Update9 Max/Brutal/Legendary DPS THF Half-Orc Builds (2023)

Legendary DPS - 18/2 Barbarian/Fighter:
The is the ultimate true re-incarnate build that combines incredible DPS along with excellent hit points, combat feat DCs and of course tanking ability. This is the strongest of the 3 builds, but it also is the hardest to play, build and equip. As it absolutely requires the past life: Barbarian feat - which means killing one of your existing Barbarians and True Reincarnating as a Half-Orc, and will also add 1 more hot key to your play setup (Haste Boost I) making it a bit more complex.
First - Recommended Past Life feats:
At a bare minimum you need the Barbarian one. Also recommend having the Fighter one as well, as sets you up to be a Legend build (36 Points) and grants you a nice +1 to hit and +1 DC to combat feats (This build will make heavy use of stunning blow, trip and sunder) but the fighter one is not required.
Recommended leveling progression if your starting from scratch and want to end up as this:
Life 1 - Barbarian pure, use build in post 1, or try out my Dwarf or Warforged guides if you want to try different races each life.
Life 2 (Hero) - Fighter/Barb 18/2, Doing this you can keep your Barbarian speed you've probably grown fond of by now, and also take the Barbarian past life feat for faster leveling.
Life 3 (Legend) - This build.
Additional notes on other past lives should you happen to have other classes your considering TR'ing into a Barbarian (Listed in order best to worst IMO):
Barbarian: Nets you a nice +10 hit points for free. And the active feat is a must have.
Fighter: Nets you +1 to attack (Very important if you want to rock a -11 to hit power attack), and +1 to all your combat feat DCs. Excellent past life for any Barb. If your planning on a doing a ton of TR'ing to get the ultimate stats, make at least 3 of them Fighter.
Monk: +1 Damage to all of your attacks. More DPS. Can't argue with that. But considering this build can manage 130+ base damage and 800+ criticals, it's not really a huge big deal.
Paladin: +5% more health when healed by positive energy. Pretty sweet. If this was a Warforged I'd rank this one above monk. But Half-Orc can reach a fairly solid healing amp without this so not a huge deal. Also the active version grants you the ability to use Divine Favor, which is +3 to hit and +3 damage for about 2 minutes - pretty cool but it's hard to say this is worth dropping a nice feat like toughness for. If you want ultimate DPS and don't mind adding 1 more clicky to your rotation, consider it.
Rogue: +2 saves vs traps and +1 sneak attack damage. Yea, not that great but it's something. Also last I heard this was bugged? Fixed yet?
The rest: Yea, don't bother. Not worth the time investment.
So if you do have one of the above classes and your looking to TR to a Barb, this could be the build for you. Tho keep in mind if you'd have a ton of work ahead of you doing 1 barb life, then TR'ing again for this build to get the Barb past life feat. (Unless said character already happens to have barb past life, then your in luck)
Now onto the build:
Race:
Half-Orc:
+2 strength, 2 more from enhance, power attack enhancements, extra damage with two handed weapons: Awesome race. The highest strength and highest DPS race of them all. Crush your enemies faster then any other with this race! Note this is a pay-to-play race so you need to buy it in the Turbine store or be a VIP to access it.
If you want to go pure free to play: I recommend my Dwarf Build instead.
Alignment:
Barbarians only have 2 correct choices: True Neutral or Chaotic Neutral. Recommend: True Neutral, but they are fairly balanced so pick your favorite.
(Please check out my definitive guide to barbarians here: http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=296816 for details on why)
See Also
Shatter Strike Spellblade Build Scaling & Endgame - Last Epoch Maxroll.gg Wraith Necromancer Build Scaling - Last Epoch Maxroll.gg Smite Hammerdin Paladin Build Scaling - Last Epoch Maxroll.gg
Stats
(34 point build, But having access to 36 points is recommended)
(Stat - Amount - Build Point Cost during creation)
Str 20 - Cost: 16 points (All Level up points go here)
Dex 13 - Cost: 5 points
Con 16 - Cost: 10 points
Int 8 - Cost: 2 points
Wis 8 - None
Cha 7 - Cost: 1 point36 point version (Recommended)
Str 20 - Cost: 16 points (All Level up points go here)
Dex 12 - Cost: 4 points
Con 17 - Cost: 13 points
Int 8 - Cost: 2 points
Wis 8 - None
Cha 7 - Cost: 1 point
Stat Analysis:
Str 20 = +5 level ups, =25, +6 item, =31, +2 tome, =33. +1 Fighter strength I =34, +2 Half Orc enhancement =36 Base strength unraged with basic gear
- Max sustained potential for this build is about 70+ strength when fully geared
- Max temporary potential for this build is OVER 100 strength!! - extremely temporary but quite possible: Screenshot of my endgame stats.
