http://www.diablowiki.net/Barbarian_skills
So I went here and decided to try and pick a skill set. I know they are subject to change and the percentages(some are not given yet) will also effect which skills/traits will actually be chosen in game. Not to mention that we have no idea how runes will effect the skills either, but that is a story left for another day. So, my idea was to try and make my Barb as useful as I could. The Barb in Diablo 2 was very lacking in killing power versus many enemies until whirlwind(unless you went frenzy). The only thing that worries me is that being a melee class, it might end up being more gear dependent to be as successful as casters.
Skills
Tier One
Rampage(tweaked Zeal in disguise)
This warcry/buff allows the Barbarian to hit additional targets per swing, as well as increasing the attack speed.
* Description: Strikes X additional targets with each attack and increases attack speed by X%.
Cleave
A powerful melee attack, this hits multiple enemies per swing; as many as are within the sweep of the Barbarian's reach, dealing substantial damage to everything.
* Description: The Barbarian swings at multiple targets at once, dealing X% weapon damage to all targets in front of him.
The choice between these two is that I'm assuming cleave has a low% of the weapons base damage, I would go rampage. If it is at least 80% I would go cleave.
Tier Two
War Cry(probably not called shout due to the runes making it increase a different stat)
This shout boosts the Barbarian's Fury, as well as the armor of the Barbarian and all nearby party members.
* Description: A terrifying cry that provides X fury and increases the armor of the Barbarian and all party members within X feet by X% for X seconds.
Free fury and a party skill is just gravy. Plus with runes I assume it will improve the defense even further or boost a stat/damage/Hp < basically anything that all 5 classes can get benefit from.
Tier Three
Revenge
A melee skill, this one becomes available when when the Barbarian is hit. It deals a fast spinning hit that can strike multiple enemies for considerable damage. It is an active skill; you must trigger it each time to make it work; it doesn't just activate automatically when you are struck.
* Description: When hit, there is a X% chance the Barbarian may strike all enemies within X feet, dealing X% weapon damage and gaining X% health for each enemy hit.
I am at a toss up between this and the tier four skill sprint, the % chance on this actually occurring heavily weighs on this skills success imo.
Tier Four
Sprint
A shout that buffs the Barbarian with extra movement speed.
* Description: Grants X% speed boost for X seconds.
(could become party speed buff, which means more ground covered and less time spent traveling and more time killing)
Threatening Shout
A shout that debuffs enemies, lowering their damage.
* Description: Shouts with great ferocity, reducing damage done by enemies within X feet by X% for X seconds.
Threatening Shout is an iffy skill so to speak, I don't know if there are other debuff skills in D3. If so, do they stack or override like in D2? Lots of questions about this skill, but the idea of reducing damage of a Boss the first time through the game is great.
Leap Attack
A deadly fast attack, this one allows the Barbarian to leap into attack, moving far faster than running speed, as well as vaulting over obstacles or monsters between him and his prey.
* Description: The Barbarian makes a mighty leap, causing X% weapon damage to all enemies within X feet upon landing.
(Optional attack in case of warcrys overriding, also on a side note- IF there are random dungeons that have a time limit to get a chest or kill a boss deep in the dungeon, leap coupled with sprint would end up being all kinds of awesome)
Tier Five
Battle Rage
A shout that provides a damage boost and critical hit improvement for a short duration.
* Description: Enter a rage which provides a X% damage boost and X% critical hit bonus for X seconds.
A dps increase with the potential to be a party buff as well is highly welcomed.
Seismic Slam
A more powerful version of Ground Stomp, this skill deals higher damage and knocks back enemies, rather than stunning them.
* Description: Slam the ground causing a wave of destruction that deals X% weapon damage in front of the Barbarian and causes knockback.
(Optional attack in case of warcrys overriding) - See Tier Six Taunt
Tier Six
Taunt
A shout that overrides monster AI, causing them to rush towards the Barbarian and launch weakened melee attacks.
* Description: Taunt monsters to attack you at close range for X seconds. Taunted monsters do X% less damage while taunted.
I want to be the tank, but as I said I don't know how this interacts with threatening shout. If I am only permitted to get one of the two, I would consider grabbing Seismic Slam from tier 5 or Leap from tier 4.
Tier Seven
Wrath of the Berserker
This shout grants higher stats and enables the Barbarian to partially break monster immunities.
* Description: Enter a heightened sense of fury, raising several stats (Critical Hit, Attack Speed, Dodge Chance, Movement Speed) for X seconds. Monsters with damage immunities will take X% less damage from the Barbarian's attacks rather than being immune.
As awesome as call of the ancients looks/seems, Physical Immune Mobs are no fun to kill with melee. It also provides more dps on top of being able to deal with Immunes.
Correct me if I am wrong but it is my impression that you may only choose seven skills in Diablo 3. All of the passive skills have been mutated into the new trait system which is a hybrid attribute modifying/passive skill system. As a result the design team felt it pertinent to restrict the number of active skills you can select(all the skills available in the skill tree are now only active) to the number of slot you have available in your skill bar and mouse, which is seven.
