Best Barbarian Build in Diablo 4

In Diablo 4’s Season 10, the call to arms has never been stronger, and choosing the right path for your warrior is paramount to conquering both the leveling grind and the most punishing endgame challenges. Whether you are a new champion seeking to carve your name from 1-60 or a seasoned veteran pushing the absolute limits of The Pit, this guide is your definitive roadmap to supremacy.

This tier list ranks the best Barbarian builds for leveling and endgame content in Season 10 of Diablo 4, helping you clear higher levels of The Pit. Our goal is to arm you with the knowledge to select a build that perfectly aligns with your ambitions. For those initial steps, the fast-paced Charge Upheaval and the consistently powerful Hammer of the Ancients (HotA) stand as the strongest leveling builds, offering a potent mix of satisfying damage and survivability to offset early mobility concerns.

Once you breach the endgame, your potential explodes. The Barbarian class typically maintains at least a few solid build options for competitive endgame gameplay, featuring engaging playstyles, impressive damage, and strong survivability. Currently, the HotA Earthquake variant reigns supreme in the S-Tier, delivering a heavy-hitting berserker fantasy with world-shaking aftershocks. Close behind are a host of powerful and diverse A-Tier options, from the weapon-throwing mastery of the Mighty Throw Barbarian to the classic, mobile carnage of the Whirlwind Barbarian.

Dive in, and let us guide you through the optimal skills, legendary gear, and devastating gameplay strategies to ensure your Barbarian becomes an unstoppable force of nature.

Best Barbarian Builds for Leveling (Diablo 4 Season 10 Tier List)

Leveling a Barbarian in Diablo 4 is a profoundly satisfying experience, defined by earth-shattering blows and relentless aggression. While the class can feel gear-dependent compared to others, understanding the core logic behind a successful leveling build will transform your journey from 1-60 into a powerful and efficient rampage. The goal is not just to survive, but to dominate entire screens of enemies with a fluid and unstoppable playstyle.

The Hallmarks of a Top-Tier Leveling Build

The best Barbarian leveling builds are engineered to overcome the class’s early-game hurdles—namely, Fury generation and mobility—while capitalizing on its innate strengths: raw durability and devastating area-of-effect (AoE) damage. When selecting a build, you should prioritize the following:

• Superior AoE Clear: The fastest way to level is to eliminate large packs of monsters simultaneously. Builds like the Whirlwind Barbarian excel here, as it is easily able to clear large packs, and with the new buffs, can quickly mop up entire screens. This “spin-to-win” philosophy minimizes downtime between kills.
• Sustainable Fury Management: Your Core skills are Fury-hungry. A great leveling build incorporates skills and aspects that help generate or conserve Fury, ensuring you’re not left using Basic attacks against elite packs. Skills like Rallying Cry are staples for their Fury generation and movement speed boost.
• Built-in Survivability and Mobility: The Barbarian is a melee class, meaning you will take hits. Strong builds leverage Challenging Shout for damage reduction and include mobility tools like Charge or Lunging Strike to engage, disengage, and reposition quickly, making you a nimble brawler.
• Synergy with Early Game Legendaries: Some builds truly come online with specific Legendary Aspects. While leveling, you should focus-target a few specific dungeons for Legendary Aspects to make your journey a little quicker. Check your chosen build guide for the most impactful Codex of Power dungeons to run early.

Currently, the most recommended paths are the fast-paced Charge Upheaval and the consistently powerful Hammer of the Ancients (HotA), which offer a perfect blend of these essential traits.

Your Arsenal of Progression: Key Tips

Beyond your skill selection, your overall strategy in Sanctuary is crucial for a swift leveling process. Here are the key activities and mechanics to focus on:

• Embrace the Chaos of Season 10: The most potent is the new ‘Chaus Waves’, which spawn throughout the world of Sanctuary. Prioritize these events for massive experience gains. Additionally, seek out Fleeting Hordes compasses for a miniature version of the endgame horde mode, offering incredible rewards for characters under level 60.
• Conquer Dynamic Events:
  • Helltides: Participating in Helltides is highly recommended. Available from level 1, they are a fantastic source of experience, loot, and crafting materials. Embrace the new threat mechanic—higher danger means more monsters and more rewards!
  • Strongholds: It is highly recommended to clear the Strongholds as you make your way through Sanctuary for their renown, conveniences, and massive experience bonuses. With the level revamp, completing these often grants a full level or more upon your first clear.
• Master Your Core Mechanics:
  • The Arsenal System: This is your defining feature. The Technique Slot allows you to benefit from one of the… effects at all times, regardless of which weapons are equipped. At level 15, complete the quest to unlock this slot. For leveling, the Two-Handed Sword technique (Bleeding on hit) or Two-Handed Axe technique (increased damage to Vulnerable) are excellent choices for consistent damage amplification.
  • Berserking: Berserking is a temporary positive effect that increases damage by 25% and movement speed by 30%. Actively seek this buff through skills and passives; it is a massive damage and clear-speed multiplier.
• Optimize Your Gameplay Settings:
  • Difficulty: The recommended difficulty to level on is Hard or Expert for the fastest experience. The 50% experience bonus far outweighs the slight increase in monster health.
  • Campaign & Mount: If you are an alt, use the Campaign Skip. For everyone, getting a mount is an important step… saving your explorations… for until after you get it to maximize your travel efficiency.

