*************************************************************************** -_____ ,, ,, _-_, _-_, ' | -, ' _ || || // // /| | |` \\ < \, ||/|, || /'\\ || || || |==|| || /-|| || || || || || ~|| ~|| : ~|| | |, || (( || || |' || || || || || ~-____, \\ \/\\ \\/ \\ \\,/ _-_, _-_, ( Lord of Destruction 1.11 'Dragoon' Barbarian Guide Version 1.10 *************************************************************************** Written by: AUNAO Table of Contents -------------------------------- I. Version History II. Introduction III. Skills a) Warcries b) Combat Masteries c) Combat Skills IV. Recommended Skill Allocation V. Recommended Stat Distribution VI. Equipment VII. General Strategies VIII. Boss Strategies IX. Recognition X. Contact Information I. Version History v. 1.00 - 08/19/2005 - Initial Information v. 1.10 - 01/21/2006 - ASCII title added II. Introduction I think Leap Attack is cool. What more can I say. =D Every Barbarian you see lately is virtually identical, and the Dragoon is a little different. It's not as viable a build to solo Hell difficulty with, but it's a hell of a lot of fun on it's own. Dragoons use Leap Attack as their primary mode of attack. It's a fun build with quite a lot of options. It'll be a challenging ride, but the Dragoon can be a realistic choice for someone looking for something a little different. III. Skills There are only two skills the Dragoon actually NEEDS to max, so that leaves you with over fifty points to use as you wish. I'll be outlining what I believe to be the best route, but feel free to change the build to suit your own needs. a) Warcries The heart and soul of most Barbarians. The Dragoon utilizes only a few Warcries, similar to other builds. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Howl ---------------------------------------------------------------- Required level: 1 Description: When used, it'll send all enemies in a small radius running away in fear. This can be extremely useful for the Dragoon, as this build has a very powerful attack, but lacks sufficient crowd control. After using Howl, you can pick off stronger enemies one by one with Leap Attack. Final Decision: A single point will be sufficient. It's a great stand alone skill, and also a prerequisite for the other warcries we'll be using. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Find Potion ---------------------------------------------------------------- Required level: 1 Description: You can use it to search the body of a slain monster for a potion. It has a low percentage of working, and considering how easy it is to find potions, it's a pretty worthless skill. Final Decision: Zero points. If you want to use Grim Ward, a single point in this skill will suffice. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Taunt ---------------------------------------------------------------- Required level: 6 Description: Causes a single monster to attack you, regardless of the situation. Also reduces the target's damage and attack rating by a negligible amount. This can be a useful skill to lure a tough Unique Monster's minions away and kill them off one by one. It's not something you'll need to rely on either, though. Final Decision: Either none or a single point, depending on your playing style. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Shout ---------------------------------------------------------------- Required level: 6 Description: Doubles your defense for twenty seconds with a single point. More points will give a larger defense bonus and a longer duration. Handy, but not really need apart from being a prerequisite for Battle Orders. Final Decision: One point. If your Dragoon gets to the lofty heights of level 90+, you may want to put a few more points into this skill, as it is a synergy for Battle Orders. More points into Shout will give Battle Orders a longer duration. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Find Item ---------------------------------------------------------------- Required level: 12 Description: Similar to Find Potion, except it will find a random item with an even lower precentage of success. There are magic find Barbarians that utilize this skill to its utmost potential, but the Dragoon has no use for it. Final Decision: Zero points, or one if you want to use Grim Ward. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Battle Cry ---------------------------------------------------------------- Required level: 18 Description: Reduces the damage and defense of enemies in a small radius by a fairly decent amount. This isn't a bad skill by any means, but simply isn't as cost effective as other skills you could be putting points into. Final Decision: Zero points. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Battle Orders ---------------------------------------------------------------- Required level: 24 Description: Raises your Health, Mana, and Stamina by a goodly amount for a short amount of time. This skill can be a godsend, and it's always nice to have when playing multiplayer. The duration is small, but can be raised with its synergies, Shout and Battle Command. Final Decision: Max this skill. