D4 Barbarian Leveling Build & Guide (UPDATED L50+)
Looking to level up quickly and easily? Welcome to our Diablo 4 Barbarian Leveling Guide! The important most important chunks of info here are:
- Barbarian Leveling Notes by Level.
- Barbarian Leveling Build by Skillpoint.
- IMPORTANT: D4 World Tier 1 or World Tier 2 for leveling?
- Other imporant notes to follow!
This is designed to be used TOGETHER WITH:
D4 General ALL CLASSES Leveling Guide.
Updated: Jun-06-24': Added links to Fresh Level 50 Guide (ALL CLASSES). (prev) Updated the build up to 58 (max) Skillpoints. Added clarity for when and what skills to swap around. Some notes stil rough
Planned updates: Better ways to present info, more tips like aspects etc...
Leveling Build by Skillpoint:
While Frenzy is overall best, especially later on, Lunging Strike is a great early game basic attack. You can use either, then settle on Frenzy Later.
If using Lunging Strike temporarily, take Battle Lunging Strike. Feel free to respec and try both.
Same case with Hammer of the Ancients and Upheaval. Upheaval is better early on, and HotA is where we're gonna settle at later.
If using Upheaval temporarily, get Enhanded Upheaval
If using Upheaval temporarily, get Furious Upheaval. Synergizes extremely well with Frenzy...
Battle Frenzy is an option down the line, once you can utilize it. If using Lunging Strike temporarily take Battle Lunging Strike. Feel free to respec and try both.
This is godlike especially early on. AFK and win.
Level up whichever you're using for now.
Level up whichever you're using for now.
Great for moving around! That's its primary use for us, haha.
Makes our shouts longer, and is amazing with the next passive, Raid Leader.
Excellent source of self-healing
Either option is fine, one is offensive, one is defensive. Up to you!
You need to make space for CotA, so say bye-bye to leap and add another level of Pit Fighter.
Reminder again: Remove Leap (sadly), and add one more Pit Fighter
Reminder again: Remove Leap (sadly), and add one more Pit Fighter
Great with Death Blow, then tagging the remaining fat enemies, Level 1 is nice to have, and upgrading it can seem wasteful sometimes...
You can even use Unconstrained. Since this is a leveling build, Walking Arsenal is probably best for most leveling scenarios. Try to get 2 bonuses at least.
Some people might want to take this earlier. Other might want to skip it. I suppose placing it at this point is fair. If you don't like it, take any other passive or upgrade Death Blow / Hammer.
Some people might want to take this earlier. Other might want to skip it. I suppose placing it at this point is fair. If you don't like it, take any other passive or upgrade Death Blow / Hammer.
Some people might want to take this earlier. Other might want to skip it. I suppose placing it at this point is fair. If you don't like it, take any other passive or upgrade Death Blow / Hammer.
Ideally you shouldn't be using Upheaval anymore -get the HotA aspect (Ancestral Force) in Sunken Ruins, Scogsglen
Ideally you shouldn't be using Upheaval anymore -get the HotA aspect (Ancestral Force) in Sunken Ruins, Scogsglen
Ideally you shouldn't be using Upheaval anymore -get the HotA aspect (Ancestral Force) in Sunken Ruins, Scogsglen
Might as well start upgrading Death Blow!
This may seem weird, but the next few nodes will synergize! This is simply to access the next node.
When you get Hit, they Bleed...
When they Bleed, they're slowed...
When they're slowed, you do extra crit! See, told you It would make sense, haha.
Nobody ever complained about more Life, but the next node is why we're here.
Defenses against Elites, never a bad thing.
Might as well maximize this, as the other choices are slim at this point.
I will implement a visual limitation on these soon, maybe the previous and next 3 are only shown.
Reminders by level:
Lunging Strike is great early on, and Frenzy is really much better with a more mature build. However, you can freely use either as they're both quite viable. I'd say Frenzy is overall better if I had to simply choose one.
While Upheaval is what I recommend early on, you should should try to shift into Hammer of the Ancients once you get that circular AoE aspect in Scogsglen. It's just a quality of life improvement. The circular AoE shape eliminates Upheavals blind spots which can be a real tilter.