By combining a powerful, synergistic build with a strategic approach to the world’s events and a deep understanding of the Barbarian’s unique mechanics, your path to level 60 will be as swift as it is devastating. Now go forth, Slayer, and let your Fury reshape Sanctuary.

Below, we’ll briefly overview and rate the most popular D4 barbarian leveling builds in Season 10.

Upheaval Barbarian Leveling Build: A-Tier

The Upheaval Barbarian is unique because it provides the Barbarian class with a potent ranged option. Its signature skill, Upheaval, creates a gigantic frontal cone of devastation, allowing you to delete entire packs of monsters from a distance. While it has a ramp-up period and relies on managing cooldowns and Fury, its ability to clear massive waves of enemies in a single blow is unparalleled during the leveling process.

Who Is This Build For?

This build is optimal for players who:

• Enjoy a high-impact, “boom” playstyle.
• Prefer controlling the battlefield from a short range rather than being purely melee.
• Don’t mind a setup that requires a bit of ramp-up for maximum damage.
• Are looking for a powerful and engaging leveling experience.

How to Make the Build: Skills & Gameplay

The core gameplay loop involves generating Fury, setting up devastating blows, and managing your defensive cooldowns.

• Basic & Core: Lunging Strike is your Fury generator and mobility tool, dashing you to targets. Upheaval is your primary damage skill, with the Furious Upheaval upgrade for a massive damage boost.
• Utility & Damage: Ground Stomp applies Vulnerable and deals heavy damage to elites. Mighty Throw is a high-damage skill that synergizes perfectly with key Legendary Aspects.
• Defense & Mobility: Iron Skin provides a powerful shield, while Leap offers mobility and Fury generation.
• Key Passive: Walking Arsenal is the cornerstone, providing a substantial damage, attack speed, and Fury generation boost when you use all three weapon types (achieved by assigning skills to specific weapons).

Gear and Stat Priorities

Your primary focus is on your Two-Handed Slashing Weapon, as it’s assigned to Upheaval and its DPS is paramount. Your other weapons act as “stat sticks.” Follow this priority for stats:

• Weapons: Strength, Vulnerable Damage, Maximum Life.
• Armor (Helm, Chest, Pants): Armor, Maximum Life, Cooldown Reduction (for Ground Stomp), Resistances.
• Jewelry (Amulet, Rings): Strength, Vulnerable Damage, Movement Speed (Amulet), Attack Speed (Rings).

Legendary Aspects & Uniques

Legendary Aspects are crucial for solving the build’s early problems and scaling its power.

• Must-Have Codex Aspects:
  • Earthstriker’s (Maugan’s Works): Enables massive, guaranteed Overpower hits.
  • Relentless Armsmaster (Calibel’s Mine): Provides huge bonuses to the Walking Arsenal playstyle.
• Nice-to-Have & Drop-Only Aspects: Bul-Kathos (Damage Reduction), Sundered Ground (Upheaval size), Blood Boiling (Berserking).
• Great Uniques: Ring of Red Furor, Banished Lord’s Talisman, and Hellhammer are all excellent late-game upgrades.

The Arsenal System & Weapon Assignment

The Barbarian’s unique Arsenal System is vital for this build. You must assign your skills to specific weapon types to activate the Walking Arsenal passive:

• Upheaval: Two-Handed Slashing Weapon (for highest damage).
• Lunging Strike: Dual Wield (for faster Fury generation).
• Leap / Mighty Throw: Two-Handed Bludgeoning Weapon.

How to Level (1-60)

The most efficient path to 60 involves:

• Completing the Seasonal Questline to unlock powerful Chaos Perks.
• Focusing on Renown if it’s not yet completed.
• Unlocking your essential Legendary Aspects from their dungeons.
• Combining Helltides, Tree of Whispers turn-ins, and Stronghold clears (post-level 40) for massive experience gains.

End-Game Transition

Upon reaching Level 60 and unlocking Paragon Levels and The Pit, the true endgame begins. Your goal is to:

• Progress to The Pit Tier 10 to enter Torment I difficulty.
• Immediately focus on overcapping your Armor (to 1000+) and Resistances (to 75%+) to counter the new difficulty penalties.
• Begin using the provided Paragon board to scale your power further with Glyphs and legendary nodes.
• This is the point where you should transition to a fully optimized endgame version of the Upheaval build or another Barbarian specialization.

Hammer of the Ancients Barbarian Leveling Build: A-Tier

The HotA Barbarian is a fan-favorite known for its raw, impactful gameplay. It delivers a visceral “big smash” feeling and is usable in every situation, from clearing dense monster packs to nuking tough bosses. Its gameplay is highly engaging, requiring you to constantly rotate abilities to maintain buffs and manage Fury, creating a dynamic and powerful playstyle.

