Update 39 Preview 2: Barbarian Adjustments

[Cocomajobo]

With update 39 a very quick collection of changes to Barbarian are expected to go live. This is not a revamp by any means, it is primarily a collection of numerical value alterations that became a large enough line item that it seemed to warrant it's own thread. This is not meant to change Barbarian gameplay, it is simply meant to put them in line with other dedicated melee classes that our data showed us they had fallen behind in a way that we could rectify in a simple manner that could be fit into the development schedule (in a way that an actual revamp of a tree that needs one would not have).

The gist of these changes is: Barbarians should now be capable of outputting damage closer to other dedicated melees and one of their defining class features (their damage reduction) is no longer massively outscaled by content.


DR Class Feature Revamp

• Barbarian DR no longer gives "classic" damage reduction like in old 3.5 of -1 damage per strike.
• Instead Barbarians now start with a 5% damage absorption to all damage except bane (this is a straight percentage of damage reduced BEFORE PRR/MRR calculation)
• This resistance is increased at levels barbarians normal got DR increases, by 1%, net of 11% by level 20 (BUG: This portion is not yet implemented in this preview build.)
• Enhancements in the barbarian occult slayer line increase this by 1% instead of the DR they once increased for a total of 4% available from the tree.
• The Fury of the Wild passive "Damage Reduction" increases this absorption by an additional 1%/2%/3%. (BUG: This portion is not yet implemented in this preview build.)
• Total max: 18% damage absorption to all damage except bane. Requires a Pure Barbarian with the fifth Core in Occult Slayer and a tier 2 Fury of the Wild ability to achieve.

Frenzied Berserker Adjustments

• Cracking Attack no longer costs HP and the cooldown is reduced to 12 seconds. Reduces fortification by 5/10/20% in addition to its existing effects.
• Crazy Strike now grants +.5/+1/+2[W] extra damage.
• Focused Wrath now grants +1/+2 Competence Bonus to Critical Multiplier.
• Focused Wrath now costs 1AP per rank.

Ravager Adjustments

• Hate now deals +1/2/3[W] and has a cooldown of 6 seconds.
• Mutilate now has a 10-second cooldown per monster on proccing its Charisma damage (as you can use Hate much more frequently now).
• Slaughter's cooldown is now 12 seconds.
• Critical Rage now grants +1/+2 Competence Bonus to Critical Threat Range.
• Critical Rage now costs 1AP per rank.

Occult Slayer Adjustments

• Weapon Bond's active cooldown is now 20 seconds. It now costs 1 Weapon Bond, and grants a +5 Unique Bonus to Attack.
• Parrying Bond's bonuses are now Unique
• Guarding Bond's bonuses are now Unique
• Vicious Strike now deals +1/3/5[W], and is now 1AP per rank.
• Antimagic Boost now includes +10/20/30 Action Boost bonus to MRR in addition to its existing effect.
• Driving Force now costs 30/20/10 Weapon Bond, lasts for 20 seconds, and adds 5/10/20 MRR in addition to its existing effect.
• Seeker’s Strike now deals +3/5/7[W] and costs 20 Weapon Bond. It is also now 1AP per rank.
• Occult Metalline now grants +1 Comptetence Bonus to Critical Threat Range and Critical Multiplier in addition to its existing effects.
• Occult Metalline now costs 2AP.

[unbongwah]

• Focused Wrath now grants +1/+2 Competence Bonus to Critical Multiplier.

Does this mean the multiplier bonus applies to the entire critical threat range of one's weapon rather than the current "when you roll a natural 19 or 20" effect?

[Cocomajobo]

Does this mean the multiplier bonus applies to the entire critical threat range of one's weapon rather than the current "when you roll a natural 19 or 20" effect?

Yes.

[unbongwah]

*digs up bard / barbarian handaxe build before SSG comes to its senses*

[Lynnabel]

*digs up bard / barbarian handaxe build before SSG comes to its senses*

Believe me, I've been running that internally for a few weeks now. It's gonna be spicy!!

