Sage barbs going to return?

Romeoblb - Raging Tide

Im sure we have all heard the rumors of the aps nerf coming. Do you think if the nerf if big enough, sage barbs will be able to EFFECTIVELY hold aggro again? I am asking because i am nearing 89, and would love to go sage and just tank things better. But im a bit worried that if i go sage, realistically how many hits would i be taking if all the aps characters are out there? Is it even worth it to go sage just to be a innefficent DD next to a demon barb?

Tawarwaith - Sanctuary

First of all, I wouldn't choose your culti on a rumor that might change things in the future. Honestly, I don't think it will change anytime soon, simply cause the opposite side of aps nerf is a lot off ppl that invested major cash/time/merchanting in 5 aps would be mad (and I could actually understand that).

Now on the question if a max of 3 aps will actually change things ... I don't think it will. Favor will probably go from bm to sin tanking more. With the chi skills, a sin doesn't need that much aps to have permanent spark and they do also quite heavy damage per hit. Also counting that at 100+ half the server has rank8 weapons at least, if not nirvana/rank9, with heavy refines. My sin (lvl97) steals aggro from lvl10 fleshream without sparking at 1.82 aps from same lvl barb. Well even before the 5 aps thing and when TT90 was pretty much end-game gear, fleshream didn't hold aggro well from ppl with high refined weapons (they just let us tank cause they would die themselves). Only a change in fleshream/devour could really change things. However if you get some +12 nirvana/rank9 weapon, you will tank a lot more for sure.

On your last question, there are are reasons to go sage I suppose, even though I got totally demoralised by being pretty much useless besides buff in 90% of the game. Some things you will get asked for a lot : delta (if you're a rb addict, sage is really worth it), bh metal, and bh 3-3/nirvana by ppl that aren't high aps yet. There is also cata pulling in TW. If you're in some big TW faction they probably will take you to nirvana etc just to get you geared up and so you come on delta.

Ofc, it depends on what you like to do, wether you go sage or demon. I don't like the gameplay of barb (sage) at lvl100 and quit barb to go to sin. But doesn't mean you won't like it.

TankedBeast - Lost City

<<<<Sage/Vit Barb.. I'm about a day, day and a half max from Lvl 100.. I love being sage. Yeah, high aps chars steal aggro from me, but they do the same to demon barbs also. I have talked to several people who play the cn version and they tell me that it seems 3.5 aps is the new cap. Like Tawarwaith said, 5.0 isn't needed for perma-sparking, but i'm sure lowering the aps cap will help us keep aggro a lot better. I have also heard that every class gets 4 new skills.

Sage barb fits my play style, demon just seems too awkward for me to try to play. So, just look at how you play, and see which culti fits you best .

XylolyX - Heavens Tear

Being a sage barb does have it's downside...but so does being a barb in general. I still wouldn't change anything other than making FR a bit more aggro-enticing. I love playing my archer, but there's no way that archering beats being a barb in much other than DDing. Barbs ain't squishy...and that's no lie.

As far as rumors go...there's a million of them. If you want to go sage, go sage. If you want to go demon, go demon. Choose whichever fits your playstyle the best. Sage suits me fine. I like to get hit, however Demon Barbs can take a beating and still keep ticking too.

Freizer - Lost City

Like many other barbs have said thus far. Go with what fits you, your build, and your playing style. I'm personally sage because I love it I have an archer if I want to DD for a change, but my personal opinion is you need to be all in or out. (so go full tank!) Even with the 5aps craze going on, barbs are still needed (if you don't mind not being at the "top" of the server ) there are plenty of squads that still need barbs because they just can't match our tanking ability.

Aps steal from all barbs, sage or demon unless you're a 5ap barb yourself (and even then our damage out put doesn't match a bm or sin)


Enjoy the game as you want to, not as dictated by current server trends

Loricus - Harshlands

1st Sage Barbs were ment to be tankers right?
2nd Sage Barbs were ment to be buff master right?
3rd and best of all Sage Barb were ment to be badass CATA Pullers right?

