Beserker barbarian

[Honored]

I have a question. In the beserker barbarian guide stickied in the barbarian forum...it suggests maxing either howl or shout...what on earth would I ever max howl for if it just keeps the monsters running? That sounds like the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Is it just for the synergies or what? Thank you as always

[Socialism]

I don't know enough to comment cause I've never really played a barbarian. Perhaps this is better aimed at the writer of the guide... in the barbarian forum?

[Kilmin]

I have a question. In the beserker barbarian guide stickied in the barbarian forum...it suggests maxing either howl or shout...what on earth would I ever max howl for if it just keeps the monsters running? That sounds like the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Is it just for the synergies or what? Thank you as always

Actually I believe its a Synergy *sp* of Berserk.. Maybe more % Magic Dmg per lvl or something.. IIRC

-Kil

[PhatTrumpet]

Yes, points invested in Shout and Howl give 10% additional enhanced damage to your Berserk skill. Just like every other half-decently-written guide, this is explained right in the guide not long after the recommended skill allocation. Try reading the whole thing next time instead of coming to a different forum and asking a question with a fairly obvious answer.

[bigD72]

Yes, points invested in Shout and Howl give 10% additional enhanced damage to your Berserk skill. Just like every other half-decently-written guide, this is explained right in the guide not long after the recommended skill allocation. Try reading the whole thing next time instead of coming to a different forum and asking a question with a fairly obvious answer.
BAM and PhatTrumpet slams it down his throat.

Well, in addition to the 10% increased damage while using a berserker, you're not going to be doing so hot on the leeching end, so you probably don't want mobs and mobs of monsters hitting you at once, so you can leap attack into the middle and do a quick howl and all the sudden that huge mob is disperesed so that you can go berserk on the individuals.

This can also be said for taunt, make ample use of it on monsters/casters/ranged attackers, most people neglect it when it's really like one of the most awesome melee skills ever (what's better than having that pesky Gloam/Soul stop shooting you and fly right over?)

[NightShade]

Scare the hell out of the crowd and run them down one on one. The + damage is just a bonus.

[LuckyDwarf]

Howl is an incredibly effective skill, but most keep their distances from cries, in much the same way they stay away from the 3 very good necro curses over on the left side. A straight-forward approach to the berserker can often lead to death, so use your warcries!

Lucky

[GodObelisk]

Howl is useful in keeping crowds away from you, as a beserk barb, its ur crowd control skill.

Howl, chase after single monster, rinse and repeat until crowd is eliminate. Of cos if u are in a party with chars which are capable of despatching crowds, then probably u wont use howl tat much.

[Honored]

Yea, but why should I max the thing? Why shouldn't I max shout which is much more common and is maxed way more? Plus, does howl really improve THAT much when it is maxed as opposed to being a one hit wonder?

[NightShade]

One you max for solo play, the other for party play.

Solo clearing a huge mob out with the shout and then picking shaman up one by one is good. Since you're zerking anyway, defense is totally useless

When you're with other people, chances are they have AoE, so you don't need it as much. Personally if I was making a hellbound barb that wasn't going to be doing group baals, I'd go for howl.

[Honored]

Uh, shout would help my merc...shout would also help me if I run up and get hit by any projectiles that might come my way. Just a thought. So, in light of that realization, what in the world would be the point of maxing something that to me..uh..does the same thing as it does at a lower level. If it would increase the radius of the howl then I could understand that...however...when it just makes them run farther and longer at a higher level...and they run pretty far at the first few...I can see no point. Thank you for your responses!

[Honored]

Thank you for your responses. By the by I was in the barbarian forum, nightshade, and someone there pretty much insisted that I max shout and howl regardless of party intentions. Is that viable considering BO, mace mastery, beserk, and shout/howl need to be maxed according it all? By the way, does anyone know off the top of their head how many skill points one ends up with after all three acts in all three difficulties? I just don't see how maxing shout AND howl is viable. Any suggestions for an order to maxing these skills? Thank you for your consideration and time.

[Honored]

Thank you for your responses. By the by I was in the barbarian forum, nightshade, and someone there pretty much insisted that I max shout and howl regardless of party intentions. Is that viable considering BO, mace mastery, beserk, and shout/howl need to be maxed according it all? By the way, does anyone know off the top of their head how many skill points one ends up with after all three acts in all three difficulties? I just don't see how maxing shout AND howl is viable. Any suggestions for an order to maxing these skills? Thank you for your consideration and time.

[bigD72]

Uh, shout would help my merc...shout would also help me if I run up and get hit by any projectiles that might come my way. Just a thought. So, in light of that realization, what in the world would be the point of maxing something that to me..uh..does the same thing as it does at a lower level. If it would increase the radius of the howl then I could understand that...however...when it just makes them run farther and longer at a higher level...and they run pretty far at the first few...I can see no point. Thank you for your responses!
Well, if it's further and longer...that means it's going to put the ranged attackers out of range and you'll have less to deal with.

Also, I don't know how worried I'd be about shout, it'll provide a nice boost to defense, but chances are you'll be either running or berserking...in which case your defense is theoretically 0 anyways.

[STINGER]

Like Shade said.......solo......max Howl.......if partied Shout.

Frankly with my uses of Howl I found a minor investment to be pretty solid. Shout does the merc good, the merc does you good.

Howl in the 1-5 range is not alot of use.....but as DII is people end up wiht tons of +skills, might be 10......pretty effective at 10 and really effective at 20......if it were me I would max Shout first and at the end bring up Howl, maybe add some howl as needed as I go.

Taunt owns!!! Vry loveable skill vs archers and other ranged foes.

[NightShade]

Also remember : def = 0 when running. If you're under attack by archers it will probably be short lived, even if you get close. Howltaunt ftw.

[Full_Circle]

Thank you for your responses. By the by I was in the barbarian forum, nightshade, and someone there pretty much insisted that I max shout and howl regardless of party intentions. Is that viable considering BO, mace mastery, beserk, and shout/howl need to be maxed according it all? By the way, does anyone know off the top of their head how many skill points one ends up with after all three acts in all three difficulties? I just don't see how maxing shout AND howl is viable. Any suggestions for an order to maxing these skills? Thank you for your consideration and time.

IMO, the "correct" order, if such a thing exists is this:

1) 1 in all 1-point wonders
2) max bo
3) max berserk
4) max shout
5) max howl
6) rest in mastery of choice

Howl is also one of the most under-rated skills in the game. It's extremely useful running nihlathak, ubers, the cs, and it's not bad for baal runs, either. Basically, when you're howling, you accept that you aren't going to kill everything. You kill only champions and bosses, and everything else just gets out of your way. Some people don't like to play this way... if you're one of them, my advice is... don't make a zerker. They are NOT a horde killer, even optimally geared.