Best Frenzy Weapons?

[GreyGhost]

Just wondering what are the best frenzy weapons?

Ebotd Zerker?
Ebotd CB?
Death CB?
Grief Phase Blade?
Griz Caddy?

What else?

[Omikron8]

my opinion

axe: beast eth zerker + death eth zerker
sword: grief phase + death phase
mace: dual ethereal stormlash (the best)

[tuxor]

Eth beast zerker eh? Sounds like a waste of 3+ hrs to me
best damage output combo is: GriefZ and BeastZ IIRC(it's what most/all BvCs use btw) btw is this PvP? I was interested in making a PvP Frenzy Barb, but i heard it was dumb, so i stopped that idea :embarassed:

Yep, just tested: 30/400 GriefZ + 355/32 BeastZ beats 2x eth Zod'd Stormlashes Damage-wise. HOWEVER, do not forget stormlashes CtC Static Field as well as the 33% CB, this can dramatically change the killing speed. With 2x Storms, you will need 45 ias to hit 5fpa, achievable easily with Highlord's, Bloodfists, and a 15ias/other mod jewel in Arreats/CoA, with the Beast/Grief Setup, you will need no additional IAS to get you to your 5FPA frenzy attack. BUT, this all could be wrong so don't trade off for your weapons without listening to what others have to say :wink:

[GreyGhost]

axe: beast eth zerker + death eth zerker


Ummm beast doesn't have repair mod so wouldn't an ethereal one be a waste?

As for the others how is death better than last wish, since lw gives fade and lifetap?

Its a tough choice between beast, lw, ebotdz ... i don't like death personally

[Spankeh]

I find etheral indestruct weapons the best for frenzy because:

1. They do more physical damage
2. They dont need repairing
3. They have lower strength and dex requirements

Having said that, and testing a few of the main mentioned weapons (but not all) i find the following the best, and heres why:



Breath of the Dying and Death



ebotdz :thumbsup:
Runeword Etheral Berserker Axe

has great damage (probably the highest in the game for one hand) with great life and mana leach
Being etheral, lowers requirements by 10 for strength and dex
It has the highest ias on any weapon (besides a demon crossbow at -120 [-60 base weapon speed + 60ias from botd], but were talking frenzy, so this dont count)
Extra damage to undead, plus some attack rating, and also of importance, -25% to target defence, since we all know getting frenzy to hit bosses can be a little hard
30+ attributes helps equip other items, as well as your life (about 120 to life)
-20% reqs from hel rune helps even further to spend less on strength and dex, and add more to vita


edeathz :thumbsup:
Runeword Etheral Beserker Axe

has virtually the same physical damage as botd (can spawn at 385%ED plus 15%ed from superior weapon brings it to 400%)
On Arreats summit, the description changed around Feburary 2006 from 385%ED to 365%ED, and I havent got the foggyest idea why they did this, because:
1. I've seen a 400%ED edeathz while in trade window sometime in May 2006
2. I made a 384%ED collossal blade NON ED just last month (June 2006)
Being etheral, lowers requirements by 10 for strength and dex
50% crushing blow! No explaination needed here.
50% deadly strike! No explanation needed here. A little less for >lvl 95 chars
Ctc glacial spike freezes all but bosses like stun for a couple of seconds, freezes even minion of destruction dudes.
Mana Leach
Bonus to attack rating via 20% increase and +50 to ar
Since this weapon goes in off hand no ias is checked, so the zero ias from this runeword is no penalty
-20% reqs from hel rune helps to spend less on strength and dex, and add more to vita


With these two weapons you are doing the highest max physical damage from any one handed weapon in the game with each swing!
whinge and squeel all you like, its a fact.
Plus, these two weapons allow you to spend the least amount in strenght and dex (if any) to equip them.



Now some of you will say grief and stormlash and beast and lw etc etc, and i will say, they are all VERY good.
But i wouldnt label them "best frenzy weapons"


Griefz :unimpressed:

Will do higher average damage than ebotdz, but i prefer the mods on botd


Lwz :thumbsdown:

Even with its lvl 17 might aura (which gets cancelled out by your mercs lvl 20+ aura) Last Wish is still way down the line for overall damage.
Its almost half that of ebotdz
My 367|70 Lwz got thrown back on to a mule after only 40mins playing with it repairing it hating it.
In fact (besides 70% CB) the only thing i like about it, was the ctc lvl 11 fade skill.
That was cool, so much so, that id use this weapon as a buffer item, much like enchant from demon limb, when taking on tough opponents, like ubers.
Life tap? i got Draculs thanks, with its life steal and 15 to strength.

