D2 Uniques

At present i am unable to play online, but i want to get some decent armor and weapons, preferably uniques. I am halfway through nightmare with my barbarian (level 30 or so) and i get wasted by everything. Hell Cats and Apparitions are the worst cos my barbarian is soo slow compared. And does bugger all damage (55 - 105 or something).
I guess i wasted too much skill points in the jump attack and not in the passive skills like weapons skills and natural resistances and stuff. =(
Any hints on how to get some decent weapons. I heard gambling is the way to go. I usually buy something and it turns out crap. I spent 200000+ on some armour and all it had was fast hit recovery =(. Am about to get to Duriel and would like to be able to hit it and stop it killing me in one hit. At the moment if i come across anything with stone skin, then i might as well just run past it, no way i'd be able to kill it. probably take me half an hour if i did.
Any tips, hints would be cool.
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Remake your barb over. No point in trying to salvage it. You're a target for PK-ers.

My lv 32 axe barb does 300-600 damage and my lv 18 mace barb does 250-450 damage. Max out your preference in mastery to 20 as soon as possible. 1 pt in every skill needed to get leap attack and WW. Only WW and mastery gets more than 1 pt.

Pump up str to 80 first. Nothing else. Eventually get your natural str to 120+.

If you're on USWest /msg me and I'll give you some barb items.

Or... shell out $1500 on Ebay and buy some ridiculus weapon some stoner found online.

Who you calling a stoner? I haven't rolled up a fat one in a long time.

ok, sounds like the plan. Bummer. Got quite fond of the bugger.. got through the first difficulty level without dying, and i wasn't even a hardcore character.
Do hardcore character get better stuff than non-hardcore people, in the way of items?
Ahh well, back to the start of the first level...
Cheers sin2 and moodyblue.
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PS is it worth gambling in normal difficulty?
oh is it better to be a sword barb or axe barb, and do you reckon having a shield is worth it, IYHO?

[This message has been edited by But_Why (edited 10-05-2000).]

Shield is probably not worth it unless you're playing a sword barb. Just get the biggest weapon you can find and you're set.

I have an axe barb and a mace barb. I am going to try a poleaxe barb.