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The Barbarian’s Whirlwind build has been a staple in the Diablo series for quite a while, and things are no different inDiablo 4. Whirlwind is a strong and viable skill to build around in D4, offering the classic spin-to-win playstyle.
The Whirlwind build is resource and cooldown-reliant, but once you solve these issues, the build becomes extremely fun and powerful. Below, we’ll take a look at everything you need to know about the Barbarian Whirlwind build, including gear, abilities, Paragons, stats, and more.
The concept and execution of the Whirlwind build is extremely simple, making it great for players who want alow-intensity buildthat still hasgreat clear speeds. Your objective at all times with this build is to use Whirlwind to spin through enemies, whilebuffing yourself with Shouts to maintain Furyand increase your damage.
The Whirlwind Barbarian isvery easy to gear, mainly using Aspects that can be unlocked in the Codex. Plus, the build is extremelyversatile, performing well in pretty much all forms of content.
1/5
5/5
Wrath of the Berserker
1/1
Supreme Wrath of the Berserker
Until you are able to sustain Whirlwind’s Fury cost using just your Shouts and Wrath of the Berserker, it might be a good idea toswap Wrath of the Berserker for Ground Stompwith theTactical Ground Stompaugment for an instant 40 Fury on a short cooldown.
3/3
1/3
Decimator
Disembowel
As you level this build and gain Paragon Points,prioritize reaching the Glyph Slotsso you can start benefitting from them as soon as possible. Activate each Glyph Slot and Paragon Board in theorder they are listed above. This will get you thebiggest impact Glyphs the earliest, while the Glyphs with the smallest, but still significant impact, later on.
For Glyphs,focus on leveling Ire first, followed by Territorial, Ambidextrous, Mortal Draw, Marshal, and finally Disembowel. Ire is a great damage Glyph that is beneficial in most scenarios, as it only requires you to be Berserking to gain increased damage. This is easily accomplished throughWrath of the Berserker,theRelentless Berserker’s Aspect, andWar Cry.
Weapon Expertise
We will be usingTwo-Handed Axe in the Weapon Expertise Technique slot, mainly for the addeddamage against Vulnerable enemies. Alternatively, you can swap inTwo-Handed Sword Expertisefor additional Bleed application, which triggers many passives and Aspects that we are using.
Vampiric Powers
During Diablo 4’s second season, the Season of Blood, you will have access to Vampiric Powers that can grant additional damage or utility for very little investment. You can slot in five Vampiric Powers, and each costs Pacts that you’ll need to have on your gear to keep the Powers active.
For this Whirlwind build, we recommend using the following Vampiric Powers.
In total, you’ll need3 Ferocity, 10 Divinity, and 4 Eternity Pactson your gear to keep these Vampiric Powers active. This can be easily accomplished by using Cleansing Acid and Pact items to acquire the ones you need.
Recommended Gear And Stats
As mentioned above this build is very versatile when it comes to gearing. All you really need to get started are your skills and passives; this builddoesn’t necessarily rely heavily on any one Legendary Aspect. Because of this, you aren’t limited to using just the Aspects below. If you don’t have one of these Apsects yet or prefer another option, feel free to swap that in.
That said,Bold ChieftainandEchoing Furyare two of themain forms of Fury managementfor this build, so you’ll definitely need to slot these in if you want to maintain your Whirlwind.
Uniques
There are several pieces of Unique gear that can fit nicely into this build, and some that make it much stronger. We’ll go into detail on these below.
The One-Handed SwordRamaladni’s Magnum Opusprovides lots ofadditional damageat the cost oflosing two Fury each second. This weapon is best saved for when you are all geared up and have significant development into the Paragon Board and havesolved the Fury generation problem. However, once you’ve accomplished that, Ramaladni’s Magnum Opus will drastically increase your damage.
Tuskhelm of Joritz the Mightyis a Unique Helm that can make maintaining Whirlwind much easier. Its effect grants youincreased Fury generation and Cooldown Reduction, along with increased damage, if yougain Berserking while already in Berserk. With the number of different ways this build can enter Berserk, this is pretty easily attained, making resource management much more consistent.
TIbault’s Willoffers another method for gaining Fury, attained by simply becoming Unstoppable. This can be achieved through Rallying Cry and Wrath of the Berserker, and pairs well with the Ghostwalker Aspect. The Metamorphosis Vampiric Power is also really strong for gaining permanent Unstoppable.
Playing A Whirlwind Barbarian
The playstyle of the Whirlwind Barbarian is very simple but very satisfying. Use yourShouts off-cooldownto grant yourself a ton of useful buffs andincrease your Fury generation, then tear through groups of monsters with Whirlwind. In larger packs, especially with two or three Elites present,Whirlwind will sustain its own Furythanks to theEnhanced Whirlwindskill augment.
However, where you will eventually run into problems, especially when you aren’t fully geared, is againstsmaller groups of enemiesorsingle targets. It can be difficult to maintain enough Fury to keep Whirlwind going for more than a second or two. Luckily, with theBold Chieftain’s Aspect,Marshal Glyph, and enoughCooldown Reduction, your Shouts should come off cooldown pretty quickly.
Lunging Strikeis used to gain some Fury when your Shouts aren’t active, and can also activate theAspect of the Expentantto increase the damage of your next Whirlwind.
Berserking is one of this build’s most important buffs to maintain, bringing increased damage, movement speed, and a variety of other buffs and effects.Wrath of the Berserkeris essential for maintaining this buff, but be sure tokeep an eye on your Berserking uptimeas you mow through enemies with Whirlwind.
Next:Diablo 4: Complete Guide And Walkthrough