[Spankeh]

Stormlash :undecided:

Hmm, this one i aint tried, but good base weapon speed (-10) + 30% ias
Good max physical damage, good (33%) CB and ctc static make it a very nice uber weapon, and pretty much all other monsters.
Dual etheral Zodded versions could do a great job
Forget the high lightning damage. It wont do much, if anything against ubers


Beastz :thumbsup:

Only two things make this a very desirable weapon
Fanata aura and great boost to strength
I like the 20% crushing blow, but we have edeathz for CB
Personally id rather boost my weapon speed with other items, then suffer the lower damage, because, like Lw, its lower, much lower than ebotdz and edeathz.
Mind you, the boost to attack rating from fanata helps, so its definately worth a look.
Until you have to keep repairing it.
Over and over again.
Like Lwz
And Greifz
And finally, it aint eth, and there is no hel rune in it, so, it costs too much in point spending in my books.
On saying that, this is the weapon id use if i took out one of the etheral weapons i have recomended, so i suppose thats a good consolation prize


So thats it, my opinion, you can ignore it, if you like, thats fine
Add in Highlords Wrath :thumbsup: amulet for deadly strike, but give Atmas Scarub amulet a go.
Theres something on it (but you all probably know) that takes a frenzy barb into another realm of ultima.
But that will be discussed in another thread.

GG Have fun

[Jackson]

Combinations with Grief, EBoTD, BeastZ, EDeathZ, or stormlash would be fine.

[Omikron8]

Ummm beast doesn't have repair mod so wouldn't an ethereal one be a waste?

As for the others how is death better than last wish, since lw gives fade and lifetap?

Its a tough choice between beast, lw, ebotdz ... i don't like death personally

yes you're right i had a brain fart

beast zerker + eth death zerker/ettin for axes

and i prefer death over botd because cb is the best weapon mod for frenzy

as for last wish
-might merc makes hits aura obsolete
-it's easy to get 50+ fire/light res in hell which makes fade not necessary
-if you need fade for something like ubers then swap with treachery and prebuff in a fire
-as for lifetap, lets just say that lifetap is very overrated in softcore, except at ubers where it is necessary

[GreyGhost]

See the thing is I chose to go with a def aura merc since I don't use a shield, so the might aura issue isnt a factor.

Also I'm kindof a mf barb so I don't equip arreats or gores all the time, and last wish gives some of the mods I need. My setup is kindof hybrid.

But I see what you're saying about death over botd makes sense thx.

Whats the best merc for a frenzy barb then?

[neophasee]

what if you're not as rich.... what are some beginner cheap weapons to go for?

I'm currently using 175% ED Lightsaber phase blade
157% Grandfather

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W SC L
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21 frenzy, 21 double swing, 21 sword mastery, 4 nat res, 2 ispeed, 1 BC, 1 BC, 3BO, 7 find item.

223str, 195dex, 150vit, at lvl81, 895life >> with BO: 1255 << not so much.

FIND ITEM is a huge aspect of my barb, so not a waste.
My frenzier does Rock on DMG with swords! 1350 and 3k.

My items are lol: set cuirass, laying of hands, set rite of passage boots, unq upg goldwrap, cat's eye, cathan's, ms rare ring, rare circlet (1 barb skills, 5% MS, 19allres, 21% MF).

I like to primarly run pindle and eldritch... and whichever other act V SUs are available, but getting slaughtered ATM.

act 2 NM might merc... I should equip him with arioc's needle hyp spear, I got nearly perf.

help appreciate, danka shane.

[Omikron8]

best merc for any physical damage build: might (except wind druid)

as for the poor poster above me i will say: mass pgems = poor man's path to unique/runeword wealth

as for poor weapons:

axe: death cleaver/razor's edge/upgraded pupil
mace: baranar star/schaffer hammer/horazon's tornado/upgraded fleshrender
sword: very few choices here, azurewrath is the most reasonable for its cost

[neophasee]

poor poster? wholly smokes do you ever drag me down as if I'm pretty out of it eh, I've been playing d2 since the day it came out, classic v1.00 but NEVERTHELESS, call me a newbie or stoopid cause I'm just notta nerd eh ;)

I very well appreciate the hint on mass pgems, but no one wants my items for pgems, no one seeks exceptional set/uniques anymore unless they're top of the line :p

Azurewrath I will totally look into, but there's some pretty nice runewords. You must admit though atleast I am descriptive in my posts and not making 10-40 word posts ;) I believe those are the qualities of a poor poster.

