Showing posts with label Barbarian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Barbarian. Show all posts

Thursday, 12 September 2024

Diablo 4 Barbarian Infinity Damage Bug: What’s Going On?

Diablo 4 has had its fair share of wild moments since launch, but the latest news has players either laughing or crying (depending on whether they’re the Barbarian or the one facing them). If you’ve been keeping an eye on the Diablo 4 community lately, you’ve probably heard about the Barbarian Infinity Damage Bug. Yep, it’s as broken as it sounds—Barbarians dealing astronomical damage and tearing through everything in their path.

But how did this happen? Is this a new feature, or is it time to grab the duct tape and patch things up? Let’s dive into the infinity damage bug that’s been turning Diablo 4 into the ultimate Barbarian power fantasy.

The Bug That Broke The Game

So, what exactly is this Barbarian Infinity Damage Bug? In a nutshell, it’s a game-breaking exploit that allows Barbarians to deal essentially infinite damage to enemies, completely obliterating even the toughest of bosses in seconds. This is Diablo, after all, so dealing big numbers is part of the fun—but we’re talking damage numbers so large they’re practically breaking the game’s code.

Players discovered that through a specific combination of skills and gear, the Barbarian could trigger a series of buffs and multipliers that would escalate their damage output to absurd levels. We’re not just talking about a slight power boost here; we're talking about Barbarians transforming into literal wrecking balls.

How Does It Work?

Now, if you’re wondering how this exploit works, buckle up because it’s quite the ride. The infinite damage bug stems from a synergy between certain Legendary Aspects and skills that stack bonuses in an unintended way. Essentially, by combining certain abilities with cooldown resets and modifiers, the Barbarian is able to keep boosting their damage indefinitely.

The exact mechanics involve stacking the Hammer of the Ancients ability, along with certain damage multipliers that continue to stack and amplify, causing a feedback loop of damage that scales into infinity. This leads to a scenario where the Barbarian is dealing hundreds of millions of damage, smashing through even the toughest enemies like they’re made of paper.

Is This A Game-Changer?

While it sounds fun for Barbarian players, this bug has thrown off the balance of the game. PvE content becomes a joke, and PvP? Forget about it. If you’re not a Barbarian, you’re probably not going to have a good time going up against one of these infinity damage monsters. The exploit trivializes endgame content, making once-tough bosses fall over with a single hit.

But, on the flip side, some players are just loving the chaos. After all, who hasn’t wanted to feel like a god in a Diablo game, if only for a little while? It’s all part of the Diablo experience to push your character to ridiculous levels of power, but even this might be a bit much.

Blizzard’s Response

As with any game-breaking bug, Blizzard has had to step in. They’ve acknowledged the issue and are working on a fix to bring the Barbarian back down to earth. While some players have been taking full advantage of the bug before the inevitable patch, Blizzard has confirmed that they will be addressing this in an upcoming update.

The community response has been a mix of excitement, frustration, and, of course, memes. Some players are enjoying the madness while it lasts, while others are annoyed at the imbalance it’s caused. Blizzard, as expected, is trying to strike a balance between letting players have fun and maintaining the integrity of the game.

What’s Next for Barbarians?

For Barbarian mains, this bug has been a wild ride, but with the impending patch, it looks like things will soon return to normal. The exploit was never intended to be part of the game’s design, and once Blizzard rolls out the fix, we can expect the Barbarian to return to its proper place in the Diablo 4 power hierarchy.

However, this also raises questions about how Blizzard plans to handle similar issues in the future. Diablo 4 is still in its early days, and bugs like this are bound to pop up again. It’s all part of the challenge of balancing such a complex game, especially when it comes to power scaling and skill interactions.

Will the Barbarian remain a strong contender in the endgame after the fix? Only time will tell. For now, though, Barbarian players should enjoy the chaos while they can.

Final Thoughts

The Diablo 4 Barbarian Infinity Damage Bug is just the latest in a long line of unintended but hilarious game-breaking moments in the world of gaming. While it’s certainly caused some imbalance, it’s also brought the community together in a shared moment of overpowered mayhem. Blizzard will, of course, fix the bug, and balance will be restored—but until then, the Barbarian mains are having the time of their lives.

As always with Diablo, the next challenge is just around the corner, and while this infinity damage glitch won’t last, the fun (and frustration) it’s caused will be remembered for a long time. So, whether you’re laughing, crying, or waiting for the patch, one thing’s for sure—there’s never a dull moment in Diablo 4!

Thursday, 20 June 2024

Unlocking Weapon Expertise: A Game-Changing Tip for Diablo 4 Barbarian Players


Are you a Barbarian main in Diablo 4 struggling to level up your weapon expertise? You're not alone. The journey from Rank 0 to Rank 10 can feel like a grind, but fear not! Thanks to a brilliant tip from Diablo 4 content creator DatModz, there's a faster way to boost your Barbarian's weapon expertise. Let's dive into how you can optimize your gameplay and get the most out of your weapons.

The Basics of Weapon Expertise in Diablo 4

What is Weapon Expertise?

Weapon expertise in Diablo 4 is a unique feature exclusive to the Barbarian class. This mechanic allows Barbarians to rank up their weapons, enhancing their effectiveness and unlocking new techniques and bonuses.

How Does Weapon Expertise Work?

Barbarians unlock weapon expertise at Level 5, gaining the ability to rank up their weapons from Rank 0 to Rank 10. This process involves using the weapons in combat, as simply equipping them won't suffice. Each weapon slot contributes to the overall expertise, making it essential to actively use the desired weapon in battles.

Why is Weapon Expertise Important?

Ranking up weapon expertise not only improves your damage output but also provides additional perks and techniques that can turn the tide in tough battles. Higher ranks mean more powerful attacks and better survivability, crucial for progressing through Diablo 4’s challenging content.



DatModz’s Tip: Speeding Up Weapon Expertise

Who is DatModz?

DatModz is a well-known Diablo 4 content creator and streamer, renowned for his deep knowledge of the game and innovative strategies. His tips and tricks are highly regarded within the community, and his latest revelation about weapon expertise is no exception.

The Trick to Faster Weapon Expertise

DatModz discovered a method to significantly speed up the leveling process for weapon expertise. Here’s how you can do it:

  1. Equip the Weapon: First, equip the weapon you want to level up.
  2. Assign a Skill: Assign an eligible skill to the weapon.
  3. Head to Training Grounds: Visit Kyovashad’s Training Grounds.
  4. Attack Training Dummies: Continuously attack the Training Dummies.

This method allows you to quickly rack up experience for the equipped weapon. DatModz demonstrated this in a clip where his Barbarian’s One-Handed Axe Expertise increased from Rank 0 to Rank 8 in mere moments.

Why This Method Works

The Training Dummies in Kyovashad’s Training Grounds provide a safe and controlled environment to practice your attacks without the interruptions of actual combat. This allows for continuous, uninterrupted leveling, making it an efficient way to boost your weapon expertise.

Implementing DatModz's Strategy

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Prepare Your Barbarian: Ensure your Barbarian is at least Level 5 and has unlocked weapon expertise.
  2. Select the Weapon: Choose the weapon you want to level up.
  3. Equip and Assign Skills: Equip the weapon and assign a skill that is linked to that weapon.
  4. Travel to Kyovashad: Head to the Training Grounds in Kyovashad.
  5. Engage the Dummies: Start attacking the Training Dummies continuously.

Tips for Optimal Results

  • Focus on One Weapon: Concentrate on one weapon at a time for faster results.
  • Monitor Progress: Keep an eye on your weapon’s rank to ensure efficient leveling.
  • Use Buffs: Utilize any available buffs that can enhance your attack speed or damage output.

Exploring Weapon Expertise Techniques

Understanding Weapon Techniques

As your weapon expertise increases, you unlock new techniques and bonuses specific to each weapon type. These techniques can provide significant advantages in combat.

Maximizing the Potential of Each Weapon

  • One-Handed Axes: Focus on increasing critical hit chances.
  • Two-Handed Swords: Enhance your damage output.
  • Maces: Improve your ability to stun enemies.

Combining Techniques for Ultimate Power

By mastering multiple weapons, you can combine their techniques for a versatile and powerful Barbarian build. Experiment with different combinations to find what works best for your playstyle.

The Impact of Season 4: Loot Reborn

What’s New in Season 4?

Season 4: Loot Reborn introduced a game-changing itemization overhaul, significantly impacting how players build their characters. This update brought new items, balance changes, and more opportunities to optimize your Barbarian.

How Season 4 Enhances Weapon Expertise

The new itemization system allows for better synergy with weapon expertise. New items can enhance your weapon’s abilities, providing additional bonuses and making the leveling process even more rewarding.

Looking Ahead: Season 5 and PTR Updates

Season 5 Release

Season 5 is set to go live in early August, bringing more content and changes to Diablo 4. Players can expect new challenges, items, and possibly further adjustments to the weapon expertise system.

PTR and Community Feedback

The Public Test Realm (PTR) for Season 5 will be available before the official release. Blizzard plans to gather feedback from the community to fine-tune the upcoming changes, ensuring a balanced and enjoyable experience for all players.

FAQs

How do I unlock weapon expertise for my Barbarian? Weapon expertise unlocks when your Barbarian reaches Level 5.

