So I’m playing a wastes ww zbarb in a duo. We are a zbarb and a crusader, we tried to copy the builds on the top ten spots on the duo leaderboards. We are at the point where we have all the right gear and pretty much all the right stats, we just don’t have ancients for most pieces yet. We have completed 111 without too much trouble, but we are starting to get to the point where we are needing to start applying high rift tactics to progress any farther, and I’m not sure where to find that info. Most of the info I can find is really basic like what a rift is and how to open them and sometimes they go into things like map selection and mob modifiers and saving a pylon for the rift boss. There is very little info on the mechanics of how to play the different roles in the group and how they should work together. How long should I spend stacking mobs? What should the crusader be doing while I stack them all up? What do I do while he kills them? Do I just stack them up and start moving on and stacking more while he kills them? Or do I stay and buff and keep them stacked and ccd?
Also, at this point I am struggling to get the hang of stacking mobs for higher density. Mechanically I am finding the ancient spear rage flip inconsistent at best as to how it will pull mobs, sometimes it will pull them towards me, sometimes it will not. Ground stomp also will sometimes pull them all in and sometimes not. I honestly had more luck stacking mobs with an Ess of Johan than any ability. The ground stomp sometimes just seems to knock them up, but the Ess of johan always seemed to bring them all in really tight.
Are there any other tips or good sources of info that someone just breaking in to supporting high rifts can learn?
Unfortunately not really. The best way to learn is to do, but you can watch streams of D3 players, I'd suggest those whose builds you're copying. As to answering your questions, timing and synergy is everything. You and your Crusader should be communicating about when/where they are in their rotation, how much defence/support you can provide for how long, and what the next leg of the rift looks like. As a support barb, you're job is to scout ahead, grouping, and giving defence, in that order. Basically, you start the rift, and you start grouping, remembering that AS-RF is a pull that pulls behind you, meaning you have to get a bit more familiar with maps before you can pull like an expert. Ground Stomp needs to be used away from the mobs you're trying to pull, if you use it in the middle of a pack, they get stunned, but not pulled.
To sort of TL;DR, As the zBarb, you want to stack mobs, provide your defensive buffs, and move on while the Sader kills the pack. Communication is key though, as your Sader can ask you to come back for help, or skip to move past troublesome affixes/mob types.
Ty for the help. We are slowly progressing. This seems to be in line with what we are figuring out. Mostly I’m scouting and looking for elites, I’m running blind/glory so I think he gets that as long as we are on the same stage, but I usually scout out an elite, make the biggest stack I can, when he gets there I pop my threatening shout falter and warcry veterans warning and then take off, I come back if he needs ignore pain mob rule. I’m actually finding the ancient spear harpoon rune to be easier to use, is this a mistake to use this?
Hi there! I suggest checking up Raxxanterax's videos on youtube.
He makes it very clear what to do and what not to do in Greater Rifts if you want to push your limits.
Also, he mentions some pretty useful tricks for zbarbs and barbs in general that others don't really explain.
Some things among many:
-know the seasonal buff stacks mechanics and kill elites with those, not with pure DPS
-stack with ground stomp by standing just near the mobs, NOT on top of them. if you time it right, you can "pixel" stack the mobs, so they will be on top of each other - like you mentioned, ess of johan does the same sometimes, just randomly
In most of his videos he makes notes on how each map is good/bad for pulling, and so you can use speed pylons, or just run through it without bothering, maybe you get a better map.
That's all for now, i hope this will uncover some secrets
Cheers!
Ty, I will check that YouTuber out. Update, we pushed 119 with 2 mins left tonight, gonna shoot for 120 tomorrow. Ended the night top 500 on the leaderboards. Thanks for the help all. Knowing about positioning ground stomp was huge. As was the advice about scouting, It’s super helpful to my crusader buddy to have someone calling out elites and pylons and things. Now I think the next thing is I have to start learning where pylons spawn and at what progression so I can start manipulating pylon spawns.
