Quick Build: PvM Mace Whirlwind MF Barb

[Akukami]

PvM Mace Whirlwind MF Barb

This is another beginner-friendly build that requires inexpensive gear. Aside from being an MFer, this is also a great character to use in conjunction with a Rush Sorc, especially in Hell Act 2 and 3 where the Sorc has problems with Immunes.

Gear
Helmet: 3-Socket PTopaz Helmet
Weapon: Bonesnap / Gull x 2 (for popping corpses with)
Armor: Angelic Mantle
Gloves: Dual Leech 2x FR/LR/PR* 2x+ MF Gloves
Boots: FRW FHR 3x FR/LR/PR* or 2x FR/LR/PR* 2x+ MF Boots
Belt: Goldwrap
Left Ring: Angelic Halo
Right Ring: Angelic Halo
Amulet: Angelic Wings

* Combination of any 2 or 3 Resists

Stats
170-250 Base Str, Base Dex, Base Energy, Rest Vita

Skills (Level 80)
20 Whirlwind
20 Battle Orders
20 Mace Mastery
12+ Item Find**
6+ Natural Resist
1 Battle Command
1 Increased Speed
1 Berserk***
1 Howl
1 Shout
1 Battle Command
1 Iron Skin
1 Increased Stamina
1 Bash
1 Leap
1 Stun
1 Leap Attack
1 Concentrate

** There's been some discussion about whether maxing out this skill is worth it or not, but in either case, 12 is the minimum amount to add. Whatever is not put into this skill goes into Natural Resist.

*** The only real purpose of having 1 point in this skill is to kill the sometimes Physical Immune Ismail Vilehand and Fire Eye. Otherwise, do not use it to attempt to kill every Physical Immune you see, especially in Hell Arcane Sancuary.

Leveling

If you don't have someone to Chant you, please refer to Orphan's Guide to find the best places to level.

Get the Barb to Level 20, and hit up Normal Cow games to Level 25-30. Once you acquire Whirlwind, put on your Bonesnap and run over Normal Cows, or you can NM Cow with a group to Level 40-45. After this, play with a group through Hell Mode, and be sure to pick up the Travincial Waypoint for MFing The Council, and Flayer Jungle Waypoint in Act 3; you can later use this as a secondary leveling hotspot when no CS Runs are available. The rest of your leveling is done in CS Runs.

Where to MF

There are several great monsters to MF in Hell Mode, and the ones I'm about to suggest are the most common and most efficient:

Rakinishuu - Stoney Field, Act 1
Bone Ash - The Cathedral (via Inner Cloister Waypoint), Act 1
Fire Eye - Palace Cellar Level 3 (via Arcane Sanctuary Waypoint), Act 2
Witch Doctor Endugu - Flayer Dungeon Level 3, Act 3
Stormtree - Flayer Jungle (via Flayer Jungle or Lower Kurast Waypoint), Act 3
The Council - Travincial, Act 3

Be aware that MFing The Council in a multi-player game will take a long time, and from personal playing experience, I highly recommend that you MF The Council in private games, or public games with less than 3 players.

Travincial Bug

There is a certain "bug" of sorts that causes an instant death, and while there are many theories about it, I'll do my best to apply my logical explanation: the creators of the game decided to be mean and equip Gelab Flamefinger (most times it is this Council Member) with the Fire AND Lightning Enchanted attribute, basically making any player that physically touches him instant roadkill. The only way around this is to take on Council Members one by one, leaving Gelab Flamefinger the last Member standing. After this try and place your cursor over him, and pick out his attributes: if you see Fire and Lightning Enchanted somewhere in the list, you have two options: 1. pop the corpses of the other Members, and just leave, or 2. use Berserk to slowly kill him while occasionally retreating to regain health.

- Akukami

[purplelocust]

Originally Posted by Akukami

This is another beginner-friendly build that requires inexpensive gear.

Gloves: Dual Leech 2x FR/LR/PR* 2x+ MF Gloves
Boots: FRW FHR 3x FR/LR/PR* or 2x FR/LR/PR* 2x+ MF Boots

A quick comment- those boots and gloves are far harder to get than the other gear to get, particularly with the MF. Since there is already pretty good total MF from the other gear (72 helm, 100 rings, Goldwrap, possibly the double gulls) I think the added usefulness of MF on boots and gloves is not so high, whereas the resists/leech and FRW are much more important.

[goomba]

heheh, I keep seeing this blurb about light/fire chanted geleb...

I just must have enough leach on my old mf barb, that he ww's into the next guy and regens life. (that mart had native leach, plus a pskull, and he used dual leach gloves)

the only time I recalled dying in council runs of any variety was due to lag+manaburning council combined with getting 'amped'.

as for the mf amount, yes, foremost should be survival, so forgo the MF on the gloves/boots - don't forget if you have the angellic armor, ammy and a ring (or two) then you also get an MF bonus, +1 skill, and an additional 75 FR if I recall correctly. if you can't survive due to not enough leach with the 3/3 gloves and can't quite afford a pskul, or native leach mart then try to get a dual leach 5/5 or so ring for one of the hands, and use the angellic on the other.

I went that way for a long time until able to get the pskull/leachy mart.

[Monzee]

Great guide again Akukami. Keep up the good work

[Akukami]

Originally Posted by purplelocust

A quick comment- those boots and gloves are far harder to get than the other gear to get, particularly with the MF. Since there is already pretty good total MF from the other gear (72 helm, 100 rings, Goldwrap, possibly the double gulls) I think the added usefulness of MF on boots and gloves is not so high, whereas the resists/leech and FRW are much more important.

From personal experience, even when I was just getting my bearings back on the game after my hiatus, I've never had problems obtaining those items. I guess that makes me either lucky, or just a better trader.

- Akukami

[squiggle]

What about that big bear bloke in darkwood near the tree :P? Good mf at him.

Also I prefer sigon boots + belt.

You gain 10% LL, Which makes gloves only need ML. Gain res/life/frw/ar. Damn nice :P

[Akukami]

Originally Posted by squiggle

What about that big bear bloke in darkwood near the tree :P? Good mf at him.

Also I prefer sigon boots + belt.

You gain 10% LL, Which makes gloves only need ML. Gain res/life/frw/ar. Damn nice :P

So you use Mana Pots on your MFer, or a Manald Heal?

Alos, that "big bloke" you refer to has a 50% chance of being Physical Immune WITH Mana Burn.

- Akukami

[FireMarshal]

Originally Posted by Akukami

So you use Mana Pots on your MFer, or a Manald Heal?

Alos, that "big bloke" you refer to has a 50% chance of being Physical Immune WITH Mana Burn.

- Akukami

I find that he hardly ever is Phys Immune. He is Mana Burn often though, I ran him frequently.

[Akukami]

Originally Posted by FireMarshal

I find that he hardly ever is Phys Immune. He is Mana Burn often though, I ran him frequently.

Hmm...that thing always turned up Physically Immune for me, but then again, I never received any good drops MFing him.

- Akukami

[purplelocust]

Another thing to mention is that a rare martel is a possibility instead of Bonesnap. The thing to watch out for is cold damage- an otherwise nice martel (high ED, dual leech) is rendered annoyingly less useful by the presence of "+1-2 cold damage" or something like that, as it often means that corpses shatter and you can't hork them.