Can I level up weapon expertise by just having the weapon equipped? No, you must actively use the weapon in combat to increase its expertise.

What’s the best way to level up weapon expertise quickly? Using DatModz’s method of attacking the Training Dummies in Kyovashad’s Training Grounds is the fastest way to level up.

Do different weapons level up at the same rate? The rate can vary based on how frequently you use the weapon and the efficiency of your attacks.

How does Season 4 affect weapon expertise? Season 4’s itemization overhaul can provide new items that enhance your weapon’s abilities, making it easier to level up.

What can we expect in Season 5? Season 5 will bring new content, challenges, and possibly further adjustments to weapon expertise mechanics. The PTR will offer a preview of these changes.

Conclusion

Leveling up your Barbarian’s weapon expertise in Diablo 4 doesn’t have to be a tedious grind. Thanks to DatModz’s insightful tip, you can efficiently boost your weapon ranks and enjoy the full potential of your Barbarian. As the game evolves with new seasons and updates, staying informed and adapting your strategies will ensure you remain a formidable force in Sanctuary. Embrace these techniques, explore new builds, and conquer the challenges that lie ahead.

Monday, 27 May 2024

Blizzard Confirms Bash Barbarians Nerfed in Latest Diablo 4 Season 4 Patch

 

Diablo 4's Season 4 has brought numerous updates and changes to the game, stirring excitement and, in some cases, discontent within the community. One of the most notable adjustments in the latest patch is the nerfing of Bash Barbarians, a popular build among players. This article delves into the specifics of the nerf, the reasons behind it, and the reactions from the Diablo 4 community.

The Bash Barbarian Build

What is the Bash Barbarian Build?

The Bash Barbarian build in Diablo 4 focuses on utilizing the Bash skill, a powerful melee attack that stuns enemies and deals significant damage. This build has been favored for its ability to control and decimate foes quickly, making it a go-to choice for many Barbarian players.

Importance in the Meta

Before the nerf, Bash Barbarians were considered one of the most effective builds in the game. Their combination of high damage output and crowd control made them indispensable in both solo and group play, dominating the meta in various game modes.

Details of the Nerf

Specific Changes Made

The latest Season 4 patch introduced several changes to the Bash Barbarian build. Key adjustments include a reduction in damage output for the Bash skill, increased cooldown times, and alterations to certain synergies with other skills and gear. These changes collectively aim to tone down the effectiveness of the Bash Barbarian in combat.

Developer's Rationale

Blizzard's developers have stated that the nerf was necessary to maintain game balance. The Bash Barbarian build was deemed too powerful compared to other builds, leading to a lack of diversity in character strategies. By nerfing this build, Blizzard hopes to encourage players to explore different playstyles and maintain a balanced competitive environment.

Community Reactions

Player Reactions on Forums and Social Media

The reaction from the Diablo 4 community has been mixed. On forums like Reddit and platforms such as Twitter, players have expressed a range of emotions, from frustration to understanding. Some players feel that the nerf unfairly targets their favorite build, while others agree that it was necessary for the sake of balance.

Common Complaints

Among the most vocal complaints are those from players who have invested significant time and resources into developing their Bash Barbarian characters. These players argue that the nerf has rendered their builds less viable, forcing them to adapt to new strategies or face reduced effectiveness in gameplay.

Support for the Nerf

Conversely, some players support the nerf, recognizing the need for balance in the game. These players appreciate Blizzard's efforts to address overpowered builds and promote a more diverse and equitable playing field.

Broader Implications

Impact on Game Balance

The nerf of the Bash Barbarian is likely to have a significant impact on game balance. By reducing the dominance of this build, other character classes and builds may become more viable, leading to a richer and more varied gameplay experience.

Player Adaptation

Players affected by the nerf will need to adapt to the changes by exploring alternative builds and strategies. This could lead to increased experimentation and creativity within the community, as players seek out new ways to optimize their characters.

Future Patches and Updates

Blizzard's decision to nerf the Bash Barbarian suggests that the developers are committed to ongoing balance adjustments. Players can expect future patches to continue addressing imbalances and refining the game experience.

FAQs

What is the Bash Barbarian build in Diablo 4? The Bash Barbarian build focuses on the Bash skill, which delivers powerful melee attacks that stun enemies and deal significant damage.

Why was the Bash Barbarian build nerfed in Season 4? Blizzard nerfed the Bash Barbarian build to maintain game balance, as it was considered too powerful compared to other builds.

What specific changes were made to the Bash Barbarian build? Changes include reduced damage output for the Bash skill, increased cooldown times, and alterations to skill and gear synergies.

How has the community reacted to the nerf? The reaction has been mixed, with some players frustrated by the changes and others supporting the nerf for the sake of game balance.

What impact will the nerf have on game balance? The nerf is expected to reduce the dominance of Bash Barbarians, promoting more diverse and balanced gameplay.

Will there be more balance changes in the future? Yes, Blizzard is likely to continue making balance adjustments in future patches to ensure a fair and enjoyable gaming experience.

Conclusion

The nerfing of Bash Barbarians in Diablo 4's Season 4 patch has stirred significant discussion within the community. While the changes aim to promote balance and diversity, they have also sparked frustration among players who relied on this powerful build. As the Diablo 4 community adapts to these changes, it will be interesting to see how the meta evolves and what future adjustments Blizzard will make to continue refining the game.

Wednesday, 17 April 2024

GPT Diablo 4 Season 4 Barbarian Builds Guide

As Diablo 4 progresses into Season 4 on its Public Test Realm (PTR), the Barbarian class receives a plethora of build updates to enhance both its leveling and endgame prowess. This guide delves into the most potent and popular Barbarian builds that have been gaining traction among players for their efficiency and destruction capabilities in both solo and group play settings.

Optimal Barbarian Builds for Season 4

1. Death Charge Barb Build 

The Death Charge Barb build is an endgame juggernaut that excels in speed farming and dungeon pushing. The crux of this build lies in its ability to deal massive area-of-effect (AoE) damage through a well-timed Charge, followed by high single-target damage using Kick and Frenzy. This build not only clears groups of enemies swiftly but also packs a punch with its boss-slaying capabilities, making it an excellent choice for tackling some of the toughest content in Diablo 4.

2. Infinite Healing Build

Another standout build for the Barbarian in Season 4 is the Infinite Healing build. This setup emphasizes sustainability, allowing Barbarians to endure longer fights without sacrificing damage output. The build utilizes a combination of defensive and offensive skills to maintain high survivability while steadily depleting enemy health pools. It's particularly useful in scenarios where players face sustained damage, offering a blend of aggression and defense.

3. Bleedzerker Build

The Bleedzerker build, updated for Season 4, enhances the traditional bleeding effects associated with the Barbarian's Rend skill. This build optimizes damage over time, with tweaks to improve the bleeding effects significantly. It's designed to maximize damage output against both single targets and groups, making it a versatile option for various gameplay styles.

Build Mechanics and Strategy

Each build incorporates specific gear choices, skill selections, and gameplay strategies that align with the Barbarian’s strengths. Players are encouraged to adapt their gear and skills based on their play style and the demands of different game modes. For example, while the Death Charge build focuses on burst damage, the Infinite Healing build leans towards sustained engagement, and the Bleedzerker exploits the potential of damage over time.

Conclusion Season 4 brings a fresh perspective to Barbarian builds in Diablo 4, offering diverse options that cater to different play styles and strategic preferences. Whether you prefer the explosive power of the Death Charge build, the resilience of the Infinite Healing setup, or the relentless damage of the Bleedzerker, there's a build that fits your needs. Experimentation and adaptation are key, as the dynamic nature of Diablo 4's gameplay demands flexibility and innovation.

Thursday, 11 April 2024

Mastering the Battlefield: Speed-Leveling Barbarian Expertise in Diablo 4

 

In the brutal and unforgiving world of Diablo 4, Barbarians stand as a testament to raw power and resilience. A unique aspect of their strength lies in the Expertise mechanic, a key to unlocking devastating builds and asserting dominance over the legions of the Burning Hells. If you're looking to harness this power quickly, here's your comprehensive guide to farming Expertise effectively.

What Is Expertise in Diablo 4?

Expertise is essentially the Barbarian's mastery over various weapon types. Each weapon type offers distinct techniques and bonuses, enhancing the Barbarian's prowess in battle. From passive effects tailored to specific weapons to benefits that bolster other arms, Expertise is critical in shaping a versatile and deadly warrior.

Gaining Expertise

The path to Expertise is straightforward yet arduous: wield and conquer. Each enemy felled by your chosen weapon nudges you closer to mastery. Whether it's the heft of a two-handed mace or the swift strikes of dual-wielded daggers, active engagement in combat is the crucible in which Expertise is forged.

Farming Expertise Efficiently

While the traditional route to Expertise through combat is effective, certain strategies can significantly accelerate your progress:

  • Whirlwind: Your Best Friend - The Whirlwind skill is indispensable in your arsenal. Its versatility allows it to adapt to any weapon you wield, making it the perfect tool for farming Expertise across multiple weapon types simultaneously.
  • Dual-Wield Diversification - To maximize the efficiency of Whirlwind, equip two different types of one-handed weapons. This setup ensures you're not only wreaking havoc upon your foes but also simultaneously honing your skill in wielding both weapon types.
  • Engage in Dense Combat Situations - Areas teeming with enemies are your ideal battlegrounds for farming Expertise. Dungeons and World Events are ripe with demonic hordes eager to test your metal. The more foes you face, the quicker you'll ascend to weapon mastery.