---------------

I've just made an OATH ETH Cryptic Sword, 460 1h dmg, 15MA (300% ED, when oath spawns with 210-340. Using lightsaber 175% in the other hand, I also got Grandfather in my stash.

Still getting wasted my eldritch, seems I have too low life, even with lifetap I can't kill em all. My merc is only lvl60, think I'll be doing act V NM difficulty for him, but possibly cows? I just wish there was a way I can get into 5-8 player NM games with this char for my merc to lvl faster.

I'm going to get 2 +3Warcries weapons on switch, possibly a helmet and body armor for more into BO.... and Load up as much as I can with +17-20 life small charms.

A lot of dmg dealing with this frenzy barb, I have sword mastery, double swing and frenzy all maxed out... maybe that's too much.
Definitely in a new build, get frenzy, BO, and either sword mastery or double swing maxed, what is better to max? maybe DS cause than I can use any weapons eh? the.... critical strike % that goes with the weapon mastery, how good is that?

danka shane, merci beaucoup, muchos gracias, thank you very much

[NewForumBloke]

Try coupling your Oath with say a 'Kingslayer' Cryptic Sword (Mal + Um + Gul + Fal) or if you really want to be dirt poor about it lol use a 'Strength' Cryptic Sword (Amn + Tir) [Someone correct me if these rw's dont work in these weps] as well. And are you using duress+gores? Cb/ds are a frenzy baba's best friends and w/o them you kinda at a disadvantage. A ghetto frenzy and ez pvm np as long as he has the necessary mods :grin:

-BLoke :smug:

ps. Looks like im not going to go through with getting a LW Zerker (thought that was the ideal wep for a frenzy heh...)

[neophasee]

Try coupling your Oath with say a 'Kingslayer' Cryptic Sword (Mal + Um + Gul + Fal)
I'm poor, that's WAY out of my league ;) but in due time, I will be getting this :)


dirt poor about it lol use a 'Strength' Cryptic Sword (Amn + Tir) [Someone correct me if these rw's dont work in these weps] as well.

Probably go for this than yeah.
Sure 25% CB (Crushing Blow) is good, but 35% ED? is that enough? I'm not THAT poor, but check out my ft iso list and what my chars use and than you can tell what's my econ like atm.


And are you using duress+gores? Cb/ds are a frenzy baba's best friends and w/o them you kinda at a disadvantage. A ghetto frenzy and ez pvm np as long as he has the necessary mods :grin:


Duress is body armor, low ED%..... among a few other mods.

This frenzy barb is meant for MAGIC FIND, so I can build up my economy, my items and such, that's the only way I'll ever be able to get EBOTD and 'godly' items thelike. he's got 7 find item which is good, and some MF equipment, but not so much yet... I'm usually used to the build:
Stealskull, skullders or tal armor, couple ali babas on switch, laying of hands, war travs, goldwrap upg, etc. etc.

With Duress, I sacrifice around 100% MF on the body armor.
not just that, the bad things about duress:
1) COLD DMG leaves no corpses to find item!!!!
2) No MF
3) Semi decent resist, and is 15% CB well worth it? or is that too low?


I should Definitely go for some gore rider boots, CB DS OW, good defense, etc.

What's the best way to raise my economy? or gold stash, or item stash to get the best items in the game?

My 16k meteor sorc is pretty decent at killing eldritch and pindle, I have no problems except quit on fire immunes.

I can run countess and summoner, but those take time, and so far, 20 runs and no keys.

What's best way to collect pgems and runes? I should setup another comp beside me and rush myself for forges..... do g-rushes, I got 6 keys (3 LoD, 3 classics).

I appreciate all your help buds, thank you so much, I'm on W SC L and my msn is:

valiant-neophase at h0t mial d0t c0m

[Omikron8]

pgem farming?

hell flayer jungle with a bowazon that uses laying of hands
hell pit works good too
hell cows low player #

pgems = poor man's path to runeword wealth

on ladder east 60-80 pgems = um, 2 um = high rune