Dex - Basically put about as much as I could fit after making sure the other stats were solid. Reflex save is important, but if your a heavily geared TR - you should probably have some nice gear to up your Dex and reflex any ways.
Con - This provides a max potential of 760+ sustained Hit points (full geared as a TR should be). You get 1 more on a 36point build which is nice but not a huge loss on a 34.
Int 8 - 3 skill points per level 1-7, use a +2 Int tome at 7 for 4 skill points per level. Don't dump this please. Having a high spot and balance skill is important. Also important is maintaining stats over 11 for silver flame potions. By having 8 you can do it easy with a +3 Int tome, or a +2 Int tome + litany of the dead.
Wis 8 - Will save can be important in a couple places, but for TR's you can generally get the gear to immune to most of them (Kundarak Boots), and resist the rest given strong equipment.. And you can still attain a decent will save with good gear.
Cha - I put one point in here since we get a lot for TR's and it will make getting access to silver flame potions so much easier. As you'd just need a +3 tome and the litany of the dead.. Rather then an extremely hard to get +4 tome. You can of course instead wear a charisma item.. But that slot will most often result in a loss somewhere else, and the loss is usually much bigger then 1 build point. If you have a certain epic item in mind with a slot you are going to fill with +6 charisma, that could work, and you could put this point into Dex instead.. Just keep in mind Epic gear takes a lot of work to get and to slot, so consider adding the point here instead.
100% Optimal Lvl20 Hit points (Since it's a TR legend build I do include all the crazy hard to get items):
End Game Hit points since this is important:
240 - Pure Barb lvl20
20 - Heroic Durability
10 - Draconic Vitality (Gianthold Favor)
20 - Minos Legens (Toughness/Heavy Fort Hat)
30 - Greater False Life (Belt)
45 - Greensteel Item
300 - 46 Con (Includes a +4 tome**, +2 exceptional on a ToD ring, Berserker set, an Epic +7 item, and includes 12 con from rage + rage potion as this is a perma rage build)
----- (Toughness Feat is Selected in this build)
23 - Toughness Feat
40 - 4 Toughness Enhancements
= 788 Normal HP
----- (Maintainable situational Buffs)
40 - Madstone Single Con +4
40 - Yugoloth Potions* (20 from con and 20 from secret effect)
= 848 Over 800 Fairly easy to maintain HP
----- (Unmaintainable situational Buffs)
40 - Madstone Double Con +4
= 888 Situational
* Yugoloth +HP potions should not be used in general questing as it lowers your DPS by 5%. However for end game tanking I still recommend you drink them, as you should have no problem holding agro even with one going and the slight DPS drop is worth the hit points.
** +4 tome can be replaced by +3 tome and Litany of the Dead Trinket
Optimal Healing Amplification - Aside from hit points and saves, this is your foremost defense:
Finger Necklace - This is a hard to acquire high level item.. But a very good one, it provides another 10-12% healing, as it works in a strange way.
Actual "Healing Amp" There are 3 ranks, 10%, 20% and 30%. All 3 stack with each other, but 2 of the same will not stack (example leviks bracers + DT Tempest rune will not stack)
I recommend running hound allot, for leviks - they are easiest to get and provide 20%
Alternatives are the DT runes - Eldritch provides 10%, and Tempest Provides 20%. The DT armor requires lvl16+ to use however. Or the +20% on a ToD ring
30% generally won't be obtained until very long after lvl20 via epic gear.
Level Progression:
1 - Barbarian
2 - Fighter
3 - Barbarian (Just so you don't have an ugly fighter icon and so you get stronger rages to compound onto your past life rage hehe)
4 - Fighter
5 and onwards - Barbarian
Feats:
1 - Two Handed Fighting
2 - Fighter Bonus Feat: Power Attack
3 - Past Life: Barbarian
4 - Fighter Bonus Feat: Stunning Blow
6 - Cleave
9 - Improved critical: Slashing
12 - Improved Two Handed Fighting
15 - Greater Two Handed Fighting
18 - Toughness
Possible Alternate progression to make early levels easier:
Swap cleave with improved two handed fighting. Take DR Boost enhancements instead of Damage boost. At level 12 get cleave and respec your enhancements for damage boost to get frenzy berserker II as the DR boost starts to become less effective as you main DR improves and they do not stack.