Why Focus on Expertise?

Expertise isn't just a measure of your proficiency with weapons; it's a cornerstone of the Barbarian's evolution. Mastery over a diverse arsenal ensures you're prepared for any threat Diablo 4 throws your way. With each level of Expertise, you unlock deeper layers of strategy and adaptability, ensuring your Barbarian is a force to be reckoned with.

In the end, the journey to mastering all seven weapon types is a marathon, not a sprint. But with strategic use of skills like Whirlwind and smart engagement in combat-heavy zones, you'll find yourself rapidly climbing the ranks of weapon mastery. Embrace the path of the Barbarian in Diablo 4, and let your Expertise carve a trail of destruction across the face of Sanctuary.

Thursday, 10 August 2023

Diablo 4's Barbarian Bug: A Billion-Damage Powerhouse!

 




In the realm of gaming, where players are always on the hunt for that extra edge, a recent bug fix in Diablo 4 has turned the Barbarian class into an unexpected powerhouse. Let's dive into this whirlwind of damage and see what all the fuss is about!

The Rise of "The Barber"


Diablo 4 players have been buzzing about a particular gem known as "The Barber." This socketable gem has the uncanny ability to amplify your damage to astronomical levels. And guess what? Blizzard just supercharged it!

The Barber's mechanics are intriguing. When you land a critical strike on an adversary, the subsequent damage you deal gets absorbed (without diminishing the enemy's health), magnified by up to a whopping 60%, and then detonates as AoE (Area of Effect) damage after a brief pause. If the accumulated damage surpasses the enemy's health, the explosion is triggered instantly. And if you manage to critically strike other foes during this process, they too initiate the same effect. The result? A cascading explosion of damage that doesn't stop until every enemy bites the dust.

The Barbarian's Unexpected Surge


With the recent Patch 1.1.1, Blizzard addressed a bug related to the Barbarian's Legendary Aspect of Berserk Ripping, which previously failed to apply bleed damage over time. This patch not only fixed the bleed issue but also tweaked how certain skills interact with The Barber.

Now, when Berserk Ripping applies the bleed, The Barber's damage window aptly scales the damage of those bleeds. The outcome? Players can activate The Barber's effect, stack a multitude of bleeds within it, and watch in glee as Uber Lilith's health bar oscillates wildly, almost as if she's having a mini panic attack, before a cataclysmic explosion wipes her out.

The Catch: Enjoy While It Lasts!


There's always a catch, isn't there? Blizzard recently nerfed a loophole that let players farm a boss who frequently dropped The Barber. However, fear not! It's still relatively straightforward to farm by completing the Malignant Tunnels. For those who've reached level 70 and ventured into World Tier 4, snagging The Barber should be a top priority.

While other classes like Rogues have also benefited from the hidden bug fixes related to The Barber, it's the Barbarians who've truly stolen the show. From being underdogs with one of the lowest damage outputs, they've skyrocketed to rival the mightiest classes in the game. Although this bleed interaction doesn't seem like a bug, it might be a tad too potent for Blizzard's liking. So, Barbarians, revel in your newfound power while it lasts!

Conclusion: Embrace the Chaos


The gaming world is no stranger to bugs and unexpected interactions. But every once in a while, a bug turns the tables in such a delightful way that players can't help but enjoy the chaos. The Barber's interaction with the Barbarian class in Diablo 4 is one such serendipitous event. So, gear up, embrace the power, and let the damage numbers soar!

Thursday, 8 June 2023


A Diablo 4 player has recently showcased one of the most unconventional yet effective builds since the game's launch. This new approach, known as the Barbarian Thorns Build, has been turning heads due to its unique gameplay mechanics​.


Despite launching less than a week ago, Diablo 4 players have been fast to experiment with a variety of character builds. Among these, the Barbarian Thorns Build stands out for its unique damage system, which primarily relies on Thorns for inflicting harm on enemies. Notably, this comes in the wake of the recent nerfs to the Barbarian class, which have nonetheless not dampened the spirits of players. In fact, the first Hardcore character in Diablo 4 to reach Level 100 was a Barbarian, demonstrating the potential and resilience of this class despite the lack of ranged abilities outside Upheaval​​.

The Barbarian class in Diablo 4 offers a range of build options to tackle endgame content such as Helltides and Nightmare Dungeons. Among these, the Thorns Build has emerged as a particularly appealing choice for those who prefer a more laid-back play style. Remarkably, this build requires minimal input from the player, yet it yields a high reward in the form of monster corpses and loot​.

The Thorns Barbarian Build, created by a player under the username WillyWanker_69, has a simple directive for players: keep calm. The key to this build is the Razorplate, a Unique chest armor piece, which grants up to 9734 Thorns to the player. In addition to this, the Needleflare legendary aspect is vital, as it adds 40% of Thorns damage as an additional Area of Effect. While other legendary aspects like Death Wish can further enhance this build, it is the combination of Razorplate and Needleflare that truly brings the Thorns Barbarian to life​.

As demonstrated in the video, the Thorns Barbarian Build allows players to casually traverse the wastelands of Sanctuary, with enemies falling to their own attacks. This passive approach to combat might seem contradictory to the typical Barbarian class fantasy, but the effectiveness of the Thorns Build in the early era of Diablo 4 is undeniable​​.

The future of the Thorns Barbarian Build in higher-level content remains uncertain, but when paired with a Whirlwind loadout, it shows potential for being an entertaining and unique way to navigate Diablo 4's challenges. The Thorns mitigation could be described as passive-aggressive, complementing the continuous action of Whirlwind and the buffs from Wrath of the Berserker. This synergy suggests a promising pathway for the further evolution of the build​​.

Diablo 4, the latest entry in the renowned action RPG series from Blizzard Entertainment, is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S​​. With its vibrant player community continuously innovating and pushing the boundaries of gameplay, Diablo 4 promises an exciting and dynamic experience for all action RPG enthusiasts.

Wednesday, 22 March 2023

Diablo 4's Barbarian Struggles in the Beta, But Buffs Promise a Strong Comeback

 




Diablo 4, the latest installment of the iconic action role-playing game series developed by Blizzard Entertainment, has recently concluded its beta testing phase. During this period, players were able to experience the game's various features, from its dark and gritty atmosphere to its refined skill system. However, amidst the excitement, one key issue surfaced: the Barbarian class appears to be underpowered compared to its counterparts. Nevertheless, developers have assured fans that buffs are on the horizon, ensuring that the Barbarian will regain its rightful place as a fearsome warrior in the world of Sanctuary.

The Barbarian's Plight

Throughout the history of the Diablo franchise, the Barbarian has always been synonymous with raw power, representing brute force and unmatched physical prowess. Yet, during the Diablo 4 beta, players found the Barbarian to be a shadow of its former self, struggling to keep up with other classes in terms of damage output and survivability. This has led to widespread discontent, as fans of the series fondly remember the Barbarian as a formidable force in previous installments.

The underwhelming performance of the Barbarian can be attributed to several factors, including skill scaling, itemization, and synergy with other classes. Players reported that the Barbarian's abilities didn't scale well into the late game, resulting in subpar damage numbers. Additionally, itemization options seemed to favor other classes, leaving the Barbarian with limited choices to optimize their build. Lastly, the Barbarian appeared to lack the utility and support capabilities that other classes could offer, making it a less desirable choice for group play.

Gambling on a Comeback

Despite the current state of the Barbarian, hope remains for fans of the class. Blizzard Entertainment has acknowledged the feedback and is committed to addressing the concerns raised during the beta. The developers have assured players that they will be closely monitoring the performance of the Barbarian and will be making necessary adjustments to bring the class in line with its peers.

One potential solution to address the Barbarian's shortcomings is to improve the scaling of its abilities, ensuring that the class remains relevant throughout the entire game. This could involve tweaking the damage multipliers or the rate at which skills gain power as the player progresses. By doing so, the Barbarian would be better equipped to hold its own against the ever-increasing threats found in Sanctuary.

Another aspect that developers could focus on is the itemization of the Barbarian. Ensuring that the class has a diverse array of gear options that cater to different playstyles would enable players to fine-tune their builds and optimize their characters. This could involve introducing new items, tweaking existing ones, or altering the drop rates for specific gear pieces. Gambling on this approach could pay off in a big way, providing the much-needed boost the Barbarian needs to thrive.

Lastly, the team could explore ways to improve the Barbarian's utility and support capabilities, making it a more attractive option for group play. This could involve augmenting existing abilities or introducing new ones that promote synergy with other classes.

Sunday, 18 December 2022

The History of Barb Speedruns

 



The Diablo series has been a beloved and enduring classic in the world of video gaming for decades. Among its many fans, there is a dedicated group of players who push the limits of the game through speed running – completing the game as quickly as possible. One particularly impressive feat is the barbarian speed run, which requires not only lightning fast reflexes and precise execution, but also a deep understanding of the game's mechanics and strategies.

For those unfamiliar with the barbarian class in Diablo, it is a powerful melee fighter that excels in combat and has access to a variety of unique abilities. While the class may not have the ranged capabilities or spell-casting prowess of some other classes, it more than makes up for it with raw physical power and a high level of survivability.

