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 Post subject: Magic Immune Barbarian
PostPosted: Sat Jan 18, 2014 8:00 pm 
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Mortal

Joined: Sat Apr 19, 2003 11:19 pm
Posts: 425
Magic Immune Barbarian (AKA Resistance Wildfighter)

This is a barbarian that has complete magic resistance. This has immediate ramifications that will impact your play-style. First, you do not need to worry about harmful magical spells from your enemies (Harm, Finger of Death, Petrification, etc). Second, you will not benefit from magical buffs (Haste, Giant Strength, Sanctuary, etc). And Third, you will not benefit much from healing magic (Heal, Healing Rays, Cure Light, etc).

Compared with a barbarian that is not magic immune, you likely have fewer hit points, lower dexterity and/or strength and you will not be able to see hidden or invisible enemies. Despite this, there are several things you can do to maximize the benefits and minimize the consequences of magic immunity.

Damage Reduction:
You have fewer hit points and no defensive buffs (Armor, protection, sanctuary). However, since you do not need to devote enchantment slots on your armor to reflex, willpower, fortitude or magic protection, you are free to fully max out armor protection on each piece. Have your enchanter attempt to put as many ap enchantments as possible to minimize physical damage that you take with each hit.

Leveling the Playing field
Hopefully you will have more armor protection than your opponents, but stacking buffs will still give them a significant advantage over you. This is where Aura of Negation comes in. Using this ability, we can dispel buffs that our opponents might have. Before combat, use the 'negate' command to activate the aura. It will automatically flare when you are in melee combat with someone who has magical buffs. This will remove some or all of their buffs and heal you. You will often need to reactivate the aura ('negate' again) after each time it flares. Using a reaching weapon will allow your aura to flare on opponents who are in the second rank.

Quote:
A Barbarian's aura flares as he attempts to absorb your magic!
The white aura around your body fades.
Your force shield shimmers then fades away.
You feel less protected.
You feel less aware of your surroundings.
You feel less righteous.


Healing:
Each time you resist a spell cast on you, you will regain some hit points. The amount you gain depends on the spell cast. Although "Heal" does not work very well for healing this way, sanctuary is relatively effective. Sorcerors can also be effective healers:
Quote:
[HP: 69%] [ME: 85%] [PE: 50%]
Sorceror utters the words, 'oahz'. (gate)
A magical gate begins to materialize... but then vanishes.
[HP: 89%] [ME: 85%] [PE: 50%]
----------
[HP: 69%] [ME: 79%] [PE: 29%]
Sorceror utters the words, 'paghz'. (haste)
You resist the effects of Sorceror's spell!
[HP: 75%] [ME: 79%] [PE: 29%]

Similarly, magical items (potions or herbs) that cast these spells can be used:
Quote:
[HP: 40%] [ME: 63%] [PE: 92%]
You eat a small green branch covered in red berries.
Your spell of blindness appears to have no effect.
You resist the effect of your own spell.
You resist the effect of your own spell.
[HP: 53%] [ME: 63%] [PE: 92%]


Hidden and Invisible Foes:
You will never be able to have detect hidden, detect invis or true seeing active on your resistant barbarian. However, barbarians have the Alertness ability, that warns you when someone that you can't see walks into the room.
Quote:
You sense someone approaching you.
[HP:100%] [ME:100%] [PE: 89%]
Someone stops flying.

This at least lets you know someone is there. You also have the ability to track, which lets you follow the trail of anyone, even if they are hidden or invisible, who is walking (not flying). You will still need a friend (or NPC) who can detect to be able to initiate combat.

How to create this character:
Any race or alignment can be an effective Magic Immune Barbarian. You will spend your initial attribute points on Strength, Constitution and Dexterity. You will need 10 trains to maximize Magic Resistance (MR), but you can save them up and spend them all at once when you are ready. Any additional trains available should be spent on HP.

Don't spend attribute points on intelligence, but wear int mods to maximize the benefits of training and increase the probability of improving a skill with use. If you are light aura, charisma mods will let you request better gear. If you join a tribunal, charisma mods will allow you to order higher level NPCs. If you join a cabal, wisdom and intelligence mods will help you cast cabal spells. Despite all of this, you will be very effective in combat even without any stat mods. Stat mods are relatively easy to get at this point in the game. There is a shop in Menegroth and Exile that sell rings, bracelets and necklaces of all stats, and priests and sorcerors can enchant one of your items to add up to 5 (or more?) to one stat. Read 'Help Stacking' to understand how enchantment stacking works.

Leveling Up
Level as normal for a melee class, using areas depending on your alignment. Areas with high concentrations of magic users will be easier for you than other builds, so you may wish to spend extra time in them (Tlaxcala, A'van Keep). Obvious things: Wear heavy armor, have your weapon enchanted, keep berserk(and fury) up as much as possible. Wear a shield if you need to rest because of damage taken. Often you will be able to clear out an area without needing rest. For more difficult areas (ex: lower morea) either train with a melee partner and trade who takes the hits, or have a priest or sorceror who can heal you with the above mentioned spells.

Player vs Player combat:
In PvP, consider yourself a damage dealer. You're most effective when the enemy is aiming at someone else. You can focus on using your Aura of Negation to remove their buffs and deal damage. In your inventory, you should carry mistletoe herbs (they cast sanctuary, but eat them to heal yourself. Ask a scout for some) and one or more word of recall potions (brewed by a priest or shaman). Recall potions work despite magic resistance and are often the only way to escape death.

Note that you can berserk while bashed, so remember to berserk even if you get bashed. You won't be able to use any of your other abilities (including refreshing your aura of negation or quaffing word of recall), so you should aim to avoid being bashed.

Overall, the benefit of this build is that it requires little preparation to be ready for PvP combat. Other than having mistletoe, you don't need to get buffed or really worry about losing your armor or jewelery. A good weapon will always help, but barbarians are the most effective class bare handed and naked. For absolutly minimizing prep time, choose griffon as a class. They can't wear most armor and have claw attacks when weaponless.


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 Post subject: Re: Magic Immune Barbarian
PostPosted: Fri Jan 24, 2014 5:34 am 
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Joined: Wed Jan 30, 2013 5:55 am
Posts: 327
I'll also add if that's okay, that like a necromancer or warlock, when they share some stats with their minion.. Your own natural MR carries over to some unnamed cabal abilities, making them impossible to dispel less you surpress.


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