Feat Analysis:
As a Barbarian your primary role will always be to kill the enemies as fast as possible. So it makes the most sense to pour all your feats into ones that increase damage. Defense is important too - but your get what you need naturally from what the barbarian class gives for free, and your stats and gear - so spending feats on defense is not worth it. What each feat does:
Two Handed Fighting - Increases the damage of your glancing blows by 10% (Up from a base of 20%) - which also hit your main target, so this increases your overall DPS. Don't skip it.
Improved Two-Handed Fighting - Further increases the damage of your glancing blows by 10%)
Greater Two Handed Fighting - Adds a glancing blow to your third attack while standing still and further increases the damage of your glancing blows by 10%.
Power Attack - Massively increase your damage, at a cost of attack bonus. For Two handed weapons, this means -5 attack, for +10 damage, but this build enhances this feat up to -11 attack and +22 damage. The very high Str and BAB of the build allow for this to work and still hit enemies effectively (given strong equipment)
Cleave - Not a great feat.. But a pre-requisite for Frenzy Berserker, which is awesome. So you must take it.
Stunning Blow: Crushes everything with your excellent DC stunning blow even at low level thanks to your enhanced rage and (possibly) fighter past life. Nice at low level since it's pretty much a guaranteed way to 1 or 2 shot every monster given a strong DC.
Toughness - Thanks to Fighter bonus feats early on, you can fit this at the end to gain the HP you need to be a great raid tank
[B]Enhancements: No Progression order since by now if your doing a TR build, you should know your way around enhancements and what order works for you. Or just use a planner and set up an order you like:
(Those these are automatically in a semi usable order)
Barbarian Sprint Boost I
Orcish Melee Damage I
Barbarian Toughness I
Barbarian Power Attack I
Barbarian Damage Boost I
Fighter Haste Boost I
Orcish Strength I
Orcish Extra Action Boost I
Barbarian Constitution I
Racial Toughness I
Barbarian Extra Rage I
Barbarian Extend Rage I
Orcish Power Attack I
Fighter Strength I
Orcish Power Rage I
Barbarian Improved Damage Reduction I
Barbarian Hardy Rage I
Barbarian Power Rage I
Racial Toughness II
Orcish Extra Action Boost II
Barbarian Toughness II
0Barbarian Damage Boost II
Barbarian Constitution II
Orcish Melee Damage II
Barbarian Power Attack II
Orcish Extra Action Boost III
Orcish Strength II
Barbarian Hardy Rage II
Barbarian Power Rage II
Barbarian Frenzied Berserker I
Barbarian Power Rage III
Barbarian Damage Boost III
Orcish Power Rage II
Orcish Power Attack II
Barbarian Power Attack III
Barbarian Damage Boost IV
Barbarian Frenzied Berserker II
Orcish Power Attack III
Barbarian Frenzied Berserker III
There subject to change as I level the build I may decide on a more suitable general setup. Only thing ATM I'm worried about is the rage duration. It only has extend I, and I think that might be ok.. But I'll have to check it out.. (Still have a few levels left on my Fighter before I can TR to this myself)
Equipment Guide moved to my general Barbarian guide here. http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=296816
Skills:
Half-Orc unfortunately suffer a bit in the skills area due to their -2 intelligence. So you have to be a bit more carful in selecting the right ones and making sure to eat a Int tome as soon as possible. This build should get 3 points per level tho, and 4 points per level at level7+ via +2 Int tome, which is enough.
On character creation:
Max Balance
1 Rank of Tumble (cross class it costs 2 points, but 1 rank is all you need forever)
Leftovers in Intimidate, Spot and Jump
On level ups:
Balance (Max this, tho you generally only want a score of about 20 at endgame, so consider switching a few points into intim at the end if your there)
Intimidate (Fit what you can in here, can maybe max it if you get the right tomes early on)
Jump (Get this to about ~12-17 ranks and stop. Basically your aiming for 40+ with a jump item on while raged - without a jump buff as you can't always rely on buffs, as any more doesn't improve your jump height)
Spot (Cross class, but worth it - fit as many points as you can in here)
If you have more left, pop em in haggle to make some extra coin. (You pretty much never will on a Half Orc, unless you somehow win the lottery and get a +4 Int tome at low level)
Spot:
Cross class skill, but very much worth it. Like the class video says, Barbarians make good scouts.. And they are best for (accidentally) running into stealthier enemies and traps if you don't have a rogue. So seeing the stealthier enemies is a huge asset. This works quite well if you get the Feather Fall/+spot item from like Cult of the Six or any set of old goggles with +spot will do until higher levels. You'll also noticed the odd trap or secret door, even in high level quest. Endgame you will aim for a +15 spot item like the Tharne's Goggles.
