1.10 Leap Attack Barbarian

[Swarmalicious]

Hail Lurxors,

Just finished - Swarmalicious's Leap Attack Barb Guide
and looking for some feedback & proofreading.

I may have gotten a little carried away, but hey - only took me 4 years to get around to writing one, might as well add the fringe.

Hope you like. Long live the Booyaka.

[Occhidiangela]

1. If you happen to be using hacked items on the realms, please make a fist, look at it, and punch yourself in the face. Thanks.

Gotta like that. :) Will that punch elicit a "booyaka" sound after impact?

2. La vita è buona
Vera.

3. The Simpsons are and always will be the pinnacle of human achievement.
Nice and easy now, put down the crack pipe, coffe is a much better pick me up. :D

Comments and Questions:

I. About Physical Immunes:

How does a point in Berserk / 20 points in Leap work out? :) Stun the baddies, hit with Berserk, rinse and repeat, drink blues like they are going out of style . . .

Comments? Worth the investment?

Dealing with IM and Thorns: What's your suggestion? Is it a matter of using a socketed item with very low damage but mucho elemental damage?

II. "Alt" key feature for Melee Leap Attack: nice tip. Thanks, the pole arm barbarians will thank you.

III. Dealing with IM and Thorns: What's your suggestion? Is it a matter of using a socketed item with very low damage but mucho elemental damage?

IV. Party Question: when kocking enemies about, how did that influence the targeting of monsters by your partying pals?

V. Was your Barbarian painted Green? :)

VI. Given Amp Damage apparently reducing Physical Resistance/ degrading Physical Immunity, it seems to me that "Casts Amp Damage" on a weapon, or the ever elusive Atma's Wail, would be a key bit of gear. Or charges of it for particularly bothersome monsters.

[Zath]

"Thriller-Video-Shuffle", I like that :lol:

A few points for feedback...

1): I think v1.10 Synergy bonuses are currently multiplicative and not additive with normal damage modifiers. A 253 strength Barbarian wielding a 400 damage maul, with a +300% Might aura, maxed Leap and Leap Attack, ignoring rounding, will therefore deal...

400 x ( 1 + 2.53 x 1.1 + 3 + 6.7 ) x ( 1 + 2 ) = 16,179 damage per non-critical hit :blink:

Someone check my math please :unsure:

2): You'll probably want to spend a few points in Berserk instead of relying on elemental damage to deal with physical immunes. I imagine this build would have some problems with PI swarms in the Arcane Sanctuary for example.

3): Consider putting both Bash and Leap Attack on the same mouse button for your bam-BAM combo. This can spare you from repetitive stress injury as you need only shuffle hotkeys while maintaining click lock. Assassins often use this type of setup to juggle charge ups and finishing moves too by the way.

4): I'm not sure about this, but I read somewhere that the minimum range of Leap Attack might be proportional to weapons range, so it could be useful to pick a shorter ranged "Maul" type weapon instead of the longer ranged "Great Maul" type weapon.

[AtomicKitKat]

Looks fun. Of all the things, I picked up a Humongous from one of Baal's crew earlier today... :P Is it just me, or is there a breakpoint around 28% mf? Cos I've been finding a buttload of items these last few days(about 1 unique per 3 games of Shenk+Eldritch followed by Ancients to Baal, sometimes 2 uniques in a game)

[Casperi]

III.  Dealing with IM and Thorns: What's your suggestion? Is it a matter of using a socketed item with very low damage but mucho elemental damage?

The game treats Leap Attack as a ranged (not melee) attack, so Iron Maiden doesn't apply. You may leap around in the Chaos Sanctuary without fear!

I wonder if there's any way to speed up the jump time, perhaps through fast cast, increased attack speed, faster walk/run...

Nice guide, the humor is appreciated! I've always been a fan of Leap, for the super secret knockback effect. Very handy for throwers.

Casp

[AtomicKitKat]

Okay, this will sound a little stupid, but you MIGHT consider investing in Battle Cry. Why? Cos it will work on Bosses, minimise hp losses, your shots will hit more often, and it'll put em in their coffin! Wyrd! :P

[GenericKen]

I'm pretty sure that combat skill synergies are addative, not multiplicative. Look at vengence.