Who Is This Build For?

This build is optimal for players who:

• Love a high-impact, “boom” playstyle.
• Enjoy an engaging rotation over a one-button spam.
• Want a build with smooth and powerful scaling into the endgame.
• Don’t mind managing Fury and a short ramp-up period for maximum damage.

How to Make the Build: Skills & Gameplay

The core loop involves generating Fury and unleashing it with devastating hammer slams.

• Basic & Core: Lunging Strike is your Fury generator and gap-closer. Hammer of the Ancients (with the Furious HotA upgrade) is your primary damage skill, gaining increased Critical Strike Chance.
• Utility & Buffs: Rallying Cry is essential for Fury generation and Movement Speed. Ground Stomp applies Vulnerable for massive damage amplification.
• Key Passive: Walking Arsenal is crucial, providing a huge damage boost when you use a skill with each weapon type (One-Handed, Two-Handed Slashing, Two-Handed Bludgeoning).

Gear and Stat Priorities

Your top priority is equipping the highest DPS Two-Handed Bludgeoning Weapon (Mace) you can find. For stats, focus on:

• Weapons: Strength, Damage to Close Enemies, Maximum Life.
• Armor: Armor, Strength, Maximum Life, Resistances.
• Jewelry: Critical Strike Chance, Damage to Close Enemies, Movement Speed (Amulet).

Legendary Aspects & Uniques

Legendary Aspects solve the build’s early weaknesses and dramatically increase its power.

• Must-Have Codex Aspects:
  • Ancestral Force (Sunken Ruins): Adds a shockwave, giving HotA a massive Area-of-Effect.
  • Earthstriker’s (Maugan’s Works): Enables guaranteed Overpower hits for colossal damage.
• Nice-to-Have Aspects: Relentless Armsmaster (Fury gen), Numbing Wrath (Defense).
• Great Endgame Uniques: Ring of Red Furor, Banished Lord’s Talisman, and Yen’s Blessing are all fantastic upgrades.

The Arsenal System & Weapon Assignment

Proper weapon assignment is non-negotiable for activating Walking Arsenal:

• Hammer of the Ancients: Two-Handed Bludgeoning Weapon (Mace).
• Lunging Strike: One-Handed Weapons (for faster Fury generation).
• Leap: Two-Handed Slashing Weapon.

How to Level (1-60)

The fastest path to 60 involves a mix of activities:

• Completing the Seasonal Questline to unlock powerful Chaos Perks like Invigorating Attacks and Raging Chaos.
• Unlocking your essential Legendary Aspects from their dungeons as soon as possible.
• Combining Helltides with Tree of Whispers turn-ins for efficient experience farming.
• Clearing all Strongholds after level ~40 for a large experience boost.

End-Game Transition

Upon reaching Level 60, the endgame begins. Your immediate goals are:

• Unlocking Paragon Levels and The Pit.
• Progressing to The Pit Tier 10 to enter Torment I difficulty.
• Crucially, overcapping your Armor (to 1000+) and Resistances (to 75%+) to counter the new difficulty penalties.
• This is the point to transition to a fully optimized endgame HotA build, utilizing Paragon Glyphs and pursuing best-in-slot gear.

Whirlwind Barbarian Leveling Build: A-Tier

The Whirlwind Barbarian is the quintessential “spin to win” archetype. It offers a highly beginner-friendly and satisfying playstyle, allowing you to tear through dense packs of monsters while constantly moving. The feeling of chaining Whirlwind through dungeons is iconic and immensely enjoyable, making it a top-tier choice for efficient leveling and farming.

Who Is This Build For?

This build is optimal for players who:

• Love a fast-paced, mobile playstyle.
• Prefer efficient area clearing over single-target focus.
• Are new to the Barbarian or Diablo franchise and want a straightforward, powerful build.
• Don’t mind a heavy dependence on Legendary Aspects to solve early resource issues.

How to Make the Build: Skills & Gameplay

The core loop involves generating Fury and channeling it into a devastating, mobile whirlwind.

• Basic & Core: Lunging Strike is your primary Fury generator and gap-closer. Whirlwind (with the Furious Whirlwind upgrade) is your main damage and movement skill.
• Utility & Single Target: Rallying Cry is essential for Fury generation and movement speed. Ground Stomp applies Vulnerable, while Mighty Throw provides crucial single-target damage for elites and bosses.
• Key Passive: Walking Arsenal is central to the build, providing a significant damage boost and Fury generation when you use a skill with each weapon type.

Gear and Stat Priorities

Your primary focus is on your Two-Handed Slashing Weapon, as it’s assigned to Whirlwind. For stats, prioritize:

• Weapons: Strength, Vulnerable Damage, Maximum Life.
• Armor: Fury per Second, Armor, +Whirlwind Size, Resistances.
• Jewelry: Vulnerable Damage, Movement Speed, Cooldown Reduction.

Legendary Aspects & Uniques

Legendary Aspects are non-negotiable for making the build function smoothly and powerfully.

