Angry Berserker Barbarian BUILD for Diablo IV
Diablo IV launches on June 6th, 2023 for PC (Battle.Net), XBOX, & PlayStation with a 4 days Early Access (no wipe) for pre-orders (so kind of really launching June 2nd).
Diablo IV’s Open Beta Tests are almost here and I felt motivated to make some Pre-Launch theorycrafted semi-builds that should be good for ‘fresh-into-endgame’ characters when the game launches. I also plan to evolve them into FULL builds when the game is released & keep them updated when we get rebalance updates. This is one such build for the Barbarian Class called Angry Berserker.
The Beta tests will only let us reach lvl 25 and only let us play in the first Act/Zone (Fractured Peaks) so those builds will be more useful for the actual game launch and ideally for characters around lvl 50+ or 60+. I’ve used 50+ and 60+ skill points when making the builds instead of the full 100 so that they can be used to jumpstart a player’s post-story endgame grind.
I’ve also made spreadsheets for those builds (see the links below) that have shortlisted the active and passive skills + legendary aspect that work well with the build so one can spend the extra skill points on the way to lvl 100 into those other skills.
This build will be updated post-launch to a new & expanded version when I have actual in-game information as reference.
Video Version:
Skill Trees
Below you’ll see ONLY the Active & Passive skills that were selected for this build. For additional skills that can be taken on the way to lvl 100 + alternative skill options, you can check my pre-launch builds spreadsheet on this link. This build (Angry Berserker) is one of the builds on that spreadsheet.
Some of the skill icon images you see could be outdated & differ from what is seen in the Full release version. I plan to replace them once the Beta ends or after the full launch
Basic Skill (Resource Generator/Builder) (Required Points: 0 )
- (active) Frenzy – Unleash a rapid flurry of blows, dealing 26.83% (X – ?) damage with each pair of hits. Dealing damage with Frenzy increases Frenzy’s Attack Speed by +20% for 3 seconds up to 60% Requires dual-wielding weapons. Damage: Physical Generate Fury: 5 Lucky Hit Chance: 30%
- (1st upgrade) Enhanced Frenzy – While Frenzy is granting +60% bonus Attack Speed, it also generates 1 additional Fury.
- (2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Battle Frenzy – Frenzy deals 30% (multiplicative) increased damage while Berserking.
Core Skill(s) (Resource Spender) (Required Points: 2 )
- (active) Double Swing – Sweep your weapons from opposite directions, dealing 68.99% (X – ?) damage with each weapon. Enemies caught in the center are hit by both. Requires dual wielded weapons. Damage: Physical Fury Cost: 25 Lucky Hit Chance: 30%
- (1st upgrade) Enhanced Double Swing – If Double Swing damages a Stunned or Knocked Down enemy, gain 25 Fury.
- (2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Furious Double Swing – Casting Double Swing while Berserking grants 2 additional seconds of Berserking.
- (passive) Pressure Point – Lucky Hit: Your Core Skills have up to a 10% chance to make enemies Vulnerable for 2 seconds.
- (passive) did not pick any other Core Passives to save points
Defensive Skills (Required Points: 6 )
- (active) Ground Stomp – Smash the ground, dealing 18.20% (X – ?) damage and stunning enemies for 3 seconds. Damage: Physical Cooldown: 16.0 seconds
- (1st upgrade) Enhanced Ground Stomp – Increase Ground Stomp’s duration by 1 second.
- (2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2)Strategic Ground Stomp – Reduce the Cooldown of your Ultimate skill by 1 second for each enemy damaged by Ground Stomp.
- (passive) Imposing Presence – Gain 15% (multiplicative) additional Maximum Life.
- (upgrade) Martial Vigor – Damage Reduction against Elites, Bosses, and Players is increased by 4% (multiplicative).
- (passive) did not pick any other Defensive Passives to save points
Brawling Skills (Required Points: 11 )
- (active) War Cry – Bellow a mighty war cry. You and nearby allies deal 15% (multiplicative) increased damage for 10.4 seconds. War Cry grants you Berserking for 3 seconds. War Cry grants X Fortify. Cooldown: 25 seconds
- (1st upgrade) Enhanced War Cry – War Cry grants you Berserking for 3 seconds.
- (2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Power War Cry – If at least 4 enemies are nearby when War Cry is cast, its damage bonus is increased by 15%.
- (passive) Booming Voice – Shout skill durations are increased by 30% (multiplicative).
- (upgrade) Raid Leader – did not pick to save points
- (upgrade) Guttural Yell – did not pick to save points
- (passive) Aggressive Resistance – Gain 4% Damage Reduction while Berserking.