In order to complete a barbarian speed run successfully, players must carefully plan out their character build and skill choices. This involves selecting the right combination of skills and items that will allow them to deal massive damage to enemies while also being able to withstand the punishment that is sure to come their way.

One key aspect of a successful barbarian speed run is knowing how to effectively use the class's various rage-generating abilities. These abilities allow the barbarian to build up a reservoir of rage, which can then be spent on powerful attacks or defensive abilities. By carefully managing their rage and using it at the right times, players can greatly increase their speed and efficiency in combat.

Another important aspect of a barbarian speed run is choosing the right equipment. This means selecting items that provide the greatest possible boosts to damage and survival. Players must also be aware of any synergies or combos that can be created by combining different pieces of equipment, as these can greatly increase the barbarian's power and effectiveness.

While completing a barbarian speed run can be a challenging and time-consuming endeavor, the sense of accomplishment and pride that comes with it is well worth the effort. For those looking to test their skills and push their limits in Diablo, a barbarian speed run is an excellent challenge to undertake. Whether you are a seasoned veteran or a newcomer to the game, the barbarian speed run is an exciting and rewarding experience that is sure to leave a lasting impression.



Friday, 12 November 2021

In depth Whirlwind Barbarian guide

 

Intro

Long time barb player here, I wanted to make a definitive whirlwind barbarian guide for players who like to play barbs and like to do that from ladder start. I have looked around a lot and it seems a lot of the better guides from the past are not accessible, and the one on Icy-Veins leave a lot to be desired, with wrong information and bad gear suggestions. I've left a message on their boards asking if they want help with a guide, but for the meantime I want to put this on reddit as a source for new players and even veterans not well experienced with barbs. I hope this guide helps people and if you have any suggestions or believe some information is bad, please post why and we can go over it, either I can help you or you can help improve the guide.

This guide isn't really to give you a copy and paste format to copy, it's to teach you how WW barbs work and hopefully give enough information that people understand why certain items are best, and so allow people to have the knowledge to gear barbs themselves while knowing why they are doing it. If anyone is good at formatting things like this with contents etc, please let me know.

Why to make a whirlwind barbarian.

  • Extremely tanky - whirlwind has no synergies, allowing for max investment into shout and battle orders early in the game, this is often overlooked in frenzy vs whirlwind debates. Lategame a well geared barbarian is arguably unkillable, with good gear the only reason to take a shield is to protect from deaths due to client crashes/disconnects, and also to fight stygians while amped :)
  • One of the highest melee damage specs in the game, bested only late game by extremely expensive Dream Paladins or Fireclaw Druids, yet neither match the all around stats of the whirlwind barb, and both are considerably more expensive to make functional.
  • Nice options for gear progression if you have the right knowledge
  • It's fun and can clear all content, in end game gear it can clear high end farming areas very well.
  • You can not be put into hit recovery
  • More flexible gearing options than other barb specs - you do not need cannot be frozen.
  • Buff your friends
  • Arguably the best rune finder for online play, possibly bested by endgame Sorc/Paladin/Amazons farming Chaos Sanctuary, but it's close.

Basic D2 Gameplay Mechanics to know for building a Barbarian or any class in general.

  • Diablo 2 used to run at 25 frames per second. D2R now runs past this, however the vast majority of core game mechanics still operate within 25 frames/segments per second. Increasing or decreasing values of hit recovery/block/attack/cast speed etc reduce the amount of frames required for your character to complete these animations, thus making them faster.
  • Hit recovery - When your character receives more than 1/12th of their maximum health in damage in a single hit, they are put in to hit recovery animation. The base frame length for this animation is 5, meaning a barbarian in a normal attack/running(non whirlwind) animation will be unable to move/attack for 5 frames, or just under 0.20 seconds. This is important, it means whirlwind barbarians do not lose dps when hit, Frenzy and Berserk barbarians do, it's another reason why WW is so much stronger than other barb specs.
  • Block rate - The same as above, but for blocking. Our base block rate is 4 frames, or around 0.15 seconds.
  • Attack speed, again the same as above, however it's worth noting now that whirlwind actually operates slightly differently, attack speed is based on the weapon(s) in hand and the ias on that weapon only. For other attacks it operates normally, increased attack speed on other pieces of gear will make your normal attack animations faster.
  • https://diablo2.diablowiki.net/FPS
  • https://diablo.fandom.com/wiki/Faster_Hit_Recovery
  • https://diablo.fandom.com/wiki/Faster_Block_Rate
  • https://diablo.fandom.com/wiki/Increased_Attack_Speed

How does Whirlwind work

What I can tell you:

  • Whirlwind is based off of weapon speed and increased attack speed found only on the weapon itself.
  • Whirlwind always makes a hit check (the game calculates if you hit any targets in range) every 4th and 8th frame.
  • While dual wielding, the game makes a hit check with the main hand only on the 4th frame, then it does hit checks for both weapons on the 8th frame and every x frames after based on weapon speed.*
  • While wielding a 2handed weapon, the game makes a hit check every 4th and 8th frame, then every x frame after based on weapon speed.
  • A character can not be put into hit recovery animation or blocking animation while whirlwinding, but they can still be hit and they can still block.
  • The chilled effect from cold damage does not change your attacks per second during whirlwind.
  • Decrepify does not reduce your attacks per second while whirlwinding, however it does reduce your damage.
  • Like attack speed, on weapon effects like crushing blow or deadly strike only apply to the weapon they are on, not both. ty /u/daanno2 for noticing this wasn't in the guide.
  • Whirlwind can not proc on kill/on hit spell effects, if you are using obedience and want the enchant you need to kill a few mobs with concentrate/berserk to get it to proc. ty /u/daanno2 for noticing this wasn't in the guide.

Frames per attack during whirlwind animation after the 8th frame :

One handed weapons

Weapon Speed16 or higher1510-10-34
Frames per attack after the 8th frame1012864

Two Handed weapons

Weapon Speed16 or higher0-10-30-60
Frames per attack after the 8th frame14121064

How do we get our weapon speed:

Go to this site http://classic.battle.net/diablo2exp/items/weaponsandarmor.shtml, find your weapon, look at the square bracketed value, subtract the IAS on the weapon you are using from this value.

Example: IK Maul https://diablo.fandom.com/wiki/Immortal_King%27s_Stone_Crusher

Base weapon speed shown in brackets is 10, it has an additional 40% increased attack speed. 10 - 40 = -30.

So the IK maul hits the second to last whirlwind breakpoint, it needs 30% more ias to hit the last breakpoint, so if we put 2 sheals in it, or 2x 15 ias jewels, it hits max attacks per second with whirlwind.

What I can't tell you:

*Some people claim both weapons make a hit check on the 4th frame and not just the main hand, and some people claim after the 8th frame the weapons hit at alternate intervals (not the same time, it's extremely difficult to get the right information on this.)

Dual wield whirlwind has a bit more in-depth mechanics based off of weapon speed and weapon range, it doesn't actually class each weapon individually all of the time. I don't want to put this in the guide however as I'm not 100% convinced anyone really knows anymore, I've found a lot of sources on old pvp boards but nothing I'm confident enough to put in the guide as fact. If anyone has good information on this please post. I would rather put my hands up and say I'm not 100% sure on this rather than give you bad information/advice.

So we know that no matter what:

  • Whirlwind always hits on the 4th and 8th frame regardless of weapon speed with a 2 handed weapon.
  • Whirlwind always hits on the 4th frame with the mainhand and on the 8th frame with both weapons while dual wielding.
  • It's only after frame 8 that weapon speed takes effect on our hits per second, or FPA (frames per attack).
  • We can negate the lack of speed on slow 2 handers by ensuring we do short whirlwinds, since for the first 8 frames (just under 0.25 seconds), we always hit the same amount of times - this is very important for early-mid game gearing options, as it means we aren't limited in weapon choices provided we know the drawbacks of slow weapons and how to negate them.
  • It's best to have two one handers with the same ias to work out our damage reliably
  • It's best to hit max breakpoint on any weapon we use
https://diablo.fandom.com/wiki/Whirlwind_(Diablo_II)

Physical damage game mechanics

Attack rating and Defense rating *chance to hit*

  • The value the game uses to determine if your hit check is successful. A calculation is used with your attack rating + level vs opponents defense rating + level to determine if your attack hit or not.
  • You get raw attack rating from dexterity (4 per point) and items. It's worth noting that pumping dexterity is a very inefficient way to gain attack rating.
  • You get % increases on your base value from skills and items.
  • The game also calculates your chance to hit with your level, which is very important. You will gain a few % chance to hit vs level 85 mobs from levelling to 85 from level 80 alone, with no improvements in your attack rating.
  • The weapon mod -% target defense is very strong, reducing the armor value of an opponent so increasing your chance to hit significantly, works on bosses.
  • The weapon mod ignores target defense is extremely strong, giving you a flat 95% chance to hit on all monsters except bosses and uniques. This is one of the strongest melee mods in the game, and arguably the strongest, allowing us to completely negate attack rating, only really hurting us against Baal and Ubers when in end game gear.

Damage Calculations and how to calculate our damage

The game multiplies base weapon damage by our enhanced damage % found on skills/items.