• Must-Have Codex Aspects:
  • Earthstriker’s (Maugan’s Works): Enables massive, guaranteed Overpower hits.
  • Slaking (Maulwood): Drastically improves Fury generation from potions.
• Nice-to-Have & Drop-Only Aspects: Relentless Armsmaster (Fury gen), Dust Devil’s (adds projectiles), Numbing Wrath (Defense).
• Great Uniques: Gohr’s Devastating Grips, Rage of Harrogath, and Razorplate are all powerful end-game options.

The Arsenal System & Weapon Assignment

Proper weapon assignment is key to activating Walking Arsenal:

• Whirlwind: Two-Handed Slashing Weapon.
• Lunging Strike: Dual-Wield Weapons (for faster attacks).
• Mighty Throw: Two-Handed Bludgeoning Weapon.

How to Level (1-60)

The most efficient leveling path to 60 involves:

• Completing the Seasonal Questline to unlock powerful Chaos Perks like Invigorating Attacks for Fury.
• Unlocking your essential Legendary Aspects from their dungeons as a top priority.
• Combining Helltides with Tree of Whispers turn-ins for optimal experience.
• Clearing all Strongholds after level ~40 for a significant experience boost.

End-Game Transition

Upon reaching Level 60, the endgame begins. Your immediate goals are:

• Unlocking Paragon Levels and The Pit.
• Progressing to The Pit Tier 10 to enter Torment I difficulty.
• Crucially, overcapping your Armor (to 1000+) and Resistances (to 75%+) to counter the new difficulty penalties.
• This is the point to transition to a fully optimized endgame Whirlwind build, utilizing Paragon Glyphs and pursuing best-in-slot gear and Uniques.

Best Endgame Barbarian Builds (Diablo 4 Season 10)

Reaching Level 60 with your Barbarian is merely the prelude to your true destiny in Sanctuary. The endgame—a brutal gauntlet of Nightmare Dungeons, The Pit, and Tormented Bosses—demands a complete evolution of your build from a leveling setup to a finely-tuned engine of destruction. While the Barbarian class typically maintains at least a few solid build options for competitive endgame gameplay, not all are created equal. The logic separating the S-Tier from the rest hinges on a build’s ability to master three critical domains: unparalleled damage scaling, unshakable survivability, and sublime synergy.

The Pillars of an Endgame Powerhouse

1. Extreme Damage Scaling and Multipliers: In the endgame, especially when pushing high-tier content, enemy health pools become astronomical. A good build doesn’t just deal damage; it multiplies it. The current S-Tier champion, HotA Earthquake, exemplifies this. It’s not just about the initial hammer hit; it’s about layering the massive base damage with fiery Earthquake explosions, Vulnerable status, Critical Strike damage, and Berserking bonuses. The best builds stack these multiplicative damage sources to delete elite packs and bosses alike.
2. Crowd Control and Area-of-Effect (AoE): Clearing dense rooms efficiently is non-negotiable. Builds must possess innate or enhanced AoE capabilities. The Whirlwind Barbarian achieves this through mobile, screen-wide damage and summoning Dust Devils, while the HotA build uses its shockwaves and quakes to hit entire legions. Builds with “heavy cleave” or those that create persistent damage zones (like Earthquakes) excel in this environment.
3. “Set-and-Forget” Buffs and Robust Survivability: You cannot deal damage while dead. Endgame builds integrate immense durability through layers of damage reduction (from skills like Challenging Shout), Fortify generation, and high life pools. Furthermore, they maximize uptime on crucial buffs like Berserking—which provides a flat 25% damage and 30% movement speed increase—often making it permanent or near-permanent through passives and gear.
4. Synergy with the Paragon Board and Glyphs: A leveling build uses skills; an endgame build is defined by its Paragon board. The top builds have clear and powerful paths on the board that amplify their core mechanics. For instance, a Bleed-based Flay Barbarian will path towards nodes that enhance Damage Over Time and Physical damage, while the Mighty Throw Barbarian leverages glyphs and boards that benefit from its active weapon-swapping playstyle.

Your Endgame Focus: From Veteran to Slayer

Transitioning to the endgame requires a shift in mindset. Your focus should be on:

• The Paragon Board: This is your #1 priority. Follow your build guide meticulously to unlock powerful glyph sockets and legendary nodes that will multiply your power.
• Optimal Gearing and Affixes: Move beyond just Legendary drops. You must now hunt for items with the correct affixes (e.g., Critical Strike Chance, Vulnerable Damage, Strength, Fury Cost Reduction) and perfect rolls. Masterworking these items at the Blacksmith is essential for min-maxing your stats.
• Uber Uniques and chase Items: The ultimate endgame goal is to farm for game-changing items like Harlequin Crest or the new Vessel of Hatred uniques that can redefine your build’s potential.

By understanding the core logic that elevates a build to endgame greatness, you can confidently invest your time and resources into a Barbarian that doesn’t just participate in the endgame—it dominates it. Choose the playstyle that calls to you, master its synergies, and prepare to become an unstoppable force in the depths of The Pit.

