In this comprehensive build guide, I aim to unveil the optimal Barbarian starter and endgame setup for Diablo 4 Season 2.
Beginning with an explanation of class mechanics, I’ll delve into skill rotations, recommended gems, gear selections, and strategies geared towards maximizing damage output and more. If you want to make this build the way I did, prepare plenty of Diablo 4 Gold in advance.
Overview
The Barbarian possesses significant area-of-effect abilities that deal substantial damage, enabling swift clearing of multiple enemy groups. However, these skills have extended cooldown periods, emphasizing the need to gather enemies and enough Diablo 4 Items together for efficient elimination.
For this guide, I will be using the Whirlwind build which is currently the most beginner-friendly and highest DPS build in Diablo 4 Season 2. And this build guide is split into 2 parts.
Whirlwind Leveling Build
The first part is a Whirlwind leveling build to go from level 1 to 50 and then the second part is the full endgame build, which requires at least level 50. If you want to upgrade quickly, you may wish to take a look at D4gold.com Diablo 4 Boosting service. Here there will be professional Diablo 4 players to help your Barb easily upgrade to level 50!
Level 1-3
To start off from getting to level 3, we have to put 2 points into these 2 nodes:
- Lunging Strike
- Enhanced Lunging Strike
Level 4-7
Then, from level 4 to 7, we spend 4 points into these 4 nodes:
- Battle Lunging Strike
- Furious Whirlwind
- Enhanced Whirlwind
- Whirlwind
Level 8-20
Then, from level 8 to 20, we will get 13 points, which we want to use to begin getting all of these nodes:
- Whirlwind (4 skill points)
- Rallying Cry/Enhanced Rallying Cry/Tactical Rallying Cry (3 skill points)
- War Cry/Enhanced War Cry/Power War Cry (3 skill points)
- Leap/Enhanced Leap/Power Leap (3 skill points)
Don’t forget that when you reach level 15, you should place your two-handed sword in your Technique slot to apply blades and slows.
Level 21-34
Then, from level 21 to 34, we will get these 14 points, which we should use by unlocking and upgrading all of these nodes:
- Booming Voice (1 skill point)
- Raid Leader (2 skill points)
- Aggressive Resistance (1 skill point)
- Prolific Fury (3 skill points)
- Pit Fighter (3 skill points)
- Hamstring (1 skill point)
- Call of the Ancients/Prime Call of the Ancients/Supreme Call of the Ancients (3 skill points)
Level 35-49
Then lastly, from Level 35 to 49, we will get these 14 skill points, which we should spend on the specific nodes:
- Rallying Cry (4 skill points)
- Booming Voice (2 skill points)
- Raid Leader (1 skill point)
- No Mercy (3 skill points)
- Heavy Handed (3 skill points)
- Unbridle Rage (1 skill point)
Then finally, don’t forget about your Renown. After you gather all the Renown in the game, you will get 10 extra skill points. I recommend spending them towards your leveling progression, which I explained just a second ago. In the endgame, I will show you later where to spend your 10 leftover skill points.
As far as leveling up in Diablo 4 goes, it is very similar to other MMOs. So, for the most part, this Barb endgame build will mean that you have to constantly replace 1 rare Diablo 4 Item with a better one all the way up to level 50. Since Whirlwind build requires a slashing weapon, that is the only slot where the DPS matters. All the other weapons we will only equip for stats to increase our one single weapon’s damage even more.
Stat Priorities
The stats to look out for a one-handed weapon are Critical Strike damage, Damage to Close, Damage to Slow, and Sockets.
For the two-handed Barb endgame gear weapon, look out the stats like the slashing only DPS, Core Skill Damage, Critical Strike Damage, and Sockets.
And of course, only use your Diablo 4 Gold to upgrade the weapon that you’re using for the Whirlwind at the Blacksmith and then socket with Sapphires.
For your clothes, the armor pieces typically grant us defensive and utility stats except the gloves, which offer offensive stats.
For your helmet, try to get Cooldown Reduction, Skill Ranks, and Strength.
For armor, get the Life, Strength, and Armor.
For gloves, get + stats to the Whirlwind and Critical Strike Chance.
For pants, get Life or Strength.
For boots, get Movement Speed or Strength.
Lastly, for your jewelry, try to get amulets with Defensive Skill Ranks, Fury Cost Reduction, Damage, and Movement Speed.
And for rings, get the Critical Strike Chance, Critical Strike Damage, Physical Damage, and Damage to Slowed Enemies.
An important thing to note is that you don’t need to upgrade armor or jewelry while leveling. I only recommend to socket armor with Rubies and jewelry with Skulls. And for the rest of the things, save all your upgrades for your level 50 build.
Gameplay
In my final summary for your leveling build, our gameplay loop consists of generating Fury by using Rallying Cry.
Then, we use the Leap and Lunging Strike skills.
Next, use the Whirlwind ability to decimate any monster in our way.
And lastly, we want to save our Call of the Ancients for the Elite and Barb paragon bosses. If needed, we can kite them around until our cooldown is back up.
Whirlwind Endgame Build
Next, let’s move over to the second part where I will show you your endgame build. By this point, you should be familiar with the Whirlwind play style, what gear stats you should look out for, etc.
So, as I did the most explaining at the start, I will just show you the setup that you want to use. I tested multiple setups and builds, and this one was the best one.
Skills
First of all, for your skills, we want to use the War Cry, Rallying Cry, Challenging Shout, Wrath of the Berserker, Iron Skin, and Whirlwind.
Gear
As for your gear, we already discussed what stats you should look out for. But if you’re looking for purely the best of the best gear, then here it is.
For the helm, get the Harlequin Crest and slot in the damage reduction gem.
For the chest, get the chest armor called the Aspect of Disobedience and slot in 2 damage reduction gems.
For the gloves, get the Gohr’s Devastating Grips.
For the pants, get the Temerity and slot in 2 more damage reduction gems.
For the boots, get the Ghostwalker Aspect.
For the amulet, get the Melted Heart of Selig.
Lastly, for your first ring, get the Aspect of Exchoing Fury and for the second one, get the Bold Chieftain’s Aspect.
Lastly, for your weapons, we want to get the two-handed hammer of the Dire Whirlwind and slot in 2 critical strike damage gems.
The second weapon is the Broad Sword of the Berserk Ripping, and we want to slot in 1 critical strike damage gem.
For one of the last weapons, equip the Ramaladni’s Magnum Opus and slot in 1 critical strike damage gem.
And finally, get The Grandfather sword and slot in 2 same type critical strike damage gems.
And again, don’t forget that by getting all the Renown in Diablo 4 Season 2, you will get 10 extra skill points.
Summary
The Whirlwind Barbarian is a very straightforward Diablo 4 build that is very fun and does massive amounts of AOE damage.
For your gameplay loop, it is very similar for both builds. We just want to start by simply spamming the Rallying Cry, War Cry, and Challenging Shout when the monsters are very close to our character.
Afterwards, we buff ourselves with the Wrath of the Berserker, and then we start channeling the Whirlwind.
Remember to attack only with your main two-handed sword because all the other weapons are only meant for extra stats. So, just spin to win and have fun!