Each weapon type now gains its own "EXP bar". Using a weapon naturally increases your experience with it. As you progress in these levels you gain passive bonuses while you're wearing and hitting enemies with that specific weapon type. Honestly, this isn't a system you should ACTIVELY engage with this early on. Simply use your strongest / best weapons each time and worry about leveling this up or maximizing this to fit your build later.
Did I get the names reversed? Essentially allows you to use an Expertise bonus without the weapon actually being used.
I simply can't update any more notes, haha. I'll add and refine very soon!
Since there are so few right now, I'll just make them all visible by default...
NEXT UPDATES
Yeah, I'm adding more segments to each leveling guides. Mostly build info, aspects to get per area, etc... It's gonna be worth it I promise!
Summary, Related Links, What Next?
I'll surely add more to this in time. But in its current form I hope our Diablo 4 Barbarian Leveling Builds and Guide helped you out!
Done with the leveling process (Hit level 50?) or campaign?
See our Fresh Level 50 Guide (All Classes) on how to transition into endgame.
- D4 General Leveling Guide and Process for EVERY CLASS
- Barbarian Class Basics / Overveiw Guide - Should I play Barbarian?
Good luck! Now get out there and level up your Barbarian!
Some other related reading:
- Wanna know more about classes? See: All classes overview - What class to play?
- Find out each and every way you can Customize your Build and Character in D4!
I'm placing the "summary" up here above these "plain text dumps" as the below info isn't really important or new, simply another way to view the info already presented above.
Barbarian Important Notes by Level (plain text)
Here are the level by level notes presented plainly. Obviously this will expand over time as we can level to max. Note that these are for Barbarian specifically, and the general notes are found in the general guide.
| Level | Reminder | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frenzy vs Lunging Strike | Lunging Strike is great early on, and Frenzy is really much better with a more mature build. However, you can freely use either as they're both quite viable. I'd say Frenzy is overall better if I had to simply choose one. |
| 3 | Upheaval into HotA | While Upheaval is what I recommend early on, you should should try to shift into Hammer of the Ancients once you get that circular AoE aspect in Scogsglen. It's just a quality of life improvement. The circular AoE shape eliminates Upheavals blind spots which can be a real tilter. |
| 10 | Weapon Expertise | Each weapon type now gains its own "EXP bar". Using a weapon naturally increases your experience with it. As you progress in these levels you gain passive bonuses while you're wearing and hitting enemies with that specific weapon type. Honestly, this isn't a system you should ACTIVELY engage with this early on. Simply use your strongest / best weapons each time and worry about leveling this up or maximizing this to fit your build later. |
| 15 | Weapon Technique | Did I get the names reversed? Essentially allows you to use an Expertise bonus without the weapon actually being used. |
| 16 | Hands tired... | I simply can't update any more notes, haha. I'll add and refine very soon! |
Barbarian Leveling Build (plain text)
Here's the leveling build presented plainly. As a side note I will probably add at least one variant per build, or maybe more once your reach key passive levels.