Lunging Strike Endgame Barbarian Build: S-Tier

The Lunging Strike Barbarian is a highly mobile and incredibly fluid build that centers on a skill available from level 1. Its uniqueness comes from leveraging the Hooves of the Mountain God Unique, which grants Lunging Strike a powerful cleaving Area-of-Effect (AoE), solving its single-target limitation. This allows you to dash across the battlefield, deleting entire packs with a single, fluid lunge. It offers excellent speed and strong bossing capabilities, making it a versatile and powerful endgame choice.

Who Is This Build For?

This build is optimal for players who:

• Enjoy fast-paced, highly mobile playstyles.
• Want a build that feels smooth and responsive.
• Are looking for a powerful endgame spec that uses a familiar, beginner-friendly skill.
• Have access to specific endgame Uniques to enable the build’s core mechanic.

How to Make the Build: Skills & Gameplay

The build focuses on spamming Lunging Strike while maintaining powerful buffs.

• Core Damage: Battle Lunging Strike is your main damage skill, enhanced by Uniques to cleave through packs.
• Supporting Basic Skill: Combat Frenzy is activated via the Dual Threat Chaos Perk, providing Movement Speed and Damage Reduction.
• Buffs & Survival: The build utilizes all three Shouts (Rallying Cry, War Cry, Challenging Shout) for Fury, Damage, Damage Reduction, and Unstoppable. Wrath of the Berserker is used as a major damage multiplier and grouping tool.

Gear and Stat Priorities

This build is heavily dependent on specific Uniques and high-stat rolls to function at its peak.

• Key Uniques: Hooves of the Mountain God (Chest, enables AoE), Battle Trance (Helmet), Rage of Harrogath (Gloves).
• Weapon Expertise: Two-Handed Mace for main damage, with Two-Handed Axe in the Technique Slot for bonus damage to Vulnerable enemies.
• Critical Stats: Aim for 90%+ Critical Strike Chance and 170.5%+ Attack Speed. Strength, Maximum Life, and Cooldown Reduction are also vital.

Legendary Aspects & Uniques

The build transitions from a starter setup to a mythic-powered endgame beast.

• Starter Enabler: The Earthquakes Aspect provides a crucial 120% damage multiplier to your attacks.
• Core Uniques: Hooves of the Mountain God (enables AoE), Battle Trance (Frenzy ranks), Rage of Harrogath (Cooldown Reduction).
• Endgame Power: The Grandfather, Ring of Starless Skies, and Ramaladni’s Magnum Opus are top-tier upgrades that drastically increase power.

How to Level & End-Game Transition

This is an endgame-focused build. You should level with a different Barbarian spec (like Whirlwind or HotA) from one of the provided leveling guides. The transition begins at Level 60 after unlocking Torment I. The goal is to progressively acquire the build’s mandatory Uniques and Aspects, starting with the Earthquakes Aspect and Hooves of the Mountain God, before moving into min-maxing with Mythic Uniques and optimized Paragon boards.

End-Game Playstyle

The gameplay is fast and straightforward: use your Shouts on cooldown, maintain Wrath of the Berserker, and constantly spam Lunging Strike. Thanks to Hooves of the Mountain God, you always target the center of enemy packs to maximize your cleave damage. The build excels in speed farming and can be tuned for deep Pit pushing with specific variants.

Flay Endgame Barbarian Build: A-Tier

The Flay Barbarian is a unique DoT-focused spec that makes a Basic Skill its primary damage source. Its core mechanic involves stacking incredibly long-duration Bleeds on enemies via specialized weapon tempers and then violently detonating them with Rupture for massive burst damage. It’s a methodical yet satisfying playstyle that excels in watching enemies succumb to your afflictions. The build is highly synergistic, leveraging recent buffs to Bleed mechanics and unique items to achieve impressive power.

Who Is This Build For?

This build is optimal for players who:

• Enjoy a Damage-over-Time (DoT) playstyle.
• Like the concept of applying debilitating effects and then executing enemies.
• Are looking for a build with moderate pushing and bossing capabilities.
• Have access to specific endgame Uniques that enable the build’s core mechanics.

How to Make the Build: Skills & Gameplay

The gameplay is a cycle of applying Bleeds and executing them.

• Core Damage: Battle Flay is your main skill, applying long-duration Bleeds and Vulnerable.
• Burst & Buff: Warrior’s Rupture is used to consume all Bleed damage on a target for a massive burst and an Attack Speed buff.
• Survival & Buffs: The standard Shout trio (Rallying Cry, War Cry, Challenging Shout) provides Fury, Damage, Damage Reduction, and Fortify. Wrath of the Berserker offers permanent Berserking and Unstoppable.

Gear and Stat Priorities

This build is heavily dependent on specific stats and Uniques to maximize Bleed potential.

• Key Uniques: Hooves of the Mountain God (enables AoE cleave), Shard of Verathiel, and Ramaladni’s Magnum Opus for Fury scaling.
• Weapon Expertise: Two-Handed Sword for its innate 30% Bleed damage multiplier.
• Critical Stats: Flay Duration (via tempering) is a unique and vital stat. Also prioritize Critical Strike Chance, Maximum Fury (to scale the Adaptability Aspect), and Attack Speed.

