as well as reducing overkills from crits, as far as catas go monster die pretty easy so you want more consistant damage IMO.

I only use a Barb, and I am a nub also, but I have found that I find it more effective to go:
All Dexterity, and 0 strength (Note: Softcore)
... 1. This can help the character by doing Arenas easily with crap gear uptp about level25-30 (might find some useful items on the way)
... 2. Then you can join in catas and go Front/Mid (depending on people in team) and still be able to get to MQ.

Equipment: Sword / Axe / Plate Mails ONLY...

What to look for on gear:
Level 0 (Bronze Gear) to level 14:
... 30%+ EE (these are cheap) = Weapon & Armor
... +250 Life (people say faster killing is better... this is correct... but 250 more life is equal to 5 extra levels... you can take more hits and last longer) = Wpn / Armor / Charm
... +15 or more Strength = Wpn / Armor / Charm
... BONUS Added Dexterity and or Intelligence

Level 15 upwards:
... 50% + EE items (still semi cheap... if you can afford better, then get better) = Wpn / Armor | Heal Charm

Please note that sometimes beginners have no FG or very little... so it could be an idea to incorporate some cheaper options.
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With the above gear... they should be able to do arena upto level 25 or more (depending on other stats on gear)
and they will be able to well items from level 10-25 ... this means they can find their own lower tier items that can help them later on.
Or sell on MP to get some funds to buy better items
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I am sure people that have more experience than I and have been playing it alot longer than me can argue that my ideas are dumb
But I have found that it works effectively for me...
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Anyway... some mention to starting with + More Life items should be mentioned at lower levels.
A barb gets +2 Life per vita point they put in.
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This post was edited by izParagonzi on Aug 2 2009 05:02pm

+2 life per point as well as +1 extra life per level per point invested btw, so if you invest in vitality you should only do it at earlier levels (most bang for your buck). Just an FYI.

This post was edited by arxyn on Aug 2 2009 05:06pm

i tested that - using a 16xish ee armor and my 52stats armor. with same axe/charm

at lvl 55 with the def armor i killed 4-6 mobs
at lvl 55 with the stats armor i killed 7-12 mobs

and at 65+ i can kill
with def armor 2-3
with stats armor 4-6

didnt test it with my new axe but well will test this sooner or later.
---------------------------------------------

and i never said i go for 120dex on a barb - i go for 105dex with ~165str depends on start stats point. (/E actually using fighters ... but used to play barbs)

tested these setups
dex/str
80 / 185
90 /175
100/ 165
110/155
120/145
130/135

and now i go for 105 /16x it was the best out of all tested options. - it works for solo / cata.

and to prevent from overcrits depends on your weapon, i dont "overcrit" much with my axes. id rather care about that if id use swords.
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and well the most mages heal 700+ or 200- .(softcore)

700+ = success
200-=fail

if there is a tank or not doesnt change anything.

tank is only needed if the healer is mediocore -
or if too many robe chars 4(with healer)

the only advantage of a tank char is that ee plates are cheaper than high stats armors.

This post was edited by feinfuehl on Aug 2 2009 05:38pm

I don't think you can compare a 160 ee armor to a 52 stats armor. A 100-120ee armor will already pretty much cover all of the physical hits taken. And the price of a 120ee armor is probably closer to 40 stats.

If you have a limited amount of fg go for EE if you have a lot to invest go 50+ stats.

Oh and my definition of a tank char is 80 -110 dex, 80-110 int, ee plate. Something that will absorb almost all of the damage dealt from catacombs. Just shoving on an EE plate doesn't make you a tank imo as your only absorbing 33% of attacks.

Oh and lastly catacombs = you need less dex
arena = you need more dex

and thats just a fact.

I still don't understand why you say tank chars aren't useful in a catacombs group. Less damage taken = less heals = more mana for you healer = longer cata runs

This post was edited by arxyn on Aug 2 2009 06:20pm

imo barb's are made to be meat shields and fighters should be the tradional warrior

This is true... but a nub like me... with no gear options can't invest into Vitality at the start, or Dex Gear later on.
When I get to level 71... I only have something like 106 Dexterity... and that is pumping EVERYpoint just into dexterity.

Quite honestly... you can not get 110+ dexterity on a starting feeder barb unless you have fg to buy Dex items...
25 Starting Dexterity
10 Starting Stat Points
71 Stat Points to lv71
106 Maximum Dexterity @ level71


I honestly think people should start gearing the guide to a NO fg beginner... this way you help them out better.
The extra parts like Dexterity/Strength/Int items should be regarded as what the best things to be looking for...
BUT:
Since they are starting out with nothing... then look for some gear with:
Example:
+life to help you live longer (these are cheap you can easily find some TierI-III etc items with life)
20%+ EE items, as in Weapon / Armor... this will help in killing and defense

This post was edited by izParagonzi on Aug 2 2009 07:52pm

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