Patriarch Ulfsark - Dual Axe Whirler

[dutes]

Patriarch Ulfsark - Dual Axe Whirler

Warning: Wall of Text Ahead

[highlight]The Background[/highlight]

Inspired by Fabian's outstanding AxeGoldie GF barb, and his thread on rune drops from the Travincal Council I decided to build my own dual-axe wielding WW barb to run the council (and others).
The name 'Ulfsark' is the name given to a type of Viking soldier who wore the furs of wolves and bears and were notorious for their tendency to go into a frenzy during battle (lifted from Wikipedia).

[highlight]The Plan[/highlight]

A pretty standard WW barb build, Maxed WW, Axe Mastery, BO, the 1-pt wonders and enough points in Find Item to hit 50% for horking.

Skill: Points (with gear + BC)

Shout: 12 (16)
Battle Orders: 20 (24)
Find Item: 12 (16)
War Cry: 1 (5)
Battle Command: 1 (5)

Pre-Req's: 4 points

Axe Mastery: 20 (24)
Iron Skin: 1 (5)
Natural Resistance: 1 (5)

WW: 20 (26)
Berserk: 1 (7)
Double Swing: 1 (7)

Pre-Req's: 5 points

[highlight]The Gear[/highlight]

Head: Arreat's Face socketed with 15/15 MD/Res All Jewel

Spoiler

Scintillating Jewel of Carnage
Jewel
Required Level: 26
Fingerprint: 0x7efee956
Item Level: 86
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+15 to Maximum Damage
Cold Resist +15%
Lightning Resist +15%
Fire Resist +15%
Poison Resist +15%

Body: 'Duress' Dusk Shroud

Waist: 8%LL String of Ears

Hands: Laying of Hands

Feet: Gore Riders

Neck: Highlord's Wrath

Right Hand:

Spoiler

Grief
Berserker Axe
EthTirLoMalRal
One Hand Damage: 54 - 159
Indestructible
Required Level: 64
Required Strength: 128
Required Dexterity: 49
Fingerprint: 0x7844f158
Item Level: 87
Version: Expansion
35% Chance to cast level 15 Venom on striking
+38% Increased Attack Speed
50% Enhanced Damage
Damage +384
Ignore Target's Defense
-25% Target Defense
+165% Damage to Demons (Based on Character Level)
Adds 5 - 30 Fire Damage
-23% to Enemy Poison Resistance
20% Deadly Strike
Prevent Monster Heal
+2 to Mana after each Kill
+14 Life after each Kill
Ethereal
5 Sockets (5 used)
Socketed: Eth Rune
Socketed: Tir Rune
Socketed: Lo Rune
Socketed: Mal Rune
Socketed: Ral Rune

Left Hand:

Spoiler

Death Cleaver
Berserker Axe
One Hand Damage: 94 - 292
Durability: 23 of 26
Required Level: 70
Required Strength: 138
Required Dexterity: 59
Fingerprint: 0xb26aaee8
Item Level: 86
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+40% Increased Attack Speed
295% Enhanced Damage
+12 to Maximum Damage
-33% Target Defense
66% Deadly Strike
+7 Life after each Kill 1 Sockets (1 used)
Socketed: Ruby Jewel of Carnage

Ruby Jewel of Carnage
Jewel
Required Level: 58
Fingerprint: 0x701fa9bb
Item Level: 80
Version: Expansion 1.10+
32% Enhanced Damage
+12 to Maximum Damage

Ring 1: Manald
Ring 2:

Spoiler

Order Band
Ring
Required Level: 15
Fingerprint: 0xd1af9bb5
Item Level: 21
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+73 to Attack Rating
3% Life stolen per hit
+1 to Strength
+22 to Mana
Poison Resist +23%
Level 1 Charged Bolt (22/22 Charges)

<-- nothing too special

Switch: Twin Dual-Ist'd Ali Baba's (for horking)

Charms:

Spoiler

Steel Grand Charm of Vita
Grand Charm
Required Level: 69
Fingerprint: 0x1dfb90f5
Item Level: 80
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+115 to Attack Rating
+36 to Life

Emerald Small Charm
Small Charm
Required Level: 32
Fingerprint: 0x5e96fcf8
Item Level: 67
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Poison Resist +10%

Sharp Grand Charm of Life
Grand Charm
Required Level: 21
Fingerprint: 0x4362caf7
Item Level: 82
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+10 to Maximum Damage
+68 to Attack Rating
+19 to Life

Sharp Grand Charm of Vita
Grand Charm
Required Level: 69
Fingerprint: 0xaa89e549
Item Level: 81
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+7 to Maximum Damage
+69 to Attack Rating
+36 to Life

