Barbarian Berserker Feats Guide - Solo PvE/PvP

Hello again, I come today bringing something that I think has been requested more than anything lately, a guide of feats, including how to spending feat points while leveling. For the time being, I will be only focusing on the Berserker tree because I have yet to play the Reaver tree at all. I’ll start by just giving a general description of all the feats available in the Berserker tree, and rate each “out of 5” based on how I feel the feat will perform in PvE and PvE. As with the Barbarian Skills Guide, this will currently only apply to solo PvP and PvE, with a focus on leveling.

Before I start, I would like to recommend anyone reading this guide also take a look at supercooper3000’s post: “Berserker tree Feat guide (builds inside)”

Feats in the Barbarian’s Berserker tree, and what I think of them:

• Blood rage: Grants the barbarian the Blood Rage Stance which increased damage inflicted and enemy attacks have a chance of increasing the barbarian's rate of Health regeneration and evasion chance. The health effect can be applied three times.
• This is the first feat in the tree, you have no choice to get it to go further down. Thankfully, it is awesome. Stacks up to 2% dodge and some nice health regeneration.
• PvE: *****
• PvP: *****
  
• Atrocity: Increases the damage done by barbarians Butcher combos.
• Wonderful feat. However, Butcher doesn't become particularly useful until level 40 when you get rank V (5) my advice here is to put this off until level 36, when you will most likely hit a roadblock, start pumping this talent so when you hit 40 you have it maxed. Butcher, post 40, is your primary attach after Staggering Blow. This feat is awesome!
  
• PvE: ***** (post level 40)
  
• PvP: ***** (post level 40)
• Great Weapons Master: Increased the damage done by two-handed edged and two-handed blunt weapons.
• Of the tier 2 feats, this is the best to take until level 40. Also, it's just awesome. More damage = ...more damage. Take it.
• PvE: *****
• PvP: *****
  
• Shock and Awe: Reduces the reuse time for Stunning Punch and Clobber combos.
• Our top two forms of Crowd Control (CC), shortening the reuse timer (aka cooldown) is never bad. As a careful PvE'er you may consider avoiding this, but for handling groups of mobs or multiple pvp opponents, it's top notch.
• PvE: ****
• PvP: *****
  
• Staggering punch: Improves the Stunning Punch combos by adding an effect that also reduces the victims movement speed.
• This talent is debatable. In PvE, it's nearly useless, but when you use Stunning Punch in PvP (often times as an opener), the snare become quite handy. While leveling on a PvP server, throwing one point in here isn't a bad idea. It can also be an escape utility in PvE.
• PvE: **
• PvP: ****
  
• Reverse swing: Augments the Staggering Blow combo by increasing the damage the barbarian inflicts.
• Around level 30, Staggering Blow starts to become a barbarians main combo. Its low stamina cost and high damage make it a great attack. Adding reverse swing into the mix makes it even better. The in game description is worded akwardly. The way this works is that after performing a Staggering Blow, you get a short duration buff that increases your overall damage output. Staggering Blow > Butcher makes for some nice damage, post level 40 (Stag > Cunning pre-40). Also, Staggering Blow reduces evade chance, making it a popular choice against other players.
• PvE: *****
• PvP: *****
  
• Paralysis: Adds a brief root effect, preventing the target from moving, to the barbarian's Clobber combo.
• This one is questionably, generally, after you Clobber someone you immediately Finishing Blow them or otherwise run back up. Because of this, a root added to Clobber can be questionably. However, I find it great for handling multiple mobs as you can spread them out and root them, allowing a few ticks of a potion to come in while you beat on one of them.
• PvE:**
• PvP: ***
  
• Eyes of madness: Grants the barbarian an ability that makes all foes in the vicinity less likely to focus their attacks on them.
• Reduces your Hate modifier. Great in group PvE, useless in solo PvE and all types of PvP.
• PvE: ***
• PvP:
  
• Insanity: Permanently increased the barbarian's resistance to fear effects.
• I have yet to encounter a mob in PvE that fears, and as it stands noone can really tell how prevalent fear will be in endgame PvP. However, assuming it's as bad as it is in other games, this will probably become a key endgame PvP feat.
• PvE: *
• PvP: ****
  
• Grisly wounds: The barbarian augments the Butcher combos with their own inborn brutality, adding more damage over time.
• The jury is still out on this one as to how much it actually helps, but again, butcher doesn't become that useful until level 40, and when you hit 40, you'll have better places to put these points. Might be a good one to flush out closer to 80. Three *'s for now, until a report on how much damage it adds comes in. Either way, more damage on a frequently used combo is good stuff.
  
