With update 39 a very quick collection of changes to Barbarian are expected to go live. This is not a revamp by any means, it is primarily a collection of numerical value alterations that became a large enough line item that it seemed to warrant it's own thread. This is not meant to change Barbarian gameplay, it is simply meant to put them in line with other dedicated melee classes that our data showed us they had fallen behind in a way that we could rectify in a simple manner that could be fit into the development schedule (in a way that an actual revamp of a tree that needs one would not have).

The gist of these changes is: Barbarians should now be capable of outputting damage closer to other dedicated melees and one of their defining class features (their damage reduction) is no longer massively outscaled by content.


DR Class Feature Revamp
Barbarian DR no longer gives "classic" damage reduction like in old 3.5 of -1 damage per strike.
Instead Barbarians now start with a 5% damage absorption to all damage except bane (this is a straight percentage of damage reduced BEFORE PRR/MRR calculation)
This resistance is increased at levels barbarians normal got DR increases, by 1%, net of 11% by level 20 (BUG: This portion is not yet implemented in this preview build.)
Enhancements in the barbarian occult slayer line increase this by 1% instead of the DR they once increased for a total of 4% available from the tree.
The Fury of the Wild passive "Damage Reduction" increases this absorption by an additional 1%/2%/3%. (BUG: This portion is not yet implemented in this preview build.)
Total max: 18% damage absorption to all damage except bane. Requires a Pure Barbarian with the fifth Core in Occult Slayer and a tier 2 Fury of the Wild ability to achieve.


Frenzied Berserker Adjustments
Cracking Attack no longer costs HP and the cooldown is reduced to 12 seconds. Reduces fortification by 5/10/20% in addition to its existing effects.
Crazy Strike now grants +.5/+1/+2[W] extra damage.
Focused Wrath now grants +1/+2 Competence Bonus to Critical Multiplier.
Focused Wrath now costs 1AP per rank.


Ravager Adjustments
Hate now deals +1/2/3[W] and has a cooldown of 6 seconds.
Mutilate now has a 10-second cooldown per monster on proccing its Charisma damage (as you can use Hate much more frequently now).
Slaughter's cooldown is now 12 seconds.
Critical Rage now grants +1/+2 Competence Bonus to Critical Threat Range.
Critical Rage now costs 1AP per rank. (Does not require raging)


Occult Slayer Adjustments
Weapon Bond's active cooldown is now 20 seconds. It now costs 1 Weapon Bond, and grants a +5 Unique Bonus to Attack.
Parrying Bond's bonuses are now Unique
Guarding Bond's bonuses are now Unique
Vicious Strike now deals +1/3/5[W], and is now 1AP per rank.
Antimagic Boost now includes +10/20/30 Action Boost bonus to MRR in addition to its existing effect.
Driving Force now costs 30/20/10 Weapon Bond, lasts for 20 seconds, and adds 5/10/20 MRR in addition to its existing effect.
Seeker’s Strike now deals +3/5/7[W] and costs 20 Weapon Bond. It is also now 1AP per rank.
Occult Metalline now grants +1 Comptetence Bonus to Critical Threat Range and Critical Multiplier in addition to its existing effects.
Occult Metalline now costs 2AP.

So what is the silliest endgame weapon for a Barb now?
I suppose the falchion from Age of Rage will be titties.

Then there's the possible SWF builds... ...is swash on the table? (I'm retarted)
How does this stuff go together with Vistani? I know Ap is tight.

Legendary Forgotten Axe starts with a 19-20, without keen, though, so with that you would be at:

16-18/5 19-20/8 with full SWF attack speed. 

Sweet!

I had that wrong.  I think I missed a range expander. 

Naturally I was thinking of handaxes which in LD would be 15-18/x5 19-20/x8 (OC+Devastating Crit+Headman's Chop). Axe of the Unseen Blow would have x6 crits; Forgotten Axe would have 14-20 crit range.

Anyone else thinking Barb Silvanus?

Link?

Passive: While Swashbuckling, the following weapons receive Competence bonuses to their critical profiles (critical threat range bonuses doubled with the appropriate Improved Critical feat, but not with keen or impact):

Ubongwah doesn't spell it out in the post, but:

I forgot this from the wiki:


So the +2 crit range from swash gets another +2 from IC, which moves it from 16 to 14.