Sharp Grand Charm of Greed
Grand Charm
Required Level: 21
Fingerprint: 0x8abb39ea
Item Level: 66
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+8 to Maximum Damage
+63 to Attack Rating
12% Extra Gold from Monsters

Steel Grand Charm of Greed
Grand Charm
Required Level: 35
Fingerprint: 0x6558884a
Item Level: 85
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+110 to Attack Rating
36% Extra Gold from Monsters


Fine Small Charm of Strength
Small Charm
Required Level: 21
Fingerprint: 0xa4ecdb74
Item Level: 85
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+1 to Maximum Damage
+20 to Attack Rating
+1 to Strength

Tangerine Small Charm of Strength
Small Charm
Required Level: 5
Fingerprint: 0xd7d4356e
Item Level: 19
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+1 to Strength
Lightning Resist +4%

Beryl Small Charm of Strength
Small Charm
Required Level: 5
Fingerprint: 0xfc43c26b
Item Level: 20
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+1 to Strength
Poison Resist +4%

[highlight]The Man[/highlight]

Name: Ulfsark
Class: Barbarian
Experience: 1385059540
Level: 88

Stats Naked/Gear
Strength: 115/139
Dexterity: 65/96
Vitality: 345/345
Energy: 10/10

(With Cries)
HP: 1569/3468
Mana: 97/242
Stamina: 499/1058
Defense: 16/8874


Resists - with Natural Resist
Fire: 180/140/80
Cold: 160/120/60
Lightning: 178/138/78
Poison: 167/127/67

[highlight]The Help[/highlight]


Name: Jemali
Race: Desert Mercenary
Type: Off-Nightmare
Experience: 82716020
Level: 88

Spoiler

Duress
Embossed Plate
ShaelUmThul
Defense: 778
Durability: 30 of 55
Required Level: 47
Required Strength: 125
Fingerprint: 0x7db1fdf8
Item Level: 64
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+40% Faster Hit Recovery
20% Enhanced Damage
Adds 37 - 133 Cold Damage Over 2 Secs (50 Frames)
15% Chance of Crushing Blow
33% Chance of Open Wounds
+157% Enhanced Defense
-20% Slower Stamina Drain
Cold Resist +30%
All Resistances +15
3 Sockets (3 used)
Socketed: Shael Rune
Socketed: Um Rune
Socketed: Thul Rune

Shael Rune
Required Level: 29
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Weapons: +20% Increased Attack Speed
Armor: +20% Faster Hit Recovery
Shields: +20% Faster Block Rate

Um Rune
Required Level: 47
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Weapons: 25% Chance of Open Wounds
Armor: Cold Resist +15%
Lightning Resist +15%
Fire Resist +15%
Poison Resist +15%
Shields: Cold Resist +22%
Lightning Resist +22%
Fire Resist +22%
Poison Resist +22%

Thul Rune
Required Level: 23
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Weapons: Adds 3 - 14 Cold Damage Over 3 Secs (75 Frames)
Armor: Cold Resist +30%
Shields: Cold Resist +35%


Rockstopper
Sallet
Defense: 182
Durability: 10 of 18
Required Level: 31
Required Strength: 43
Fingerprint: 0x9e0fb3ed
Item Level: 87
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+30% Faster Hit Recovery
+190% Enhanced Defense
+15 to Vitality
Cold Resist +26%
Lightning Resist +37%
Fire Resist +39%
Damage Reduced by 10%


The Reaper's Toll
Thresher
Two Hand Damage: 40 - 470
Durability: 38 of 65
Required Level: 75
Required Strength: 114
Required Dexterity: 89
Fingerprint: 0x2f39059c
Item Level: 87
Version: Expansion 1.10+
33% Chance to cast level 1 Decrepify on striking
234% Enhanced Damage
Ignore Target's Defense
Adds 4 - 44 Cold Damage Over 1 Secs (33 Frames)
15% Life stolen per hit
33% Deadly Strike
Requirements -25%

[Highlight]The Journey[/highlight]

Progress was steady through Normal, Khalim's flail, Angel's and Hsrus to begin with, swapped out for the 'Chieftain' at Level 19 and that did just fine till 29 when Steeldriver was able to come in. Dual Butcher's Pupils at 39 each with a Jewel of Fervor was enough to finish normal. They were both upped at level 52 and they provided plenty of power through NM until I could equip Grief and Death Cleaver.
Skill progression was simple, points into pre-req's, save up all extra points, max BO and WW first, then Axe Mastery, then enough points into Find Item to get 50% and then all remaining points into Shout.
The entire game was played at /Players8 including Hell Ancients and Hell Baal. It was actually still quite quick, a few deaths due to IM and overconfidence, only one due to a too powerful enemy (an Extra Strong, Fanat, Cursed pack of Frenzy Lords in the WSK)

