Barbarian is a fun class in Diablo 4 that has many different build types. If you’re looking for the best early game Barbarian build to get a feel for the class and its potential, look no further. Here is the best early game Barbarian build in Diablo4.
Note:Â As a Necromancer main myself, I recommend you check out the best early game Necromancer build that can easily take you into endgame as well.
Best Diablo 4 Barbarian early game build — Pros, cons, and playstyle
In my opinion, the Rend Barbarian is the best early game build to go with. Let’s start with the pros, cons, and general playstyle of the Rend Barbarian.
- Pros
- High single-target damage plus bleed
- Great even without Aspects
- Cons
- Not great AoE damage
- Limited range
Rend Barbarian playstyle, explained
The basic playstyle of the Rend Barbarian is to run around the enemies to gather them together, using Lunging Strike to get the best positioning. Then, use your Rallying Cry and War Cry for extra movement and damage and rely on Rend for Bleed damage and Death Blow for single-target final blows.
All Diablo 4 best early game Barbarian abilities, explained
All Barbarian builds can feel hard to use at first since they don’t have any great AoE options, but the Rend Barbarian is great because of Bleed, War Cries, and swiftly moving around the battlefield. Another great build you can look into is the Thorns Barbarian build, but the Rend Barbarian is a solid pick.
Rend Barbarian abilities and passives, explained
- Lunging Strike 1/5
- Enhanced Lunging Strike
- Battle Lunging Strike
- Rend 5/5
- Enhanced Rend
- Furious Rend
- Pressure Point 3/3
- Rallying Cry 5/5
- Enhanced Rallying Cry
- Tactical Rallying Cry
- War Cry 1/5
- Enhanced War Cry
- Power War Cry
- Booming Voice 3/3
- Guttural Yell 3/3
- Aggressive Resistance 3/3
- Prolific Fury 3/3
- Death Blow 5/5
- Enhanced Death Blow
- Fighter’s Death Blow
- Pit Fighter 3/3
- Hamstring 3/3
- Cut to the Bone 3/3
- Call of the Ancients 1/1
- Prime Call of the Ancients
- Supreme Call of the Ancients
The key skills required for the Rend Barbarian are Lunging Strike, Rend, Rallying Cry, War Cry, Death Blow, and Call of the Ancients. Lunging Strike is your combat opener and can be used to get around the map while avoiding enemies. Rend, of course, is the main attack you should be using when you aren’t using any other attack.
Rallying Cry and War Cry are your two buffs that you’ll want to use to make your movement and damage go up. Death Blow is an amazing single-target attack that can demolish any foe that has been beaten down by Rend.
Call of the Ancients is an amazing Ultimate that gives you high-damage AoE support. Use it whenever you’re overwhelmed with enemies.
Best early game Barbarian Aspects, explained
Screenshot via PC Invasion
The two best early game Aspects for the Rend Barbarian are Aspect of Unrelenting Fury and Slaking Aspect. Both of these Aspects are found in Fractured Peaks near Kyovashad.
Aspect of Unrelenting Fury gives you a 10% Fury refund to a Core Skill after killing an enemy, which works for Rend since it is a Core Skill. Slaking Aspect gives you a 30% chance to gain Fury when Rend deals direct damage to at least one Bleeding enemy. Both of these Aspects are very good on the Rend Barbarian thanks to the synergy of using Rend often.
Other early game Barbarian build options
While the Rend Barbarian is choice for the early game, there are some other builds you may consider. Feel free to respec your character and try out different combinations.
Whirlwind Barbarian
Whirlwind Barbarian is generally considered the best endgame Barbarian build — but it’s not great for early game. It takes time for the Whirlwind Barbarian build to get good since the ability by itself without supporting Aspects, gear, and passive abilities isn’t amazing. However, it definitely can be, especially in endgame.
Hammer of the Ancients Barbarian
Hammer of the Ancients Barbarian, otherwise known as HotA, is extremely good at AoE and requires very little Fury. This build can be really good in the endgame, especially if you’re playing with friends, but the HotA Barbarian build struggles with high single-target damage which is necessary in the early game.