Legendary Aspects & Uniques

The build’s power comes from a combination of Bleed-enhancing and damage-multiplying effects.

• Core Aspects: Wanton Rupture (doubles Bleed duration), Earthquakes (provides a massive damage multiplier), Adaptability (damage based on Max Fury).
• Core Uniques: Hooves of the Mountain God (for AoE), Tuskhelm of Joritz the Mighty (Berserking buffs).
• Endgame Power: Harlequin Crest, Ring of Starless Skies, and Crown of Lucion are top-tier upgrades.

How to Level & End-Game Transition

This is an endgame-focused build. You should level with a different, more straightforward Barbarian spec. The transition begins at Level 60 after unlocking Torment I. The initial goal is to acquire the starter setup, including the Wanton Rupture and Earthquakes Aspects, before progressively farming the powerful Uniques that define the build’s high-end performance.

End-Game Playstyle

The rotation is deliberate: activate your Shouts and Wrath of the Berserker, then hold down Flay to stack immense Bleeds on enemies. Use Rupture to consume these Bleeds for a massive burst of damage, often instantly executing targets. The build is slower-paced than others but offers a powerful and thematic Bleed-focused fantasy.

HotA Endgame Barbarian Build: A-Tier

The HotA Barbarian is a fan-favorite known for its raw, impactful “big smash” playstyle. While the base skill has a small area, this build solves it completely with the Aspect of Ancestral Force and Mantle of Mountain’s Fury, transforming it into a screen-clearing powerhouse. It offers strong pushing and bossing capabilities with a surprisingly easy-to-play rotation, making it both powerful and accessible in the endgame.

Who Is This Build For?

This build is optimal for players who:

• Love high-impact, visceral gameplay.
• Want a build that is powerful and straightforward to execute.
• Are looking for a versatile spec that excels in both clearing dungeons and defeating bosses.
• Enjoy a build that strategically manages a high Fury cost for massive payoffs.

How to Make the Build: Skills & Gameplay

The gameplay loop is deceptively simple, revolving around setting up and unleashing gigantic hammer slams.

• Core Damage: Furious Hammer of the Ancients is your primary skill, with its damage massively scaled by your maximum Fury.
• Key Passive: Unbridled Rage is essential, doubling the Fury cost and damage of HotA.
• Utility & Buffs: The build utilizes Rallying Cry and Challenging Shout, which are made permanently active by the Deafening Chorus Chaos Perk. Wrath of the Berserker provides a major damage and utility boost.
• Critical Synergy: Frenzy is placed on the bar (but not used) to activate buffs from Sabre of Tsasgal and Battle Trance.

Gear and Stat Priorities

This build requires very specific stat optimization to function at its peak.

• Key Uniques: Mantle of Mountain’s Fury (chest), Banished Lord’s Talisman (gloves), Crown of Lucion (pants).
• Weapon Expertise: Two-Handed Mace is mandatory for HotA.
• Critical Stats: Maximum Fury and Resource Generation are paramount to fuel high-cost slams. Also prioritize Critical Strike Chance, Strength, and Attack Speed. Crucially, avoid Resource Cost Reduction.

Legendary Aspects & Uniques

The build’s power comes from a synergistic combination of items that expand its area and multiply its damage.

• Core Aspects: Aspect of Ancestral Force (adds a shockwave for AoE), Earthquakes Aspect (damage multiplier).
• Core Uniques: Banished Lord’s Talisman (guarantees Overpower on high-Fury slams), Ramaladni’s Magnum Opus (Fury scaling).
• Endgame Power: The Grandfather, Ring of Red Furor, and Chaos Armor versions of core Uniques are massive upgrades.

How to Level & End-Game Transition

This is an endgame-focused build. You should level with a different Barbarian spec. The transition begins seriously at Level 60 after unlocking Torment I. The initial goal is to acquire the starter setup, including the Aspect of Ancestral Force, before progressively farming the powerful and often rare Uniques that define the build’s high-end performance. Gearing is considered difficult due to these specific requirements.

End-Game Playstyle

The rotation is streamlined: your Shouts are permanent auras, and you primarily spam Hammer of the Ancients. The goal is to maintain a high Fury pool to maximize the damage of Furious HotA and trigger Banished Lord’s Talisman‘s Overpower effect every other swing. This creates a satisfying rhythm of building and spending immense amounts of Fury for earth-shattering damage.

Mighty Throw Endgame Barbarian Build: A-Tier

The Mighty Throw Barbarian is a unique ranged powerhouse that focuses on the raw landing damage of the thrown weapon. Its defining feature is the The Third Blade Unique, which removes the skill’s cooldown, allowing you to spam it like a Core skill. The build specializes in triggering massive, guaranteed Overpower hits every few casts and scaling the size of the weapon’s explosion to devastating proportions. It offers strong pushing and bossing with a great and responsive playstyle.

Who Is This Build For?

