PvP Berserker barb help!!

[dys0r]

Hey guys,

New to the forums, but not to the game.

I built a pure PvP berserker barb since I loved this build (among the WW barb) back in 09. I do pretty good against most barbs in melee, but my real problem comes against zeal pallies with 50k+ defense and their insane IAS. My other problem's against kicker assassin builds (I'll list later in another post).

Here's my setup:

Headgear: Arreat's Face w/ 38-15ias jewel
Armor: BP Enigma
Weapon: 397 ed eth botd zerker
Shield: Cham'd ss
Gloves: 52-16 rends
Belt: 35-15 dungos
Ammy: Angelic ammy
Rings: 2x angelic rings
Boots: Gorerider
Charms: 7xwar cry gcs w/ life; large and small charms of vita w/ AR and some with +max dmg; small charms w/ fhr (also using an anni)

I have about:

- 5.9k life with this setup (lvl 90 barb)
- 92% fhr
- 29k AR
- 8k berserk dmg
- max block

How does a berserker build stack up against these high def zealots? Well, for one, he doesn't do too well.. I get lucky sometimes, but that's about it. It's probably because of their annoying lifetap on their exile (is this even allowed? Er, stupid question.. I duel in public games), but when they don't hit me w/ lifetap, I do average at best.

Please, please, help me out here! What should I change in my gear? Any help would be appreciated.

- Terry

[Loca`ne]

seems to me that your setup is really quite good, zeal pally's are just your bane. they'll hit faster and more often then you will vs them.. all I could really tell you is that you could try and put a demon limb in your stash and use the lvl 21-23 enchant charges to raise your AR. Also try to find 2 glaives with +3 warcries each for added boosts, put those on your switch, buff up and go out slaying... with zerk all you really need is one or two hits to take em out. Maybe also concider using the angelic dual ring ammy setup for even more AR... AR is key vs zealers.

Loca

[dys0r]

Hey,

Thanks for the reply. I'll try the enchant charges on a demon limb. Also, I forgot to mention that I have 2xechoing swords w/ fal runes on switch (hence, the massive life boost I have). Thing is, though, I'm already using dual angelic rings and the ammy. I'm beginning to think this is a hopeless battle. :grrr:

Anymore help would be appreciated, too.

- Ter

[Asheron]

Well if you need more AR that bad you could try Hsarus boots+belt which add quite alot of AR aswell,but you'd lose verdungo and gores.

[Halciet]

Unfortunately, there's not a lot you can do period against exile paladins. WIth a berserker, they're going to block 75% of your swings, plus they have the unfair advantage of that shield's mods. Most of them use drac's too, and against a berserker with 0 defense, they're going to land every one of their 5 hits per attack that makes it past your shield. It's really gimpy, in general =/

-Hal

[mstrnicegui]

With the fal runes (+10 str) you said you had socketed into your echoing weapons, did you mean io runes (+10 vit)?

This is a waste of runes as the +20 vit and bonus from cries on that 20 vit are both lost as soon as you switch back to your main weapon. Get a pair of unsocketed echoing weapons and test it out. You'll notice your life will be the same regardless of the fal runes once you switch back.

[Asheron]

With the fal runes (+10 str) you said you had socketed into your echoing weapons, did you mean io runes (+10 vit)?

This is a waste of runes as the +20 vit and bonus from cries on that 20 vit are both lost as soon as you switch back to your main weapon. Get a pair of unsocketed echoing weapons and test it out. You'll notice your life will be the same regardless of the fal runes once you switch back.

Those Fal's are there to prevent popping in case he dies on his BO switch.

[dys0r]

Hey guys,

I got the demon limb, and I must say, my AR went from 29k to about 36.5k. Nice jump.. unfortunately, I still can't do much against those zealots. I tried to use concentrate (now w/ the big AR boost from the limbs).. heh, my barb lasts a little longer and manages to get a kill here and there (weak concentrate.. about 5k dmg).

I don't think AR is a problem for me with my setup.. it's just that I'm all out of options against the zealots. Should I sacrifice life and gear to try and hit 200% fhr? Hmm, some pally I was dueling earlier mentioned that I should go for highlords for the Deadly Strike.. I guess I could try that.

If all else fails, though, I might have to make a Concentrate barb.. which I don't want to do. :grrr:

- Ter

P.S.