Heres the catch:

a)3 5 aps Sins pops out of stealth on TW And drops u like a fly even with Bramble
b) Any Rank 9 Magic Class Crits above 35k on any regular Barb on TW
c)During BHs we only ment to be buff givers, and ment to be blamed if the squishie 5 aps_
( _ means any class) dies to boss

Yes I am sage, but its not fun when the task what we were ment to realize are taken away from us, and just become useless BH Givers

Dragono - Lost City

Sage Barbs will never return effectively even with a aps nerf.
To get us back to life aps should not be nerfed it should be completely removed ( or only available with items/genie/red b for some seconds).
So people would need a tank to take down bosses but seeker are also strong enough to tank most bosses/Frost or GV -.-

If aps would be nerfed maybe to 3.33 Sins/BM/Barbs are still strong enough to take down all bosses.
Maybe they need the help of a cleric for BB or heal but never the help of a tank.

On my opinion the problem isnt only aps, its aps combined with BP.
Without BP they cant heal themself.

But hey PWE is getting enough money so why changing anything

Search for a nice faction and you will have fun with a sage barb like me

Miugre - Heavens Tear

Dragono - Lost City wrote: »

Search for a nice faction and you will have fun with a sage barb like me

This. If you want to be a sage barb, be a sage barb. **** what anyone else tells you about "efficiency" or whatever. Just get some good friends and maybe a good faction who appreciates your contributions.

Starsteel - Heavens Tear

GO DEMON, EPIC DAMAGE AND SURVIVABILITY! Or what ever your play style requires. Never go off rumors. b:victory

Nightsfangs - Archosaur

Loricus - Harshlands wrote: »

1st Sage Barbs were ment to be tankers right?




Tanking is a sage barb only skill?

Demon barbs aren't tanks too?

Nightsfangs - Archosaur

Even if the current aps nerf that the rumors say releshed Sage barb won't be able to keep aggro, don't forget, it said that u won't generate chi by normal attacks while sparked, I'm a sin -->I generate chi pretty fast anyways.

So the answer is NO.

Sakubatou - Sanctuary

Necro necro necro


And just to prove a point. This thread started because of a different "aps are being nerfed" rumor that took place in January. No nerf ever came.

Secondly, even if 3.33 is the new cap, the one class it doesn't really effect is the class barbs have the hardest time holding aggro against and that's sins because a sin can still permaspark at 3.33 because of their chi skills.

_Ghoul_ - Lost City

we are getting up update soon let see what up with the new expansion and how it will affect interval go go nerfb:victory

Sakubatou - Sanctuary

Nightsfangs - Archosaur wrote: »

Even if the current aps nerf that the rumors say releshed Sage barb won't be able to keep aggro, don't forget, it said that u won't generate chi by normal attacks while sparked, I'm a sin -->I generate chi pretty fast anyways.

So the answer is NO.

_Ghoul_ - Lost City wrote: »

we are getting up update soon let see what up with the new expansion and how it will affect interval go go nerfb:victory

Since people are still posting in a necro'd thread...
The aps nerf on the chinese test server lasted 4 days and then was emergency patched out because people hated it.

And sins have the reputation of being the "class for the dumb" because the only skill you need is spark spam, but barbs are proving to be competitors for this title. They'd rather have the "I R tank" pride of being 1 dimensional hp machines that only know how to spam Ream than to be out tanked, even though it means faster runs, cheaper repairs and more available mats being farmed for their equipment.

CessiI - Dreamweaver

demon barbs tank as well as sage barbs, onely sage barbs can have 10% more HP,



thats it,,,,, xD

go demon dude seriously

thumbs

CessiI - Dreamweaver wrote: »

demon barbs tank as well as sage barbs, onely sage barbs can have 10% more HP,



thats it,,,,, xD

go demon dude seriously

One of Barbs best assets is it's buffs, and I'd much rather have a Sage Barb's buffs for my alts than a Demon's. Other points can be argued out endlessly.

I already have an Assassin for 1-1 dps.

kreslin

CessiI - Dreamweaver wrote: »

demon barbs tank as well as sage barbs, onely sage barbs can have 10% more HP,



thats it,,,,, xD

go demon dude seriously

No offence, but it's your IMO. Don't suggest people your imo.

Sakubatou - Sanctuary

kreslin wrote: »

No offence, but it's your IMO. Don't suggest people your imo.

Why would you post something that wasn't your own opinion? Forums are meant for communal opinion (and so others can explain why your opinion is wrong, lol).

thumbs wrote: »

One of Barbs best assets is it's buffs, and I'd much rather have a Sage Barb's buffs for my alts than a Demon's. Other points can be argued out endlessly.

I already have an Assassin for 1-1 dps.

So your point would be sage barbs are good for buff hoars and then gtfo out of the squad? I don't think thats what the original poster was looking for.