This build is optimal for players who:

• Enjoy a powerful, ranged playstyle on the Barbarian.
• Like builds with clear, impactful hits and big numbers.
• Want a versatile spec that performs well in all endgame content.
• Have acquired the mandatory The Third Blade Unique to enable the build.

How to Make the Build: Skills & Gameplay

The gameplay revolves around maintaining buffs and unleashing a barrage of empowered throws.

• Core Damage: Warrior’s Mighty Throw is your primary skill, spammed constantly thanks to The Third Blade.
• Key Buffs & Survival: The build utilizes the Deafening Chorus Chaos Perk to make Rallying Cry and Challenging Shout permanent auras, providing constant Fury generation, Movement Speed, and immense damage reduction.
• Damage Multipliers: Ground Stomp generates Earthquakes to activate the Earthquakes Aspect damage multiplier. Wrath of the Berserker is used for its powerful offensive and defensive buffs.

Gear and Stat Priorities

This build requires specific stats to maximize the potency and frequency of its throws.

• Mandatory Unique: The Third Blade (enables spamming).
• Core Uniques: Banished Lord’s Talisman (guarantees Overpower), Crown of Lucion (increases Fury cost for Overpower synergy).
• Critical Stats: Maximum Fury and Resource Generation are vital for sustaining throws and triggering Overpowers. Mighty Throw Pulse Size (via tempering) is a unique and crucial stat to ensure all explosion pulses hit the same target. Also prioritize Strength and Attack Speed.

Legendary Aspects & Uniques

The build’s power comes from a combination of items that enable its spam mechanic and multiply its damage.

• Core Aspects: Earthquakes (global damage multiplier), Herculean Spectacle (increases explosion pulses).
• Core Uniques: The Third Blade (enabler), Banished Lord’s Talisman (Overpower), Ring of Red Furor (Critical Strike).
• Endgame Power: The Grandfather, Sabre of Tsasgal, and Chaos Armor versions of core Uniques are massive upgrades.

How to Level & End-Game Transition

This is an endgame-focused build with a strict requirement. You must level with a different Barbarian spec. The transition only begins after acquiring The Third Blade from Infernal Hordes at Level 60+. Once you have this key item, you can assemble the starter setup, focusing on acquiring the Earthquakes Aspect and managing your Fury pool to enable the powerful Overpower mechanic with Banished Lord’s Talisman.

End-Game Playstyle

The rotation is dynamic: your Shouts are permanent, and you use Ground Stomp to create damaging Earthquakes. You then stand in these Earthquakes and unleash a rapid-fire barrage of Mighty Throws. The A Beast Cornered Chaos Perk refunds your Fury, creating a sustainable loop. Every few throws, a guaranteed Overpower hit from Banished Lord’s Talisman will decimate everything on your screen.

Whirlwind Endgame Barbarian Build: A-Tier

The Whirlwind Barbarian is the quintessential ARPG archetype, known for its chill and comfy playstyle that remains highly effective. In Season 10, it returns to its roots, dealing pure, raw Whirlwind damage without relying on secondary effects like Dust Devils. It offers excellent playability, allowing you to move and attack simultaneously, making it perfect for speed farming while still maintaining strong bossing and moderate pushing capabilities. It truly is a versatile build for any activity.

Who Is This Build For?

This build is optimal for players who:

• Love a fast-paced, mobile playstyle.
• Want a build that is smooth, responsive, and easy to pilot.
• Are looking for a versatile spec that excels in speed farming and can tackle endgame challenges.
• Enjoy the iconic fantasy of becoming an unstoppable human blender.

How to Make the Build: Skills & Gameplay

The gameplay is centered around constant motion and maintaining key buffs for maximum damage.

• Core Damage: Whirlwind is your primary skill, channeled to shred everything around you.
• Key Buffs: The build utilizes the Deafening Chorus Chaos Perk to make Rallying Cry, War Cry, and Challenging Shout permanent auras, providing constant Fury, Damage, and immense survivability.
• Critical Synergy: Rupture is used every 4 seconds to maintain the Warpath key passive for a massive damage bonus. Wrath of the Berserker provides additional damage and a useful grouping tool.

Gear and Stat Priorities

The build focuses on stats that enhance the raw power and sustainability of Whirlwind.

• Key Uniques: Gohr’s Devastating Grips (gloves), Battle Trance (for passive Frenzy buffs), Ring of Starless Skies (damage and resource management).
• Weapon Expertise: Two-Handed Mace for main damage, with Two-Handed Axe in the Technique Slot for bonus damage to Vulnerable enemies.
• Critical Stats: Critical Strike Chance, Chance for Whirlwind to Deal Double Damage, Maximum Fury, and Attack Speed are all vital for scaling damage. Strength and Cooldown Reduction are also high priorities.

Legendary Aspects & Uniques

The build’s power comes from a mix of Whirlwind-specific and general damage multipliers.

