Butcher 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 Butcher.
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 build 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 (Butcher) 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Some of the skill icon images you see could be outdated & differ from what is seen in the Full release version.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) Flay – Flay the enemy, dealing 9.58% (X – ?) damage. Inflicts 80.48% (X) Bleeding damage over 5 seconds. Requires a slashing weapon. Damage: Physical Generate Fury: 9 Lucky Hit Chance: 50%
- (1st upgrade) Enhanced Flay – Flay has a 10% chance to make the enemy Vulnerable for 2 seconds. Double this chance when using a Two-Handed weapon.
- (2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Battle Flay – When Flay deals direct damage to an enemy, they take 10% (multiplicative) increased Bleeding damage for the next 3 seconds.
Core Skill(s) (Resource Spender) (Required Points: 2 )
- (active) Rend – Cleave enemies in front of you, dealing 23.00% (X – ?) damage and inflicting 183.96% (X) Bleeding over 5 seconds. Requires a slashing weapon. Damage: Physical Fury Cost: 35 Lucky Hit Chance: 33%
- (1st upgrade) Enhanced Rend – Dealing direct damage with Rend extends the duration of Vulnerable on enemies by 2 seconds.
- (2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Furious Rend – Direct damage with Rend grants 4 Fury per enemy hit, up to a maximum of 20 Fury.
- (passive – NOT INVESTED INTO IT but good to consider) Pressure Point – Lucky Hit: Your Core Skills have up to a 10% chance to make enemies Vulnerable for 2 seconds.
- (passive) Endless Fury – Basic Skills generate 5% (multiplicative) more Fury when using Two-Handed weapons.
- (passive) did not pick any other Core Passives to save points
Defensive Skills (Required Points: 6 )
- (active) Challenging Shout – Taunt nearby enemies and gain 40% (multiplicative) Damage Reduction for 10.4 seconds. Cooldown: 16.0 seconds
- (1st upgrade) Enhanced Challenging Shout – While Challenging Shout is active, gain +20% bonus Maximum Life.
- (2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Tactical Challenging Shout – While Challenging Shout is active you gain 3 Fury each time you take damage.
- (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) Charge – Become Unstoppable and rush forward pushing enemies with you then swinging through them for 47.91% (X – ?) damage and knocking them back. Cooldown: 17.0 seconds Damage: Physical
- (1st upgrade) Enhanced Charge – Enemies who are Knocked Back into terrain by Charge take 28.74% (X – ?) damage and are Stunned for 3 seconds.
- (2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Power Charge – Reduce Charge’s Cooldown by 3 seconds if it Knocks Back an enemy into terrain.
- (passive) Booming Voice – Shout skill durations are increased by 30% (multiplicative).
- (upgrade) Raid Leader – did not pick to save points
- (upgrade) Guttural Yell – Your Shout Skills cause enemies to deal 8% (multiplicative) less damage for 5 seconds.
- (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) Rupture – Skewer enemies in a line, inflicting 13.65% (X – ?) damage then rip your weapon out, damaging enemies for their total Bleeding amount receiving all Bleeding damage from them. Requires a slashing weapon. Cooldown: 15.0 seconds Damage: Physical Tags: Weapon Mastery Lucky Hit Chance: 50%
- (1st upgrade) Enhanced Rupture – If an enemy dies while being skewered by Rupture, then reset its Cooldown. Enemies who survive take 20% (multiplicative) increased Bleeding damage for the next 8 seconds.
- (2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Warrior’s Rupture – Killing enemies with Rupture increases your Attack Speed by +20% for 4 seconds.
- (passive – only put 1 point to unlock the upgrades) Pit Fighter – You deal 3% (multiplicative) increased damage to Close enemies and gain 2% Distant Damage Reduction.
- (passive – did not put any points here) No Mercy – You deal 5% (multiplicative) increased damage against Immobilized, Stunned, or Slowed enemies.
- (passive – only put 1 point to unlock the next upgrade) Slaying Strike – You deal 8% increased damage against Injured enemies.
