Frenzy barb at a crossroad

[Pinkweed]

Hi everybody, I hope you will take some time to answer/help me.

I stopped playing D2 LoD just after 1.10 came out, not because of the patch, I just needed a break from the game. However, now I am back, and as always, I am playing Barb. They just look cooler, and as many knows, Its all about the looks:)

To the question, I just started 8 days ago, and made a WW barb since they were good pre 1.10 in PWM. However I find them a bit sucky now, and therefor I made a Frenzy barb, and that is going quite well. I am lvl 80 with him now and I have used skills this way:

20 mastery
1 inc stamina
1 inc run/walk
1 iron skin
1 Nat. res.

1 bash
1 DS
1 DT
20 Frenzy
1 leap
1 leap attack

1 Howl
1 Shout
20 BO
1 BC

Now I have a lot of unused skill points, and I just dont know where to put them. I have read on the forum that alot seems to go Taunt or DS and I pan on that too. However I dont know which is worth it more. Taunt seems to be nice, less damage to me, but DS will go to no mana cost when fighting mana burners, and that will be a help too.

What about shout, do I need the extra defence, or will LL do the trick?

Do I need berzerk for killing psy immune? Or can Duel Lightsabre do it in swap?

Furthermore I have heard that alot says that Axe is better than swords. How come? Cause there is no axes that can have more than 3 socks and still be 1 handed of my knowledge. That means that Axe pretty much sucks for a frenzy barb doesnt it?

Atm I use to oaths for frenzy, but I could make a new barb and trade the oaths away and get something else for a axe barb if it is really that much better. Can someone tell me how the axe vs. swords work?

Inc walk/run aint good when going WW I was told? Can someone confirm this?

Thanks in advance, its a lot of questions I know:) Hope someone will answer.

Greetings Pinkweed

Answers are most welcome.

[The Haggler]

Though I've been playing off and on for a few years, I figured I might try and answer some of the questions and leave the skills to the more veteran Barbs.

Most of the Axe vs. Sword debate rests on a few key points:
Axes usually have lower dex requirements (59 for Zerker axe, 136 for phase blades), which means more vit = more life.
(However, if you are going for max block this is obviously a moot point.)

Also, Axes are the only weapons that are eligible for the blood weapon recipe, which can create some stupidly good weapons (as in Cruel of Quickness good).

Of course, with a frenzy barb you should certainly check out the Fury runeword (JahGulEth). The mods speak for themselves. Also, Zerker axes and Warspikes (and their normal/exceptional counterparts, naturally) can both spawn with 6 sockets.

Concerning the walk/run for WW barb issue, from what I understand, is that the faster you move, the less chances you have of getting extra hits. That is, if you WW past the monster too fast, you don't get as many possible hits as if you were to slowly WW past them. If you Pvp, then catching up with everyone who runs away from you might be an issue. You could always try asking a more experienced WW'er or just season to taste.

*Note: I have not made a WW barb, and am only going off of my understanding. Checking a guide would certainly be a good follow up if you are still concerned.

Hopefully I've answered most of your questions well enough, and maybe one of the grizzled Frenzy vets can answer your skill-related questions.

Good luck, and happy hunting! :thumbsup:

[Pinkweed]

Thank you. Seems like you were the only one who was kind enough to answer:)

I guess axes > swords then. Too bad I went swords:/

[Ash Housewares]

plenty of options with swords still, they're plenty functional

do not waste time on Fury runeword, too many better runewords IMHO, Fury is for whirling assassins

double swing will not cost mana once it reaches level 9, so get it to 9 if you want it as a backup when mana burned