Anyone, one thing I haven't understood for a while. In the 1.9 mpqs, Leap ATTACK has a knockback value and radius (one that is infact greater than the Leap one). Why no knockback on landing?

[Occhidiangela]

The game treats Leap Attack as a ranged (not melee) attack, so Iron Maiden doesn't apply. You may leap around in the Chaos Sanctuary without fear!

For some reason, I thought that had been changed.

[Swarmalicious]

Nice responses everyone! I'll ammend guide and throw out some credits - gotta love dem lurkers.
Especially glad I could get a smirk out of some of you (coming up with the humor when addressing a broad audience is tough - I usually swear a lot more ;)).

I've never felt warmer, or fuzzier for that matter. :D

Ok, lets see if I can get to all this here :

I. About Physical Immunes:

How does a point in Berserk / 20 points in Leap work out?  Stun the baddies, hit with Berserk, rinse and repeat, drink blues like they are going out of style . . .

- I really wanted to get Berzerk in there, but sticking to a 68 skill point spending pool (what a character at lvl 60 should have available) was my first goal. I just couldn't get it to add up...
Also, though spent some time looking around in Hell, I really couldn't find that many Pi's to test on. I wonder if theres fewer of them now?

- Dealing with IM and Thorns: What's your suggestion? Is it a matter of using a socketed item with very low damage but mucho elemental damage?

- I think Casperi's right, here Leap Att "is" a ranged attack (unless it has been altered). The other thing is that in the beta, the obliv's IM doesn't work at all... so testing's out the window.

IV. Party Question: when kocking enemies about, how did that influence the targeting of monsters by your partying pals?

- Well, if you're worried that its annoying - having a strategy worked out beforehand helps. If the pack was really nuts, I would start the leaping until my team mate(s) could dispatch some of it (say, the aura enchanted boss) and then I'd help out on the fray. After a short while it was understood, and it wasn't awkward. They were using a cold sorc & a Fury/minion druid, so targeting enemies wasn't a huge problem.

V. Was your Barbarian painted Green?

- with envy? No way, he's a confident bastard. ;)

VI. Given Amp Damage apparently reducing Physical Resistance/ degrading Physical Immunity, it seems to me that "Casts Amp Damage" on a weapon, or the ever elusive Atma's Wail, would be a key bit of gear. Or charges of it for particularly bothersome monsters.

- have to check that out... I'm sure Amp would be a good thing. :)

4): I'm not sure about this, but I read somewhere that the minimum range of Leap Attack might be proportional to weapons range, so it could be useful to pick a shorter ranged "Maul" type weapon instead of the longer ranged "Great Maul" type weapon.

- I strongly urge the use of mauls - fits into the "storyline".

Okay, this will sound a little stupid, but you MIGHT consider investing in Battle Cry. Why? Cos it will work on Bosses, minimise hp losses, your shots will hit more often, and it'll put em in their coffin! Wyrd!

- Yeah BC is great... only reason it wasn't included was to save on skill points.

[GenericKen]

One thing I think'd be worth mentioning is that the new unique winged axe has 33% amp chance on them (low lvl, so it's a per target thing), and is available at 68. You could keep it on your switch without sacrificing equipment (and socket with an eth).

Doubles your damage, no questions asked.

And frankly, I think leap attack barbs look freaking sexy with a lance. The range is nice too.

[Zath]

I'm pretty sure that combat skill synergies are addative, not multiplicative. Look at vengence.

The synergy bonuses are additive between themselves, but they are generally together multiplied over your existing damage. Even Vengeance will do oodles of damage if you max out its syngergies too. Someone at the Amazon Basin mentioned that he was one hit killing A1 Hell Zombies with Milabrega's Orb in this manner for example.

Edit: High weapons range may be counter productive with Leap Attack if it also increases the skills minimum range.

[GenericKen]

The synergy bonuses are additive between themselves, but they are generally together multiplied over your existing damage. Even Vengeance will do oodles of damage if you max out its syngergies too. Someone at the Amazon Basin mentioned that he was one hit killing A1 Hell Zombies with Milabrega's Orb in this manner for example.

