Starting HC first time

[Jordanbcool]

Starting HC first time

Hello all.

I've been playing on and off for the past four years now...I still remember the good old days of 1.09...Anyways alot has changed since then. Recently I've gotten back into it playing 1.11. I have a respectable account going with a godly barb, a crap bonemancer and a really fun summoner.

I decided to give HC a try. I really have nothing to lose since I don't have or plan to obtain much in hardcore. HC never peaked my interest before since I thought the idea of dying because of lag....really annoying since lag always happens at the worst times. I just want to do it because its something different, new and exciting.

I've always loved barbarians. I was going to make a summoner necromancer or a trapsin but I'd probably end up deleting those characters. I like to be in the thick of it. I think a good reliable iron barbarian should do the trick. Can anyone see any faults in this? I think it should do well in hardcore if I don't run into any IM casting monsters. Here is what my stats should look like.

1-Bash
1-Leap
1-Leap Attack
1-Stun
1-Berserk
20-Concentrate
20-Iron skin
1-Increased stamina
5-Increased speed
5-Natural resistance
5-Howl
20-Shout
20- Battle orders
1- Battle command

Strength- Enough to wear my gear.
Dex- Max block. I was gonna go all VITA but not in hardcore
Vitality- As much as I can spare. Life is precious
Energy- Nothing, I won't be needing much energy anyways.

I wanted to max iron skin+shout+concentrate for the insane defense bonuses. I'll probably have trouble killing monsters but I'm willing to deal with that if it means a better survival rate.

I wanted to dump some points into howl as a backup skill if I get swarmed. I wanted 5 pounds into increased speed for convinence (running around town) and the 5 points in NR is more then enough since it has diminishing returns.

Everything else is pretty self explanatory. This build should be done at level 90 which is what I plan every character of mine to be at. But I don't think it'll get that high. Anyways, its all about the journey right?

Can you guys think of anything you would change to make this build better? I want to survive as long as possible so I have fun, but don't waste my time building a character that will die easily.

 

[Tikadea]

well... THE main problem with this is that it is pretty weapon dependand... and zince you are starting from scratch in HC a good weapon will be hard to come by. chances of finding a good melee weapon that would actualy make this barb kill anything at all in hell are not good.

the same goes for the max block action... that works... IF you got a shield with a nice high block %. otherwise it will cost you WAY to much dex, and thus life.

If i would go and try playing a conc barb true the entire game untwinked HC... i would go max vit, and not max block for the above mentioned reason. on the other hand is a hand to hand combatteer without max block pretty weak as well...

actualy my final concusion is that i would not try this as a first caracter, since that shield and weapon are vital to the succes of this build.

good luck dough!

 

[PhatTrumpet]

Conc and Shout together give so much defense that the bonus from maxing Iron Skin would be minimal. You'd probably be better off maxing a weapon mastery, particularly for the much needed attack rating. Swords would probably be your safest bet since decent swords are the easiest to come by as you level up (gambled Crystal Swords, 'Honor', 'King's Grace', Bloodletter, Headstriker, upped Headstriker, 'Oath', and if you can afford later on 'Grief' and 'BotD'). You also might want to dump a point into Whirlwind just in case you get yourself into something Leap and/or Howl can't get you out of.

 

[Jordanbcool]

ok thanks for the tips guys.

 

[Corn]

I think those 5 points in Howl are a waste. How much is a 5 pnt Howl going to help you later on in the game when the monsters aren't even affected by a lvl 5 Howl.

 

[Jordanbcool]

My barb is already dead. Lag monster as always. I thought I was in town but apparently I wasn't. I went to take a leak and when I got back I saw the dreaded "your deeds of valor will be remembered".

So I started over making a trapsin. So far shes doing very well. Already at level 11 going on 12 without any problems/scares.