To simplify it for us, we calculate our mean damage:

If we have a weapon that does 50-100 damage, we add both values and divide by 2 to find out average. 100 + 50 = 150, 150/2 = 75.

We then multiply out average damage by our % enhanced damage. Say we have 150% from whirlwind, and 150% from weapon mastery, it's a total 300% enhanced damage. 75 x 3 = 225, + 75 from our base damage = 300 average damage per hit. We then multiply this by *deadly/critical strike rates (please see below).

On weapon % enhanced damage effects our base weapon damage, and is multiplicative with our % enhanced damage found on off weapon sources. Non weapon enhanced damage % is additive.

Deadly and Critical strike

Example:

We have 30% critical strike, and 50% deadly strike:

The game checks to see if we land a critical strike, if successful we do double damage, if we miss:

The game then checks to see if we land a deadly strike, if successful, we do double damage. If we miss we no longer have a chance to do double damage for that hit.

So, from this we know that 30% critical strike and 50% deadly strike gives us a 65% chance to do double damage. Since 30% of our strikes land a critical strike, 70% miss, 50% of those missed hits land a deadly strike. 50% of 70% is 35. 30 + 35 = 65. So when we do our damage calculations, we multiple our total damage in this case by 1.65.

It's worth noting that it is actually possible to get 100% deadly strike from gear, negating the need for critical strike, although no use for whirlwind barbs, it does mean a frenzy barb using 2 death runewords can actually forgo weapon mastery in favor of more damage from synergies, provided they have enough attack rating. This also opens up the possibility of a very cool Axe + Sword frenzy build :)

Open Wounds

  • Gives attacks a chance to inflict a bleed DOT effect on monsters.
  • While monsters are under this effect, they can not regenerate life.
  • Useful for bosses with large hp pools, not much use for general PVM.

Crushing Blow

  • Provides a chance to reduce a monsters current health by 12.5%
  • Worth noting current, not maximum.

Prevent Monster Heal

  • Prevents monsters regening life, however open wounds also does this, probably one of the weaker melee stats except if you don't have open wounds.

What is dangerous to a whirlwind barb

Whirlwind barbs are essentially unkillable for most content. You hit too fast and leech too much to really be killed. If you are in endgame gear, you could spin almost indefinitely through 10 packs of fanat minotaurs without dying, literally for hours, because the chances of them all successfully hitting you while you not hitting them enough times in succession to leech back the damage are astronomically small. However some things are very dangerous to us, and it's important to know what in order to know how to best deal with it, especially if you play hardcore.

  • Mana Burn - If we have no mana we can't whirlwind, if we can't whirlwind we can't leech, if we can't leech we eventually die.
  • Physical Immunes - If we can't deal physical damage we can't leech life and we can't leech mana.
  • Because of the above two things, mana burn and physical immunities mean we can be put in to hit recovery - this is bad.
  • To deal with these things, we need to berserk, meaning we have 0 defense so we will be put into hit recovery again - manaburn/physical immunity creates a very bad loop of no damage + no leech + hit recovery animations for whirlwind barbarians, in conjunction it's our kryptonite.
  • Gloam/high elemental damage monsters with conviction auras - barbs naturally have very easy access to high resistances, however enemies with conviction and high damage can pose a danger.
  • Stygian dolls - the only real counter to this is a stormshield or max block with significant damage reduction from other sources. You can outleech them in hell, but it requires 45%+ lifeleech, which isn't really an ideal figure to aim for. If you get amped while fighting these sit back and let your merc do the dirty work.
  • Any situations with the above things together. A room with gloams + a conviction aura with minotaurs with physical immunity + mana burn and something like fanaticism is a very dangerous room, I have almost ripped 2 times on my main barbarian since launch, both cases were rooms such as these when he was a bit worse geared than now.
  • Please note that although these are dangerous, with good game and itemization knowledge you can still kills these things moderately safely and quickly, a well prepared whirlwind barbarian can kill anything.

How do we deal with these situations?

By preparing our barbarian with clever gear choices.

  • For Minotaur/Phys immune/Mana burns we get off weapon IAS to make sure we berserk fast, and we dump all available skill points after our core build in to berserk. The goal is to make sure when you need to berserk you do it fast and with a lot of damage to remove the danger ASAP.
  • For Gloams - don't consider your fire or lightning resist capped at 75 in hell, another 50-75 points goes a long way into making your barbarian a real tank for any situation the game might throw at you.
  • By stacking our HP to make we it takes a very, very large amount of damage to put us in to hit recovery
  • By using Arreats to take us to a very good Faster Hit Recovery breakpoint, while also giving us a lot of + points into berserk.

Skills

By order of importance:

20 Whirlwind

20 Weapon mastery

20 Battle orders

Natural resistance until capped

20 Shout

Increase speed

Find item

Battle cry

Pretty self explanatory, use battle cry for bosses, when in early game gear you will need more in natural resistance, as your gear gets better you need less and less. I often have 5-8 points in this on levelling barbs/ladder starts and then respec later and have 1-3.

Gear

Weapons

BiS - double grief Berserker axes

Runner up - double grief Phase Blades

3rds - BOTD 2 hander/1handers/Beast

Explanation on Berserker Axe vs Phase Blades - Zerkers give a bigger AOE radius, slightly more damage and don't require high dex investment, netting us a good 500+ HP over phase blade users. Considering Grief as ignore target defense, the AR bonus from the dex needed for phase blades is largely wasted. Berserker axes are the true minmax option for a WW barb.

Counter Argument - Phase blades provide faster, thus safer berserking, and don't need to be repaired. Phase blades are slightly faster than Berserker axes during normal attack animations, but when decrepified or frozen they are significantly faster. Phase blades also always hit the whirlwind breakpoint, berserker axes need 34% for max whirlwind breakpoint and 35% for a 10 frame berserk with laying of hands + highlords. Grief Phase blades always get a 9 frame berserk with the same gear, regardless of ias roll.

Personal preference I guess, for me I prefer the smoother clears that Zerker axes provide.

Armour

Bis - Enigma

Close runner ups - Fortitude/CoH/Skulders

3rds - Guardian Angel/Shaftstop/Leviathan

Amulet and rings:

Bis - Highlords

Dual leech rings/Ravenfrost

Runner up - angelic combo if you don't have ignore target defense, mana leech ring with good stats.

Gloves

Laying of hands, unless you are a singer barb always use these.

Boots

War Travelers or Gore Rider - personal preference, a bit more damage vs a bit more mf. I take Gores but War Travelers are not a bad pick, but a lot more expensive.

Belt

String of ears 100%, do not use Verdungo's. Verdungo's is a pvp belt. Life gained from +Vitality items is not effected by Battle orders, Verdungos gives a minor 120-160 life increase over string and 10% faster hit recovery. The hit recovery does not take us past a breakpoint asssuming we are using Arreats, and is eclipsed by damage reduction + life leech from string.

The only barb who should take a Verdungo is a berserker, for everyone else String is vastly superior, it just makes you tankier for most content.

Helm

Arreats for normal people

Guillaume's Face for maniacs.

Arreats is the better all around helm, but for raw damage Guillaume's is stronger, however despite being cheaper individually, it works out being a bit more expensive since you need to find resists from other places.

Mercenary

Act 2 blessed aim or preferably Might.

Reapers toll is sort of a must.

Levelling weapons:

Insight runeword

Obedience runeword

Both slow, but give access to high % ed weapons in exceptional and elite polarms, and with short whirlwinds we can get around the slow attack speed without losing as much dps as we need to, insight helps with this especially due to mana costs of short whirlwinds, both solid picks.

Good Budget Items:

IK Maul (double sheal)

Windhammer (sheal)

BIS Budget gear:

I had a look on a softcore trading site, this is probably the best setup at the cost of 1-3 Lem runes and some pgems. And that's probably overpriced, I would say you can pick up all the below gear with perfect gems with the exception of Gore Riders and Guillaume's.

Arioc's Needle (sheal) https://diablo.fandom.com/wiki/Arioc%27s_Needle - sleeper overpowered and probably one of the most overlooked weapons in the game. 50% deadly strike, max whirlwind breakpoint, +2-4 skills and ignore target defense. If you ever do a single player playthrough and find this item don't throw it, if you ever make a barb it's strong enough to do hell with comfortably. The deadly strike puts it's damage well past Bonehew's* (*with a highlord amulet) and the ignore target defense frees up our ring and amulet slot, giving us room for resistances or leech/a highlord :).

Bonehew (double sheal)- better damage than Arioc's until you get a highlords, but you need to use angelic ring + amulet.

Obedience - very slow, but the crushing blow + resistances + ability to get a self casted enchant make it very strong.

IK Helm OR Guillaume's Face - if you are struggling for resistances take IK and put some Ral/Ort runes in it.

Ring 1 Mana/Life leech or resistances/anglic

Ring 2 Mana/Life leech or resistances

Amulet with Mana/Life leech or resistances/angelic

Wealth runeword/Smoke runeword/Black Hades

Laying of Hands

IK Belt or string - if you are struggling for resistances it's a choice

IK Boots or Gorerider

I'm probably going to make the above budget build to demonstrate how strong Arioc's is, but need to make another barb to do it since all my characters are hardcore and I don't want to rip a level 90+ barb in test gear :)

If people have stuff to add please let me know!

