The Barbarian class is an iconic part of the famed franchise. First appearing in Diablo 2 they have been in every entry since. They are a now nomadic race of warriors since the destruction of their ancestral home at the end of Diablo 2. Barbarians are masters of all weapons that can be swung. They are especially different in D4 since they can swap between any of their four equipped weapons.
#5: Upheaval Barbarian(Starter Build):
Barbarian standing in yellow furs
The Upheaval beginner build is a great starting point for those barbarian fans looking to start a fresh character. Upheaval is a core skill that involves slamming your weapon into the ground and hurling a cone of debris at enemies in front of you.
The build itself as stated above is very upheaval-centric. The wide area of effect that it provides allows for a smooth leveling experience without too much hardship. The build is easily enhanced upon finding aspects like Relentless Berserker and or Echoing Fury.
In my honest opinion, this is one of the best places to start building out your class. Upheaval slots nicely into a few different builds and many of these affixes are used in other builds as well.
Where it excels:
- Area of effect in a cone
- Adapting to a new endgame build
- Faster mobility with Charge and Leap
Try this build if:
- You enjoy slightly ranged combat
- You need to clear quickly early on
- You want to use Berserking faster
Build Details:
Skills:
- Lunging Strike
- Upheaval
- Rallying Cry
- Charge
- Leap
- Wrath of the Berserker
Gear:
- Relentless Berserker's Aspect
- Aspect of Echoing Fury
- Aspect of the Umbral
- Aspect of Berserk Ripping
- Aspect of Disobedience
- Ghostwalker Aspect
- Aspect of Might
- Iron Blood Aspect
Build Guide: https://maxroll.gg/d4/build-guides/upheaval-barbarian-leveling-guide
#4: Rend Barbarian(Speedfarm Build):
Barbarian with bloody armor
The Rend build is one of, if not the best build to inflict bleed upon enemies in all of D4. With one button press, you cleave your blade through your foes and inflict them with a hefty bleed debuff.
Users of this build will be seen dashing into combat with charge or ripping their foes to them like Scorpion from the Mortal Kombat franchise. As soon as you are within range activate Rend to inflict an unprecedented amount of bleed.
I have been a proponent of this build since beta and often run it in PvP when I’m not melting rooms of minions. Nothing better than seeing that health bar turn a darker red as it ticks down to the unavoidable emptiness you have cursed it with.
Where it excels:
- Damage over time
- Area of effect damage
- Room clearing
Try this build if:
- You enjoy bleeding your foes past the point of return
- You want an area of effect playstyle
- You want a hit-and-run playstyle
Build Details:
Skills:
- Lunging Strike
- Rend
- Rallying Cry
- Charge
- Steel Grasp
- Wrath of the Berserker
Gear:
- Relentless Berserker's Aspect
- Ghostwalker Aspect
- Aspect of Disobedience
- Aspect of Echoing Fury
Build Guide: https://maxroll.gg/d4/build-guides/rend-barbarian-guide
#3: Walking Arsenal(Endgame Build):
Barbarian wielding spear
The Walking Arsenal Barbarian is one of the endgame builds you can spec into after starting with upheaval and is a very powerful endgame clear build. Walking arsenal is one of the key passives at the end of the skill tree in case you were unaware that it is not a skill.
This build revolves around swapping weapons quickly to keep your walking arsenal buff active. The buff itself read “Dealing direct damage with a Two-Handed Bludgeoning, Two-Handed Slashing, or Dual Wielded weapons grants 10% [x] increased damage for 10 seconds.
While all three damage bonuses are active, you gain an additional 20% [x] increased damage and attack speed.”. Essentially, it is saying you do a TON more damage if you quickly swap through all 3 weapon categories.
I have never trusted myself to cycle through all the weapons effectively at first. It sounded complicated. Having run a barb this season I can safely say no, it is easier than it sounds. And man does it clear. You cannot go wrong with this passive in the current D4 balance and I highly recommend this build for endgame play.
Where it excels:
- Endgame clearing
- Area of Effect damage
- Lower resource costs
Try this build if:
- You want a unique playstyle not revolving around one skill
- You are looking for a good all-around endgame build
- You want to utilize multiple weapons
Build Details:
Skills:
- Lunging Strike
- Upheaval
- Death Blow
- Iron Maelstrom
- Rallying Cry
- Iron Skin
Gear:
- Overkill
- Tibault's Will
- Berserk Ripping
- Disobedience
- Relentless Armsmaster
- Edgemaster’s
- Earthstriker's
- Rapid
Build Guide: https://maxroll.gg/d4/build-guides/walking-arsenal-barbarian-guide
#2: Double Swing Barb (Helltide Build):
A barbarian in a horned helmet
The double swing barb is another tried and true D4 class. Not as popular as our #1 but a contender nonetheless.
This playstyle is rather basic but is very fun in practice. You will be buffing yourself with should like all true barbarians, and then cleaving your weapon of choice through an enemy once on the way through and then again in the other direction hence the name double swing. I prefer to use my dual-wielding weapons but I have seen it done with a two-handed slasher as well.
I played this back in season 1 when I needed a quick helltide farm build and I am glad that 2 seasons later it is helping lead the herd. Highly recommend it if you like the idea of shredding hordes of demons with two swords or if you need a quick cinder grind build.
Where it excels:
- Cinder farming
- Single target damage and Area of effect with some aspects
- Fury regeneration
Try this build if:
- You are looking for a good helltide build
- You plan to fight the boss in the helltide for maximum cinders
- You want to gank people in PVP
Build Details:
Skills:
- Ground Stomp
- Double Swing
- Rallying Cry
- Challenging Shout
- Charge
- Wrath of the Berserker
Gear:
- Tuskhelm of Joritz the Mighty
- Accelerating Aspect
- Carnage
- Edgemasters Aspect
- Ghostwalker
- Disobedience
- Exploiters
- Might
Build Guide: https://maxroll.gg/d4/build-guides/double-swing-barbarian-guide
#1:Hota Barbarian:
Barbarian standing with hands resting on hammer
The Hota Barb (Hammer of the Ancients Barbarian) is the crème de la crème when it comes to barbarian builds. The HotA barb has been nerfed and or adjusted numerous times since its inception in Diablo 4. But much like the rogues with Twisting Blades, HotA is not going down without a fight.
Your main objective is to hit EVERYTHING with HotA. That's it. That's the build. Okay well maybe there's a tiny bit more but that is the main idea. It's a lot of shouts, charging, then bonking with the hammer. It really is a straightforward build and you can't go wrong. Shout to regen your Fury, charge in, and hit with HotA. That's the loop. A very effective loop.
The opinion portion of this is not even really an opinion. It is pure fact. In the current meta of Diablo 4 this is the premier barbarian build and nothing else is beating it. If there is a better build we haven't found it yet.
Where it excels:
- Literally everywhere now that charge has been buffed
- Boss damage
- Area of effect damage
Try this build if:
- You are in need of a build that is great everywhere
- You enjoyed Hammer of the Ancients in Diablo 3
- You heard Charge was OP and want the best version of it
Build Details:
Skills:
- Wrath of the Berserker
- Hammer of the Ancients
- Rallying Cry
- Threatening Shout
- War cry
- Charge
Gear:
- Banished Lords Talisman
- Godslayers Crown
- Conceited Aspect
- Protector Aspect
- Soulbrand
- Ring of Red Furor
- Ancestral Force
- Ghostwalker Aspect
Build Guide: https://maxroll.gg/d4/build-guides/hammer-of-the-ancients-barbarian-guide
