Shattered Kingdoms

Please explain why MR is in the game at all for Barbs?

The only reason I can think of is for 'loner' barbs who dont want to deal with other people. Thats fine, its along the lines of the barb help file but it isn't all that practical in this game. So, is there any benefit at all to training MR in the long urn?

So you don't get charmed.

But yeah, an MR barb will never be effective in pvp, and will be useless in pve.

Training MR is a bad bad idea unless you are willing to put a lot more effort into the game than any other barb, and even then its usefulness is debatable and definitely tanks your PvE usefulness across the board (Except fighting NPCs that script damage spells lololololol).

Training over 6-7 MR, even then, is crippling for life.

An MR barb could be a fun build if suppression were a usable skill. I've chewed over this concept for a while and propose the following buff / drawbacks for suppression.

Make suppression a skill that can be toggled similar to the current "auto" commands, and remove the dispel effect when it is toggled off. Make activation / deactivation lag 3-6 combat ticks so that it must be used predominately as a preparatory measure, and reduce the barbarian to 1 attack per round when he is actively suppressing (similar to combat casting).

Until some sort of change is implemented, training MR is a massive mistake in every circumstance.

I like your changes except for that - I can see reducing their overall attacks by 1 for slow weapons, 2 for fast weapons, but down to 1 for all weapons seems to nerf them too far for the bonuses it imparts.

MR trains for a barb and the inclusion of suppression are some of the most laughable ideas that have come into SK.

Sadly, I agree with Ardith.

I would have thought that it would be great for a barb who didn't want to put ANY effort into gear. Full MR and Toughness and a weapon and boom, you are ready to go. There is no regret for losing because you've put no time in your gear. So I thought it would make for a super accessible casual-gaming oriented character that didn't need to know the ins and outs of every area in the game. That idea appeals to me anyway.

Why would MR training gimp for pve? Is it the loss of the HP trains that concerns you? Or the fact that the ability to explore and access areas is limited because various and sundry magics won't work on them? Or do both of those things add up to make you a super gimp?

Uhh, you can't be armored, or sanctuaried, or hasted, or GSed, or protectioned.

Or HEALED, at least not without spending three times as much mana and time to do so. Barbarians in PvE are forced to sit second-rank because they can't tank as well as other barbs (since they can't get the defensive buffs they need to take hits well) and also can't be healed. In PvP they have mediocre potential (though they'll never hit their best because buffs make a world of difference, and it's hard to buff up when you resist over 1/2 the herbs/potions/etc you eat), but they'll always be in serious trouble where PvE is concerned.

The problem with MR training is you lose any and all buffs. Any spell that affects you when you suppress your MR is removed as soon as you stop suppression. You can't herb, you can't use tribunal spells, you can only use a handful of cabal self-only buffs and NO shaman buffs, and your only healing you get is what you get a tick from fast healing, and spam-eating small herbs so you get the small HP buff per resist.

It's great for not wanting equipment, and probably even great for killing casters. What it's not great for is measuring up equal to all the buffs and supplements of the people you'll be fighting. This is a game of buffs and NPCs, and MR training is a great idea that doesn't work in practice.