Combat Masteries

The Barbarian has the market cornered on melee combat, and as if to prove this has a mastery for almost every weapon type.  Masteries basically allow the Barbarian to improve his base Attack Rating and damage with a particular weapon.

All the weapon masteries are passive skills, meaning that you don´t have to que them up with a mouse button, they are always active once you place a skill point into them.  At higher levels the Barbarian get other types of masteries that can improve his speed, his Stamina, and even his resistances to Poison, Cold, Lightning, and Fire-based magic.  Each skill point placed into a mastery brings the benefits that the mastery gives up a notch or two, meaning they are excellent compliments to all of the other Barbarian skills. 

Sword Mastery (Req: Clvl 1) The Sword Mastery bestows a better Attack Rating and damage with an equipped sword.

Axe Mastery (Req: Clvl 1) The Axe Mastery bestows a better Attack Rating and damage with an equipped axe.

Mace Mastery (Req: Clvl 1) The Mace Mastery bestows a better Attack Rating and damage with an equipped mace.

Polearm Mastery (Req: Clvl 5) The Polearm Mastery bestows a better Attack Rating and damage with an equipped polearm.

Throwing Mastery (Req: Clvl 5) The Throwing Mastery bestows a better Attack Rating and damage with a thrown weapon.

Spear Mastery (Req: Clvl 5) The Spear Mastery bestows a better Attack Rating and damage with an equipped spear..

Increased Stamina (Req: Clvl 10) Increased Stamina increases the Barbarian´s natural Stamina, making him able to run and attack longer.

Iron Skin (Req: Clvl 15) Iron Skin increases the Barbarian´s natural, base Defense Rating, making him harder to hit by his enemies.

Increase Speed (Req: Clvl 20, Increase Stamina) Increease Speed gives the Barbarian a faster movement rate.  It is unknown whether this benefit applies to running or walking, but since it is a high-level mastery we think it may be an overall increase.

Natural Resistance (Req: Clvl 25, Iron Skin) This mastery increases the Barbarian´s natural resistances.  A very powerful mastery, as the Barbarian´s main weakness as is apt to be his vulnerability against magic and poisoning.