With each forthcoming season of Diablo IV requiring a new character, odds are you’re going to build a Barbarian or two. For one, they’re very straightforward and, while certainly versatile, often easier to jump in with and just start annihilating things.
But whether you anticipate dabbling in Barbarians from time to time or prefer to main the class, it’s not a bad idea to have a plan or two for speccing out a straightforward build that’ll take you all the way to level 50. Here are three such builds for your consideration.
Whirlwind Barbarian
It’s time to become a belligerent force of destruction. The Whirlwind Barbarian is an absolute classic and will let you reliably devastate swaths of foes.
Depending on your specific playstyle, and what loot you have equipped, you might find certain skills more deserving of more skill points than others. A Whirlwind Barbarian is always a valuable asset in a party, but if you’re playing solo, this is a great, straightforward option for solitary destruction.
Whirlwind Barbarian Build: Levels 1-15
Lunging Strike > Enhanced Lunging Strike > Battle Lunging Strike
Whirlwind > Enhanced Whirlwind > Furious Whirlwind
Rallying Cry > Enhanced Rallying Cry > Tactical Rallying Cry
War Cry > Enhanced War Cry > Power War Cry
Leap > Enhanced Leap > Power Leap
Whirlwind Barbarian Build: Levels 16-50
For your next few levels, you’ll want to invest more points into Whirlwind. Max this skill out to a full 5/5 ranks. Then, start grabbing the following skills:
Pit Fighter > Hamstring
Call of the Ancients > Prime Call of the Ancients > Supreme Call of the Ancients
Heavy Handed
Unbridled Rage
Once you’ve acquired these skills consider investing more ranks into the following, if you haven’t already:
Rallying Cry
Booming Voice and Raid Leader
Heavy Handed
Pit Fighter, No Mercy, Thick Skin, and Counteroffensive
Bleed Barbarian Build
Cue up some suitably violent music, it’s time to make things bleed. Not only will you hit hard as a Barbarian, but this build will sustain your damage through Bleed status.
The Bleed Barbarian is a great addition to a party, as the focus on sending opponents into Bleed status will benefit everyone you’re playing with. Like any other Barbarian build, you’ll still be a virtually unstoppable force, but if you want to do so while offering some extra utility, this is a good build to consider messing with.
Bleed Barbarian: Levels 1-15
Lunging Strike > Enhanced Lunging Strike > Battle Lunging Strike
Rend > Enhanced Rend > Furious Rend
Rallying Cry > Enhanced Rallying Cry > Tactical Rallying Cry
Imposing Presence > Martial Vigor
War Cry > Enhanced War Cry > Power War Cry
Bleed Barbarian Build: Levels 16-50
For your next few levels, invest skill points into Rend until it’s maxed out. Then toss more points into Martial Vigor, maxing that out too. Then acquire the following:
Charge > Enhanced Charge > Mighty Charge
Aggressive Resistance > Prolific Fury
Booming Voice
Hamstring > Cut to the Bone
Wrath of the Berserker > Prime Wrath of the Berserker > Supreme Wrath of the Berserker
Pit Fighter > Slaying Strike
Slaying Strike
Once you’ve acquired these, consider investing more ranks into the following skills:
Hamstring
Cut to the Bone
Pit Fighter
Slaying Strike
Prolific Fury
Booming Voice
Upheaval Barbarian
This Upheaval Barbarian grabs Upheaval from the second group of skills and nicely combines much of what works well with Whirlwind and Bleed.
The Upheaval Barbarian is a pretty great choice for anyone spending time both in and out of a party as you’ll have great amounts of strength and power on your own, but will also be able to send opponents into Bleed status to make things easier for friendlies to take out.
Upheaval Barbarian Build: Levels 1-15
Flay > Enhanced Flay > Battle Flay
Upheaval > Enhanced Upheaval > Furious Upheaval
Rallying Cry > Enhanced Rallying Cry > Tactical Rallying Cry
War Cry > Enhanced War Cry > Power War Cry
Leap > Enhanced Leap > Power Leap
Upheaval Barbarian Build: Levels 16-50
First, max out your Upheaval skill, followed by War Cry. Then, grab the following:
Booming Voice > Raid Leader
Hamstring
Aggressive Resistance > Prolific Fury
Pit Fighter > No Mercy
Thick Skin
Heavy Handed
Call of the Ancients > Prime Call of the Ancients > Supreme Call of the Ancients
Unbridled Rage
Invest your remaining points on the path to 50 to fill out the following skills:
Booming Voice
Raid Leader
Prolific Fury
Pit Fighter
No Mercy
Heavy Handed
The Barbarian is capable of being an unstoppably violent force, valuable in any party and vicious enough to wipe out entire rooms of foes. The frameworks suggested above are great platforms to build off of to pursue even greater power in the endgame.