• PvE: ****
• PvP: ****
  
• No escape: Grants an ability that enables the barbarian to throw their weapon, impaling their enemy, cause massive damage that lingers for a short time and also stuns the victim. This ability disarms the barbarian for a short time.
• Very nice ability. Does a large amount of damage, over 5 ticks, and stuns the target. The disarm is unpleasant, but this ability isn't meant to be used at the beginning of fights.
• PvE: **
• PvP: *****
  
• Combo - Earth Shatter: This mighty combo stuns all foes in close vicinity.
• Another AoE Stun, this one, however, is not directional like Stunning Punch. Get it, awesome feat.
  
• PvE:****
• PvP: *****
  
• Finishing blow: Grants the barbarian a charge ability available after they knock back an enemy. Their charge caused severe damage but a high stamina cost and long reuse time.
• Recently "nerfed" to not be able to augment the damage of other combos. Also hearing that the damage of the uncombo'd swing (white damage) has been decreased. Still a great way to charge enemies after you clobber them and a decent bit of stamina-free damage.
  
• PvE: ***
• PvP: ***
  
• Arcane Marauder: When hit by spell damage the barbarian gains natural health regeneration and drains mana from enemies around them.
• This seems like it would be a strong ability in PvP, depending on the popularity of casters in endgame (yet to be seen, but if current numbers continue, there will be a decent number of them). I'd like to get some feedback on how much regeneration and mana drain actually occurs.
• PvE: **
• PvP: ****
  
• Unstable Mind: Grants the barbarian an ability which removes all stun, snare and root effects and gives them immunity for a short period of time.
• Great ability. Crowd Control is our bane, and this gives us an immunity, along with breaking it (duration of immunity increases with investment)
• PvE: *
• PvP: *****
  
• Swarm Fighter: Grants the barbarian an ability that taunts all minions in the area for a short period of time. Every attack from a minion will trigger a heal effect when this ability is active.
• More PvE orientated, I believe there is only one class that will be bringing minions to you in PvP. However, in PvE, this is a good feat. A taunt + heal is good, even if it's only on minions.
• PvE: ****
• PvP: *
  
• Hammer and Anvil: Enhances Stunning Punch combo by increasing the damage it inflicts.
• Stunning Punch is something you use often, this will add more damage to it, never a bad idea.
• PvE: ****
• PvP: ****
  
• Fearsome agility: When hit in combat there is a chance to gain a short evade buff. This can stack up to 5 times.
• In PvE, we generally won't spend much time tanking (though, it will happen, and when solo, it is unavoidable) but in PvP, anything that will keep us alive longer will be beneficial. This is one you can put off for a while.
• PvE: ***
• PvP: ****
  
• Rampage: When hit in combat you will occasionally damage every enemy around you for a small amount.
• Still haven't heard any numbers about how much damage this does, or how occasionally it happens, or how wide of a radius it will inflict damage to. Either way, this could be useful for PvE when taking on 4-5 mobs at once, and possibly PvP. However, the "small amount" of damage, and need to be surrounded by enemies tends to make me stray away from this one.
• PvE: **
• PvP: **
  
• Comatose: Enhances Stunning Punch combo by increasing the amount of time the victim is stunned for.
• A longer stun is a better stun. Take it!
• PvE: *****
• PvP: *****
  
• Rampaging horde: Grants an ability that increases the damage inflicted upon foes based on the number of friendly barbarians within range. Maximum number counted is 10.
• It has been said that endgame PvP will be potentially 49 v 49. In this situation, if there are frequently other barbs around you, this might come in handy. Also note is in an ability, which most likely means it is Active (confirm?)
• PvE: *
• PvP: **
  
• Combo - Scatter Foes: Grants the barbarian a combo that will knock back all foes in a wide cone in front of them.
• Basically Clobber on steroids, more CC = win. Take it.
• PvE: ***
• PvP: ****
  
• Combo - Decapitation: Grants the barbarian a swift combo that inflicts massive damage and increased the chance of a fatality. This combo has a long reuse time.
• Reports are in that this combo does very little damage (500 or so at 80) But I can't imagine this being the case for very long, and I will update this if/when it is changed. As it stands though, this is a medium damage INSTANT combo. Pretty far down the tree, probably worth picking up if you're there already.
• PvE: ***
• PvP: ***
  
• Welcoming Death: Grants an ability that increases the damage inflicted by the barbarian's attacks based on the number of dead foes nearby, up to a maximum number of 10.
• Still not sure where this ability would be useful. In the 49 v 49 endgame PvP, maybe. But as said before, we can't know yet.
• PvE: *
• PvP: **
  
• Thirst For Blood: Grants an ability that drives the fellowship into a wild bloodlust. Attacking or being attacked can trigger a damage bonus effect and multiple applications of this effect eventually boosts health and stamina regeneration.
• Assuming this applies to the whole group, based on use of "fellowship." However, even if it doesn't, the chance at bonus health and stam regen is great. Waiting to hear more about how frequently it procs and how much it regenerates. Assuming it is reasonable:
  
• PvE: ***
• PvP: ***

For ease of locating information, I have decided to post the Leveling Feat Guide in a separate post.

Thanks for reading!

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