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Grim Ward ---------------------------------------------------------------- Required level: 24 Description: You can use this skill on a slain enemy to create a totem that will ward off enemies. It has a small radius, but some people absolutely swear by it. Grim Ward can be useful in areas that are swarming with powerful melee enemies. Final Decision: One point or none. Entirely up to you. ---------------------------------------------------------------- War Cry ---------------------------------------------------------------- Required level: 30 Description: Damages and stuns enemies in a nearby radius. There are builds that center around this skill, but it's trivial for a Dragoon. Final Decision: Ignore this skill. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Battle Command ---------------------------------------------------------------- Required level: 30 Description: Raises the skill levels of both your party and you. This is a pretty solid skill, and is deserving of at least one point. Battle Orders is a synergy of Battle Command, so this skill will last awhile even at level 1. Final Decision: A single point will do. More can be put into it at a higher level if you're interested in a longer lasting Battle Orders. b) Combat Masteries This skill tree is completely passive. Once you put points into these skills, they'll always remain active. ---------------------------------------------------------------- The Six Weapon Masteries ---------------------------------------------------------------- Required level: Sword, Axe and Mace - 1 Polearm, Spear and Throwing - 6 Description: Even before starting a Dragoon, you'll have to decide the primary weapon of your particular Dragoon. It's all up to you, and depends on your own particular tastes and interests. My own Dragoon used the Spear, since it's more of a traditional weapon for a Lancer. Swords, Maces, and Axes allow you to use a shield, which will make the build a little more viable. Again, it's up to you. Final Decision: Max whichever you choose. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Increased Stamina ---------------------------------------------------------------- Required level: 12 Description: This is a fantastic stand alone skill. One point increases your overall Stamina by 30%. You get it pretty early, so it'll save you time not having to pause and rest. Any more points into this skill is a waste, as the bonus is hardly noticed, and you'll have enough stamina later on anyway. Final Decision: A single point. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Iron Skin ---------------------------------------------------------------- Required level: 18 Description: In the same vein as Increased Stamina, a point into this skill raises your overall defense by 30%. More points will only raise your defense by a small amount, so one point will be all you'll need. Final Decision: A single point. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Increased Speed ---------------------------------------------------------------- Required level: 24 Description: The first point will raise your run/walk by 13%. The bonus after that is a waste. All in all, it's not bad for only needing one point. Final Decision: A single point. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Natural Resistance ---------------------------------------------------------------- Required level: 30 Description: Increases your resistance level to the four elements by a small amount with each point. This can be extremely important in Hell, especially if your equipment is lacking. Final Decision: A single point should be enough. If you find yourself struggling to keep your resistances up, you can put more points into it as needed. c) Combat Skills The Dragoon's main skills come from this tree. There are only several Combat Skills the Dragoon needs. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Bash ---------------------------------------------------------------- Required level: 1 Description: Does a small amount of damage and knocks the enemy back. Essentially worthless for any build. Final Decision: Single point as a prerequisite. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Leap ---------------------------------------------------------------- Required level: 6 Description: Allows your Barbarian to leap a distance over obstacles and enemies. When you land, you'll be given a small 'cushion' in the form of knockback, executed against all enemies near your landing point. Leap is a synergy of Leap Attack, and is essential to the Dragoon Build. Apart from raising Leap Attack's damage, you'll be able to leap quite a distance at higher levels. You'll also be able to leap through places with winding terrain, like the Arcane Sanctuary and the jungles of Act 3. Final Decision: Max this skill. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Double Swing ---------------------------------------------------------------- Required level: 6 Description: When equiped with two weapons, you can attack two enemies at once, or one enemy twice. Worthless skill for a Dragoon. Final Decision: Zero points. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stun ---------------------------------------------------------------- Required level: 12 Description: Stuns an enemy while increasing your attack rating. A decent skill, but can't keep up with others at higher levels. Final Decision: A single point as a prerequisite. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Double Throw ---------------------------------------------------------------- Required level: 12 Description: When equipped with two different throwing items, you can throw them both at the same time. Since the Dragoon doesn't utilize throwing weapons, you should ignore this skill entirely. Final Decision: Zero points. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Leap Attack ---------------------------------------------------------------- Required level: 18 Description: The skill that makes the Dragoon a Dragoon. This lets you leap into the air, and strike an enemy when you land. Even though Leap Attack hits once, it's one of the highest raw damage skills the Barbarian has at his disposal. With both Leap and Leap Attack maxed, Leap Attack will do 870% your normal damage, as well as adding 335% to your attack rating. All that for only 9 mana a pop. =D With enough + to skills equipment, it wouldn't be unrealistic to have Leap Attack at 1000%+ damage. Final Decision: The essential skill of a Dragoon. Max it. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Concentrate ---------------------------------------------------------------- Required level: 18 Description: A great skill that doubles your defense while still doing a nice amount of damage. However, it isn't relevant to the Dragoon build itself, so we'll be using it as a prerequisite for Berserk only. Final Decision: A single point as a prerequisite. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Frenzy ---------------------------------------------------------------- Required level: 24 Description: A fun skill that lets you attack with two weapons at the same time, while raising your attack and movement speeds at the same time. It's out of place for the Dragoon, however. Final Decision: Zero points. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Whirlwind ---------------------------------------------------------------- Required level: 30 Description: This is generally the most popular Barbarian skill, but it requires a lot of skill points for it to be usable. Final Decision: Zero points. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Berserk ---------------------------------------------------------------- Required level: 30 Description: Pretty much every Barbarian needs this skill to survive Hell difficulty. This skill uses magical damage instead of physical, and allows you to defeat Physical Immunes. Final Decision: One point is enough. IV. Recommended Skill Allocation There are two skills that absolutely must be maxed for the Dragoon - Leap, and Leap Attack. Everything else can be planned however you like. I'll be listing the build I find most effective: 20 points in Leap Attack 20 points in Leap 20 points in Battle Orders 20 points in the Mastery of your choice After these 80 points are spent, you can use the rest of the points however you like. Boosting Natural Resistance or the duration of your Battle Orders would probably be the best bet for you. V. Recommended Stat Distribution Thankfully, the Dragoon's stats are fairly easy. Strength should be just high enough to use your equipment. Anywhere from 100-170 should suffice, depending on the Mastery you chose, and the equipment you have at your disposal. Dexterity will be in a similar vein. Leap Attack gives a 335% bonus to attack rating at level 20, so you should only have to worry about having enough for your equipment. If you chose a Mastery that allows a shield, you'll also have Max Block to worry about. Anywhere from 100-200 should suffice. Vitality. Every point not spent in Strength or Dexterity goes here. It's quite simple. Energy will be ignored completely, as you'll never really have mana problems, especially later on. VI. Equipment Weapon: This will be tricky, as it depends entirely on the mastery you chose. Since the Dragoon reigns supreme mostly in Nightmare, most mid level uniques and runewords will be more than enough, especially coupled with a fully synergized Leap Attack's massive damage output. Shield: Also depends on whether you chose a weapon that allows the use of a shield. A Stormshield socketed with a Perfect Diamond is always a popular choice, considering it's not too expensive and fairly easy to acquire. The Sanctuary or Ancient's Pledge rune words can also do well if you're strapped for resistances. Helm: Arreat's Face would be ideal, especially upgraded to its elite form. A Delirium made in a Barbarian helm with +3 to Battle Orders is also a nice choice, as it'll give +2 to skills and a chance to cast several curses as you strike. Cheaper alternatives like Peasant Crown or even Duskdeep can work for you if you're low on funds. Armor: Enigma or Chains of Honor would be ideal, but many people aren't well off enough to get their hands on one. Stone, Gloom, and Smoke are also viable alternatives, using much cheaper runes and still being somewhat effective. Belt: Verdungo's Hearty Cord. Faster hit recovery, 10-15% damage reduction, and a hefty boost to vitality. Fairly easy to trade for as well. Gloves: Dracul's Grasp / Steelrends. Dracul's will give you a chance to cast Life Tap, 25% chance of Open Wounds, and a nice amount of life leech. Rends will increase your overall damage by quite a bit, as well as adding 10% Crushing Blow and a small boost to Strength. Boots: Goreriders. Hopefully upgraded. Easy to acquire, and give Crushing Blow, Open Wounds, and Deadly Strike. They also don't require much strength to use. Rings: Lots of options here. Bul-Kathos' Wedding Band, Raven Frost, even Dwarf Star can work out. Rare rings with resists / dual leech are optimal as well. Amulet: Mara's Kaleidoscope would be ideal, but cheaper alternatives like Saracen's Chance can be great alternatives. Even a Nokozan Relic can help if you're in dire need of some fire resist. VII. General Strategies To be honest, the