- (passive – only put 1 point to save points) Expose Vulnerability – Dealing direct damage with a Weapon Mastery skill causes your next Core Skill to make enemies Vulnerable for 1.5 (multiplicative) seconds.
- (passive – did not pick but worth considering) Thick Skin – Each time you take direct damage gain X Fortify.
- (upgrade – did not pick but worth considering) Counteroffensive – While Fortified for over 50% of your Maximum Life, you deal 5% (multiplicative) increased damage.
- (upgrade – did not pick but worth considering) Defensive Posture – Increase the Damage Reduction gained while you are Fortified by an additional +3%.
- (passive – only put 1 point to save points) Hamstring – Your Bleeding effects Slow enemies by 10%
- (passive) Cut to the Bone – Your Bleeding effects deal 6% (multiplicative) increased damage to Vulnerable Enemies.
Ultimate Skills (Required Points: 23 )
- (active) Call of the Ancients – Call upon 3 Ancients to aid you in battle for 6 seconds. Korlic leaps at enemies, dealing 80.00% (X – ?) damage and swings his weapon in a Frenzy dealing 30.00% (X – ?) damage per hit. Talic spins in a Whirlwind rapidly attacking enemies for 50.00% (X – ?) damage. Madawc Upheaves the ground, dealing 150.00% (X – ?) damage. Cooldown: 50.0 seconds Damage: Physical Tags: Ultimate
- (1st upgrade) Prime Call of the Ancients – While Call of the Ancients is active, gain +10% bonus Attack Speed and 10% (multiplicative) increased damage.
- (2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Supreme Call of the Ancients – Each of the Ancients gains additional power: Korlic: You gain 10 Fury each time Korlic damages an enemy with Frenzy. Talic: Enemies are Slowed by 50% for 1 second when damaged by his Whirlwind. Madawc: 30% chance to Stun enemies for 3 seconds when using his Upheaval.
- (passive – did not pick but worth considering) Tempered Fury – Increase your Maximum Fury by 3.
- (upgrade) Furious Impulse – DID NOT INVEST in this to save points
- (upgrade – did not pick but worth considering) Invigorating Fury – Heals you for 2% of your Maximum Life for each 100 Fury spent.
- (passive – did not pick due to using Slashing) Wallop – Your Skills using Bludgeoning weapons deal 5% (multiplicative) increased damage if the enemy is Stunned or Vulnerable.
- (upgrade – did not pick due to using Slashing) Concussion – Lucky Hit: Skills using Bludgeoning weapons have up to a 10% chance to Stun enemies for 3 seconds, or up to a 15% chance when using a Two-Handed Bludgeoning weapon.
- (passive) Heavy Handed – While using Two-Handed weapons you deal 5% (multiplicative) increased Critical Strike Damage.
- (upgrade) Brute Force – Your Overpower deals 15% (multiplicative) increased damage when using a Two-Handed weapon *NOTE: It seems that unlocking this skill upgrade requires investing into either Wallop OR Heavy Handed (can still get both if you want)
- (passive) did not pick any other Ultimate Passives to save points
Specializations (Required Points: 33 )
- (passive) Gushing Wounds – Killing a Bleeding enemy creates an explosion that inflicts 11.55% (X) Bleeding damage over 3 seconds.
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 (Butcher) is one of the builds on that spreadsheet.
- Helm: Aspect of Shared Misery
- Amulet: Aspect of Pummeling
- Chest: Aspect of Anemia
- Pants: Aspect of Numbing Wrath
- Gloves: Relentless Berserker’s Apect
- Boots: Wind Striker Aspect
- Ring 1: Aspect of Echoing Fury
- Ring 2: Aspect of Unrelenting Fury
- 1H Weapon: Aspect of Berserk Ripping
- Off-hand: Aspect of Veteran Brawler
- 2-H Weapon One (see Class Mechanic for info): Aspect of Retribution
- 2-H Weapon Two (see Class Mechanic for info): Aspect of The Dire Whirlwind
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 Butcher 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)