In a squad I'd have to say demon barb buffs are better. As a buff alt sage. Both demon hp and sage hp buff gives the same boost but demon barbs can be "Chi barbs!" to help others get sparks before starting bosses/pulls. Sage lasts an hour but doesn't provide anything extra. Sage titans has a better weapon damage boost for 30 minutes, but demon Titan buff gives 5% crit which gives more dps for one minute. I typically will buff before I pull a boss or while waiting for the veno to pull it.

thumbs

Sakubatou - Sanctuary wrote: »

So your point would be sage barbs are good for buff hoars and then gtfo out of the squad? I don't think thats what the original poster was looking for.

No, said the other points were arguable.

GohRaL - Sanctuary

thumbs wrote: »

No, said the other points were arguable.

We can argue on whatever we want and im gonna argue about barb buffs:



sage BKI > 35% hp and 1 hour duration. Thats it

demon BKI > 35% hp and 35 chi for every member in range on each cast.

That chi ability make you (and ALL squad) able to get full chi in less time than a veno would take to lend a spark twice to a single person.



sage titan > 50% weapon attack

demon titan > 40% weapon attack and 5% crit for 1minute for all member in range.

As saku said already that crit boost will increase dps more than 10% more weapon attack, and its spammable with ease.

Sakubatou - Sanctuary

GohRaL - Sanctuary wrote: »

We can argue on whatever we want and im gonna argue about barb buffs: Lol, Agreed just wasn't gonna take the time to explain this to Thumbs

demon BKI > 35% hp and 35 chi for every member in range on each cast.

That chi ability make you (and ALL squad) able to get full chi in less time than a veno would take to lend a spark twice to a single person.

If I remeber its 35 chi for yourself, 20 chi for others. I play on skype with friends and its nice to hear people squeel "chi barb!!!!" when you start passing sparks. 1 mana pot to pass 5 people sparks is a pretty decent skill.

thumbs

GohRaL - Sanctuary wrote: »

We can argue on whatever we want and im gonna argue about barb buffs:



sage BKI > 35% hp and 1 hour duration. Thats it

demon BKI > 35% hp and 35 chi for every member in range on each cast.

That chi ability make you (and ALL squad) able to get full chi in less time than a veno would take to lend a spark twice to a single person.

Venos don't pass sparks for end game. -think about it.

sage titan > 50% weapon attack

demon titan > 40% weapon attack and 5% crit for 1minute for all member in range.

As saku said already that crit boost will increase dps more than 10% more weapon attack, and its spammable with ease.

When it takes 1/4 of someone's MP to spam; I doubt they're gonna do that. It's also a 3s ch/cast/cd which for a 5aps barb equates to 15 less hits every minute.

Must - Lost City

Demon vit barb here, and it sucks, wish i had the money to go claws.......

GohRaL - Sanctuary

thumbs wrote: »

Venos don't pass sparks for end game. -think about it.

I hoped i didnt had to do this but...



Have you the minimum knowledge of what endgame is ?

TW is endgame, BH metal is endgame, Lunar is endgame and so many other things. All these situation are squad related, and if you still think that your 100chi alone on yourself would make a difference instead of giving it for a better purpose well then GG for you.



Do you know why veno got that "lending hands" skill ? Cuz in the past they were the class that could build chi faster due to healing the pet. Veno and Clerics have this ability to build chi faster with healing skills.

Now there're assassin who can also build chi much faster than any other class before. But that is still single chi building.



Demon barb instead can buff every member in range from 0 chi to full spark in less time than a sage barb would gain 1 full spark with Master Li's technique.


Now you think about it...

thumbs wrote: »

When it takes 1/4 of someone's MP to spam; I doubt they're gonna do that. It's also a 3s ch/cast/cd which for a 5aps barb equates to 15 less hits every minute.

Your a cheap **** then.

When you have 2k MP at max on endgame and your still using NPC pots to refill your mana, i dont see how 500 mp every minute would affect your income.

You would spend those mp on using skills anyway.



And for the aps thing. Is not so difficult to stop right before the boss and buff and get a better deal out of it.

You say we lose 15 hit per minute right, but all the rest of the squad is not. And in total we are gaining a nice bunch of DPS more since in an aps squad the average crit rate is around 30% or more if there are many sins.

Lastly, i dont know who you run with, but its hard lately to find a boss that last more than 1 minute. And if it does recast it is not a problem.