Guard Tower Barbarian

[Siosilvar]

Great guide and I love the build! My only critique is that although the desired FCR breakpoint is listed, the gear and skills chosen along with recommended mos will not hit that bp. I think with enough soft skills and charms you probably get there by mid-late game from wolven guide, but ensuring it’s maxed with mos and runes makes a massive difference in dmg output. I tried first just putting enough pts in wolves for it but the low range aura is not reliable. Much more dmg using a couple FCR runes and an mo or two to ensure FCR bp is maxed.

It does. You get FCR capped very easily with the 35 available on charms by 115 and the +sk available by 120.

FCR runes can make up the difference if you have the sets/craft handy before starting the build, but MOs are a waste of time.

[fr0gbug]

Great guide and I love the build! My only critique is that although the desired FCR breakpoint is listed, the gear and skills chosen along with recommended mos will not hit that bp. I think with enough soft skills and charms you probably get there by mid-late game from wolven guide, but ensuring it’s maxed with mos and runes makes a massive difference in dmg output. I tried first just putting enough pts in wolves for it but the low range aura is not reliable. Much more dmg using a couple FCR runes and an mo or two to ensure FCR bp is maxed.

It does. You get FCR capped very easily with the 35 available on charms by 115 and the +sk available by 120.

Hmm maybe I miscounted it didn’t seem like you get there, my bad.

FCR runes can make up the difference if you have the sets/craft handy before starting the build, but MOs are a waste of time.

[fuppy]

2.4 update:

- Added Arkaine's Valor setup
- Added UMO requirement for Maleficence setup
- Added weapon swap recommendations
- Added notes about importance of arrow breakpoints for GT and the meaning of Fortress
- Changed summonbarb leveling to EQ barb
- Changed Glad Dom to Runemaster for early GT
- Changed GT swap to lvl110
- Optimised some MO recommendations
- Optimised sockets

[B10H4zarD]

Do u think, Guard Tower build could work with snake stance?
Would maxed out SnakeStance (+ AllSkills, %poison dmg & -% enemy poison res) deal dps comparable to main build?

Take care

[Siosilvar]

No point in using GT for poison, the skill mechanics don't work well with poison because repeatedly hitting enemies with poison arrows basically does nothing. Earthquake (140% weapon damage aftershock in a decent area) and Whirlwind (very reliable procs "on melee attack") are way better tools.

It is at least 110% weapon damage, so it's not useless, but I doubt it'll be particularly good.

[B10H4zarD]

No point in using GT for poison, the skill mechanics don't work well with poison because repeatedly hitting enemies with poison arrows basically does nothing. Earthquake (140% weapon damage aftershock in a decent area) and Whirlwind (very reliable procs "on melee attack") are way better tools.

It is at least 110% weapon damage, so it's not useless, but I doubt it'll be particularly good.

Yeah, i get the point.
I mean 140% weapon damage is okay, and the arrows can spread it easily over long distance.
So it would be possible i guess.

I just want to hear opinions if dps would be in any way comparable to physical dmg builds. On lvl 110 my GT Barb does 50k dmg over stance duration, around 6k dps

[fuppy]

No point in using GT for poison, the skill mechanics don't work well with poison because repeatedly hitting enemies with poison arrows basically does nothing. Earthquake (140% weapon damage aftershock in a decent area) and Whirlwind (very reliable procs "on melee attack") are way better tools.

It is at least 110% weapon damage, so it's not useless, but I doubt it'll be particularly good.

Yeah, i get the point.
I mean 140% weapon damage is okay, and the arrows can spread it easily over long distance.
So it would be possible i guess.

I just want to hear opinions if dps would be in any way comparable to physical dmg builds. On lvl 110 my GT Barb does 50k dmg over stance duration, around 6k dps

I'm with siosilvar, mechanically there's no point in playing poison GT. Phys or IED are much better, latter especially now that Antediluvian got changed.

Simply put, clear would not be comparable to either, especially later on.

[B10H4zarD]

Okay, i'm sure u both right. Thank y'all for replying

Any thoughts on TTAD? Could one make it viable lategame?
Like, max wolf debuff, add some doom / banish procs somehow etc.
I feel like nothing can beat phys in terms of dps, its actually Meta.

Also sustain turns out to be a problem without lifeleech...

[TecD1]

I would like to try this build. Which variant would do the best against endgame bosses? Also I dont understand Maleficence setup, why use str% runes when it says dumb everything in dex? Why use runes at all, jewels should be overall better as no points in runemaster?

Sorry if these are stupid guestions

[fuppy]

I would like to try this build. Which variant would do the best against endgame bosses? Also I dont understand Maleficence setup, why use str% runes when it says dumb everything in dex? Why use runes at all, jewels should be overall better as no points in runemaster?

Sorry if these are stupid guestions

Oh good question. The build scales with both dex and str, generally str gives better EWD but dex gives AR and block. You're wanting to stack Idol of Stars umo, which gives both. I suppose the most optimal socket is indeed Mal/Mhal, not either pure str or dex. I'll fix that. Also, jewels don't give as much raw stats as those three. And the whole build relies on getting high EWD for dual-stacking through Maleficence.


P.S. I wouldn't play Maleficence unless you have a bottomless TG wallet.