Solo Barbarian build?

[Opal Inkwell]

Hello neighbors!

I'm looking for a solo-exclusive leveling Barbarian build, to get the past life on my way to Completionist. I'm quite familiar with the game itself, and have a decent number of past lives under my belt (7 of them) but have focused almost entirely on casters thus far. I'm looking to do a Barbarian with my next life, but I only play solo, so I'm looking for a build with both offensive power and survivability. I'm fine with splashing some levels of another class, but would prefer at least 12 levels of Barbarian, so it will feel like a barbarian, if that makes sense.

In addition to the build, I have a couple of questions in relation. How does one self-heal as a Barbarian? Is it "get a hireling and chug potions"? Or is it more of the Sorcerer method of "do crazy damage and hope everything dies before I run out of hitpoints"?

Is SWF with a bastard sword (for strikethrough) and shield better for the leveling process (where AOE is clearly king) or should I go THF? Should I be taking the Cleave feats, or am I better off with Whirlwind Attack and the THF feats?

Any advice would be awesome, thanks!

 

[unbongwah]

How does one self-heal as a Barbarian?

From level 2 onwards, Blood Tribute is your primary source of survivability. You don't need healing if you have enough temp HPs! At level 12, you gain access to self-healing from the tier-5s. All three trees have some form of self-healing, though Ravager's Blood Strength is still the best IMO.

Each time you land a hit there is a 12% chance you heal positive damage equal to half your Barbarian level. Each time you kill an opponent you are healed for 20 hit points. This healing scales with 100% Melee Power. Blood Strength has a one-second cooldown when you kill an enemy.​

Is SWF with a bastard sword (for strikethrough) and shield better for the leveling process (where AOE is clearly king) or should I go THF?

First off, you can only get SWF to stack with shields if you have Swashbuckler's Skirmisher enhancement; and that only works with bucklers. THF is still going to be better for AoE DPS than SWF; and the THF feats will unlock the Angry Arms + Mad Munitions enhancements from Frenzied Berserker as well as Great Weapon Aptitude if you're playing a race with access.

Should I be taking the Cleave feats, or am I better off with Whirlwind Attack and the THF feats?

Your core heroic feats will be THF x3, Power Attack, and Improved Critical; if SWF, you'll also want Offhand Versatility and possibly Knight's Training or an exotic hand-and-a-half proficiency. That doesn't leave room for Whirlwind + its two pre-reqs, unless you're human and/or dip fighter for more feats.

 

[Mickeymouse]

horc, thf, always pure, and always level to 30 for 2x reinc.

I never ever use hirelings for healing, and barb would be the last one to need one. buy a stack of CSW potions from house K for top up´s should be 35-60 per pot -- barbs get a good HAMP.

Frenzied Ber.. got a temp hp buff, blood tribute, that is spammable. arguably the best "heal" in the heroic game. you also get a dodge clicky. use that. max 'I like pain', its not super great but procs enough for solo endevours...

I pick up cleave.

 

[Opal Inkwell]

Your core heroic feats will be THF x3, Power Attack, and Improved Critical; if SWF, you'll also want Offhand Versatility and possibly Knight's Training or an exotic hand-and-a-half proficiency. That doesn't leave room for Whirlwind + its two pre-reqs, unless you're human and/or dip fighter for more feats.

Would you recommend splashing a couple levels of fighter for the extra feats to pick up Whirlwind or cleave? Is losing the capstone worth the bonus of an extra AOE attack?

 

[unbongwah]

Would you recommend splashing a couple levels of fighter for the extra feats to pick up Whirlwind or cleave? Is losing the capstone worth the bonus of an extra AOE attack?

If THF, I think you get enough AoE damage from Strikethrough + Supreme Cleave that you don't need more attacks. I'd rather stay pure barbarian and pick up Stunning Blow with one of the spare feats. Or if I do splash, it would be for a build like this, not for extra feats.

If SWF, extra AoEs might be a good idea and I would consider multiclassing, maybe something like Dragon Lord 8 / barbarian 12?

 

[FVSHasBeenEvenMoreGutted]

if you want my opinion, the best leveling (and endgame reaper solo) barb there is is a 12 barb 6 fighter 2 warlock. probably requires explanation. Well, I made the build to solo r4s at cap on a low lifeer, which the build does very well. t5 ravager for the amazing heals unaffected by reaper mode, 3rd core in kensai for crit multi (ravager gives +2 range), then the world is your oyster. can do thf, swf, twf, razorclaw, you name it. the build is great and it leveled like a dream

 

[Grunndi]

I agree with F above .

I’ve done a ton of lives as 6barb/6ftr/8whatever (could be more Barb, but I also use it to pick up classes I don’t really want to figure out how to play). Ravager t5, Kensi core 3, Blood tribute and sprint boost from FB. Get a carnifex, SoS, ESoS and watch the levels fly by. And I personally take cleaves for leveling (with the right split you get great cleave at 4).

Definitely not amazing endgame DPS for r10 and reaper raids, but super fast and easy to level with running r1-4 from 1-32.

 

[Kiany]

I agree with F above .

I’ve done a ton of lives as 6barb/6ftr/8whatever (could be more Barb, but I also use it to pick up classes I don’t really want to figure out how to play). Ravager t5, Kensi core 3, Blood tribute and sprint boost from FB. Get a carnifex, SoS, ESoS and watch the levels fly by. And I personally take cleaves for leveling (with the right split you get great cleave at 4).

Definitely not amazing endgame DPS for r10 and reaper raids, but super fast and easy to level with running r1-4 from 1-32.