- (upgrade) Battle Frenzy – did not pick to save points
- (upgrade) Prolific Fury – did not pick to save points
- (passive) did not pick any other Brawling Passives to save points
Weapon Mastery Skills (Required Points: 16 )
- (active) Steel Grasp – Throw out a trio of chains that deal 24.15% (X – ?) damage and Pull In enemies. Charges: 2 Charge Cooldown: 11.0 seconds Damage: Physical Tags: Weapon Mastery Lucky Hit Chance: 50%
- (1st upgrade) Enhanced Steel Grasp – Steel Grasp also makes enemies Vulnerable for 2.5 seconds.
- (2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Fighter’s Steel Grasp – If Steel Grasp damages an enemy, gain Berserking for 2 seconds.
- (passive) Pit Fighter – You deal 3% (multiplicative) increased damage to Close enemies and gain 2% Distant Damage Reduction.
- (upgrade) No Mercy – You deal 5% (multiplicative) increased damage against Immobilized, Stunned, or Slowed enemies.
- (upgrade) Slaying Strike – DID NOT INVEST in this to save points
- (upgrade) Expose Vulnerability – DID NOT INVEST in this to save points
- (passive) did not pick any other Weapon Mastery Passives to save points
Ultimate Skills (Required Points: 23 )
- (active) Wrath of the Berserker – Gain Berserking and Unstoppable for 5 seconds. For the next 10 seconds, dealing direct damage with Basic skills grants Berserking for 25 seconds Cooldown: 60.0 seconds Tags: Ultimate
- (1st upgrade) Supreme Wrath of the Berserker – While Wrath of the Berserker is active, gain +20% increased Movement Speed and increase Fury Generation by 30% (multiplicative)
- (2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Prime Wrath of the Berserker – While Wrath of the Berserker is active, every 50 Fury spend increases Berserk’s damage bonus by 25% (multiplicative)
- (passive) Tempered Fury – Increase your Maximum Fury by 3.
- (upgrade) Furious Impulse – DID NOT INVEST in this to save points
- (upgrade) Invigorating Fury – Heals you for 2% of your Maximum Life for each 100 Fury spent.
- (passive) did not pick any other Ultimate Passives to save points
Specializations (Required Points: 33 )
- (passive) Unconstrained – Increase Berserk’s maximum duration by 5 seconds and increase its damage bonus by 25% (multiplicative).
Arsenal (Class Mechanic):
The Barbarian class mechanics is called Arsenal and this is how I believe it works:
The Barbarian class can equip 4 weapons at the same time: a Dual-wielding set of 2x One-Handed weps + two separate Two-Handed weapons (not dual-weilding those). They switch in combat between those based on what weapon is assigned to specific skills via the class unique Arsenal System. So each skill can have its own weapon assigned to it as long as it’s one of the 4 weapons equipped. The weps you don’t actually use work as ‘stat sticks’. Here are the types:
- Dual Wielded 1-Handed Weapons are Slashing and can be Swords, Axes, or Maces (strange why the 1H Maces are clumped together with Swords & Axes under Slashing and not listed as Bludgeoning maybe the information I found is incorrect… hopefully 1h Maces are not Slashing)
- The two slots of Two-Handed Weapons can be occupied by Slashing type weps like Swords, Axes, & Polearms and/or by Bludgeoning Maces
- Ideally 1x 2h Slashing, 1x 2h Bludgeoning and a Dual Wield 1h combo for the 4 weps if you got for a swap-centric build
Legendary Aspects / Powers
I will only list the Legendary Aspects that have been selected for the build and the slots in which I advise putting those. For in-depth information you can check my pre-launch builds spreadsheet on this link. This build (Angry Berserker) is one of the builds on that spreadsheet.
- Helm: Aspect of Shared Misery
- Amulet: Aspect of Pummeling
- Chest: Aspect of Numbing Wrath
- Pants: Aspect of Might
- Gloves: Relentless Berserker’s Apect
- Boots: Ghostwalker Aspect
- Ring 1: Aspect of Echoing Fury
- Ring 2: Aspect of The Umbral
- 1H Weapon: Aspect of The Expectant
- Off-hand: Rapid Aspect
- 2-H Weapon One (see Class Mechanic for info): Aspect of Retribution
- 2-H Weapon Two (see Class Mechanic for info): Edgemaster’s Aspect
Useful Links (Spreadsheets & more):
For all of my Diablo IV Pre-Launch Theorycrafts/Builds: This Spreadsheet
For my Diablo IV Pre-Launch Class Skill Trees (can be used as mini-calculator): This Spreadsheet
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This concludes the Angry Berserker Barbarian Build for Diablo IV. If you’re interested in the game below are links to the various platforms where one can buy it (you can just click the links to open a new tab):
PC (Battle.Net)