Edit: High weapons range may be counter productive with Leap Attack if it also increases the skills minimum range.

I really doubt it. The numbers given seem consistant with additive, and vengance is itself a powerful freaking skill.

The thing is that vengence is multiplicative with conviction, giving the pally a nice exponential curve. The barb has NO multiplication over skill ed to the weapon, other than MAYBE deadly strike.


Did they ever fix that barb deadly strike bug?


Oh, and for your guide, you might want to put 1 point in battle command.

[lemekim]

The synergy bonuses are additive between themselves, but they are generally together multiplied over your existing damage. Even Vengeance will do oodles of damage if you max out its syngergies too. Someone at the Amazon Basin mentioned that he was one hit killing A1 Hell Zombies with Milabrega's Orb in this manner for example.

The synergy bonus for vengeance are additive to the existing damage, and are not multiplied over it. I was trying out the viability of the paladin with vengeance, and it took me about 4 hits per zombie on players 1, with maxed conviction, maxed resists fire/coldghtning, maxed vengeance, and a weapon 3 times the damage of the Milabregas Rod. The damage listed also corresponded to the synergies being additive.

[Brista]

I really really like it :)

I'll respond in more depth presently

[AtomicKitKat]

I've been trying it out for about 3 hours on 1.09, with a couple pieces of berserker set(helm as later switched for a 2 socket, +3 Leap helm(guess what's going in those sockets? ;) ), still wearing the berserker hauberk), Crushflange mace(33%CB), Gorefoot, and Bloodfist. Currently, his Leap appears to have reached its peak of 16 yards. :P Still, the knockback is VERY noticeable. He currently has 1 point each in Howl, Taunt and Increased Stamina. His Leap is about level 12, with items(+3 from helm, +1 from hauberk, +2 from Gorefoot) He knocks back pretty much everyone on screen in 480*640. :P Griswold didn't seem affected, interestingly enough...

[Swarmalicious]

Griswold didn't seem affected, interestingly enough...

I knew that but forgot to put it in ...damn my sloppy notes.

Ammending now - thanks for the heads up Kit!

[AtomicKitKat]

It's easier to refer to me that way*points to title of post*

Some bosses are affected, some aren't. Griswold could be smited into a corner, last I checked, maybe he just can't be leaped into one? O.o

I personally removed Bash from my version, which allows me to spend the 5-20 in Battle Cry. Level 20+ BC should be good enough to cut off 3/4 of all physical damage(while making your own attacks almost ITD) My personal strat for that would probably be Leap => BC =>LA furthest target caught by BC. This should allow for a totally "no dex added" Barbarian. Just too bad the "impact" doesn't transfer attributes like Hit Blinds Target(imagine the abuse!) Was pretty funny watching the skellies in Act 2 do the Thriller jerk though. :) You could also try a FAMINE(FalOhmOrtJah I think, level 65 to use) hammer for this build in 1.10. The Jah provides ITD(if memory serves), and the whole thing does about 50-200 damage in each of the 3 elements, sort of like a "poor man's" Vengeance. That should settle the issue of PIs in hell.

[Zath]

GenericKen & lemekim:

What I read was from this post at the Amazon Basin. Obviously this person's experience doesn't agree with yours. Perhaps I should go download those edited characters and test this out some time too.

[Bolty]

Great guide, Swarm; an enjoyable read, too. Let's see if it holds up for 1.10 final.

-Bolty

[AtomicKitKat]

I'm pretty sure that combat skill synergies are addative, not multiplicative. Look at vengence.

Anyone, one thing I haven't understood for a while. In the 1.9 mpqs, Leap ATTACK has a knockback value and radius (one that is infact greater than the Leap one). Why no knockback on landing?

It does amaze me about that too. That the barb can land like an EMP during a normal leap, but when he's attacking he still has enough presence of mind to bend his knees and land on his toes? :P Yes, that's how I actually jump as high as I can yet land with nary a sound. Now you all know my secret. ;(