SP Dueling - Barbarian

[sicfire]

SP Dueling - Barbarian

A couple of friends and I are going to be getting together in a couple of weeks to do some dueling with characters that each of us have been building in single player. None of us are uber rich or anything so keep that in mind. I'm not sure of what exactly they are going to be playing, but I was thinking of a barbarian (or is there a better choice)...

Here's my basic setup I have in mind (again keep in mind I don't have uber items and my highest rune is a GUL from a helforge drop, I can either run the countess for any runes lower than that or I already have quite a few)...

Skills are basic...
20 WW
20 Sword Mastery or Axe Mastery (I prefer swords just for apperances, I know that axes have a lot better choices than swords in PvP)
5 Leap
20 BO
20 Shout
1 in all pre-requsites, 1 Berzerk and 1 point in War Cry and pres (for leveling and general play)

Weapons: this is what I'm looking for, something somewhat cheap but effective

Armor: I can make Lionheart right now, but hope to find a PUL for Stone (Stone would be better???)

Helm: Arreat's Face

Belt: Verdungo's

Gloves: Bloodfist's ???(don't have Dracul's or Steelrend)

Boots: Gore Riders (problem is they are only ethereal, hope to find some non-ethereal)

Amulet: Angelic

Ring 1: Angelic Ring 2: Ravenfrost

Any tips for dueling without Enigma would also be appreciated, my basic strategy is to leap and get them into hit recovery and whirl.

Thanks in advance.

On a side note this character once it has the items on it will be taken off of my computer and put on a friends, in other words it will be kept entirely seperate from all of my other characters because even though I trust my friends to be legit I still want to avoid the thought of becoming tainted.

 

[Colorless Green]

Re: SP Dueling - Barbarian

Weapons: I strongly recommend oath. Berserker axe(s) would be ideal, but cryptic sword isn't that much worse, and is easier to get.

Armor: Duress might be a better option than lionheart. Stone wouldn't be bad if you're going for absurdly high def, so maybe keep it in the stash.

Gloves: Try your hand at crafting some blood gloves, but failing that, there's nothing wrong with bloodfist.

Boots: Eth is likely to be a non-issue in PvP. While you still lose durability, you lose it very slowly (cause not a lot of hits really land). Use those, you'll find non-eth ones before they break if you only use them in PvP.

Shield: While it wasn't mentioned, I strongly recommend max block if you ever plan to fight anything melee, so having a stormshield around is an excellent idea.


Good luck.

-CG

 

[Trim]

Re: SP Dueling - Barbarian

I've never done any PvP, so if this is a bad idea (or illegal in PvP, I 'unno), I apologize in advance:

An armor choice I'd consider is a Guardian Angel. Defense isn't an issue as a barb with Shout; same with overall life with BO. It's likely no one else will have the pure physical damage you'll have anyway. That said, I'd want to focus on achieving the highest resists possible. Barring that idea, I'd agree with CG and see if Duress is possible for you.

And if you're talking about non-'nigma play, are you mostly talking about the lack of Teleport? Finding an ammy with tele charges or having a Naj's Puzzler on switch can take care of that. It'd be an expensive duel, but used sparingly it could really take them by surprise. :thumbup:

 

[maxicek]

Re: SP Dueling - Barbarian

Without knowing the rules you will play by, it is a bit difficult. But assuming one of the others will bring a sorc, you want to invest in faster run / walk.

Put at least five in increased speed. Five in Natural resist as well, as resists can be hard to come by in SP (no Anni / Torch) - take the points out of shout.. You want at least 125 FRW total. A circlet could be a good idea , eg Chromatic Circlet of Speed, Cat's Eye for the amulet. Failing that, you will need a lot of charms of inertia.

Also, under SP rules, there is no taint from PvP as you gain nothing from it - no items or experience.

Bloodfist is a pretty decent glove choice, Duress is the best bet for an armour, in the absence of enigma / fortitude.

 

[sicfire]

Re: SP Dueling - Barbarian

Forgot to post the rules: (Same as what is followed here)

PvP Rules
These are the generally accepted rules for PvP that try to make it fair for a variety of characters and players. In any given game, however, the host may set his or her own rules that may differ from those listed below. In any case try to respect the host's wishes, or create your own game with your own rules if you so desire.

