Dont know what you all have with your barbarian, mage wars is named mage wars. Its not a war in a world. It is in an arena where trained mages fight against eachother. That is a toally different theme. Why should a barabrian enter it? or even be allowed to enter, those mages were trained in the ACADMEY to be allowed to fight in the arena.
Your suggestion sounds much like a warlord just more, though is here, melee combat is here, natural restens is harshforge plate, why should fireballs not hurt with magical ressitance. It is fire, they are not blocked by nullify but be block. Its not magic anymore, mana was converted to fire. And i read too much diablo 2 out of it.
In diablo heros of everywhere come to save the world of the evil. But Mage wars are trained mages fighting in an arena.
Mage wars is a deeper game than just get a weapon and hit something, the whole enchantment games makes it uniqe and gives its own flavor. press on that one.
Rather get an alternative druid, Sorcerer with Dark/arcane ruling the metamagic. Illusionist pretending to be here and there, enchantments here and there, etc.
and lastle, ok he doesnt master the arcane school fine. I force crush him in round 2 pay the extra 2mana to enchant him in the first place and do force holds on the creatures he summons, done what can he do?