I'll try the io runes on my warcry switch for the +vit boost, but I might run across the risk of not being able to pick up my body.

[mstrnicegui]

I was suggesting against the io runes because the vit bonus does not transfer when you switch weapons. I didn't realize the purpose of the fal runes and thought you were thinking of io runes and mistakenly said fal.

[Halciet]

FHR won't do you anything if you're using concentrate, since it's uninterruptable period.

If you built another pvp barb, I'd probably go with whirlwind, unless you were going to be STRICTLY melee, then conc might work out alright.

-Hal

[dys0r]

nicegui: Oops, misread your post, then.

Hal: I'm strictly melee, but I think I'll stick to my barb a bit longer.. I'll probably end up going for a concentrate build later on, though.

I guess this ends the chapter of the berserk barbarian.. a hopeless battle it started as against the mighty zealot. Oh, well.

Now, onto my next concern: the kicker assy. These guys just eat me for breakfast.. they take out half my life with these kicks before I even get a chance to strike back. Another hopeless battle, too?

- Ter

[Slayaboxer]

hmm mostly all fast attacking chars can have a high chance of beating a zerker because zerk isnt extremely fast

Maybe u should duel a l33t jabber with high DS.. Hmm could be interesting

I think conc is better for dueling or maybe even try stun:)

[Loca`ne]

kicker azns are just going to pwn you period... with thier mid range attacks you'll never get your zerk into play. VS those you'll want to go for WW for sure.

Loca

[Loca`ne]

I was suggesting against the io runes because the vit bonus does not transfer when you switch weapons. I didn't realize the purpose of the fal runes and thought you were thinking of io runes and mistakenly said fal.

gui... even I'm confused now ;P

[ReVolution]

Don't use angelics, the ar doesn't help that much and you lose tons of dmg from deadly/cold dmg and 30 dex. Highlords/dual ravens is a much better setup, just ehcanht when you need extra ar. Lvl 1 ww will solve your probs with palas, just ww away and make them come to you, then ww away again. it's kinda cheap but it works well.

[mstrnicegui]

gui... even I'm confused now ;P

good, that's the way I like it :lol: My previous comment was about the simplest way I could say it. And I agree, it's still clumsy.

Basically:
(1) vit on weapon switch is a waste, cause it doesn't transfer when you switch to your main weapon
(2) I learned the purpose of fal runes in echoing weapons
(3) I stuck my foot in my mouth cause I didn't know the purpose of #2.

[Jooonny]

for a zerker barb i think its crucial to hit at 9 frames ... with a botd cb u need about 100 ias to hit 9 frames , zerker is faster so u need less. To get that kind of ias u need to wear an ias (ed/ias) armor. but then u lose enigma...Maybe u could try a botd warspike which is faster, or an ed/ias helm...Anyway i think u should try the performance of ur barb with a 9 frames attack.

[dys0r]

I've tried a lot of setups listed here, and I must say that they're all quite good. I use bloodfist now to hit the 86% fhr bp, got some new charms (had to get rid of crappy 12%fhr gcs) and some new gear to try against other people.

I wanted to try to hit the 9 frame bp (I believe I need 125% ias for zerker axe), but it's quite hard. Here's a setup I have with a modest attempt (and still look good) to hit that 9 frames:

Headgear: Arreat's w/ 38-15ias
Armor: BP Enigma
Weapon: 397% ed eth botd zerk
Shield: SS w/ 36-15ias
Gloves: bloodfist
Belt: 40-15 dungos (upgrade from 35-15 dungos)
Boots: gore riders
Ammy: Highlords
Rings: 2xraven frosts

That's 120% ias... a tad short. What should I wear/sacrifice to hit the last bp and still have 86% fhr? Goldwrap??

- Ter

[jumbo_SHRIMP]

any extra points, put in leap, after you swing your berserk hop around using small hops, until the swirly is gone from your head, go swing at them again, rinse repeat, this keeps people away from you while you recover, it is also uniterruptible...meaning you can swing 1 time with zerk and then always keep them at bay til you can zerk again comfortably

phelix

[mstrnicegui]

craft a set of blood gloves with 20% ias or a good set of rare gloves with 20% ias, otherwise stick with your current gloves and 10 fps.