Notable Finds

Spoiler

Rainbow Facet 
Jewel 
Required Level: 49 
Fingerprint: 0xef9654c6 
Item Level: 85 
Version: Expansion 1.10+ 
Unidentified 
100% Chance to cast level 47 Chain Lightning when you Die 
Adds 1 - 74 Lightning Damage 
-4% to Enemy Lightning Resistance 
+5% to Lightning Skill Damage 

Nightwing's Veil 
Spired Helm 
Defense: 326 
Durability: 29 of 40 
Required Level: 67 
Required Strength: 96 
Fingerprint: 0xe836c3b 
Item Level: 86 
Version: Expansion 1.10+ 
Unidentified 
+2 to All Skills 
+10% to Cold Skill Damage 
+104% Enhanced Defense 
+19 to Dexterity 
+5 Cold Absorb 
Half Freeze Duration 
Requirements -50% 

Thunderstroke 
Matriarchal Javelin 
Throw Damage: 91 - 171 
One Hand Damage: 78 - 140 
Quantity: 37 
Required Level: 69 
Required Strength: 107 
Required Dexterity: 151 
Fingerprint: 0x74b7488f 
Item Level: 79 
Version: Expansion 1.10+ 
Unidentified 
20% Chance to cast level 14 Lightning on striking 
+3 to Javelin and Spear Skills (Amazon Only) 
+15% Increased Attack Speed 
160% Enhanced Damage 
Adds 1 - 511 Lightning Damage 
-15% to Enemy Lightning Resistance 
+3 to Lightning Bolt (Amazon Only

[highlight]The future[/highlight]

Ulfsark's future will lie mainly in Travincal although he's also likely to see some Pindle and Baal action, he can be optimised depending on where he's headed, (MF for Pindle, GF for Travincal, a mix of power and MF for baal)

[highlight]The End[/highlight]
He was stacks of fun and very powerful, throw on Fortitude and his power would go up even more. The only things he had trouble with were physical Immunes and mana burners, even unleechables weren't too bad as long as they weren't one of the above, as i could WW away from the group, drink a Juve and then be back to the fray. Mana burners who could stop me from whirling, or packs of Phys Immunes who I had to switch to berserk for were the only genuine threat. It meant ghosts were particularly nasty.

Thanks to Fabian for the inspiration to build my own Whirly Barb for trav, everyone who contributed to my thread on HF rushing (which allowed me to get the runes for 'Grief'), Bassen for trading me the 1.07 eth Zerker axe which was my base for 'Grief' and anybody else I missed

 

[MooKang]

Re: Patriarch Ulfsark - Dual Axe Whirler

Age of Mythology... thats where I know the name from...:thumbup:

 

[Ziggyzug]

Re: Patriarch Ulfsark - Dual Axe Whirler

Gratz on the Pat.

+1 for the name. I always appreciate some of the more obscure names that can be pulled out of history or mythology.

With those Ali Baba's you'll be able to deck the halls in green and gold this season. But why ist'd and not lem'd?

 

[sorcererbob]

Re: Patriarch Ulfsark - Dual Axe Whirler

But why ist'd and not lem'd?

Switch: Twin Dual-Ist'd Ali Baba's (for horking)

Items > Gold

 

[Liquid_Evil]

Re: Patriarch Ulfsark - Dual Axe Whirler

Masterfully done hero! I dig the weapons, and the jewel you stuffed in your helm was six shades of sexy. Good luck with his MF/GF career, and may all your drops be gold or golds.

 

[Raskah]

Re: Patriarch Ulfsark - Dual Axe Whirler

Congratulations!

I definitely got some shinning bling in this character. The jewels are great and the weapons are very nice.
I guess WW goldfind barb are starting to flourish around... I need to get one of these too (need to work on the grief ebugged BA:whistling

 

[Nubikoen]

Re: Patriarch Ulfsark - Dual Axe Whirler

Congratulations. A whirler barb with those weapons can only be totally awesome.

That jewel though... wow.

 

[dutes]

Re: Patriarch Ulfsark - Dual Axe Whirler

@Ziggyzug - Thanks! As for the Ists, sorcerorbob summed it up pretty well. To me gold is not that great an attraction, items are. The possibility of finding some decent S/U from the council (as well as gold, jewels, charms and possibly runes) makes the Ists my preferred option.

Thanks to everyone, and for those who liked the jewel, I have a 14/15 (ED/Res) which I'm sure I'll find a use for sooner rather than later :whistling: