Welcome to our Diablo 4 Whirlwind Barbarian Build for Endgame. This iconic build focuses on simplistic gameplay in order to maximize fury generation, mobility, and damage in order to clear content with ease . It is very beginner friendly, which is great for new players or veterans who are learning the class. In this article we will give you the info needed to re-create this build! This guide will cover the Skill Tree, Aspects, Paragon Board, Glyphs and everything you need to run the Whirlwind Barbarian Build!
Pros
- Easy to play.
- High damage output.
- Great for speed clearing and all types of content.
Cons
- Requires good fury management.
- Simple rotation can be unrewarding at times.
- You must play in melee range.
Skill Tree and Paragon Board
Board Order and Glyphs
- 1.) Starting Board – Territorial: When optimizing your build, the extra range here enables great damage increases to close enemies. This will always be beneficial given that Barbarian is a melee class.
- 2.) Warbringer – Exploit: Improving vulnerable enemy damage synergizes not only with our flat damage, but also for more bleed output thanks to passives like Cut to the Bone if chosen.
- 3.) Flawless Technique – Disembowel: More sources of cooldown reduction will allow for better overall gameplay flow. This will help to maximize the uptime of your Shouts.
- 4.) Bone Breaker – Wrath: After the Season 1 Patch this now increases all damage and not just core abilities. As such, it is an even more powerful way to get damage from this build.
- 5.) Decimator – Imbiber: This will be the lowest priority Glyph to upgrade. It will improve our damage dealt while healthy, which will be inconsistent at times.
- 6.) Weapons Master – Marshal: Our shouts will be the cornerstone of this build. Focusing on cooldown reduction becomes key whether it be for fury generation, defensiveness, or raw damage output. THIS GLYPH IS ESSENTIAL. If you are not max level, use this in your first board in order to properly run the build.
Glyph Leveling Priority
Below you will find the important Rare Glyphs for the Whirlwind Barbarian. Make note, you should upgrade each Glyph to level 15 first, and then push them to max.
- 1.) Wrath
- 2.) Exploit
- 3.) Marshal
- 4.) Territorial
- 5.) Disembowel
- 6.) Imbiber
Weapon Technique
Expertise: Two-Handed Sword Expertise – Using this as the primary weapon will enable another source of applying bleeds while also giving increased Critical Strike Damage. NOTE: Assign Two-Handed Swords to Lunging Strike and Whirlwind.
Technique: Two-Handed Axe Technique – This will provide a significant damage boost to Vulnerable enemies. This will be a large damage increase because of our high uptime on the Vulnerable debuff.
Season One: Malignant Hearts
The Seasonal Affix tied to Season One will add a huge boost to all builds in Diablo 4. This will provide you essentially bonus gem slots that will add unique effects which may provide massive damage, defensive, or utility boosts. For more information on this, please refer to our Season 1 Malignant Hearts Guide
Below you will find the suggested Malignant Hearts for this build:
Recommended
- Focused Rage (Vicious, Offensive): After spending 100-60 Fury within 2 seconds, your next Non-Basic Skill’s Critical Strike Chance is increased by 20-30%.
- Revenge (Brutal, Defensive): 10-20% of incoming damage is instead supressed. When you use a Defensive, Subterfuge or a Macabre skill, all suppressed damage is amplified by 250% and explodes, dealing up to 1360 – 2040 Fire damage to Nearby enemies.
- The Barber (Wrathful, Super): Critical Strikes and all subsequent damage within 2.0 – 4.0 seconds is absorbed by your target. Then, the absorbed damage erupts onto surrounding enemies. Stored damage is increased by 10% per second.
Optional
- Ignoring Pain (Wrathful, Super): Incoming damage has a 5-15% chance of being ignored and instead Healing your for 17 – 68.
- Malignant Pack (Wrathful, Super): Cycle through a Malignant bonus every 20 kills:
- Gain 20% Attack Speed
- Core and Basic Skills have a 15% chance to fully restore your Primary Resource
- Every 21 seconds, gain a Barrier absorbing 85 – 102 damage
- Picana (Vicious, Offensive): Critical Strikes electrically charge the enemy for 0.75 – 2.50 seconds, causing lighting to arc between them and any other charged enemies dealing 68 – 136 lightning damage.
- Dark Dance (Vicious, Offensive): Every 5 seconds while above 60% Life, Core Skills cost 51 – 68 Life instead of your Primary Resource. Skills that consume Life deal 10% – 20% increased damage.
- Resurgent Life (Brutal, Defensive): While below 40% – 60% Life, you receive 50% – 60% more Healing from all sources.
Legendary Aspects & Gearing
Below is a list of Aspects we use and recommend for this build. The Aspects are in order starting from the most to least important.
Required
These Aspects act as the core of the build and allow it to function. These will ALWAYS be needed.
- Aspect of Dire Whirlwind (Offensive)
- Aspect of Echoing Fury (Resource)
- Bold Chieftain’s Aspect (Resource)
Recommended
These Aspects are suggested for improving damage output or overall defensiveness. Some of these may be interchanged with other preferences or in the case of obtaining a Unique drop.
- Aspect of Berserk Ripping (Offensive)
- Edgemaster’s Aspect (Offensive)
- Aspect of the Expectant (Offensive)
- Aspect of Limitless Rage (Offensive)
- Aspect of Grasping Whirlwind (Utility)
- Iron Blood Aspect (Defensive)
- Aspect of Disobedience (Defensive)
- Ghostwalker Aspect (Mobility)
Optional
- Aspect of Numbing Wrath (Defensive)
- Aspect of the Protector (Defensive)
- Conceited Aspect (Offensive)
- Dust Devil’s Aspect (Offensive)
- Wind Striker Aspect (Mobility)
Aspect Slots
Note that Aspects are limited to specific gear slots. Use the list below to decide where to put your aspects. This build does not restrict you, but note some unique items may require you to adjust accordingly:
- Offensive – Amulets, Gloves, Ring, Weapons
- Defensive – Amulets, Chest, Helm, Legs
- Mobility – Amulets, Boots
- Resource – Rings
- Utility – Amulets, Boots, Chest, Gloves, Helm
Suggested Aspect Slots
| Item Slot | Aspect |
| Helm | Grasping Whirlwind |
| Chest | Disobedience |
| Gloves | Expectant |
| Pants | Iron Blood |
| Boots | Ghost Walker |
| 2H Bludgeoning | Dire Whirlwind |
| 1H Dual Wield | Berserk Ripping |
| 1H Dual Wield | Expectant |
| 2H Slashing | Limitless Rage |
| Amulet | Edgemaster’s |
| Ring #1 | Bold Chieftan’s |
| Ring #2 | Echoing Fury |
Unique Items
This build has a few Unique items it can take advantage of them. Some are mandatory to maximize the damage of the build, others are potential defensive options depending on preference.
- Gohr’s Devastating Grips (Required): Whirlwind explodes after it ends, dealing [50% – 70%] of the total Base damage dealt to surrounding enemies as Fire damage.
- The Grandfather (Recommended BIS): Increases your Critical Strike Damage by x[60% – 100%]. This weapon can also roll other properties higher than normal.
- Harlequin Crest (Recommended BIS): Gain [5% – 8%] Damage Reduction. In addition, gain +2 Ranks to all Skills.
- Rage of Harrogath (Optional): Lucky Hit: Up to a [20% – 40%] chance to reduce the Cooldowns of your Non-Ultimate Skills by 1.5 seconds when you inflict Bleeding on Elites.
- Temerity (Optional): Effects that Heal you beyond 100% Life grant you a Barrier up to [50% – 100%] of your Maximum Life that lasts for 30 seconds. NOTE: If you use this Unique, consider using Conceited Aspect on gear. Also, contribute more points to the Raid Leader passive.
Best in Slot
| Item Slot | Aspect |
| Helm | Harlequin Crest* |
| Chest | Rage of Harrogath* |
| Gloves | Gohr’s Devastating* |
| Pants | Temerity* |
| Boots | Ghost Walker |
| 2H Bludgeoning | Dire Whirlwind |
| 1H Dual Wield | Berserk Ripping |
| 1H Dual Wield | Conceited |
| 2H Slashing | The Grandfather* |
| Amulet | Edgemaster’s |
| Ring #1 | Bold Chieftan’s |
| Ring #2 | Echoing Fury |
Stat Priority and Gems
| Item | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Gem |
| Helm | Cooldown Reduction | + Max Life | Strength | Armor | +Max Fury | Royal Sapphire |
| Chest | Damage Reduction while Fortified | Damage Reduction from Close enemies | Damage Reduction from Bleeding enemies | Armor | Maximum Life | Royal Sapphire |
| Gloves | + Ranks to Whirlwind | Critical Strike Chance | Critical Strike Chance against Injured enemies | Strength | All Stats | |
| Pants | Damage Reduction while Fortified | Damage Reduction from Close enemies | Damage Reduction from Bleeding enemies | Armor | Maximum Life | Royal Sapphire |
| Boots | Movement Speed | Fury Cost Reduction | Berserk Duration | Fortify Generation | Movement Speed from Killing Elites | |
| Amulet | Cooldown Reduction | Fury Cost Reduction | + Ranks to Heavy Handed Passive | + Ranks to Pit Fighter Passive | + Ranks to Slaying Strike Passive | Royal Skull |
| Ring x 2 | Fury Generation | Critical Strike Chance | Vulnerable Damage | Critical Strike Damage | + Max Fury | Royal Skull |
| Weapon 1H | Weapon Damage | Vulnerable Damage | Critical Strike Damage | +Damage to Close Enemies | +Core Skill Damage | Royal Emerald |
| Weapon 2H (Slashing and Bludgeoning) | Weapon Damage | Vulnerable Damage | Critical Strike Damage | +Damage to Close Enemies | +Core Skill Damage | Royal Emerald |
Whirlwind Barbarian Rotation
Whirlwind Barbarian offers a very simple and straight forward build that can be used in any type of content. Because Whirlwind is a channeling ability it has a relatively relaxed rotation and low overall actions per minute.
General
- Use Lunging Strike to engage enemies, if you are in need of Fury, or if you are using Aspect of the Expectant.
- Use Challenging Shout, War Cry, and Rallying Cry together, with at least 5 enemies nearby if possible. This will proc cooldown reduction, consistent healing, and many offensive and defensive buffs.
- Wrath of the Berserker can be used when fighting multiple elites, large packs, or for burst damage on boss fights.
- Channel Whirlwind as your primary source of damage. When fighting trash and elites, be sure to continue moving so that you can gather enemies together and maximize AOE damage.
Bosses
Boss fights will follow the same rotation. Be sure to optimize burst damage windows by taking advantage of DPS cooldowns such as Wrath of the Berserker or War Cry
Conclusion
This concludes our Diablo 4 Whirlwind Barbarian build! For more information on Diablo 4, including Class Builds and Guides, be sure to check out our Diablo 4 home page!