Cool, thanks for the notes. Agree about Unity: almost certainly a better choice than Aquilla (don’t have to worry about resource level).
Think I’m done testing till the update. I’ve tried pretty much every variant in GR120-121 and don’t think there is too much else to learn. If something comes up that is promising I’ll give it a go. For now, gotta get back to pushing WW in season.
Closing thoughts:
-Overall toughness should probably be tweaked up
-Frenzy stacks duration needs to be increased. Way too much of a disruptive playstyle to try and keep them up while charging through the map.
-Fear mechanic is underwhelming and can be completely ignored while still posting good and maybe even better results.
-Right now the build plays very much like HotA and we were kinda promised a unique playstyle.
-If Fear is to shine in this build and elite isolation (Terrify) is the goal…the damage needs to be greatly increased to make it worthwhile.
Good luck testing Barbs!
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Thanks for all your time spent testing / writing / recording!
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HELLO. YOU ARE ALL DOING A WONDERFUL JOB.
Seriously, I’m floored by this thread. Incredible feedback and discussion, great videos, and lots of awesome ideas. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a better PTR thread. Keep up the good work.
I want to touch on a few points.
Bracers & Toughness
There are a few work-arounds to the toughness issue if you’re willing to ignore Wrath and Mortick’s, and given how much downtime there is on the skill, I think that’s a viable option.
Option 1: Parthans. Frenzy’s stun will proc the bracer, but a freeze roll on an item (or Cold Rush) will also jack your DR through the roof. Conditional and fussy, yes, but a potential source of toughness all the same.
Option 2: IP > Wrath. With 50%+ CDR, IP has very little downtime, and can be synced to COE cycles if necessary. Obviously, use Iron Hide.
Option 3: Aughild’s. I think this is an excellent addition, particularly for Hardcore play (with Unity), but I don’t see it as the optimal selection for Normal. However, if the build can be more focused on targeting elites, it may prove to be the superior choice!
Touching Time
It’s National Skeleton Awareness Day, and I urge you to be kind to skeletons.
Numbers & Feelings
Y’all are doing a fantastic job crunching the numbers on these new items, and that is essential to figuring out how a build works. I want to emphasize that the way it feels to play the build is just as important. While partly derived from numbers and their effects, our enjoyment of a build often comes from how those mechanical interactions play out, look, or feel as we control the character. So, as you give feedback, don’t leave out how it feels to play the build–and how you feel playing it.
For me, and for many others, I feel the Fear mechanic has potential, but isn’t quite there. Scattering trash is fun, yes, but fleeing elites are annoying and slow down the build (and thus lower its clear potential). Yes, can try to lock elites in place with Ground Stomp or Cold Rush, but doing so requires taking something off the bar–likely Charge or Leap, and that means greatly decreased mobility for a build that already struggles with mobility. I’ve tried it, but that just feels clunky and underwhelming.
If Feared elites were locked in place, or the damage bonus against them was sky-high, many of my frustrations with the build would evaporate.
More Damage and Toughness
It’s obvious from the many tests and clears that the set needs more damage and toughness. I think this set has incredibly potential, but it’s not quite there yet. Let’s hope Blizzard chimes in about changes or iterations.
Keep Testing, Keep Recording
More tests, more videos, more skele-- err, I mean, zombies beaten to smithereens.
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If you take Aughild’s and Unity then you can’t take either CoE or EW, and this is a pretty big damage hit to take.
It’s this kind of pandering to skeletons that is everything wrong in the world today!
Yes, I was thinking that if enemies still flee, a bonus of +500% or +600% might be appropriate.
Oh, btw: Cold Rush is Charge…
Yup, but then it’s HC, and if you die, you dead. I don’t really play the mode, but I assume most players (some players?) want to stack as much DR as possible, then slowly walk it back as they get more comfortable. Anyway, they have a few options there.
Can you not? I’m getting calls from Skeleton Awareness Groups who say you’ve been lurking in the graveyard, beating on them with blue swords and knives. Can’t you hit a zombie? A Golgor? Anything?
Whatever it takes so we plow 145 
Or RGK in groups
You seem pretty dedicated to this topic. Hmm, what’s that I see hiding under your fleshy exterior? I’ll investigate, let me go get my swords and knives…
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!
!
man you are a genius!
This is ofc the best solution:
having H90 BRACERS instead of legs.
Why? well this would free up the pants slot for the Depth Diggers without using an RroGr and in consequence frees up a cube slot.
And much more important - the devs dont need to rework any other bracers like the Sescheron Bracers the two ouf us allready talked about.
So devs - plz recognize his solution:
GIVE US H90 Bracers!
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I can’t say with any certainty, but I suspect adjusting the effect of an existing item is easier/faster than creating a new one.