Sunday, 3 February 2019

I MADE IT!


I have played Diablo 3 since the week of its launch in 2012. I have always mained a Barbarian. 

I love the class. I have been playing seasons on and off and was always intrigued and envious of the players who managed to get themselves on the Leaderboards, but I always thought, that is not for me.

I did not have the time or drive to make a go of it. In any case, I took a few years break from playing Diablo 3 since my PC kind of gave up on gaming when the video card died. Now I got a nice gaming laptop and I was hearing good buzz about Season 16 being the Season of Grandeur. 

One of my favorite Barbarian builds got buffed and I always loved the imagery of the Immortal King so I decide to play again. I have been playing whenever I can after work and gym and other obligations and decided to follow the advice of streamers like Rhykker and Bludshedd on how to be efficient so I can maximize my limited time. And they helped a lot.

Got geared up real quick in the first week even though I missed out on playing during the opening weekend because I was abroad for a vacation. And I was having fun HotA Smashing faces in. I never entertained I could make it to the Leaderboards until a friend of mine stated he wanted to get on the Crusader Leaderboard and he managed to do it just last Friday. 

I thought to myself if he could do it, maybe I should give it a shot myself. After spending the past 4 days in a seminar eating up my playtime I was trying to squeeze out how I would go about pushing. 

I decided I would spend most of Saturday evening doing so. And after maybe 8-10 hours of hard pushing I made it from GR 95 to finally finishing a GR 102 clean with no deaths and for a rank 694 finish on the Barbarian Leaderboard. 


Wednesday, 25 April 2018

7 Barb Builds For Everything:bounties, t13, rats, meta, ubers, GR and more! + meta zdps



his Guide includes: 4 Charge Barbs, 2 zBarbs, a leech build, a znec and a zmonk, as well as a lot of the stuff I learned from level 70 to Paragon 1500.

I main charge barb for GR pushing, but really that involves a lot of using other builds or charge variants, so I thought I'd share what I learned and how you can gear your barb. Even if you're not a charge barb, the zdps builds are pretty universal and seeing how I adapted the standard GR build for speed clears can be useful.

I will reference these builds, so go check out that link. (One important note is that the element on the gear just has to match your rune on furious charge, so it doesn't matter which element it is, as long as they all match.) It includes the following builds:


  1. Bounty & T13 Avarice CDR Speedfarm Charge: This is your go to build in adventure mode and rifts. (solo or group) (get GR keys, mats, gear, hellfire keys, xp pools, cosmetic items, etc)
  2. GR Pushing: Charge (solo) (get your leaderboard spot)
  3. Solo GR Speeds: Charge (solo) (GR 80ish for leveling gems from 1-70 if you can't group often enough) (can tweak the build to use more MS if you want to drop to GR 50-70 for super fast gems from 1-60 or so)
  4. Hellfire boss fighting: Charge (solo or group) (get your amulet!)
  5. Vault goldfind Leech support:charge/whirlwind (group) (get gold to fund your gem levels in GRs). You can use the same gear on a monk (with leferbve's soliloqy and just use something like the zmonk skills with some movespeed sprinkled in) to get your monk gear.
  6. Pickup Radius WW Rat zBarb for Rat Runs (group) (this is what you should do most of the time; gets you xp and levels gems from 1-100)
  7. Crit, Globes Pull zBarb for meta pushing (firebat wd, zmonk and necro RGK) (level gems from 100-115+)
  8. Shrine LoTD zNecro for Rat Runs (group) (if you find a group that needs a necro instead, most of the gear you can farm with your barb (str is better than int), other than 4 piece pest and 2 cubed items; you can start with 2 piece pest and 2 piece captain crimson, though you may be a bit squishy)
  9. zMonk for meta (gives you more roles you can do in groups; without the serious gear investment of Primal weapons and CoE.) (group) (a bit harder to gear than zNec, but not by much; easier to play)
  10. Starter Build--- after you're done "piecing it together", this is where you want to be, though the SoJ can be a CoE (doesn't really matter)
  11. Piecing it together is a setup of what an early build should prioritize and what your gear might look like as you work toward the starter build.

If I don't mention a context for information it applies to DPS Charge Barbarian, either speedfarm, GR, both, or any damage dealing charge variant.

So, suppose you are 70 and have some janky whirlwind/charge or HotA build and you are working toward the perfect Raekor/IK build. Well, you're in luck, this season's set is immortal King's, and you'll need 5 pieces from that set, so that we can get the 6 piece bonus from IK.

Let's go to the Gearing Essentials:

Refer to the Speed Solo GR build. This is the build you want to aim for while you are working your way to t13, though ancient parthan defenders or strongarm bracers may be better if you are grouping with people who have nemesis bracers.

IK Belt, Raekor Shoulders, IK Boulder Breaker, Standoff for Cube, Royal Ring (possible cube), Band of Might (possible cube)

Now for Boots, Chest, Pants, Helm, and Gloves you need 3 to be IK and 2 to be Raekor. These combined with your royal ring, IK belt & wepaon, and Raekor shoulders will give you 6 piece IK and 4 piece Raekor.

Regardless of your armor cube option, other ring, amulet, and bracers, you are ready to charge barb. For those slots, just find the gear with the best stats (except maybe nemesis bracers, those are handy, but if youre in a group, then someone else may have them), until you find the best in slot items. You can craft yellow items for these slots if you don't have something with the right stats.

So, how does charge barb work?

You mainly deal damage by charging into groups of enemies. If you hit 1 or 5 enemies, your charge cooldown is automatically reset. Normally, it is 10 seconds, so if you miss or hit 2-4 enemies the cooldown will be 10, 6, 4, or 2 seconds (not counting CDR), depending on how many enemies you hit, as the raekor bonus applies every rune, and one of them reduces the cooldown by 2 seconds per enemy you hit.

So, how do you start a rift with Charge barbarian? You cast call of the ancients, which last forever (or until they die, they don't usually die), which reduce your damage taken by 1/2, you pop wrath of the berserker (giving you movespeed, dodge, and extra damage), you charge into a group of enemies in order to proc your band of might (80% dmg reduction for 8 seconds) and gain some fury. Then you cast battle rage and sprint.

Now you are ready for the rest of the rift, where you ensure you charge into lots of things, and press sprint every 4 seconds. Now, in order to keep wrath of the berserker up at all times, we toss boulders 1 or 2 times (depending on CDR) while at full fury during the 20 seconds while it is up (it's ok if your wrath of the berserker drops off, but you won't deal any damage, as you get 15x damage from the IK set bonus when both WoTB and Call of the Ancients are up). We also use boulder toss to heal, as we have life per fury on our weapon (or less optimally, belt). Your passives and gems all just increase your damage or movespeed and you don't really have to do anything to proc any of them. So, gameplay is:

In summary: Call of the ancients once (to give us damage reduction), Battle Rage every 2 minutes (for damage), Wrath of the Berserker every 20 seconds (for movespeed and damage and defense), Sprint Every 4 Seconds (for speed and damage), Throw boulders to keep Wrath of the Berserker up and Heal Charge to kill things all the time, preferably at groups of things, so that we can keep charging. Go Fast!

Regarding the rune on furious charge. This is flexible. Choose the rune that matches the element type you have on your bracers and amulet (usually to match the hellfire you get) (and possibly SoJ).

About Gear I haven't mentioned:

Amulet: Hellfire gives extra passive, other options that are decent are elemental immunity necks, but they are rare and really hard to get the right rolls on.

Convention of Elements vs Stone of Jordan: Damage Ring. SoJ is really for speed builds where you want consistent damage so that you can instantly kill enemies when you see them, but CoE gives better damage over time (think of fighting a rift guardian for 1-4 minutes).

Avarice Band: Paired with boon of the hoarder, you create lots of gold, pick up gold in a large radius, and run fast.

Bracers: Nems for speed farming, ancient parthans for defense (GR pushing), Strongarm Bracers for Offense (boss fighting; charge triggers them)

Weapon Cube: Standoff: Converts Movement speed to damage for furious charge (cube this)

Ring Cube: Royal Ring vs Band of Might. Early on Cubing band of might is recommended as a perfect roll is crucial. Having 79% instead of 80% damage reduction means you are taking 5% more damage! Royal Ring automatically rolls stats we don't want, which is why in the optimal build it is better to have a perfect band of might and cube your royal ring.

Armor Cube: Vile Ward vs Leoric's Crown. Vile ward makes charge deal more damage the more enemies you hit, ideal for grouping mobs in GR pushing, but good in speed clears too. The consistency that Leoric's crown offers (in terms of CDR) makes it better if you don't need the extra damage (it's 35% per enemy, which is a lot).

The Right Stats:

Generally, this is your stat Priority on gear as a DPS charge barb:

100 Crit Damage > 10 Crit Chance > 20 Elemental Damage = 15% Furious Charge Damage > 50 crit damage > 6% crit chance > Area Damage (or CDR for speed builds) > Str > Vit* > All Res > Life* > Life Per Fury* > Armor > everything else

*You want Life per Fury on Your Weapon (if you don't have it on weapon you can put it on belt... but it is a must have in one of those places!)

Basically you want damage. Your damage doesn't scale with CDR, but your utility (very high clearspeed on low difficulty content) does!