- You might think listen *should* work better as its a class skill... However listen items are harder to get and on worse slots then spot (spot goggle vs listen hat - hats good for hit points or DPS, goggles not really important for anything except true sight and sneak attack, which is available on raid gear like the Thane's Goggles along with +15 spot - but no Listen.
Also listen does not let you see the monsters, but merely faint red footstep outlines - which can be tough to spot in the fury of combat.
Jump:
As a front line combatant, your primary job is to run really fast and jump over the enemies front line combatants.. To kill there clerics and wizards in the back ranks. So many barbarians don't realize how huge this is. Trust me, its HUGE.
Tumble: Lets you move faster when under the effects of a bad spell like slow or that nasty white dragons ice freeze effect. You require 1 rank to use it, that's it. Anymore won't provide any additional benefit to this build.
Balance: It's a very important skill, if situation skill, you generally want to aim for a score around 20, you can do this easily with an item but ideally you get it to near this without wasting a slot on an item. You may wish to still carry a good set of balance boots however, as some rare encounters need allot to stay on your toes (Warforged Titan comes to mind)
Intimidate? :
In the early game: Your a fast moving death dealer, you do not want agro, you want the enemy dead before he makes you dead. You can get and hold agro well enough simply by being the first in, and first to strike.
In the late game:
It can have some value. If your tanking a dangerous raid boss and completely lose all threat for whatever reason, it can be sometimes very hard if not impossible to get it back. With the update9 upgrades to intiimdate, it makes it wortwhile to have, even on a build that doesn't heavily focus on it. You probably won't get a "success" on the most difficult raid bosses, but even a falure can result in a good amount of extra threat to help you catch up. So try to get some points in here.
Overall thoughts on the build:
Under construction =)
Some notes on current bugs:
Keep in mind this build won't be for everyone as berserker does require some careful timing of active ability to work well.. As has many bugs currently. Being you have 4+ ability to activate for max DPS, it can be tough to maintain it all.
Bugs:
The crit multiplier only applies to damage increase, not burst damage yet.
Your flinch every attack as you hurt yourself.
Half-Orc is currently missing it's 4th THF swing animation.. Which makes things look weird, but doesn't actually effect your attacks - they still work, there just invisible.
MAX DPS Disclaimer:
DPS is a very relative thing, and what's "MAX" really depends heavily on the situation. I know people will try to argue that this isn't "max" But for what it is - a 36 point build with just 2 past lives - it is pretty **** close. Obviously you'd need to add some monk in there to bring it up to the ultimate max.. But that's an increase of somewhere below 2%.
So I offer this:
For just regular Legend Build 2 past life, with sustained rage (30+ minutes of rage on this build), real average DPS against end game raid boss's - especially while tanking them, this build is the ultimate max.
Yes - against trash mobs with zero fort, in a magical fantasy land where rogues get 100% sneak attacks and always have haste boost active - Rogues will deal a bit more DPS...
And yes a similar Kensei THF build haste boosted may have a similar burst DPS (Even fully haste boosted a pure Kensei can't match this build tho), and can't be sustained and will be beaten in the long run by far.
So for when it counts against the tough bosses, Berserkers can't be matched.
Additional, a Barbarians DPS is pretty much equal across all targets unlike other classes, and are especially very strong versus high fort targets which are common in endgame raids. VS other DPS builds who suffer greatly vs other targets (EX: Slashing Spec Fighters are weak vs targets requiring blunt, and also rely a bit more on criticals for DPS. Rogues are poor versus high fort targets or things they end up with agro on. Rangers heavily rely on favored enemy bonuses, and Paladins pretty much only get great DPS vs evil outsiders)
For those who want to try to refute my claim that this is the max sustained DPS for boss targets, I offer a challenge - DPS Challenge part 2: Kill the portal in Aussircaex's Valley or Giant in Epic Claw and post a video. They have static hitpoints and are always there. All the top giant entrys currently use this build or an extremely similar build.