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the first idea was to rework the Sescheron 'Bracers and i assume this would end up in more developing time.
because we first would have to decice what stats on the sets are missing
like
- longer frenzy stack duration,
- cc immunity or
- cdr per stack
and then this missing stats needed to be reworked in the bracers like Lacunis -the extra of IAS goes along with the idea of the set i assume- or the allready mentioned Sescheron Bracers
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That’s the best way to approach it in HC, go with a little too much DR and then start shedding for DPS as you get more comfortable. I thought there was no way I could use EW/CoE for pushing (still not pleasant) but it can be done.
I like the aughilds/unity combo for HC. I ran HF ammy but throwing on an FoT would be really good for pushing. I know you guys are better with the damage numbers but the feel, toughness wise and damage wise, felt fine and I didn’t have to reposition and avoid damage as much, which in itself is a DPS loss. I think it is a solid place to start with the build for HC and if the Fear mechanic becomes more relevant, it could be decently competitive given all the elite damage.
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Is this the intended design? If so it would expose the designer’s significant lack of knowledge in the game… Fear is always an effect to avoid for any builds.
I actually think this not intended for playstyle or damage, but a compensation to using Echoing Fury, which always come with a high % fearing affix. It will be a disaster if the build eventually emphasizes on fearing.
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(20 Characters!
)
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Yep, belt comes to mind, very similar to an old WW build where freeze was used to proc Parthan’s in density.
I’m currently using this roll, with Frenzy attack speed, it is almost constant freeze lock on elites and bosses…
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it’s more like pandering to the grotesque these days…
btw bracers for the H90 might be a good idea, as an addition to more toughness (+dmg) of course 
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I get that enemies running away in a melee build needs to be fixed, but if mobs won’t be running away or attacking you, lets just call it what it is: Stun.
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Another thing to consider with H90 is what role does it play for the Barb class?
Currently, it is not:
- group RGK
- solo push build
- speed farmer (GR)
- speed farmer (t16 rifts/bounties)
- a fun and unique play style. I still think it plays too much like HotA, currently. I’m sure there will be those that prefer it over HotA, but the similarity is there, none the less.
I’m totally fine with not all builds being push builds, but it’s really nice to have a reason to play the build, other than just personal preference. Right now it seems like the only reason is if you prefer it over HotA. I think this is something the devs should keep in mind when deciding how to adjust the set.
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this could easily work as well. My main concern is that compared to other classes and builds, which DO NOT use CC or other set combinations with RoRG, we are missing at least one affix that would help the build. What I mean is that we are dumping Sescheron bracers to get a bracer slot for the build, but as just a stat bucket it deprives us of a bracer affix, even though we have no good choices so far here.
When I look at some items, like the Tal Rasha chestpiece for example, there is an extra 5-7% AS affix - a little thing that makes you WANT to wear that chest over others. I’d like to see either a bracer or amulet give SOME kind of extra affix or stat roll that can benefit us - similar to the FoT rolling with extra CDR and run speed to roll. Ideally, this set could have something like Krelm’s which has an affix and a set bonus. Just one of the items, and it doesnt need to be an affix, just a stat roll (I suggested 30-45% Frenzy damage). This way there is an intrinsic advantage to wearing the set as it is, while also paying attention to what logical gear choices we would make.
I personally love the idea of having a bracer AND amulet and make it a 7-piece set for customization (6-piece is still the max bonus). I absolutely love sets where you can CHOOSE which pieces to wear without RoRG and customize your profile. I do not love that every set other than 1 per char shares basically the same slots. The redeeming factor is the ability to combine sets (Barb raekor/IK, DH Nat/Mara, etc.) among those with different slots/pieces.
I’d still like to talk more with you and others about some possibility for a revamped Sescheron, though maybe we need to wait for the talk about BUILD and SET to die down a bit so we can get to itemization and supplementation around the core build once the dust settles. Gear is added to supply what is needed or lacking in a build, as I understand the process.
I like that we are on the same wavelength on this though!
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Thought on the CC problems (no immunity to CC without WotB, and CC immunity on mobs, etc.):
I’ve given some thought to this problem, and I am firmly in the camp of wanting to have a build which does NOT rely on Mortick’s brace and WotB - great item, but I use it heavily on other specs.
I suggested something with invigorating gemstone, but I doubt anyone would drop stricken or trapped for this. So, another thought occurred to me - why not make a mechanic for this set (or an item) which would do something like this:
“Monsters you attack have their resistance to crowd control effects equal to your resistance to crowd control effects”
In effect, what would be the case is that the more CCR you have on gear (secondary stats) you would gain an advantage over your enemies in keeping them stunned, etc. I’d be happy to have something which diminished this for bosses and RG’s, but the concept is sound. I’d also include something like this:
“When monster’s become CC immune to your attacks or skills (barb only) you gain 50% more damage against those targets and drain 2% of your life per hit (similar mechanic to BK Wedding band ring).”
I am still liking the synergy between the insane attack speed of your hacking carnage and somehow being sated or healed off the damage you are wreaking. I think that practically from a gameplay standpoint, we need to be able to survive and/or heal, and LPH is only one way we can do this - I think personally having a build which supplies defensive stats so we can focus on offense would be interesting.
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