Weapon Specs for Barbs

[Shellfire]

Is it smart to just spec in one type of weapon (blunt, slash, or pierce) or spread it out?

I thought this would be more like DAOC, and it isn't, but I do like it.

[ncvr]

Originally Posted by Shellfire

Is it smart to just spec in one type of weapon (blunt, slash, or pierce) or spread it out?

I thought this would be more like DAOC, and it isn't, but I do like it.

If you want to keep it simple, then yes it's okay to skill only one weapon discipline, but most experieced players get two for the best spells in those disciplines (e.g I have max blunt and 11 slashing, just for disable limb).

[Arafails]

I would tend to go for at least 15 blunt because you want lots of lethal anatomy (and also piercing resistance I think is in the blunt tree). Barbarian's ain't nothin' without a lot of strength ("Overwhelming strength" in the warcries tree will help your damage bonus, but actual increases in the strength stat also help your hit chance and spell focus).

Beyond that, while you could stack everything on one discipline, it tends to pay from a defensive and tactical point of view to spread the points out. For example, all the passive damage resistances are somewhat high up in the skill tree for the weapon disciplines.

[UmarilsStillHere]

High str passive is debatable, Mattdoesrock only has 83(?) Str and does fine :P

But I would suggest 11/15 Blunt for MS3/4 at least, if its not in your setup then your missing out on a spell that can turn the tide of a war in one hit (dispell a conju defence and auras for example allowing him to be killed easily and leaving his team open to attack)

I wont talk much about grinding since a lot changed since I last did any major grind on my barb.

But for setups, (at 50)

19 Wc is very common, level 5 in frenzy/berzerk/overwhelming, are in near all barb setups, with Um (main CC spell resist spell) on 3/4/5 and sometimes tfb (area damage boost for allys) on 5

2 Handed Mastery is a large part of my setup and many others, but not others, its sort of a marmite tree some love it some hate it, I love it, TFB (+atk speed + clum. dmg. for 5 hits) is great on 5, Beast attack I use on 5 as its the only %+% damage spell for Blunt users, Expansive wave is a powerfull short CD front aura, nice for quick casting a ground of enemys or at gates.

Tactics many use at either 11 or 15 On 11 using Feint/Caution/Spring 3 most of the time, on 15 Kick(a better version of feint)/caution/spring on 4 and maybe keeping Feint on 4 as well for 2 knock down spells.

Blunt is the main wep tree I use, it has the best warrior wep tree passive (+str) even at level one, as well as Mindsquasher which I already mentioned, the mid ground area from the 3 trees and a -cost spell. And a low damage imob Spell

Peirce is a good rounded tree and the extra range will allow you extra hits, it has a %+% spell and the weakest area. A low damage imob spell a -Dex DOT spell and a spell canceling spell, however I find feint/kick to be better to stop spells with. Also its very tricky to time.

Slash is possibly the most common tree to see in use, it has the best %+% spell (south cross) and the strongest Area spell, as well as a -% movement speed spell which is good for slowing down your target so he cant run so easily. It has the worst stat passive of the 3 (+dex, wtf?)

Hope this Helps

My barbs current build is

Blunt 19
Slash 11
Peirce 9
Tactics 11
2H 19
Wc 19

Which is a mainly 19-tree setup, some prefer to go for mainly 15 trees and have a larger ammount of weaker spells than a small group of strong ones which can be limited in some situations, for example ince my build is mainly for fort wars it lacks high speed (spring 3 onsl 1) which means on open ground if my enemy decides to run away then he has a decent chance of getting away.

[Mattdoesrock]

Originally Posted by Umaril

High str passive is debatable, Mattdoesrock only has 83(?) Str and does fine :P

Correct.

Actually with my current build I only have 79 strength.

I still do loads of 1k - 1.5k normals though, all it takes is Thirst for Blood and Beserk - I don't even use a weapon magnification.

[Recoil]

Originally Posted by Umaril

My barbs current build is

Blunt 19
Slash 11
Peirce 9
Tactics 11
2H 19
Wc 19

That is impossible build. Not enough disciline points for it. Fail.

My build:

bl sl pi ta 2h wc
13 19  3  9 19 19

I carry 1 two-handed weapon of each kind + a lvl 45 fast sword for shits and giggles.

[UmarilsStillHere]

Slash 9 sorry >< Was thinking of a few weeks ago...

[sobis]

My build

Blunt 7
Slash 19
Peirce 7
Tactics 13
2H 19
Wc 19