Stat priority For zDPS (Pull, Rat, zMonk, zNec) (pre Paragon 2000 /Augs)

Bonus Healing from Globes (monk only) > Pickup Radius (Rat Barb only) > CDR > Sockets > Crit Chance (Pull only; Solanium) > Attack Speed > Life% > 1000 Vit > Elite Reduction > RCR > 1000 Str > All Res > 1000 Int > 775 Armor > 650 Str > 650 Int > 516 Armor > life per hit

At high Paragon, Mainstat and vit become equal in value (and reduced in value relative to other stats), making other class' mainstat more valuable (e.g. 1000 int > 1000 Str on high paragon zbarb; use d3 planner to play with stats). Always use diamonds in armor on supports.

Pickup Radius and +XP gain are good on all supports, in particular pick radius is good on both zbarb builds

The Right Gems:

For damage we use Rubies, for toughness we use Diamonds. Most of the time, until you are very geared, diamonds are better. Really this will be based off whether you are dying too much are going too slow (while not dying).

[ This brings up an important topic: speed. Rifts and GRs should be done in about 2-5 minutes when you are farming for XP. Crank down the difficulty if its taking longer. Move the difficulty up if you melt the enemies and increasing the difficulty doesn't change your clear time by much. ]

In your helm, use a white gem for everything but the most difficult of content (then use purple gem), as CDR makes the build a bit more smooth when you make a mistake or when there just aren't enough enemies.

Legendary Gems for DPS: Trapped for damage and wreath of Lightning for movespeed on all damage variants. Flex gem: Powerful (Speed GR), hoarder (bounties t13 for $$$ and movespeed), stricken (GR)

What to level first? Trapped, then powerful, then lightning. After that hoarder and stricken.

Which to get to 100 first? Gem of Ease and Gogok, as your zDps while be your goto. Then trapped. Stricken should be at about the same level as trapped if you decide to GR push, as it is a pretty important part of pushing (killing the RG can be hard).

What gems do I not really need to level that high? Iceblink (25), hoarder (50,cap), toxin (25), lightning (25); Powerful (75ish). These gems provide little to no benefit leveled beyond these limits (iceblink is actually worse when overleveled). Though I level up a bunch of lightnings and powerfuls use them to aug (I use the highest level one on my dps barb until I use it for an aug)

Legendary Gems for support:

Toxin gem & iceblink: makes others do more damage (toxin is better). Wreath of Lightning's use in support builds is for: 1. your own movespeed, 2. letting your toxin gem hit lots of targets, 3. Aggroing mobs so that they will group on you. Gogok gives cdr and dodge (which are both really good). Gem of ease is because you usually have enough recovery that the life per hit (purple gem in weapon) isn't that meaningful and there are really no better options. extra XP is nice.

Group Roles:

Rat Runs:

The zNecro is the leader. He runs in front of the group and spawns globes for everyone with Land of the Dead (LotD). In order to maintain 100% (or near 100%) uptime, he has to spam abilities (in my build, command skeletons and death nova) in order to reduce his cooldown with zodiac ring, or the Rats (the other necros in the group who deal damage and use a Rathma build) have to kill elites to proc is in-geom. Sometimes when the group kills demons, the zNecro's ahavarian will trigger, giving everyone more xp, cdr, or whatever (a shrine) and it's awesome. This is a reason to keep downtime between runs low (for him they last 15 minutes if he uses gloves of worship). Not every zNec uses this setup; it can make 100% uptime trickier, but its not entirely necessary, and the XP buff is well worth it (and the cdr one makes it a breeze for him to keep up LotD). Often, everyone except the zbarb will die if LotD is not up for long enough, because the znec stuns everything with corpse lance whenver he consumes a corpse (something he does all the time while LotD is up) and the Rats stun everything too, but they can't if they don't have resource.

The zBarb stays near the Rats and follows the zNec, picking up globes, provides movespeed and damage reduction to everyone in the group with War Cry (chilanik's chain), sprint, ignore pain, and threatening shout (cast on enemies). the zbarb also rends enemies, particularly, elites in order to increase party dps. Some zbarb variants run wrath of the berserker (the damage reduction rune) in order to have more movespeed. The zbarb's main job is to pick up globes, hence the emphasis on globe radius on gear (22 is cap, amulet gives 6 and the rest is spread across 8 pieces of gear). The zbarb also pops pylons as soon as he sees them (if everyone is alive and on the same floor). Try to keep ignore pain up on everyone all the time, but especially the rats. Sometimes the znec will be ahead and you can't always get everyone. If the zNec dies, you guys are screwed, because all progression stops and you have to wait til LotD is up again (which can be up to 30 seconds if he hasn't gotten any procs from zodiac ring and he just cast it).

Meta: Pull Barb is in charge. He picks the spots for the monk to drop his inner sanctuary (usually at T's where you can pull from multiple directions). War cry when moving, pull mobs to group, grab pylons (at opportune times, not immediately), keep IP up on the WD at all times. The witchdoctor does damage throughout the rift and kills groups of mobs. The necro RGK cleans up Elites and kills the rift guardian (RGK stands for rift guardian killer), he scouts and helps aggro mobs toward the WD. The monk sits on the WD and protects him. As barb, you keep your buffs on people, but roam out and pull mobs toward "the spot" (whichever spot has the WD with inner sanctuary and the monk, the one you chose at a T or in the middle of an open area). You can basically only pull mobs 2 times before waiting a few seconds (maybe 10?). So you go to 1 side and pull a bunch of mobs and then back to the other. You stomp to spawn globes and pick em up, because the WD gets more damage when he has globes. You have to communicate about when to pop pylons other than shielding; usually you just pop the shielding when you see it. Monk just makes sure that he and the witchdoctor don't die. He keeps the sanctuary up, along with all of his group buffs, enemy debuffs, and self buffs. He can spam his pull to heal everyone (it scales with health globe healing bonus, hence the emphasis in the gearing section). Don't CC the RG within 10 seconds of the RGK trying to kill it. He stacks his bane of the stricken first). (crowd control abilities; this includes furious chargeand ground stomp; even ancient spear, even though it doesn't affect him if you have % chance to stun, freeze,etc on your gear (belt or weapons i think); for monk it includes his pull, the 3rd strike of his generator and any attack if he has % chance to CC on gear. Basically just don't CC the RG at all, though you do want your toxin gem effect on him, just try not to have chance to CC on gear.

Miscellaneous Useful Info:

When farming Hellfire Amulets Solo, start with diablo, as he is 1 target, rather than 2, it makes not running out of charges easier; as when you first open a new game you have 0 charges and only recover about 1 if you run straight to the boss portals.

Once you are over Paragon 1200ish getting XP pools is pretty useful (provides 25% experience gained for a certain amount of XP, you can stack up to 10 pools at once), though they are lost on death. Good spots to find them can be found here. usually I only check the orange ones (not the blue ones; based off the text coloring system on that page). This site is only and doesn't include 1 good one I know of: A4, the realm of fractured fate. From the spawn point, immediately go to the right and make a left at the first intersection; then follow it most of the way to the end. You can find 1-4 pools doing this (usually 1 or 2; sometimes 0). Most of the other locations are right near the spawn point. Of course, you can use cow sticks if you have them.

As a barb, you shouldn't die often, so stacking up 10 XP pools solo (once you are around Para 1300+ or so) can be worth it before you group. Just don't do something stupid and die. That's why I use nerves of steel in all my builds. I don't want to lose my pools. Your goal when doing anything in T13 should be to collect pools (unless you're fighting uber bosses) and Death's Breaths (and other mats) while you are doing whatever you are doing (and get keys from the keywardens if you are doing bounties in the same zone or perhaps when you've finished all the bounties).

Look up the numlock trick for all the zdps builds.

1% crit chance =10% crit damage (when they are at that ratio in your stats); In our barb builds, we tend to have more crit chance (from battle rage and WoTB), so crit damage is a bit more valuable.

Splitfarm bounties in public groups. It won't be slower than doing it alone (in T13).

With every character ever, boots + paragon =25% movespeed first priority. With charge barb, we want Fury then strength.

Make sure you clear GR 70 solo as soon as you can so that you have the chance of getting a primal ancient item.

As you clear rifts, hang on to yellow 2-handed mighty weapons to upgrade into legendaries (mighty belts are good too, if you have a weapon you are satisfied with).

80% Band of might is super important, start with it in the cube and wear royal ring until you find a BoM with double cirt, socket, and 79 or 80%.

There are a million other things I could put here, but I won't. My main advice is: you have to play in groups if you want to be high on the leaderboard, also you meet people and have fun. Join discord channels, clans and chat with people. It's the only way you can keep playing this game for a long time.

HOW TO SPEND BLOOD SHARDS & CRAFTING MATERIALS

I made a spreadsheet.

Spend Bloodshards on Armor (Boots, Pants, Chest, Gloves, Helm, Bracers):

First get all the right set pieces: (highest chance of getting boots, pants, chest, helm, gloves, since there is RK and IK, also shoulder you can get vile ward or RK)

Spend crafting mats on Uprgading Rares or Reforging Legendaries For Weapons:

2-Handed Boulder Breakers

(if you don't have standoff, upgrade legendary polearms)

Rings and Mighty Belts are kind of in between in terms of efficiency with shards or mats. For spending shards you want to do:

armor > rings > Mighty belt > weapon (don't spend on weapon). (for mats priority is reverse order)

You can upgrade mighty belts and mighty 2H weapons as you find them, or reforge the one you want (have to do bounties).