[Dorian]

You forgot one...

Occult Slayer Adjustments

• Occult Slayer's capstone spell resistance bonus now stacks with items

[lyrecono]

With update 39 a very quick collection of changes to Barbarian are expected to go live. This is not a revamp by any means, it is primarily a collection of numerical value alterations that became a large enough line item that it seemed to warrant it's own thread. This is not meant to change Barbarian gameplay, it is simply meant to put them in line with other dedicated melee classes that our data showed us they had fallen behind in a way that we could rectify in a simple manner that could be fit into the development schedule (in a way that an actual revamp of a tree that needs one would not have).

The gist of these changes is: Barbarians should now be capable of outputting damage closer to other dedicated melees and one of their defining class features (their damage reduction) is no longer massively outscaled by content.


DR Class Feature Revamp

• Barbarian DR no longer gives "classic" damage reduction like in old 3.5 of -1 damage per strike.
• Instead Barbarians now start with a 5% damage absorption to all damage except bane (this is a straight percentage of damage reduced BEFORE PRR/MRR calculation)
• This resistance is increased at levels barbarians normal got DR increases, by 1%, net of 11% by level 20 (BUG: This portion is not yet implemented in this preview build.)
• Enhancements in the barbarian occult slayer line increase this by 1% instead of the DR they once increased for a total of 4% available from the tree.
• The Fury of the Wild passive "Damage Reduction" increases this absorption by an additional 1%/2%/3%. (BUG: This portion is not yet implemented in this preview build.)
• Total max: 18% damage absorption to all damage except bane. Requires a Pure Barbarian with the fifth Core in Occult Slayer and a tier 2 Fury of the Wild ability to achieve.

Frenzied Berserker Adjustments

• Cracking Attack no longer costs HP and the cooldown is reduced to 12 seconds. Reduces fortification by 5/10/20% in addition to its existing effects.
• Crazy Strike now grants +.5/+1/+2[W] extra damage.
• Focused Wrath now grants +1/+2 Competence Bonus to Critical Multiplier.
• Focused Wrath now costs 1AP per rank.

Ravager Adjustments

• Hate now deals +1/2/3[W] and has a cooldown of 6 seconds.
• Mutilate now has a 10-second cooldown per monster on proccing its Charisma damage (as you can use Hate much more frequently now).
• Slaughter's cooldown is now 12 seconds.
• Critical Rage now grants +1/+2 Competence Bonus to Critical Threat Range.
• Critical Rage now costs 1AP per rank.

Occult Slayer Adjustments

• Weapon Bond's active cooldown is now 20 seconds. It now costs 1 Weapon Bond, and grants a +5 Unique Bonus to Attack.
• Parrying Bond's bonuses are now Unique
• Guarding Bond's bonuses are now Unique
• Vicious Strike now deals +1/3/5[W], and is now 1AP per rank.
• Antimagic Boost now includes +10/20/30 Action Boost bonus to MRR in addition to its existing effect.
• Driving Force now costs 30/20/10 Weapon Bond, lasts for 20 seconds, and adds 5/10/20 MRR in addition to its existing effect.
• Seeker’s Strike now deals +3/5/7[W] and costs 20 Weapon Bond. It is also now 1AP per rank.
• Occult Metalline now grants +1 Comptetence Bonus to Critical Threat Range and Critical Multiplier in addition to its existing effects.
• Occult Metalline now costs 2AP.

can you please make Frenzy and Death Frenzy from frenzied berzerker into a toggle, similar to power attack?
having to click that every minute upsets my carpel tunnel.

[Selvera]

Said build has a lot of disadvantages compared with my bard/fighter handaxe build; but +2 multi is pretty spicey and the run speed looks nice. Safe to say I'm more excited about this build then I am about the introduction of yet more lackluster bows and quarterstaffs which I don't see getting any serious use.

Trying to decide by eyeballing if occult slayer's been buffed enough to be worth using as anything except a niche SR build. I have a feeling trying to manage weapon bond stacks might still be annoying in difficult content (if you die you lose a lot of power and continue to die sort of thing). Might need to test it.

