Barbarian suggestions:
Long time D2 player, new to Median XL and loving it.
I’m a big fan of melee classes, but the barb feels very one-dimensional in this regard. I hate having to completely respec and change my play style just to be able to barely get through certain areas. I can handle bremmtown and fauz as a deathgaze now, but I’m far from invincible. However, in teganze and even low level rifts, I’m sweating dodging shots trying not to get melted. As a summon barb I could do teganze in my sleep.
I think barbs versatility could be improved in many ways. First, I think the physical/combat skill tree should be broken down into three possible paths: two-handed weapons, dual wield, and one hand/shield. You could potentially put dual wield (off hand) and shield as independent skills under the same branch and keep the throwing branch, but I think any throwing skills should fall under the one hand/shield branch.
I like these specializations too because it gives you more choices in the weapons you can choose to wield, instead of being pigeon holed into just sporting axes for death gaze, sword for iron spiral etc. This way, instead of having to completely respec, certain weapons and load-outs might be better suited for certain areas/bosses. For instance, barb 2h axes get thunderfury, maybe instead of just 50% increased damage to undead, all hammers have a base % chance to stun; swords have a % chance to deal deadly strike or crushing blow and bonus against demons; spears have a % chance to double strike; maybe all 2h have a chance to aoe. Versatility. Plus it’d be more fun to have an arsenal to choose from and give us potentially more sacred weapons to hunt for and collect and more crafts to roll instead of just one or two.
I don’t really like summoner so I won’t get into it. It’s incongruent with barbarian lore imho. I would do away with it altogether. Barbarians are warriors at the front. If anything, replace it with a skill tree like “shaman” or something with passives/buffs, maybe a couple animal summons.
I like the stance skill branch. Quickly changing stances depending on the situation is a 10/10 idea, but some (snake) are totally pointless. Spirit is cool but I’d prefer shouts that can buff allies like in classic d2 over wolf companions. Summoning animals seem like a Druid skill. I’d move thundergod to this branch and make a new reward skill out of werebear.
I loved druid on classic D2. I was really disappointed to see werebear gone. However, I think it would be perfect as a barb reward skill. Totally fits the lore. Maybe move thundergod into spirit and dump fortress or even replace snake stance.
Call it “Berserker.” Could be a long lasting shapeshift you simply cast like werewolf, or maybe it could be a passive that only procs when you fall below a certain % of health, but in order to sustain it you need to stay in combat: every time you strike an enemy, the duration timer resets (like feral rage). More points you put into the skill, the more health, phys resist, defense, dmg benefit or whatever it provides; increase the level of health % it will proc at (base 35%) with every x amount of points; increase the duration you can stay transformed between hits, maybe 15-30 seconds per x points.
Only other minor thing is the name “Gladiator’s Dominance”. Gladiators were slaves. Maybe “Hardened Veteran” or “War Lord”. Nit picking.
I think this would make the barb way more versatile and fun to play as a melee emphasis character. Just my 2 cents. Love the game.