• Core Aspects: Dire Whirlwind (increased Crit Chance while channeling), Earthquakes (global damage multiplier), Dust Devil’s (adds projectiles).
• Core Uniques: Gohr’s Devastating Grips, Battle Trance, Heir of Perdition.
• Endgame Power: The Grandfather, Ring of Starless Skies, and Chaos Armor versions of core Uniques are massive upgrades for min-maxing.

How to Level & End-Game Transition

This is an endgame-focused build. You should level with a Whirlwind-focused leveling guide. The transition begins at Level 60 after unlocking Torment I. The initial goal is to acquire the starter setup, including the Dire Whirlwind and Earthquakes Aspects, before progressively farming the powerful Uniques that optimize the build’s performance for speed farming or deep Pit pushing.

End-Game Playstyle

The rotation is fluid and engaging: your Shouts are permanent, and you maintain Whirlwind as your primary action. You strategically use Rupture every 4 seconds to keep the Warpath damage bonus active and press Wrath of the Berserker on cooldown for bursts of power and enemy grouping. This creates a dynamic loop of spinning, repositioning, and activating abilities that makes the build both powerful and enjoyable to play.

Earthquake Endgame Barbarian Build: B-Tier

The Earthquake Barbarian is a high-impact area-of-effect (AoE) specialist that revolves around a dynamic two-part combo: creating Earthquakes and then violently detonating them. Its gameplay is uniquely tactical and explosive, offering the satisfaction of gathering massive packs of enemies with Steel Grasp and then wiping them out with a single, colossal Hammer of the Ancients slam that sets off a chain reaction. It provides strong pushing and bossing capabilities with excellent playability.

Who Is This Build For?

This build is optimal for players who:

• Enjoy a strategic, setup-and-execute playstyle.
• Love massive, screen-clearing AoE damage.
• Want a build that feels powerful and impactful with every click.
• Have acquired the key items required to enable the build’s core mechanic.

How to Make the Build: Skills & Gameplay

The core gameplay is a satisfying loop of grouping enemies and triggering massive explosions.

• Setup & Execution: Steel Grasp is used to pull in and group enemies. Hammer of the Ancients is your “detonator,” consuming all active Earthquakes for massive damage when paired with Mantle of Mountain’s Fury.
• Earthquake Generation: The Lith + Tec Runeword automatically spawns Earthquakes beneath you in combat. Early on, Lunging Strike with the Moni + Tec combo is used to place them manually.
• Buffs & Survival: The Deafening Chorus Chaos Perk makes your Shouts (Rallying Cry, War Cry, Challenging Shout) permanent auras. Wrath of the Berserker provides a major damage boost.

Gear and Stat Priorities

This build requires specific stats to maximize the potency of its Earthquakes and the resulting detonations.

• Mandatory Uniques: Mantle of Mountain’s Fury (chest, enables detonation), Tec Rune (primary Earthquake source).
• Core Uniques: Ring of Starless Skies (damage), Crown of Lucion (damage), Battle Trance (utility).
• Critical Stats: Earthquake Duration and Earthquake Size (via tempering) are unique and vital stats. Also prioritize Critical Strike Chance, Strength, and Cooldown Reduction.

Legendary Aspects & Uniques

The build’s power is derived from items that enhance every part of the Earthquake process.

• Core Aspects: Earthquakes (increases cast frequency), Incendiary Fissures (increases duration), Executioner’s (creates more quakes).
• Core Uniques: Mantle of Mountain’s Fury (enabler), Sabre of Tsasgal (damage scaling).
• Endgame Power: Ring of Starless Skies is the premier Mythic upgrade, with Chaos Armor versions of other Uniques providing significant power spikes.

How to Level & End-Game Transition

This is an endgame-focused build with specific requirements. You should level with a different Barbarian spec. The transition begins at Level 60 after acquiring the Mantle of Mountain’s Fury and the Tec Rune. The starter setup uses Lunging Strike to generate quakes before evolving into the final version that automatically spawns them, allowing you to focus purely on grouping and detonating.

End-Game Playstyle

The rotation is methodical and rewarding: use Steel Grasp to gather enemies into a tight group. As you stand among them, the Lith + Tec Runeword automatically covers the area in Earthquakes. You then use Hammer of the Ancients to consume all active quakes, triggering a series of massive, overlapping explosions that obliterate everything caught within. This create-group-detonate cycle is both highly effective and immensely satisfying.

Conclusion

The path of the Barbarian is one of relentless power and unbridled fury. From your first steps in Fractured Peaks to the deepest, most challenging depths of the endgame, the builds outlined in this guide provide a proven roadmap to supremacy. Whether you chose the screen-clearing vortex of the Whirlwind barbarian, the primal, earth-shattering impacts of the HotA Earthquake build, or the precise, weapon-swapping mastery of Mighty Throw, you now possess the knowledge to dominate Season 10.

Remember, a tier list is a starting point, not a final destination. The Barbarian class typically maintains at least a few solid build options for competitive endgame gameplay, so do not be afraid to experiment and find the playstyle that resonates most with you.

Equip your weapons, let your Fury roar, and stride confidently into the inferno. Sanctuary’s greatest challenges lie ahead, and they will soon learn to fear your name. Go forth and conquer!