To get your first band of might, you can even go on a lvl 1 barb and spend shards on rings at kadala (assuming you want to cube it), because there is a smaller pool of possible legendary rings, so you have a higher chance of getting it, though this is a better season starter tactic.

Spend all your mats on your boulder breaker. It is the most important thing. Do this until you have an ancient boulder breaker with Str and life per fury (preferably over 4.2K DPS, not counting attack speed bonuses.. you don't want attack speed). Remember to gift it. Also note, that sometimes it is better to roll the damage range than to roll % damage, especially if the intial damage range is very low. Use a weapon damage calculator to help you.

Remember you have to do A1 bounties to get the ring of royal grandeur (can drop from A4 too, but about 1/4 the chance).

Alternate Gear choices

Reasons for different gear choices:

Before I told you what to do and when. Now, I want to help you understand why we use certain gear so that you can make your own variants. I will also listen certain items and when they are useful.

Core Gear: IK 6, R4, Royal Ring, Band of Might, Standoff

Core Skills/Runes: Marathon, Battle Rage, Together as One, Insanity, Boulder Toss, Furious Charge (correct element rune), Bane of the Trapped

Flex slots: Damage Ring, Amulet, Passives, Bracers, Armor Cube, Battle Rage Rune, Legendary Gems, Armor Gems

Rings: Convention of Elements, Avarice Band, Stone of Jordan. CoE has the highest average damage per second, whereas stone of jordan has the best minimum damage per second, thus SoJ is more consistent and CoE is better average DPS. The rings are definitely interchangeable in builds as they serve the same role, but when you are speed clearing, often the consistent damage is more important than the higher overall damage. If you have an Augmented CoE and and non-Augmented Stone of Jordan, probably just opt for the CoE, though the elite and elemental damage for SoJ are huge. Avarice band just makes it easier to pick up gold when you use boon of the hoarder. The "gold" variant that I use has the advantage of more movespeed (also dont worry about picking up all the gold; and make sure you have a pet equipped, because they help get gold too), which translates to damage, thanks to standoff.

Bracers: Ancient Parthan Defenders are a huge defensive boost (whenever you stun stuff with charge). Nemesis Bracers are best for speed clearing stuff and adding mobs to "kill" bounties and finding death's breaths. Strongarms are the best damage options; I really only use these for uber boss fighting, since there are no pylons. Nemesis bracers are so good.

Armor Cube: Leoric's is good for speed farming, but if you need damage vile ward gives a ton. Goldwrap can make you practically invincible...most of the time, which means you'll die a lot, just use leoric's crown or vile wards. Regarding the weapon cube, in-geom is good for speed farming, but you lose the HUGE bonus from standoff, so its not worth.

Battle Rage Rune: Bloodshed gives huge damage and is the best for damage no matter what. Ferocity is fine for speed farming, because you go fast and get 10% damage and 15% movespeed (which is damage)

Legendary Gems: Trapped gives huge damage. Only use bane of the stricken for greater rift pushing (not speed clears) and for uber boss fighting. Use lightning gem for everything: It helps you aggro mobs so you can group them in pushing and it gives movespeed for damage (and to go fast of course). If you feel too squishy, you can use esoteric alteration, but then you need physical resistance on your gear to compensate for the bonus you get to all your other resists, and eventually you'll ditch it, because as a barb damage is your problem not tankiness (usually). Bane of the Powerful is good for speedfarming, as it gives you elite damage (and elite damage reduction), as well as a general damage bonus. Unlike trapped, it gives a damage bonus that is additive with a lot of your other bonuses (called DIBS, damage increased by skills: includes battle rage, wrath of the berserker, bane of the powerful).

More about DIBS and damage calculations: There are different categories of damage multipliers, and it is important to try to get some from each group. So there is weapon damage range (+damage), main stat (strength), damage increased by skills, bane of the trapped, set bonuses ( i believe this is separate from DIBS), % Furious Charge Damage Increase, Elemental Damage Increase, Crit (chance and damage), Elite Damage, Bane of the stricken, (other gems like zei's and i think simplicity's strength),... these are all separate categories that get multiplied together. But, if you have to bonuses in the same category they add.

Example: say you deal 100 damage: +20% Cold Damage (assuming cold rune on charge), gives you 120 damage, 20% more damage. If you already have +20% cold damage and get +20% more cold damage you deal 140 damage, rather than 120, a 16.667% increase, but if that second 20% was elite damage, you would deal 100(1.2)(1.2)=144 damage. So stacking different bonuses is more effective. This is why we use stricken (when we can stack it) and trapped, rather than powerful.

The main takeaway is: Furious Charge % on your chest and shoulders are HUGE damage increases. %Elemental Damage is Huge, a must have on your bracers (remember, it doesn't matter which element you use, so long as it matches the rune you have selected on charge and the element on your other gear; elemental damage can be gained on bracers, amulet, and stone of jordan (or CoE orange text)). Also use bane of the trapped!

Passives: There are 5 great barb passives, but are all a bit situational.

Berserker's Rage: Huge damage increase (25%), if you can keep your fury up; can be difficult if you clear quickly or have to throw lots of boulders, ultimately, a good choice in all variants.

Ruthless: Huge Damage increase (about 10%). If you 1 or 2 shot every mob, it is never below 30% to trigger this bonus, so in that case, opt for something else. However, against rift guardians and mobs in greater rifts, this is a 10% damage increase.

Rampage: The best barb passive by far. 25% damage bonus and about a 20% armor boost, except against rift guardians without adds (added monsters), since you can't trigger it then. Always use this, except when fighting uber bosses.

Brawler: 20% Damage increase, whenever there are 3 or more mobs. Great against everything except rift guardians and uber bosses. Use in most variants.

Nerves of Steel: Not dying is good. At higher paragon, experience pools become more meaningful (since the xp they give is based on your level and it takes more time to get 1 level at higher paragon.. say, 1100+). Keeping your death timer down in GRs is good. Not having to restart your Wrath of the berserker cycle is good. I use this in all build variants, but at lower levels, outside of greater rifts it is not as important, and can be skipped. Pre-hellfire, probably cut this one.

So far, Rampage and nerves of steel aside, all the passives have been damage focused. Barbarians have a few good utility and movespeed ones as well.

Pound of Flesh gives you up to 20% movespeed (and 10% life regen/second), if you pick up enough health globes to keep it stacked, which is great for any speed farming build, as it makes you run faster and deal some extra damage (though not as much damage as the passives listed above).

Boon of Bul-Kathos: The part we care about is: reduces the cooldown of wrath of the berserker by 30 seconds. This means you have to throw 1 less boulder every wrath of the berserker cycle (1 less every 20 seconds). I have 174 fury (50 from paragon, 24 on my weapon, 100 base, and I wish i had 12 on my belt), so each time I toss a boulder, I reduce the cooldown on wrath of the berserker by 17x3=51 seconds. With 42% cdr and Boon of bul-kathos, my cooldown is 51 seconds. Thus I can throw 1 boulder and instantly reset my cooldown. This is a bit excessive, i can cut 20 seconds worth of CDR, since WotB lasts 20 seconds. So, with 170 fury you want enough cooldown reduction so that you only need to throw 1 boulder, so the cooldown can be 71 seconds (51 gets reduced from tossing a boulder and the ability lasts 20 seconds), which is about 23% CDR. Alternatively, with ~42% CDR (leoric's crown + 2 pieces with 8% CDR), you don't even need boon of bultkathos, and your cooldown is about 70 seconds. Really, this is a bit excessive and CDR is more useful for making it so that you never runs out of charges on furious charge, so maybe skip this one. (If you have paragon in fury, you have anywhere from 150-186 Fury, so a full fury boulder toss reduces the cooldown anywhere from 45 to 54 seconds, with only 100 fury you reduce the cooldown by 30 seconds per full fury toss).

Superstition: One of the best defensive options, gives 20% more damage reduction to everything except physical damage. If you ever use a build with this, ideally 2-3 of your secondary resists will be +Physical Damage Resistance, so that you don't die easily to physical attacks.

Tough as nails: 25% more armor. This thing is great! You have tons of armor, so it gives you even more. If you are in a group, you are probably using war cry (zdps), which means, that 25% is being added to the 20% from war cry. so it's a bit less effective. Though 25% seems like more than 20%, increasing armor by 25% does not reduce damage by 25%. Superstition is often better, because our all resist is relatively low compared to our armor.

Next tier: Relentless gives 50% damage reduction when below 35% life, effectively giving you 35% extra toughness, but generally you want to heal if you are missing about half your life, so this one is not ideal.

zDPS passives:

Inspiring presence: double duration of shouts is great, then you dont have to threatening shout enemies as often; 3% max life regen is pretty nice (think 2 million life, means 60,000 life/second).

Sword and Board: 30% damage reduction and 20% fury cost reduction,.... what's not to like??? O.. i guess you have to use a shield.

tl;dr look at the builds in the link near the top. they make you go fast and kill things in D3 or they are a way for you to get better gems or more XP by helping others kill things.

Note: can't figure out how to remove augs on website, once they are on there, so level 1 augs can be ignored