lvl 53 PK barb

[sahlakh]

I need some feedback before I start the barb.

Skills:

20 BO
20 berserk
xx mastery
xx zerk synergies (kinda lost here, do synergies add more dmg than mastery?)
plus one point wonders

Gear (ladder, no really expensive stuff):

Arreat's / Io, 15 max, ed jool, 15% ias - dunno really
Lionheart dusk
IK gloves + belt
Gorerider
Bladebarrier / 15% ias, eld, ed jool
ethe kingslayer highland blade
2x raven frost 20 dex
rare tele ammy with 20 dex

Inventory: 10x fine gc's, small vitas.

How does it look?

a) I hit 2 attacks per sec without 2x ias jools, gonna hit 2.2 if I socket the jools, worth it?
b) Which adds more dmg, 15 max or 30% ed?

Thanks.

[Vizjerei]

I would use a BB for Kingslayer insted, but a highland blade is a decent choice to..

30ed > 15max w. eth BB KS =)

But think the build look pretty solid

[stevethatsmyname]

no really expensive stuff

ethe kingslayer highland blade


hehe well if you dont consider eth kingslayer BB to be expensive, what is expensive to you?

Anyways.... with a high damage weapon like eth kingslayer, ED jewels will add a little more average damage than max jewels. I have tested it. Max damage jewel will add more max but it doesnt add any to minimum damage. Don't use ED/max or ED/min jewels because those add hardly any damage at all. If you can get rare, multiple mods, max dmg OR ED jewels (like 20+ max dmg, or ED/str, ED/dex, Max/str, etc...) go for it.

Bladebarrier / 15% ias, eld, ed jool
I dont really understand this about your shield choice. For a pvp zerker you really have only a few options for shield:
a) shield of deflecting with 2-3 sockets (depending on how rich you are) filled with jewels with IAS or jewels that will help your damage. This is my personal fave.
b) lance guard barbed shield with eld rune or a jewel. Mostly used for deadly strike... I dont recommend it.
c) upgraded moser's blessed circle. This is if you cant really afford a shield of deflecting with 3 sockets. It is a little better than a plain old shield of deflecting with 2 since it has a little bit of resists (can help vs fire claw bears and casters). Put diamonds or damage jewels or ias in the 2 sockets).

For gloves/belt. IK is a decent combo. It will leave you with lots of life because you can tweak up your strenght.

But this setup will leave you with no damage reduce, and if you use lionheart dusk to tweak up your strenth, you wont be able to switch to shaft if you are facing up a wolf-druid. I dont really recommend lionheart. If you dont feel that you need the 30% damage reduce (I think its needed vs mid lvl chargers and werewolves who can both potentially 1-hit you) Then you might as well use it for 60% ias or for 120% ED. I think socketed armor has a lot more going for it than lionheart does.

The 2x raven frost and tele amm is looking good. be sure to have an angelic ring/ammy in your stash for if you fight against someoen who you just cant hit :P. Tele ammy will be just for surprising casters and such.

After you BO, you should probably change your switch from WC spears to dual suicide branch for extremely fast teleporting. Teleport is insanely fast with suicide branch.

Well thats about al i have to say for now good luck with your zerker.

[sahlakh]

I meant lance guard (somehow mixed them up).

Chose lionheart to save stats points for vitality. Build is mostly for terrorizing nm baals, challenging sorks, hammerdins and other builds who probably underestimate the power of mid lvl zerker. Of course I might try dueling games as well.

Just tested in SP with editor, think I gonna hit:

4.5 k max dmg (without might)
2.7 k life
13 k ar

[Zavior]

How much ds / cs will you have?

[stevethatsmyname]

honestly, i see no reason to go highland blade instead of balrog blade unless you are going to try for 9 frame berzerk (which will cost you some damage)
The breakpoints are: 63% and 105% ias for 10 and 9 frame zerk.


If you go balrog blade, you will end up with a whole lot more damage and an easy time getting 10 frame (a whole lot easier than getting 9 frame with highland blade). Breakpoints for BB are 48%,75%, and 125% IAS for 11,10,and 9 frame zerk.

75% can be attained with: 30 from weapon, 25 from glove/belt, and a jewel in helm and a jewel in shield. That gives you 85% total ias. You can even keep an armor with 3 ias jewls in your stash in case you want to get to 9 frame for any opponent.

I find that not having to rely on the strenght from armor is extremly useful in a dueler/pker. You can customize the armor to deal with different enemies. Here is a list of the armors in my stash that i used to deal with different foes:
(shaft was my main armor)
4x thul armor for fighting cold sorcs
4x ort armor for fighting FoH pallis
4x ED jewel armor with life for anything that isnt melee
griz armor for bugging everything on :)

[Phantom_Man]

Yeah, 53 pretty much equals Balrog Blade...