I believe this is definitely the way I should have gone since I have a heroic and epic sos. My problem is I went dwarf and took the great axe tree, but now I'm realizing I can't find a decent greatace to save my life. I'm currently level 10 barb and kind of regretting it. I also think I screwed up when distributing my Stat points in the beginning. What would you have recommended my stats start with? Just max out strength and con, and the rest doesn't matter?
Do you think there's any way I can "fix" my build and switch to an sos build instead of greataxes, or am I screwed because I went dwarf ravager. I'm finding it hard to heal unless I have a hireling topping me off after every engagement. Any help is appreciated

 

[Savage]

Take a look at Strimtom's hardcore builds.

 

[Opal Inkwell]

Take a look at Strimtom's hardcore builds.

Strimtom's builds are fantastic, and I've used a few of them before when leveling casters. His builds don't always explain the gritty details though, like 'how does this build stay alive?' 'How is this build for a solo player?' etc. Hence my post here! But yes, Strimtom is a wonderful resource!

 

[Opal Inkwell]

I believe this is definitely the way I should have gone since I have a heroic and epic sos. My problem is I went dwarf and took the great axe tree, but now I'm realizing I can't find a decent greatace to save my life. I'm currently level 10 barb and kind of regretting it. I also think I screwed up when distributing my Stat points in the beginning. What would you have recommended my stats start with? Just max out strength and con, and the rest doesn't matter?
Do you think there's any way I can "fix" my build and switch to an sos build instead of greataxes, or am I screwed because I went dwarf ravager. I'm finding it hard to heal unless I have a hireling topping me off after every engagement. Any help is appreciated

If you have Ravenloft, the Barovian Greataxe is a great weapon. You could, theoretically, use it all the way up to 20. At that point, the epic Phiarlain Carnival greataxe would be pretty good, I think (I don't remember what it's called. Antique Greataxe or something).

You can also reset your enhancement trees.

Stat wise, I can only assume that you should max out Con and Str (in that order, most likely), and put whatever else you have left into Dex. Barbarians don't really need Int, Wis, or Cha for much.

 

[Kiany]

If you have Ravenloft, the Barovian Greataxe is a great weapon. You could, theoretically, use it all the way up to 20. At that point, the epic Phiarlain Carnival greataxe would be pretty good, I think (I don't remember what it's called. Antique Greataxe or something).

You can also reset your enhancement trees.

Stat wise, I can only assume that you should max out Con and Str (in that order, most likely), and put whatever else you have left into Dex. Barbarians don't really need Int, Wis, or Cha for much.

Thanks for that info. I actually will go grab the barovian axe and use that for a bit. I also just learned what blood tribute does lol. So I should have taken those enhancements first instead of the Dwarven tree. Now my survivability is way higher and I do pretty good damage. This should get me to 20 where I can tr.

 

[unbongwah]

My problem is I went dwarf and took the great axe tree, but now I'm realizing I can't find a decent greatace to save my life. I'm currently level 10 barb and kind of regretting it.

https://ddowiki.com/page/Category:Great_Axes

Carnifex -> Barovian -> Riftmaker would be my choice.

 

[Grunndi]

Thanks for that info. I actually will go grab the barovian axe and use that for a bit. I also just learned what blood tribute does lol. So I should have taken those enhancements first instead of the Dwarven tree. Now my survivability is way higher and I do pretty good damage. This should get me to 20 where I can tr.

Sounds like you figured a bunch out. Blood tribute is just amazing at lower levels, then blood strength takes over at 12, if you’re killing, you’re not dying, very Barb Zen.

Even as a dwarf I usually level with SoS and ESoS, as long as you have a decent damage mod it’s just better than everything with that crit profile. Once you get Improved Crit and Ravager T5, SoS is Critting more than 1/3 of the time. I’d just take HP from the dwarf tree if you have racial points to spend.

 

[Fizzix]

If THF, I think you get enough AoE damage from Strikethrough + Supreme Cleave that you don't need more attacks. I'd rather stay pure barbarian and pick up Stunning Blow with one of the spare feats. Or if I do splash, it would be for a build like this, not for extra feats.

If SWF, extra AoEs might be a good idea and I would consider multiclassing, maybe something like Dragon Lord 8 / barbarian 12?

I just ran a H-Orc THF 12barb/8DL for the barb past life to finish final heroic PL for completionist and was pretty pleased with it. And I am no fan of melee.

I'm also no build guru, but I built around picking up as much helpless damage/Strike through and Double Strike as possible where I could get and went T5 in DL for the shout.

Using the Supreme cleave and Whirlwind I was melting packs every 12sec.

For the whole R1 leveling process after bard buffs, I used Second wind maybe once in best laid plans when you get the packs of mobs back to back to back... Other than that it was just swing to the end without much problem. Not sure if pure barb would have been easier, but being able to put almost any mob in helpless state was pretty much the bees knees and kept me mentally stimulated.

I twinked out with SoS and epic SoS as well as Racial Completionist so it might not be first life friendly... The DL tree is just such a well thought out tree atm. I am stugling to not want to put 5-8 levels in it for any future melee lives.

 

[kmoustakas]

One of the very best solo classes.

I would suggest half-orc for the open lock enhancement because missing on chests can be annoying. Actually the whole half-orc tree greatly supports rage and the two handed weapon playstyle. Shifter has an enhancement to make your rage tireless if you have 11 racial points until you get to level 17 which makes rage tireless by itself if you don't plan to play epic.

Other than that, everything has been mentioned already. Start in berserker, grab blood tribute. I go tier5 berserker and take accelerated metabolism for the passive heal. At level 20 I would switch to ravager because the capstone is now bonkers. It's possible to go tier5 berserker and still grab capstone ravager if you ignore everything else.

If you are going to play epic, I would suggest dodge, mobility and whirlwind attack once you get all the main feats. The primal fury tree is amazing.