Getting to Know the Barbarian Class in Diablo IV: A Powerful and Brutal Warrior
The Barbarian is a fierce and relentless warrior in Diablo IV who prefers to use cold weapons to decimate their enemies. With the ability to equip four types of weapons simultaneously, the Barbarian is a versatile and powerful class that can adapt to any situation on the battlefield. In this article, we will take a closer look at the Barbarian class in Diablo IV and explore its features, mechanics, and skills.
Characteristics of the Barbarian
In Diablo IV, each class has four main characteristics that determine their abilities and playstyle. For the Barbarian, these characteristics are Strength, Intelligence, Willpower, and Dexterity.
Strength increases ability damage and armor score, while Intelligence increases resistance to all elements.
Willpower increases the replenishment rate of basic resources, the healing received, and the suppressed damage. Finally, Dexterity increases critical damage probability and evasion probability.
Class Mechanics: Weapon Technique and Weaponsmanship
The default weapon a character will use is typically determined by the ability condition, but players can change this by toggling the weapon in the ability settings menu.
The Barbarian also has a special buff called “Berserk,” which increases damage output by 25% and movement speed by 15%. Additionally, the Barbarian has a special “Weaponsmanship” mechanic that allows players to increase their level of possession for a specific weapon archetype by killing opponents. As players level up, they gain various bonuses, with the maximum skill level being 10.
In combat, Barbarians accumulate rage when dealing damage with certain abilities and taking damage. This rage is the basic energy needed to use a number of abilities. The Barbarian’s abilities are acquired through a skill tree that is divided into several categories: basic, defensive, two class-specific, powerful, and passive. Almost every category contains several active abilities and passives, each with a small branch of development that enhances the main effect, adding additional effects or properties. Some abilities even offer a choice between two different branches.
Although the Barbarian’s “Weapon Technique” mechanic is not yet available in the early access version, players can expect new possibilities once the full game is released. With a variety of skills and abilities, the Barbarian is capable of dealing massive damage and surviving even the toughest fights. And with the added bonus of unique aspects, the Barbarian is an even more versatile and powerful class in Diablo 4.
Barbarian Skills
The Barbarian’s abilities are acquired through the skill tree, which is divided into seven categories. These categories are basic, defensive, two class-specific (each class has a different name), powerful, and passive. As you spend skill points, the categories open one by one. Skill points are gained by leveling up and filling the region opening bar. Almost every category contains several active abilities and passives, with the former having five rolls and the latter having three.
All abilities and passives have a small branch of development that enhances the main effect, adding additional effects or properties. Some abilities end with a branch that splits into two options, from which you must choose only one. For a description of all the special states, see the first picture in the album below.
The Barbarian’s basic abilities include Bash, Cleave, Ground Stomp, and Hammer of the Ancients. Defensive abilities include Leap, Ignore Pain, and Threatening Shout. Each class-specific category has four abilities. For the Barbarian, these categories are Berserker, Warcry, Weapon Throw, and Whirlwind. Powerful abilities include Seismic Slam, Earthquake, Avalanche, and Call of the Ancients. Passive abilities are Bloodthirst, Brawler, Berserker Rage, and Juggernaut.
Aspects (Table)
Aspects are unique bonuses that can be applied to equipment, providing additional effects to your character’s abilities. In Diablo 4, aspects are not only tied to legendary equipment; they can be obtained separately by completing dungeons and then applied to equipment. With 150 dungeons in the game, there are plenty of opportunities to obtain these bonuses.
While a comprehensive list of all aspects is not currently available, we have compiled an album of aspects for each class. The Barbarian, one of the five available classes, has a selection of powerful aspects to choose from.
