Barbarians have been a mainstay in Diablo for a long time at this point, and Diablo IV has revamped them significantly. Weapon masters of the highest order, have a versatile set of abilities they can use to trample through enemies and carve a path to victory. As a live-service game, Diablo IV has gone through a few changes, so if you've checked out for a little bit and are returning with the hopes of building the best possible Barbarian, read on.

Barbarian Frenzied Upheaval Build Overview

The Frenzied Upheaval Barbarian build is all about fast-paced attacks, fury generation, and high-impact crowd control. You'll rely on Frenzy to increase attack speed and then spend your Fury on Upheaval to unleash powerful area-of-effect (AoE) attacks. This setup is well-suited for handling mobs and staying resilient in battle, making it beginner-friendly and effective for both campaign progression and early endgame activities.

Skill Setup

Basic Skill

Frenzy (Combat Frenzy): Frenzy is your primary Fury generator, boosting your attack speed with each successful hit. This allows you to stack damage quickly and keeps your Fury pool charged for heavy attacks.

Core Skill

Upheaval (5/5 with Furious Upheaval): This will be your main Fury spender, hitting multiple enemies in an arc. Combined with Furious Upheaval, it deals extra damage to crowd-controlled enemies, making it excellent for clearing groups of foes.

Defensive Skills

Ground Stomp (Tactical Ground Stomp): Stuns enemies in an area, making it a great skill for both defense and setup, especially when followed up by Upheaval.

Iron Skin (Tactical Iron Skin): Provides a temporary shield, absorbing damage when you're in tight situations. Iron Skin, enhanced with Tactical Iron Skin, also restores some health, giving you extra sustenance during difficult encounters.

Belligerence (3/3): Passive points here increase the damage you deal when crowd control effects are applied to enemies, enhancing your output with Ground Stomp.

Brawling Skills

Charge (Power Charge): Useful for mobility and knocking back enemies, Charge allows you to break up groups and reposition as needed.

Swiftness (3/3): This passive provides additional movement speed, enabling you to get in and out of combat swiftly, which is especially useful for maintaining Frenzy stacks.

Weapon Mastery Skills

Mighty Throw (Warrior's Mighty Throw): This skill lets you throw a weapon at enemies from range, providing a way to deal with foes while maintaining distance. It's especially useful for handling smaller groups and stunning enemies before closing in.

Ultimate Skills

Brute Force: Increases damage for enemies who are crowd-controlled. Since this build relies heavily on stunning and controlling enemies, Brute Force is a natural synergy.

Wallop: This further amplifies your damage against enemies affected by Ground Stomp and Charge, reinforcing the crowd control focus.

Key Passive

Walking Arsenal: This passive lets you use various equipped weapons to apply stacking buffs, increasing your overall damage. To maximize this, rotate through abilities tied to different weapon types (e.g., Frenzy for dual-wield, Upheaval for a two-handed weapon).

Playstyle Tips

Start with Frenzy: Begin each fight by engaging with Frenzy to stack attack speed and quickly generate Fury.

Switch to Upheaval: Once your Fury is built up, unleash Upheaval to deal with AoE damage. Its synergy with crowd-controlled enemies will amplify its damage.

Control the Battlefield: Use Ground Stomp and Charge to keep enemies at bay, allowing you to focus on high-damage attacks with less risk.

Stay Mobile with Swiftness: Maintain your Swiftness stacks to quickly dodge attacks, reposition, and keep your Frenzy stacks active.

Rotate Weapons: For maximum benefit from Walking Arsenal, alternate between abilities tied to different weapons to keep the buffs up, enhancing your overall damage output.

Preparing for Nahantu and the Vessel of Hatred Expansion

With this build, you're ready to face the challenges of Nahantu in the Vessel of Hatred expansion. Consider gathering Diablo 4 gold and upgrading your gear and Diablo 4 items to strengthen your character further. Embrace the primal power of the Barbarian, trample your enemies, and take full advantage of your build's potential as you explore new frontiers in Diablo 4!

MMOexp Diablo 4 Team