Dragoon's strategy is quite simple. Hit and run is the name of the game, especially later in the game when crowds become more and more common. Leap Attack has an enormous damage output, but hits only a single opponent. You'll have to utilize both Leap and Leap Attack to their fullest to overcome some areas. Leap will let you get in and out of the fray, and knockback enemies to give you a chance to fly into Leap Attack. When you're in the air, nothing can hurt you, and you need to use that fact to your advantage. As long as you don't get mobbed, you should be able to hold your ground and get past most enemies. Skills like Howl and Taunt can allow you to manipulate enemy movements and let you strike desired targets at will. VIII. Boss Strategies The name says it all We'll describe how to take on each boss with our Dragoon, with tips for each difficulty. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Act 1 - Andariel ---------------------------------------------------------------- You won't have too much trouble with Andariel, especially early on. If you chose the Spear or Polearm Mastery, you'll take her down with normal attacks incredibly quickly. As long as you guzzle an Antidote before hand, her poison won't be too bad. On higher difficulties, you'll have Leap Attack to make up for her increased capabilities. It'll be easy to use a mercenary to distract her while you clobber her health away with leap attack. If she starts damaging you too much, or your merc is killed, just TP back to town, health up / resurrect your merc, and jump back into the fray. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Act 2 - Duriel ---------------------------------------------------------------- Pretty much every encounter with Duriel goes down the same way. His freezing ability combined with his high movement speed makes Leap Attack difficult to use properly, so you'll be left to fend for yourself. On Normal, normal attacks will be enough so long as you have average defenses. Heal when necessary, and he'll drop pretty quickly. On Nightmare / Hell, you'll have Berserk and a more useful Mercenary and better equipment. As long as you don't let him stunlock you, you should take the win easily. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Act 3 - The High Council ---------------------------------------------------------------- Ugh. Normal and Nightmare Council won't trouble you too much; you can use the same strategy as most characters and simply lure them away one by one and slaughter them with your strongest skills, in our case, Leap Attack. These guys are high on offense, but lacking in Health and defense, so your Leap Attack should make short work of them, provided you stay away from Hydra and getting ganged up on. Hell difficulty is another story. You'll have to try to lure them away, but their attacks are much more damaging. This isn't to say it's impossible, but you'd probably be best off getting some help from a friend or in a public game for this one. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Act 3 - Mephisto ---------------------------------------------------------------- The nice thing about encountering Mephisto with any Barbarian is that you can just leap across the moat and not have to deal with the Council members close by him. Provided you don't awaken any of the Blood Lords above Mephisto, he's a breeze for a good Dragoon on any difficulty. His Lightning attacks and Frost Ball are easy to leap around, and there is a lot of space to maneuver with Leap Attack. If he's damaging you too much, you can leap back across the moat, use Leap Attack from there, and then leap back to safety. It'll take awhile, but he'll succumb to the awesome might of your Leap Attack eventually. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Act 4 - Diablo ---------------------------------------------------------------- One of the easier bosses for a Dragoon to take care of. He's pretty much the same on every difficulty. The only thing you really have to worry about is his massively powerful Lightning Hose. This will basically kill you in seconds on any difficulty. Luckily, it's easy to dodge, and can't hit you if you're in transit with Leap. =D Stick to a combo of using Leap Attack to close the distance, and Berserk when he's not using his Lightning Hose. One he gestures that he's going to use it, Leap away, and Leap Attack back in. He'll fall in no time. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Act 5 - Baal ---------------------------------------------------------------- Baal... well, he's still a joke. :O I'll never understand why Blizzard decided the last boss should be such a defensive one. Any build that moves around a lot really can't be killed by Baal, only annoyed. He'll knock you back, freeze you, and burn your mana away, but he'll never really be able to hurt you. You'll use a similar strategy to the one you used against Diablo, except you won't have to bother dodging any powerful attacks. The combo of Leap Attack and Berserk will take him out after awhile, provided you ignore the double he makes of himself and concentrate solely on the real Baal. IX. Recognition - El Sabotender, for being my special little guy - Diamond Angel99 ... you broke my heart, man, but whatever... - awksamurai <3 <3 <3 - Blizzard, of course, releasing patches even now to maximize both our gaming and purchasing experience X. Contact Information If you find any errors, or have something to say, let me know at: AUNAOyo@gmail.com