Variant Barbarian Build

[LemmingofGlory]

Little Faith:
Variant: A certain set of optional "rules" followed to make the game more interesting, to pose a challenge or to improve roleplaying aspects.

The key, though, is that the rules are connected to each other somehow. There must be a central theme. As far as I can tell, the only rule here is "Gain no exp." That's simply a restriction, like "Assign no stat points" or "Use only cracked items."

This is not to say the restriction can't be given a name or it's somehow not as "good" as a variant. Miscellaneous restrictions and variants are kindred spirits, but I wouldn't say they're exactly the same. One of the key attractions of "restrictions" is they're oftetimes more convenient than fleshing out a complete variant. I tend to play more "restricted" sorts of characters than I do variants in D2 for this reason.

But!

Zatar:
I'd thought 'build' as the second phase of this adventure has the 'variant' restriction that all stat points go into vitality. Allocation of skill points will be standard with the exception that War Cry is not allowed. My character can use any of the special weapons (Wirt's Leg, the Horadric Malus, etc.) or the original axe. All other equipable items are only restricted by the need of strength and dexterity modifiers such as item attributes and charms. Also allowed are weapons with passive charges. By this I mean Dim Vision, Life Tap, and such for use on the weapons switch.

Zatar, you are fleshing out the idea a bit more with that commentary. You may very well have a variant when you're done with it. (Muhaha, in comes the prerequisite variant nitpicking!)

So, I wonder, why must it be a Barb?!

I was playing a "No experience" non-HC Nec last week-ish. He leveled to 2 from the Carin stones frying Raka's minions and from hitting a Poison Shrine. (Heh) He managed to get to Andy. Throw weapons are key to killing her, IMO, but her level was so utterly packed it was hell trying to isolate her. I got frustrated and went to bed. But nonetheless, Javas were effective.

Necromancer is exceedingly well-equipped for handling a Low Exp environment. Terror and Iron Maiden are powerful enough tools to take you to Travincal at clvl 12. (I know.) How possible it is for HC, I can't say, but I'm not looking at it from HC-only.

So, some things to think about:
--Scope of the variant: How far will you plan it to go?
--Character class: Which and why?
--SC consideration: In nightmare, enforce death to negate exp gain?

[o: *LEMMING* :o]