| Skillpoint | Node | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frenzy (Lunging Strike) | While Frenzy is overall best, especially later on, Lunging Strike is a great early game basic attack. You can use either, then settle on Frenzy Later. |
| 2 | Enhanced Frenze / Lunging Strike | If using Lunging Strike temporarily, take Battle Lunging Strike. Feel free to respec and try both. |
| 3 | Hammer of the Ancients (Upheaval) | Same case with Hammer of the Ancients and Upheaval. Upheaval is better early on, and HotA is where we're gonna settle at later. |
| 4 | Enhanced Hammer of the Ancients | If using Upheaval temporarily, get Enhanded Upheaval |
| 5 | Furious Hammer of the Ancients | If using Upheaval temporarily, get Furious Upheaval. Synergizes extremely well with Frenzy... |
| 6 | Combat Frenzy / Lunging Strike | Battle Frenzy is an option down the line, once you can utilize it. If using Lunging Strike temporarily take Battle Lunging Strike. Feel free to respec and try both. |
| 7 | Challenging Shout | |
| 8 | Enhanced Challenging Shout | |
| 9 | Strategic Challenging Shout | This is godlike especially early on. AFK and win. |
| 10 | HotA or Upheaval | Level up whichever you're using for now. |
| 11 | HotA or Upheaval | Level up whichever you're using for now. |
| 12 | Leap | Great for moving around! That's its primary use for us, haha. |
| 13 | Warcry | |
| 14 | Enhanced Warcry | |
| 15 | Booming Voice | Makes our shouts longer, and is amazing with the next passive, Raid Leader. |
| 16 | Raid Leader | Excellent source of self-healing |
| 17 | Death Blow | |
| 18 | Enhanced Death Blow | |
| 19 | Warrior's Death Blow | |
| 20 | Mighty Warcry (either) | Either option is fine, one is offensive, one is defensive. Up to you! |
| 21 | Raid Leader | |
| 22 | Raid Leader | |
| 23 | Pit Fighter | |
| 24 | Call of the Ancients (- LEAP) | You need to make space for CotA, so say bye-bye to leap and add another level of Pit Fighter. |
| 25 | Prime Call of the Ancients (-LEAP) | Reminder again: Remove Leap (sadly), and add one more Pit Fighter |
| 26 | Supreme Call of the Ancients (-LEAP) | Reminder again: Remove Leap (sadly), and add one more Pit Fighter |
| 27 | Pit Fighter | |
| 28 | Slaying Strike | |
| 29 | Slaying Strike | |
| 30 | Slaying Strike | |
| 31 | Booming Voice | |
| 32 | Booming Voice | |
| 33 | Expose Vulnerability | Great with Death Blow, then tagging the remaining fat enemies, Level 1 is nice to have, and upgrading it can seem wasteful sometimes... |
| 34 | Walking Arsenal | You can even use Unconstrained. Since this is a leveling build, Walking Arsenal is probably best for most leveling scenarios. Try to get 2 bonuses at least. |
| 35 | Swiftness (Optional) | Some people might want to take this earlier. Other might want to skip it. I suppose placing it at this point is fair. If you don't like it, take any other passive or upgrade Death Blow / Hammer. |
| 36 | Swiftness (Optional) | Some people might want to take this earlier. Other might want to skip it. I suppose placing it at this point is fair. If you don't like it, take any other passive or upgrade Death Blow / Hammer. |
| 37 | Swiftness (Optional) | Some people might want to take this earlier. Other might want to skip it. I suppose placing it at this point is fair. If you don't like it, take any other passive or upgrade Death Blow / Hammer. |
| 38 | Hammer of the Ancients | Ideally you shouldn't be using Upheaval anymore -get the HotA aspect (Ancestral Force) in Sunken Ruins, Scogsglen |
| 39 | Hammer of the Ancients | Ideally you shouldn't be using Upheaval anymore -get the HotA aspect (Ancestral Force) in Sunken Ruins, Scogsglen |
| 40 | Hammer of the Ancients | Ideally you shouldn't be using Upheaval anymore -get the HotA aspect (Ancestral Force) in Sunken Ruins, Scogsglen |
| 41 | Death Blow | Might as well start upgrading Death Blow! |
| 42 | Death Blow | |
| 43 | Death Blow | |
| 44 | Death Blow | |
| 45 | Outburst | This may seem weird, but the next few nodes will synergize! This is simply to access the next node. |
| 46 | Tough as Nails | When you get Hit, they Bleed... |
| 47 | Hamstring | When they Bleed, they're slowed... |
| 48 | No Mercy | When they're slowed, you do extra crit! See, told you It would make sense, haha. |
| 49 | No Mercy | |
| 50 | No Mercy | |
| 51 | Imposing Presence | Nobody ever complained about more Life, but the next node is why we're here. |
| 52 | Martial Vigor | Defenses against Elites, never a bad thing. |
| 53 | Martial Vigor | |
| 54 | Martial Vigor | |
| 55 | Imposing Presence | |
| 56 | Imposing Presence | |
| 57 | Expose Vulnerability | Might as well maximize this, as the other choices are slim at this point. |
| 58 | Expose Vulnerability |