Leap vs. Leap Attack

[LavCat]

Have any Barbarians tried using more than a few points in Leap and skipping Leap Attack? I am giving this serious consideration and am looking for any real world advice/experience.

Thanks!

[gekko]

Tried it only with a singing barb, for whom it works wonderfully. That's one character who wants to land right smack in the middle of packs of monsters, but needs a split second or two to start yelling. The general knockback from leap was HUGELY preferable to the single knockback + damage bonus from leap attack, especially when you're dual wielding wands.

Few builds will get similar use from the leap skill, however. Aside from that one advantage of knocking back all enemies, leap is much less useful -- you need to invest several points to get a usable range, wheras a single point in leap attack allows you to reach anywhere on screen.

I'm curious to know what type of barb you're planning on using the leap skill for. A hybrid singer/berserk or concentrate barb (leap, warcry to stun, then chop chop one at a time with a big 2 handed weapon) would probably benefit from leap, giving that crucial second or two to get off a good warcry.

gekko

[bigeyedbug]

...especially when you're dual wielding wands.

Oooooh! Oooooh! Any advice for a Wandarian? My build idea can be summed up this way: "WeirdWalter, Wand-Wielding Whirlwinder" [Thank you, Zyr!] with some Leap and Warcry to make those WW's slightly less suicidal.

Any...ahem...pointers? :)

[Kartoffelsalat]

I have a leaping barb, and his Leap is maxed, as it is a synergy to Leap Attack.

The level 24 leap will knock back an entire screen worth of monsters, and put them into hit recovery. This is a great tactic for entering big areas of monsters.

I've been in games with your enchantress, so if you ever saw a big silver barb knocking all the monsters away, that was me. :)

[LavCat]

I'm building a no-dex concentrate barbarian. My non-ladder barbarian uses leap attack and frenzy, and I wanted something different. The two reasons for starting another baby character are that my younger son just started playing this week, and I recently found IK Soul Cage.

Unfortunately I'm not sure he will have enough points left over for a massive warcry. In addition to concentrate, I want berserk for the synergy as well as for the sanctuary. I may max shout, and I plan to put a lot of points in mace mastery.

He has been using taunt to good effect, but current plans are for not more than one point.

Leap at high levels certainly sounds like fun!

[LavCat]

What leap distance do you get at twenty four? Twenty five is doable with IK. From arreat, level seventeen leap gives 16.6 yards, which would mean twelve invested skill points using IK. Another way of asking the question: how does level twenty four leap compare in leaping distance with one point in leap attack?

Does the stun duration from the knockback go up any with the skill level?

He is playing no-twink at the moment, but by hell level he will be enchanted! I'm sure you will meet him in the not too far distant future.

[Casperi]

I think if you are using Leap for the knockback effect the minimum should be 9 points. About 14 covers the screen.

The "stun" of Leap is actually a hit recovery animation, so the duration depends on the type of monster and how they are animated. It is very good against oblivion kinghts in the CS.

Leap is good for singers. I have also found it to be excellent for throwing barbs.

[jhartelt]

I invested in Leap on my BowBarb, Mac_Archer. LeapAttack would not be of much use except for the unlimited range at skill lvl 1. So I opted for Leap instead. The knockback is quite useful to keep enemies at a distance, if no tank is near. Skill lvl is currently at 12, which allows me to reach everything on screen except for a small area at the 4 corners of the screen. After maxing BO I will continue maxing Leap. The knockback is also useful to help a swarmed party member.