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So I’m playing a wastes ww zbarb in a duo. We are a zbarb and a crusader, we tried to copy the builds on the top ten spots on the duo leaderboards. We are at the point where we have all the right gear and pretty much all the right stats, we just don’t have ancients for most pieces yet. We have completed 111 without too much trouble, but we are starting to get to the point where we are needing to start applying high rift tactics to progress any farther, and I’m not sure where to find that info. Most of the info I can find is really basic like what a rift is and how to open them and sometimes they go into things like map selection and mob modifiers and saving a pylon for the rift boss. There is very little info on the mechanics of how to play the different roles in the group and how they should work together. How long should I spend stacking mobs? What should the crusader be doing while I stack them all up? What do I do while he kills them? Do I just stack them up and start moving on and stacking more while he kills them? Or do I stay and buff and keep them stacked and ccd?
Also, at this point I am struggling to get the hang of stacking mobs for higher density. Mechanically I am finding the ancient spear rage flip inconsistent at best as to how it will pull mobs, sometimes it will pull them towards me, sometimes it will not. Ground stomp also will sometimes pull them all in and sometimes not. I honestly had more luck stacking mobs with an Ess of Johan than any ability. The ground stomp sometimes just seems to knock them up, but the Ess of johan always seemed to bring them all in really tight.
Are there any other tips or good sources of info that someone just breaking in to supporting high rifts can learn?
Unfortunately not really. The best way to learn is to do, but you can watch streams of D3 players, I'd suggest those whose builds you're copying. As to answering your questions, timing and synergy is everything. You and your Crusader should be communicating about when/where they are in their rotation, how much defence/support you can provide for how long, and what the next leg of the rift looks like. As a support barb, you're job is to scout ahead, grouping, and giving defence, in that order. Basically, you start the rift, and you start grouping, remembering that AS-RF is a pull that pulls behind you, meaning you have to get a bit more familiar with maps before you can pull like an expert. Ground Stomp needs to be used away from the mobs you're trying to pull, if you use it in the middle of a pack, they get stunned, but not pulled.
To sort of TL;DR, As the zBarb, you want to stack mobs, provide your defensive buffs, and move on while the Sader kills the pack. Communication is key though, as your Sader can ask you to come back for help, or skip to move past troublesome affixes/mob types.
Ty for the help. We are slowly progressing. This seems to be in line with what we are figuring out. Mostly I’m scouting and looking for elites, I’m running blind/glory so I think he gets that as long as we are on the same stage, but I usually scout out an elite, make the biggest stack I can, when he gets there I pop my threatening shout falter and warcry veterans warning and then take off, I come back if he needs ignore pain mob rule. I’m actually finding the ancient spear harpoon rune to be easier to use, is this a mistake to use this?
Hi there! I suggest checking up Raxxanterax's videos on youtube.
He makes it very clear what to do and what not to do in Greater Rifts if you want to push your limits.
Also, he mentions some pretty useful tricks for zbarbs and barbs in general that others don't really explain.
Some things among many:
-know the seasonal buff stacks mechanics and kill elites with those, not with pure DPS
-stack with ground stomp by standing just near the mobs, NOT on top of them. if you time it right, you can "pixel" stack the mobs, so they will be on top of each other - like you mentioned, ess of johan does the same sometimes, just randomly
In most of his videos he makes notes on how each map is good/bad for pulling, and so you can use speed pylons, or just run through it without bothering, maybe you get a better map.
That's all for now, i hope this will uncover some secrets
Cheers!
Ty, I will check that YouTuber out. Update, we pushed 119 with 2 mins left tonight, gonna shoot for 120 tomorrow. Ended the night top 500 on the leaderboards. Thanks for the help all. Knowing about positioning ground stomp was huge. As was the advice about scouting, It’s super helpful to my crusader buddy to have someone calling out elites and pylons and things. Now I think the next thing is I have to start learning where pylons spawn and at what progression so I can start manipulating pylon spawns.