Am I missing something? I was pretty sure Critical Rage already gave +1/+2 Competence Bonus to Critical Threat Range.

[GramercyRiff]

Focused Wrath = thumbs up. Love it.

also the damage absorption is so much better than the very outdated DR concept. the DR concept was bad way back when Barbarian 3E came out.

Occult Metalline is a nice buff too. I'm not sure I can ever do anything but Focused Wrath, but I'd consider Occult Metalline perhaps. Metalline is just a great feature to have and the +1/+1 to both range and multiplier is obviously good.

[Cocomajobo]

Said build has a lot of disadvantages compared with my bard/fighter handaxe build; but +2 multi is pretty spicey and the run speed looks nice. Safe to say I'm more excited about this build then I am about the introduction of yet more lackluster bows and quarterstaffs which I don't see getting any serious use.

Trying to decide by eyeballing if occult slayer's been buffed enough to be worth using as anything except a niche SR build. I have a feeling trying to manage weapon bond stacks might still be annoying in difficult content (if you die you lose a lot of power and continue to die sort of thing). Might need to test it.

Am I missing something? I was pretty sure Critical Rage already gave +1/+2 Competence Bonus to Critical Threat Range.

It used to only work while raging. That restriction has been removed.

[Steelstar]

You forgot one...

Occult Slayer Adjustments

• Occult Slayer's capstone spell resistance bonus now stacks with items

It should already be doing this.

[GramercyRiff]

Cleric and Barbarian just got some sweeter synergy. Thanks SSG.

[aoeusnth]

I'm really liking all of these changes. The critical threat and multiplier changes on all the tier 5's are really nice and 'even' things out among the three trees. Also I think the buffs to a lot of the active attacks were really called for. Before they were really weak, and now they're in line with what I would expect their power to be.

[edrein]

Are all of the T5 self healing options being updated to additoinally include palemasters by changing the healing source from baseline positive to racial healing?

I've been campaigning and waiting for that change since they first went live. Blood Strength and One Spirit both perfectly work with undead thematically, and Metabolism could work with undead like Vampires. Either way I don't see harm in allowing them for on melee PM splashes.

[Valerianus]

sorry if i quote myself

https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthrea...48#post6079948

like some of us were discussing in this suggestion thread, please, really take in consideration the frenzy\Death frenzy issue, because is a real gameplay issue. as suggested, if turning it into a toggle is too demanding atm, please at least increase significantly the duration, really, please.

[GramercyRiff]

I'm in the please make Frenzies not have to be clicked every minute camp too. Can Frenzies just last as long as Rage?

I'll take any quality of life change though.

Again though, I love these changes to Barbarian. Good job.

[Sam-u-r-eye]

BAR BAR BAR

[J-mann]

Hey with these changes barb might be interesting again! Any hope for pallies to get some love too?

[GramercyRiff]

Hey with these changes barb might be interesting again! Any hope for pallies to get some love too?

I gotta think this is happening at some point. Paladin needs the help. I'd say hope is justified here.

[Yamani]

DR Class Feature Revamp

• Barbarian DR no longer gives "classic" damage reduction like in old 3.5 of -1 damage per strike.
• Instead Barbarians now start with a 5% damage absorption to all damage except bane (this is a straight percentage of damage reduced BEFORE PRR/MRR calculation)
• This resistance is increased at levels barbarians normal got DR increases, by 1%, net of 11% by level 20 (BUG: This portion is not yet implemented in this preview build.)
• Enhancements in the barbarian occult slayer line increase this by 1% instead of the DR they once increased for a total of 4% available from the tree.
• The Fury of the Wild passive "Damage Reduction" increases this absorption by an additional 1%/2%/3%. (BUG: This portion is not yet implemented in this preview build.)
• Total max: 18% damage absorption to all damage except bane. Requires a Pure Barbarian with the fifth Core in Occult Slayer and a tier 2 Fury of the Wild ability to achieve.

Will this DR system eventually make its way to shields too?