So if we analyze 2.6 patch notes from perspective of physical 2h barb build, what are your thoughts?
Earthquake:
- Now deals more reliable damage in melee range
Shower of Rocks:
- Greatly reduced the delay before dealing damage
Looks both like a buff, how much, hard to say. Problem with SOR thing is, even if you benchmark fully maxed build against let's say Sapling Guards. They don't teleport, don't move out of sor, so this is pure dps check. And in my tests when I tried it, took way too long to kill them, even up to 15s, and that was with ethereal gotter axe, bunch of umo. Doesn't look like these changes would help this issue in any significant way.
Another change is those new passives in throwing tree.
But the way I understand it, you need dump 30 points in axe throwing skills (Stampede, Snake Bite, Overkill), in order to invest points into Bloothrist passive, and only then can select 2 out of 5 new further passives. That seems like a heavy investment, in skills we will never use.
This would make more sense to go 1h throwing axe/shield and still use some of the physical thrower abilities. But then is it even worth mixing it with earthshaker, could as well go pure thrower. Not sure about this one.
