Barbarian Feats Leveling Guide (Berserker to 50, then Reaver)

One of the most common questions popping up on the forums is still how to spec while leveling. This can certainly be a tough situation to be in, and there are plenty of options available to level with. One of the recently popular methods is using Berserker (2 Hand) until level 50 then switching to the higher DPS of Reaver (Dual Wield).

The reasoning behind this is that, in the earlier levels, Berserker provides improved CC while still keeping up on the damage. It is great for a fresh barb to use to familiarize himself with the class in a relatively "safe" environment, with a lot of outs. The additional CC acquired from the line make it easy to handle medium sized groups of equal level opponents with relative ease.

Once you reach level 50, the weapon selection begins to heavily favor Dual Wield (pick up Misery, a blue 1H, when you're finishing up the quests in the Field of the Dead - Equipable at level 50, and a random green from the trader for your offhand, until you get one from questing in E. Mtns.) and since you have a good number of feat points available, you can quickly respec and have a fully talented Cyclone of Steel available.

Also keep in mind that once you respec to Reaver, you should keep a 2H as your weapon swap so you can still use Stunning Punch and Clobber. Both will still be very useful.

This guide will serve to provide a general path for taking feats as you level, starting out as Berserker then, at 50, taking Reaver to the end.

As with the Barbarian Berserker Leveling Feats Guide , which is dedicated to leveling solely as Berserker, I won't be going into much detail about WHY I feel you should take these talents. For that information head over to the Barbarian Feats Guide (Berserker) - Solo PvE/PvP and the Reaver Feats guide.

Without further ado, here is how to spend your feat points:

Levels 1-50 will be done as Berserker, also known as 2-Hand spec

• Levels 10-14
• 5 points into Blood Rage Stance
  
• Levels 15-19
• 5 points into Great Weapons Master
  
• Levels 20-24
• 1 point into Paralysis
• 5 points into Reverse Swing
• Levels 25-29
• 3 points into Shock and Awe
• 2 points into Insanity
  
• Levels 30-34
• 1 point into Earth Shatter
• 1 point into No Escape
• 3 points into Finishing Blow
• 1 point into Insanity
  
• Levels 35-39
• 5 points into Atrocity
  
• Levels 40-50
• 3 points into Unstable Mind
• 1 point into Excellent Ballance
  
• OPTIONAL - Here you can chose to invest into Arcane Marauder or Swarm Fighter. Both are situationally mediocre, I'll let you chose the lesser of 2 evils.. or you can consider respecing at this point. Up to you!
  

Here is a link to how it would look:
http://f.goonheim.com/barbarian#t0t1a5b5c5d3f5g1i3k1l1m3o3t2a1

Once you reach level 50, it is time to go and respec. A [Trainer] can be found at the base of the steps to the Temple of Mitra (marked with a blue dot on your map), in Tarantia, on the left, if you're facing up them.

Also, it seems that there is a [Trainer] to be found in Conarch Village after all! Thanks to those who pointed this out, here's how to get to him:

The trainer in Cimmeria is in the upper part of Conarch's Village. You go up to the right instead of down to the left (where the Traders and entrance to Conalls Valleys are) and he is just past the bon fire on the right next to a NPC weapons smith. (Thanks Nightravn)

This is the build that you should start out with. Note that I have opted to put 5 points into Blood Rage Stance. This is because Reaver stance does not surpass the bonus damage of Blood Rage until you get all 3 stacks of it. When you are running around 1-2 shotting mobs, this isn't nearly as useful as the extra static damage from Blood Rage along with the Health regen, which will help considerably with down time.

Level 50 starting build:
http://feats.goonheim.com/barbarian#t0a5b5c5d5f2g3h1i3j1k1p5q3t1a5t2a1

Berserker:

Blood Rage5/5

Reaver:

Reaver Stance5/5

Hand Weapon Expert5/5

Ambidextrous5/5

Sever5/5

Brutal Cyclone2/2

Smash 'n Crush3/3

Predatory Instincts3/3

Gushing Wounds1/5

Twist and Tear1/5

Haste1/1

Cyclone of Razors5/5

Spirit of the Panther3/3

General:

Excellent Balance1/5

UPDATE:
At this point, you can chose to continue as full reaver spec, or begin working down the Berserker tree to regain the CC bonuses. This would be a Hybrid spec. I'll cover both here:

Full Reaver:

• Levels 51-54
• 4 points into Twist and Tear
  
• Levels 55-59
• 4 points into Gushing Wounds
• 1 point into Unstoppable
  
• Levels 60-64
• 5 points into Impale
• 1 point into Lure
  
• Levels 65-69
• 2 points into Lure
• 1 point into Unstoppable
• 1 point into Berserker
• 1 point into Unstoppable Berserker
  
• Levels 70-74
• 1 point into Armageddon Falls
• 1 point into Unstoppable Berserker
• 1 point into Rupture Armor
• 3 points into Boiling Blood
  
• Levels 75-80
• Once again, I'll leave this open.. but if you don't want to think about it:
• 4 points into Excellent Balance
• 1 point into Second Wind
• 1 point into Quick Recovery
• 2 points into Subtlety
  

Final Build: http://feats.goonheim.com/barbarian#t0a5b5c5d5e2f2g3h5i3j5k1m1n2p5q3r3w1y3z5B1t1a5t2a5c2d1f1


Hybrid:

• Levels 51-54
• 4 points into Great Weapons Master
  
• Levels 55-59
• 1 point into Great Weapons Master
• 1 point into Paralysis
  
• 3 points into Shock and Awe
  
• Levels 60-64
• 1 point into Atrocity (This will go into Staggering Punch, once they fix it. If they have fixed it by the time you read this, and I've been too lazy to update, put this, and future points mentioned for Atrocity, into Staggering Punch.)
• 3 points into Insanity
• 2 points into Atrocity
  
• Levels 65-69
• 1 point into Earth Shatter
• 1 point into No Escape
• 3 points into Finishing Blow
  
• Levels 70-74
• 3 points into Unstable Mind
• 3 points into Arcane Marauder (OR Swarm Fighter.. take your pick)
  
• Levels 75-80
• 4 points into Hammer and Anvil
• 1 point into Scatter Foes
• 1 point into Hammer and Anvil
• 2 points into Comatose

Final Build:
http://feats.goonheim.com/barbarian#t0a5b5c5d5f2g3h1i3j1k1p5q3t1a5b3c5d3g1i3k1l1m3n3o3q5u2w1t2a1
(For more thoughts on Hybrid builds, check out Hybrid Spec Info)

Hopefully this will be helpful to those wondering what to do with their new little Barb, and again, let me know if I need to make any corrections. Thanks!

Discuss this on the Official Forums

Updates:
6-20-08: Revised which feats to take when, added hybrid build.