Keyfarmer (Barbarian)- Part I from II

This barbarian guide is for key farming or group play on high monster power.
I can farm solo with moderate gear on mp8. Sure it could be a little bit faster with better gear, but it's ok for me.

To farm on high monster power you need enough survivability, damage and life return. One cheap method is to use the skill Rend with Blood Lust and Rend works at the best with a 2hand weapon, this leads us to following skill set.

Skill Set

Skill #1 (Left Mouse)
Our main fury generator and damage skill will be Cleave or Bash. There are many different combinations possible. I prefer Cleave with Broad Sweep.

Cleave (Broad Sweep)
generates 5 fury - 175% aoe weapon damage
The best solution in my opinion, because of the aoe damage.

Bash (Punish)
generate 8 fury - 165 weapon damage - increase damage 8% 5 sec after using bash, stacks 3 times 

Punish provides most single target damage and also increase rend aoe damage, but you are dependent on rend for aoe damage. 

Bash (Onslaught)
generate 8 fury - 165% weapon damage - 2 strikes for 25% weapon damage
Bash provides more fury, but that's not really essential. It has less aoe damage, but a little bit more single target damage.

Cleave (Rupture)
generates 5 fury - 140% aoe weapon damage - enemies explode for 85% weapon damage 8y radius
This rune is very bad, because monsters die to slow to get enough damage from this rune.

Skill #2 (Right Mouse)
Rend (Blood Lust)
cost 20 fury - 700% aoe weapon damage over 5 sec - 9% life leech
This skill heals us and adds further aoe damage.

Skill #3 (1)
Overpower (Crushing Advance)
12 sec cooldown - 165% aoe weapon damage - redirect 35% incoming damage over 4 sec
We use this skill, because it's reduce 35% of our incoming damage for 4 sec. This helps us to survive nasty elite packs.

Skill #4 (2)
Wrath of the Berserker (Insanity)
This skill helps us to melt elite packs. For many elite packs we will need longer then 15 sec, but it's very helpful against elite monster with frozen ability.

Skill #5 (3)
Battle Rage (Marauder's Rage)
Increase our damage bonus to 30% and critical hit chance by 3%.

Skill #6 (4)
War Cry (Impunity)
Increase armor and resistance by 20%.

Passiv #1
Ruthless

Passiv #2
Weapons Master

Passiv #3
If you choose a offensive or defensive passiv depends on your gear. If you have very good damage and enough defensive, you can get Bloodthirst (gain 3% of all damage done as life). This skill will help you against elite packs with reflect damage.

* Defensive
Nerves of Steel or Tough as Nails for more armor.
Superstition redcues all non physical damage by 20%.

*Offensive
Brawler increases your damage by 30% as lons as there are 3 enemies within 8 yards.

I prefer a defensive skill.


Skill Calculator

Gear

Overview
I recommend 40.000 life, ~500 all resistance, 90.000 damage whitout warcry, battle rage and follower.
I wear a hellfire ring and socket a ruby into my helm slot for additional experience.

Weapon
2 Hand Weapon (Axe, Mace or Sword) preferable Skorn.

Skorn should have high dps (>1200), high strength (>320) and high critical hit damage (>185).
This skorn should not be this expensive.

If you have more money to spent, then we will look for more dps and the +1 random magic properties. The most useful and also most expensive are following properties.

*) Damage Dealt is converted to Life
*) additional Strength
*) Vitality


Radiant Star Emerald
If you can afford, buy a Radiant Star Emerald for your weapon. If you can't afford take a cheaper emerald.


Mighy Belt
There are many solutions, the cheapest method will be a Immortal King's Tribal Binding.
Your belt should have following stats.

Damage Dealt is converted to Life
Increases Cleave Damage by 13-14%.


Movement Speed
All fight's last longer, but for searching after the keywarden I would suggest 24% movement speed. It's not mandatory, but I would suggest 24%, because we don't have sprint. If you are only farming on high monster power and aren't interested in key runs, then you don't need it.

There are 4 pieces with 12% movement speed, which are a reasonable solution to this problem.

Boots
Bracers - Lacuni Prowlers
Chest - Tyrael's Might
Pants - Inna's Temperance

I think all depends on how much money you have. Items such as Immortal King's Eternal Reign (Chest),  Ice Climbers (Boots) with movement speed  or Lacuni Prowlers with critical hit chance are very expensive.

Following ranking by me, cheapest method first. I wear the cheapest method as long I can afford an Immortal King's Chest and Lacuin Prowlers with critical hit chance and strength. (method 3b)

1. Tyrael's Might + Boots
2. Tyrael's Might + Lacuni Prowlers with critical hit chance + Ice Climbers without movement speed
3a. IK Chest + Lacuni Prowlers with critical hit chance + Ice Climbers without movement speed + Inna's temerpance with strentgh
3b. IK Chest + Lacuni Prowlers with critical hit chance + Boots
4. IK Chest + Lacuni Prowerls with critical hit chance + Ice Climbers with movement speed


2 pieces Immortal King's Set
These are mandatory for very cheap 60 resistance to all elements.
For a starting gear set I can recommend Helm, Belt and / or Boots.

Ring
Stone of Jordan is very good for this build and for higher monsterpower.
Increased damage against elites should be very high. (25-30%)
Increased cleave damage should be 12%. (maximum)

The 2nd ring should be a hellfire ring if you are interested in leveling.


Shoulders
minimum requirements:
high strength (>200), vitality,

Legs
minimum requirements:
viality (>150), all resistance, 2 sockets,

Gloves
minimum requirements:
9% critical hit chance, strength or vitality, critical hit damage or all resistance,

Ring, Amulet
minimum requirements:
critical hit chance, strength and / or vitality,

Wrist
minimum requirements:
all resistance, strength and / or vitality,



In the second part I will post my stats, screenshots and farming routes to get 5 fast stacks before killing the key warden.

If you have any questions about skills and runes or gear, feel free to ask me in the comments.



Barbarian Guide Overview