This makes sense seeing as how currently there are no passive synergies between skills resulting in no need to have points in any skills you will not be using (and you can couple this with the lack of skill pre-req's).
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So I went here and decided to try and pick a skill set. I know they are subject to change and the percentages(some are not given yet) will also effect which skills/traits will actually be chosen in game. Not to mention that we have no idea how runes will effect the skills either, but that is a story left for another day. So, my idea was to try and make my Barb as useful as I could. The Barb in Diablo 2 was very lacking in killing power versus many enemies until whirlwind(unless you went frenzy). The only thing that worries me is that being a melee class, it might end up being more gear dependent to be as successful as casters.
Skills
Tier One
Rampage(tweaked Zeal in disguise)
This warcry/buff allows the Barbarian to hit additional targets per swing, as well as increasing the attack speed.
* Description: Strikes X additional targets with each attack and increases attack speed by X%.
Cleave
A powerful melee attack, this hits multiple enemies per swing; as many as are within the sweep of the Barbarian's reach, dealing substantial damage to everything.
* Description: The Barbarian swings at multiple targets at once, dealing X% weapon damage to all targets in front of him.
The choice between these two is that I'm assuming cleave has a low% of the weapons base damage, I would go rampage. If it is at least 80% I would go cleave.
Tier Two
War Cry(probably not called shout due to the runes making it increase a different stat)
This shout boosts the Barbarian's Fury, as well as the armor of the Barbarian and all nearby party members.
* Description: A terrifying cry that provides X fury and increases the armor of the Barbarian and all party members within X feet by X% for X seconds.
Free fury and a party skill is just gravy. Plus with runes I assume it will improve the defense even further or boost a stat/damage/Hp < basically anything that all 5 classes can get benefit from.
Tier Three
Revenge
A melee skill, this one becomes available when when the Barbarian is hit. It deals a fast spinning hit that can strike multiple enemies for considerable damage. It is an active skill; you must trigger it each time to make it work; it doesn't just activate automatically when you are struck.
* Description: When hit, there is a X% chance the Barbarian may strike all enemies within X feet, dealing X% weapon damage and gaining X% health for each enemy hit.
I am at a toss up between this and the tier four skill sprint, the % chance on this actually occurring heavily weighs on this skills success imo.
Tier Four
Sprint
A shout that buffs the Barbarian with extra movement speed.
* Description: Grants X% speed boost for X seconds.
(could become party speed buff, which means more ground covered and less time spent traveling and more time killing)
Threatening Shout
A shout that debuffs enemies, lowering their damage.
* Description: Shouts with great ferocity, reducing damage done by enemies within X feet by X% for X seconds.
Threatening Shout is an iffy skill so to speak, I don't know if there are other debuff skills in D3. If so, do they stack or override like in D2? Lots of questions about this skill, but the idea of reducing damage of a Boss the first time through the game is great.
Leap Attack
A deadly fast attack, this one allows the Barbarian to leap into attack, moving far faster than running speed, as well as vaulting over obstacles or monsters between him and his prey.
* Description: The Barbarian makes a mighty leap, causing X% weapon damage to all enemies within X feet upon landing.
(Optional attack in case of warcrys overriding, also on a side note- IF there are random dungeons that have a time limit to get a chest or kill a boss deep in the dungeon, leap coupled with sprint would end up being all kinds of awesome)
Tier Five
Battle Rage
A shout that provides a damage boost and critical hit improvement for a short duration.
* Description: Enter a rage which provides a X% damage boost and X% critical hit bonus for X seconds.
A dps increase with the potential to be a party buff as well is highly welcomed.
Seismic Slam
A more powerful version of Ground Stomp, this skill deals higher damage and knocks back enemies, rather than stunning them.
* Description: Slam the ground causing a wave of destruction that deals X% weapon damage in front of the Barbarian and causes knockback.
(Optional attack in case of warcrys overriding) - See Tier Six Taunt
Tier Six
Taunt
A shout that overrides monster AI, causing them to rush towards the Barbarian and launch weakened melee attacks.
* Description: Taunt monsters to attack you at close range for X seconds. Taunted monsters do X% less damage while taunted.
I want to be the tank, but as I said I don't know how this interacts with threatening shout. If I am only permitted to get one of the two, I would consider grabbing Seismic Slam from tier 5 or Leap from tier 4.
Tier Seven
Wrath of the Berserker
This shout grants higher stats and enables the Barbarian to partially break monster immunities.
* Description: Enter a heightened sense of fury, raising several stats (Critical Hit, Attack Speed, Dodge Chance, Movement Speed) for X seconds. Monsters with damage immunities will take X% less damage from the Barbarian's attacks rather than being immune.
As awesome as call of the ancients looks/seems, Physical Immune Mobs are no fun to kill with melee. It also provides more dps on top of being able to deal with Immunes.
This makes sense seeing as how currently there are no passive synergies between skills resulting in no need to have points in any skills you will not be using (and you can couple this with the lack of skill pre-req's).