| Aspect Name | Aspect Category | Legendary Power | Dungeon | Diablo 4 Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aspect of Bul-Kathos | Defensive | Leap creates an Earthquake that deals X Physical damage over 4 seconds. While standing in Earthquakes, you gain 5% increased Damage Reduction. | TBC | Hawezar |
| Aspect of the Iron Warrior | Defensive | Iron Skin also makes you Unstoppable. | TBC | Dry Steppes |
| Aspect of Numbing Wrath | Defensive | Each point of Fury generated while at maximum Fury grants X Fortify. | TBC | Hawezar |
| Aspect of Tempering Blows | Defensive | After swapping weapons 6 times, gain X Fortify. | Defiled Catacomb | Fractured Peaks |
| Aspect of Ancestral Echoes | Offensive | Lucky Hit: Damaging enemies with Leap, Upheaval, or Whirlwind has up to a 40% chance to summon an Ancient to perform the same Skill. Can only happen once every 5 seconds. | TBC | Hawezar |
| Aspect of Ancestral Force | Offensive | Hammer of the Ancients quakes outwards, dealing 32% of its damage to enemies. | TBC | Scosglen |
| Aspect of Berserk Ripping | Offensive | Whenever you deal direct damage while Berserking, inflict 22% of the base damage dealt as additional Bleeding damage over 5 seconds. | TBC | Dry Steppes |
| Brawler’s Aspect | Offensive | Enemies damaged by Kick or Charge will explode if they are killed within the next 2 seconds, dealing X damage to surrounding enemies. | TBC | Hawezar |
| Death Wish Aspect | Offensive | Gain X Thorns while Berserking. | TBC | Scosglen |
| Aspect of the Dire Whirlwind | Offensive | Whirlwind’s Critical Strike Chance is increased by 5% for each second it is channeled, up to 20%. | TBC | Scosglen |
| Aspect of Quickening Pulse | Offensive | Lucky Hit: Up to a 20% chance to reduce the Cooldowns of your non-Ultimate Skills by 1.5 seconds when you inflict Bleeding on Elites. | TBC | Kehjistan |
| Veteran Brawler’s Aspect | Offensive | Each time a Core Skill deals direct damage to an enemy, your next Charge or Leap deals x15% increased damage, up to 225%. | TBC | Kehjistan |
| Windstriker’s Aspect | Offensive | After swapping weapons 6 times, gain 20% increased Attack Speed for 4 seconds. | TBC | Hawezar |
| Aspect of Echoing Fury | Resource | Your Shout Skills generate 2.0 Fury per second while active. | TBC | Kehjistan |
| Aspect of the Relentless Armsmaster | Resource | Gain x20% increased Fury Generation while all damage bonuses from Walking Arsenal are active. | TBC | Scosglen |
| Slaking Aspect | Resource | Lucky Hit: You have up to a 30% chance to gain 20 Fury when Rend deals direct damage to at least one Bleeding enemy. | Maulwood | Fractured Peaks |
| Aspect of Unrelenting Fury | Resource | Killing an enemy with a Core Skill refunds 10.0% of its base Fury cost. Can only happen once per Skill cast. | TBC | Fractured Peaks |
| Aspect of Anemia | Utility | Lucky Hit: Direct damage against Bleeding enemies has up to a 31% chance to Stun them for 2 seconds. | Kor Dragan Barracks | Fractured Peaks |
| Relentless Berserker’s Aspect | Utility | Lucky Hit: Damaging an enemy with a Core Skill has up to a 22% chance to extend the duration of Berserking by 1 second. Double this duration if it was a Critical Strike. | TBC | Kehjistan |
| Aspect of Perpetual Stomping | Mobility | Damaging an enemy with Kick or Ground Stomp resets Leap’s Cooldown. | TBC | Dry Steppes |
The Barbarian’s abilities are acquired through a skill tree that is divided into several categories: basic, defensive, two class-specific, powerful, and passive. Almost every category contains several active abilities and passives, each with a small branch of development that enhances the main effect, adding additional effects or properties. Some abilities even offer a choice between two different branches.
In addition to the skills mentioned at the top, the Barbarian has several other interesting abilities. Frenzy allows the Barbarian to attack faster and faster with each hit, while Leap Attack allows the Barbarian to jump on enemies and deal damage. Overpower deals massive damage and even heals the Barbarian.
With a variety of skills and abilities, the Barbarian is capable of dealing massive damage and surviving even the toughest fights. If you’re looking for a class that can hold its own in any situation, the Barbarian is definitely worth considering. And with the added bonus of unique aspects, the Barbarian is an even more versatile and powerful class in Diablo 4.
