Shadow barbarians
Author: Физя
An overview of the alternative class of Barbarians – Shadow barbarians – will be represented in this article. First of all, we will discuss pros and cons of this class and later we will pay attention to some battles in order to move from theory to practice.
Since the author of this article is a 18 CL player, we’ll analyze Shadow barbarians exactly on the same level.
It is known that Shadow barbarians are not provided with Magic Guild level 3, this fact limits their possibilities to fight against all the ranged factions. Taking into consideration that there are a lot of such factions, Barbarians must play using a defense build, so we can easily understand how it will look like – a lot of defense parameters to deal with the warriors and fatal defeat in battles against Lords with Chaos Magic builds. The attack build is ineffective because it’s still nearly impossible to defeat Lords with Chaos Magic builds (you’ll have to choose Morale talent).
Almost all parameters are to be put in Defense, a couple of them must be used to increase Knowledge; Spell power will be enough due to the equipped artifacts.
Optimal set of artifacts:
Gladius of presage
Helmet of twilight
Pendant of wrath
Armour of twilight
Mantle of eternity
Flame shield
Jackboots of twilight
Ring of torment
Ring of torment
Talents set:
After many attempts and considerations 2 main builds were identified:
Total defense
It’s for 1-1 battles. The following set of talents must be used:
Basic defense, Advanced defense, Vitality, Concentration, Ancestor’s shadows, Basic Darkness Magic, Advanced Darkness Magic, Expert Darkness Magic, Dominition of Pain, Dominition of mind.
Swift Barbarian
It’s for group battles. The following set of talents must be used:
Ancestor’s shadows, Basic Leadership, Advanced Leadership, Expert Leadership, Innate swiftness, Basic Darkness Magic, Advanced Darkness Magic, Expert Darkness Magic, Dominition of Pain, Dominition of mind.
In general this build is suitable for duels, but I advise you to replace Innate swiftness with Basic erudition.
There are some possible deviations from these sets of talents (for example, you can remove Leadership and Innate swiftness and choose 2 talents of Defense), but, anyway, there are 2 main builds.
All the tactics while using the first build contains 4 easy actions: click Defense mode, cast Delay, cast Disruption ray and kill.
Some people may say: "How can you defend, you’re losing spirit points!". Yes, it’s true. But you lose only -30 spirit points when your stacks are standing in Defense mode, while Lord manages to cast 2-3 times, that means +80-120 spirit points (due to the central talent).
The tactics while using the second build basically includes parallel attack with casting Delay and Disruption ray spells. This build is suitable for battles against Holy Knight.
In defense build the key stacks are: Ogres, Behemoths, Boar riders and Rocs. Behemoths and Boar riders ignore Defense (it is really useful for Lords with Defense builds), Rocs cast spells with negative effects. I also took 6-7 Orcs and 2 Cyclops (earlier they were obligatory in the battle, but now they are not, so I advise not to take them). Please, note that after Orcs have cast Weakness spell, Lord – Delay spell, Dark rocs will cast Curse with 100% probability!
The final recruiting looks like this:
Goblins cast as well as Lord without Darkness magic talents. As a rule, they’re useless.
Tribal Spirit levels
You can look at Tribal Spirit Levels of the key stacks in situations where they are more or less important.
According to my own experience I can say that 3 Tribal Spirit level is gained only by Ogres, but almost in every battle.
Boar riders get +3 attack for every 1 level (200 spirit points), +1 speed for 2 level (500), Stun for 3 (1000). In general, only the first bonus is useful. Nevertheless, it is rather good.
Ogres mages
Here it is – a killing machine with max damage of 15 points on 3 Tribal Spirit level. It has several bonuses:
+15 HP and 5 defense for every 1 level (Ogres get total 80 HP), +5 attack for level 2, +3 min and max damage and +2.0 initiative for level 3. These bonuses are really fantastic. Ogres become equal to 31 Shadow dragons (according to HP)! That is almost 25 Jade dragons.
Dark rocs
Level 1 – min and max damage +2.
Level 2 – +7 defense, immune to mind control (insusceptible to blind or berserker or fear effects).
Level 3 – +15HP and +1 speed.
These bonuses are so-so, but anyway they’re useful.
Infuriated behemoths
Level 1 – min and max damage +7.
Level 2 – +30 HP (total HP – 310), Fear attack.
Level 3 – +15 attack and +10 defense.
Bonuses are wonderful.
This is the end of theory. Now let’s have a look at some battles:
1-1 battles
The most dangerous opponents are Lords with Chaos Magic builds and Necromancers.
• Concentration against DE with high initiative and attack parameters:
• Experimental build (unplayable) against Dwarf:
• Swift barbarian against Holy Knight (defeat due to Barbarian’s mistakes and the opponent’s 12 fspd):
• Concentration against Demon with Acceleration build:
• Defense with Darkness Magic Build against Necromancer:
//lgnd.ru/gt/warid/574818349 (defeat).
• Defense with Darkness Magic Build against Necromancer:
//lgnd.ru/gt/warid/574814659 (victory).
• Concentration against Necromancer:
www.lordswm.com/war.php?lt=-1&warid=575254128 (defeat).
• Concentration against Necromancer:
//www.lordswm.com/war.php?lt=-1&warid=575252328 (defeat).
• Against Lord with Chaos Magic build:
//lgnd.ru/gt/warid/574812519 (defeat, of course).
• Mirror battle:
• Defense with Darkness Magic Build against Elf with Elite forest keepers:
Despite the number of battles with Defense and Darkness Magic Build, Concentration Build looks much more promising.
And a small surprise for you – battles with non-existing builds just for fun:
• //www.lordswm.com/war.php?lt=-1&warid=575243993 (defeat)
• //www.lordswm.com/war.php?lt=-1&warid=575233683
• //www.lordswm.com/war.php?lt=-1&warid=575241164
• //www.lordswm.com/war.php?lt=-1&warid=575238454