General Rules
* Please try to be polite, so don't town guard, corpse guard, steal gold, etc.
* High level dueling takes place in Nightmare difficulty, low level dueling takes place in Normal.
* Potions, wells, shrines and mercenaries are not allowed.
* The only minions allowed (with the exception of the Amazon’s decoy) are those that can be summoned in town. Other minions, like the Necromancer’s revives, skeletons or magi, are not allowed.
* Duels only start when both parties have clearly stated their readiness.
* Characters requiring arrows or bolts must have their full supply on their character (in their hand, inventory or Horadric Cube). They will not be allowed to return to town if they run out of arrows or bolts during a duel, although extra quivers may be dropped just inside town to facilitate easier replenishment between duels.
* Leaving the Blood Moor is a loss for you, or your team (whichever applies)
* In a team duel, you must stay in town if you die until the duel is over.

Equipment Rules

* Bugged, hacked or duped items cannot be used – 1.07 crafted items are included in this category.
* All “1.07/1.08 vita†items like Arkaine’s Valor, Harlequin’s Crest, Baranar’s Star and Gerke’s Sanctuary are not allowed. The 1.09 or 1.10 versions of these items are acceptable, however.
* Items with the “Slows Target by X%†modifier are not allowed on physical-damage attackers (for example, Cleglaw’s Claw or Blackhorn’s Face). A caster character like a Necromancer or Sorceress, however, can use Blackhorn’s Face or other items with the “Slows Target by X%†modifier if they want.
* Items with the “Knockback†modifier are not allowed on any character class. Skills that provide a knockback effect (for example, Smite, Bash, Charge or Leap Attack) are still allowable.
* Total Life Replenish from items and skills combined is limited to 25.
* Poison damage is limited to 200 from items, per player. Poison damage from skills (for example, Venom or Poison Nova) is allowed in any amount.
* All duellers may use items that provide auras, with the exception of the “Doom†runeword as it provides the Holy Freeze aura.
* Each character is only allowed to wear two sources of +max resist/absorb per element. For poison, Poison Length Reduction gear will count as absorb. For example, you may wear 2 Ravenfrosts or 1 Ravenfrost and a Guardian Angel, but not 2 Ravenfrosts and a Guardian Angel. Items like Thundergod's Vigor with both +max resist and absorb will count as both of your two sources for that element, so you may not wear Thundergod's Vigor in conjunction with another item that provides +max resist lightning, +max resist all, or +lightning absorb. Finally, putting points into the paladin's passive resist skills will count as a source of +max resist.
* The Rising Sun amulet is not allowed on any character class.
* Blackoak Luna is not allowed on any character class.


Faster Run/Walk Restrictions
Maximum of 110% frw combined from skills, gear, and charms. For example, a Barbarian with 30% frw from Increased Speed can have no more than 80% frw from gear and charms. The skills that give frw are Frenzy, Feral Rage, Increased Speed, Vigor, and Burst of Speed. If you're going to be using any of these skills, plan your frw accordingly.

Banned Skills

The following skills are not to be used at any stage of a duel. They may have points invested in them as a pre-requisite for higher-tier skills or for synergy benefits.

* Lifetap
* Amplify Damage
* Iron Maiden
* Bone Prison (Necromancer)
* Decrepify (Necromancer)
* Blessed Hammer and Concentration at the same time (Paladin)
* Holy Bolt (Paladin)
* Holy Freeze (Paladin)
* Blaze (Sorceress)
* Teleport (Sorceress)

These items may not be used in the form of class skills, o-skills granted by items, charges, or chance to cast when striking.

Skill Restrictions

The following skills are capped or have limitations regarding their use in duels.

* Bone Armor (Necromancer) - It cannot be cast more than once per duel.
* Cyclone Armor (Druid) - It cannot be cast more than once per duel.


CG - Oath was actually a top weapon of choice for me, but I was thinking in a Balrog Blade (again just for appearance reasons, but more than likely will make it in Bezerker), although I still need Pul and Mal runes. I have 2 Guls and an Ist, but need to somehow break them down. Also forgot to put a shield in there, SS would easily be my top choice but I still need to find one.

I always thought that duress was more of a PvM armor, luckily I actually have one, but seems like most think it would work for PvP.

So far other builds that other people will be playing that I know of:

3 Barbarian - Don't know what type exactly but more than likely WW.
2 Assassins- One lightning trapper and one Ghost.
1 Druid - Fury/ more than likely rabies.
1 Amazon - Windforce GA Bowazon
1 Necromancer - Bone Spirit/ Spear
4 Paladins - Smiters more than likely.

I guess everyone else has built a second character to duel with. I'm planning on making a second aswell. I'm thinking a WW/ Trapper Hybrid Assassin, but really need to find the Ohm ruin (where would be the best place to run for this, would countess be best or would that take entirely too long. I've ran the countess hundreds of times, but never seem to get anything all that decent.) Kinda want my second character to be something unique/ different than what others are using.