help --- pvp rabies/ruby druid

new to pvp in general. i've decided to go with a rabies/fury druid since there don't seem to manny of them out there.. i've had ok success againts sorcs, bowazons but get annihilated by pallys (all types), ww barbs, and poison sins.

here's my set-up:

grief pb

jalal w/ shael

mp enigma

um'd storm shield (max block)

trang gloves

tgods (looking for a dungo to max dr)

bk ring

raven frost

3 ss/life ammy

ik boots

switch - dweb, +20/-20 monarch

charms 9 spiritual gcs w/ life, anni, torch, frw scs, life scs, resist

scs

in stash: highlords, gore riders, more resist charms, angelic set, trang belt,

bramble, 24 fhr belt w/ 18 str 40 life res.

skills: max fury, lyc, psn crpr, rabies, 1 to bear n prereqs, rest on ww

i reach about 5k life, 6k+ w/ BO buff

my current setup is short of the 86 fhr breakpoint, has max lit and cold res, 50+ fire and poison res in hell. 13k AR w/ rabies/fury

should i use bramble for melee? does putting shael on my ss work better than um (assiming that i make up for resists somewhere else)? not familiar w/ block speeds and how much the matter against a fast hitting melee char..

what advice would you guy against smiters, ww barbs? should i go for 86 fhr and use angelics?

it's a fun build, esp when i get a rabies bite on a sorc it sucks getting raped by smiters and barbs, though. i think most of thr problem would be my inexperience with this build..

any advice would be appreciated..

*pnksntdead if you wanna duel him online, i need all the practice that i cam get|||Vs barbs and smiters use bramble trangs gloves 1 angelic ring 1 raven you should get atleast 19 k ar , think there's a thread to a video of kiba walking a smiter . Vs smiters you'll need the 86fhr ofc this is just imo . Vs tele smiters you've got to run and walk . Barbs generally aren't that hard unless you meet a really good one . In pubs that's not very often|||Vs. Barbs I would just make sure they weren't ranging me and get a rabies hit in. After that, max block (ALWAYS walk when they're close) and Shift+Fury will own them hard. If it's a BVC, enjoy dinner. Seriously, no shield = death to fury with a Grief.

As for smiters, the best tactic I used before my two wolves went poof due to inactivity (a state that will soon be remedied, so you'll have a packmate before long ) was to swap gear to Etomb/CoA at the very least and then range him. Smite is unblockable, so the only thing your Stormshield is giving you is DR. Also possible to do with Fury, as you can get a hit off with the Etomb in that frame or two before Charge connects, or while they're closing to Smite. If they're dumb enough to back you against a wall, once again, enjoy your dinner. While they CAN FHR you, they don't have nearly the life to tank the kind of damage a death stick can dish out, let alone at the speed it cranks out.

Finally, if it's a telesmiter, Shift+Fury will ruin their day, and Shift+Rabies, especially in pub gear if you think you can land a hit, will tear them a new one. Kiba posted stating 99% of the time he'd get by with like 13-15k AR, and I can confirm from my own F/R that that was plenty 95% of the time. Those other 5% you ultimately beat through tactics, and worst case scenario, if you've snagged SoB, throw it out there and proceed to let his dumb arse smite himself to death combined with your thorns aura (possibly stacked if you keep an Edge bow in stash...IIRC that also has thorns?).

Seriously, other than standard sneak attack tactics and anti-scrub tactics (i.e. 99% of pub scrubs not understanding all those wasted points in Dex mean jack when they run), don't pull any punches the moment they start being a-holes, especially if they're doing just because you're a rabies build. Some of my favorite kills were BM smiters who thought that breaking out the poison stack would negate the character, only to get it broke off in their derriere with either a Tomb Reaver or a Grief.

Hopefully all of this makes sense, as I just got off work from the overnight shift :P Do a search on here for my Lazywolf guide, it has several posts on dealing with common annoying pub characters, though from a Pure Fury standpoint. A hybrid would have a slightly easier time with Smiters for example, assuming you could get Rabies to land.|||thanks for the great tips guys! i gotta get that dungo to max my dr. can't quite afford an etomb yet, anyone try a shaeled/upped ribby vs smite instead (a bit slower but easier to find for now..).

i'll look up the lazy guide and kiba's video. ty|||Ribby is a fine pvm weapon pvp don't ever use it ebotdz is better range ebotd gp is next best personally going two handed vs smiters I use angelic ring 86 fhr and bait them into charging bad smiters or low dr and life palas tend to explode , however good smiters with 30 k + def and 5 k life will charge untill you die ^^ . I'm not as good as kiba but I've found it better to use 1 angelic even vs good hammers aswell as smiters you don't need 1 vs bvcs but I do vs bva or bvb barbs

Ps always use ebotdz vs barbs ( or any range 3 weapon ) if you use greif pb any half skilled barb will clip you till you die ^^|||For switch I prefer 30/30 crystal over dweb for more raw damage. Its easy to put on a pair of treks to resist all that posion.

I feel you need stash gear too if you have not listed then please list if you do have stash gear too. Why um in ss? I would rather put a rare jewel with ed%/9 dex/life/etc. for more dmg and easier to hit max block.|||hartside - ty for the advice. i did get a hold of an ebotz, which should help a bit since i seem to have some range issues with the grief pb (love it when it lands, tho. i got a hold of an etomb but it'll be some time before i get to use it (no jewels yet, no CoA).

minuses - i might try to go for a 30/30 cs for switch then. i um'd the ss to get max resists in hel (from pvm playing days). i found a -15/14@ jewel that i might replace it with. also looking for -15 w/ ed dex etc but those are quite costly.

i added some gear - stash has 15 dungos, trang belt, extra bk ring, angelic rings and ammy, dwarf star, extra lit res charms, ebotz

haven't dueled much lately (been hustling for gear) but i did beat a decent pure fury w/ a few times (we both had grief). will play more today.

btw, is thorns from bramble considered cheesey in melee duels?

ty|||Thorns will do next to no damage stick with forti|||any good advice against bone necros, besides hide in town?:}|||Stack frw to 150 ish charge feral rage off mobs if you get a chance , try to get a rabies hit in and shift fury when you get a chance , if it's a skilled nec player prepare to pick your body up alot ^^ if they use prism or Walls remember to use rabies on Walls you'll be surprised how many times necros infect themselves with rabies off walls