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Today, we’re diving into an unusual Barbarian setup for Uber Tristam. Unlike most high-end builds, this one is budget-friendly and uses a weapon you might never expect to see taking on the likes of Uber Mephisto, Baal, and Diablo. This setup revolves around a very cheap Runeword weapon called Malice—and let’s be real, it's probably not what you’re used to.

Now, if you're an old-school Diablo fan or a new player exploring Diablo 2: Resurrected (D2R), this guide is for you. Let’s break down what makes this build unique and why it's worth trying.

The Malice Conquest Sword: Why Use Such a Low-Damage Weapon?

The Malice Runeword is extremely inexpensive, made with Ith, El, and Eth runes, and offers minimal base damage—just 73 to 114 on a Conquest Sword. With a measly 33% enhanced damage and +9 to maximum damage, this weapon certainly won't win any awards for raw power. But that’s not why we’re using it. Malice provides two unique stats that make it surprisingly effective against Ubers:

1. 100% Chance of Open Wounds – This causes Ubers to bleed, preventing their health from regenerating.

2. -100 Defense per hit – Malice lowers an enemy’s defense each time you land a hit, making it much easier to land successive attacks.

While you might be tempted to toss Malice aside for something stronger, this weapon shines in Uber Tristam due to its specialized effects that help neutralize Ubers’ hefty defenses.

Breaking Down Uber Defenses: Why Attack Rating and Open Wounds Matter

The Uber bosses in D2R have sky-high defense, often exceeding 20,000. Landing consistent hits on these bosses typically requires massive attack rating (AR), and even then, you might struggle. This is where Malice’s defense-reducing ability comes into play. By chipping away at the boss’s defense with each strike, you’ll increase your hit chance dramatically, which is crucial for melee characters.

Open Wounds is another critical factor. When applied, Open Wounds causes continuous bleeding damage and prevents enemy healing. Uber bosses typically regenerate health quickly, making Open Wounds essential to prevent them from recovering as you chip away at their health bars.

Primary Gear Setup: Balancing Budget with Efficiency

This Barbarian build focuses on efficiency, especially for those who may not have endless runes and D2R Items gear. Here’s a quick look at the main gear pieces:

1. Weapon 1: Malice in a Conquest Sword – Provides 100% Open Wounds and -100 to monster defense per hit, essential for Uber Tristam.

2. Weapon 2: Beast Berserker Axe – This is the one high-cost item in the build. Beast grants you Fanaticism, boosting attack speed, attack rating, and damage—vital for maintaining consistent hits on Ubers.

3. Helmet: Guillaume’s Face – Offers 35% Crushing Blow and 15% Deadly Strike, increasing your chance of dealing high damage in each strike.

4. Armor: Duress – An affordable Runeword offering 15% Crushing Blow, 33% Open Wounds, and resistances.

5. Amulet: Highlord’s Wrath – Adds to your attack speed and offers Deadly Strike, scaling your damage potential as you level up.

6. Ring 1: Raven Frost – Prevents freezing and boosts AR, both crucial for survival and landing consistent hits.

7. Ring 2: Carrion Wind – Provides Magic Damage Reduction and Life Leech, adding some survivability.

8. Gloves: Dracul’s Grasp – With a 5% chance to cast Life Tap, Dracul’s Grasp keeps you alive by returning health with each hit.

9. Boots: Gore Riders – These add even more Crushing Blow, Open Wounds, and Deadly Strike.

This setup maximizes Crushing Blow (for chunking enemy health), Open Wounds (for counteracting Uber healing), and Fanaticism (for attack speed and AR) while keeping costs relatively low.

Key Mechanics: Dual-Wielding and Attack Rating

When dual-wielding, remember that each weapon applies its effects separately. For example, Open Wounds on Malice applies only when Malice itself strikes, not when your other weapon does. This is important because while Malice has 100% Open Wounds, you can lose this benefit if Malice isn’t the weapon making contact.

To maximize Malice’s impact, I keep it in the main hand and Beast in the off-hand. For Barbarians, your main-hand weapon determines hit priority. So, placing Malice in the main hand ensures Open Wounds is always active. Keep your attack rating high, using Enchant from Demon Limb on switch to raise AR by a few thousand points before fights.

Strategies for Uber Tristam

1. Pre-fight Setup: Cast Battle Orders and Enchant to boost health, mana, and AR. This setup is essential before facing the Ubers, where every point of health and hit chance counts.

2. Maintain Positioning: Frenzy Barbarians need to be close, which can expose you to the Uber bosses' deadly attacks, especially Mephisto’s Conviction Aura. Consider using Fade for extra resistances if you’re struggling to survive Mephisto’s elemental attacks.

3. Focus on One Boss at a Time: Uber fights can become chaotic. Try to isolate one boss, ideally Uber Mephisto, who has lower physical resistance compared to Baal or Diablo. With Open Wounds active, you’ll stop his regeneration, allowing you to focus on whittling down his health.

4. Life Tap Activation: Dracul’s Grasp should activate Life Tap early in the fight. This life leech is your lifeline, especially as Ubers hit hard and constantly drain mana. Make sure to refresh Life Tap if it drops to stay alive through incoming damage.

Observations and Challenges

Testing this Barbarian setup, I found that Crushing Blow and Open Wounds were effective against Ubers, but low elemental resistance was a challenge. Even with 270% lightning resist, Mephisto’s Conviction aura dropped my resistance significantly. This led to taking heavy damage, especially during prolonged fights.

To address this, I added more resistance charms and gear swaps focused on resistances. The magic damage reduction from String of Ears belt also proved helpful in mitigating incoming elemental attacks. Additionally, mana burn from bosses can be a problem, so make sure to have mana potions on hand.

Final Thoughts: Is Malice Worth It?

Using Malice as a budget option for Uber Tristam definitely has its pros and cons. Here’s a quick summary:

· Pros: Extremely cheap, guarantees 100% Open Wounds, reduces enemy defense, and offers a unique strategy that’s effective against high-defense Uber bosses.

· Cons: Low base damage limits overall DPS, requires a high attack rating to be effective, and relies heavily on dual-wield mechanics and positioning.

While Malice isn't a long-term solution for endgame builds, it can be a viable, unique choice for players on a budget. It allows you to take on Ubers in a new way, focusing on defense reduction and bleeding damage rather than raw power.

So if you’re looking for an affordable, effective way to clear Uber Tristam, give this Barbarian build a shot. It’s a fun challenge that showcases the creative potential in Diablo 2: Resurrected—and who knows, you might even find yourself clearing Ubers faster than expected!