This page requires the browser to support (enable) javascript

Diablo 2 Resurrected has breathed new life into the classic action RPG, bringing back cherished memories for long-time players and captivating newcomers with its engaging gameplay and nostalgic appeal. With the introduction of the ladder system in Season Five, players have the perfect opportunity to dive into the whirlwind of challenges and rewards that Diablo 2 has to offer.

In this article, we will explore a budget-friendly Whirlwind Barbarian build for Season Five of Diablo 2 Resurrected. While we may not unveil the "godliest" Whirlwind Barbarian build of all time, we will provide you with valuable insights into a character build that doesn't require high-value runes or extravagant D2R items investments. Whether you're a veteran player returning to Diablo 2 or a newcomer looking for an accessible path to success, this guide is designed to help you get started.

A Few Note

Before we dive into the specifics of the Whirlwind Barbarian build, it's important to clarify a few points:

    • Budget Gear: This build primarily focuses on utilizing budget gear. It's intended for players who may not have access to high-value runes or top-tier items. While there are potentially more optimal choices available, we'll provide you with affordable alternatives to get started.

    • Variability: In Diablo 2, the choices for gear and skills can be incredibly diverse. What works well for one player might not be ideal for another. We'll discuss various options and explain the rationale behind them, allowing you to tailor your build to your preferences.

    • Season Five: This guide is specifically tailored for Season Five of Diablo 2 Resurrected. It's important to keep in mind that item availability and balance can change between seasons, so be sure to adapt to the current ladder season.

The Whirlwind Barbarian Build

The Whirlwind Barbarian is a classic choice for players who enjoy fast-paced, melee combat. This build emphasizes the Whirlwind skill, a unique Barbarian ability that allows you to spin through hordes of enemies, dealing damage in a whirlwind. We will break down the key aspects of the build, starting with stat allocation.

Stat Distribution

For the Whirlwind Barbarian, you'll want to allocate your stats as follows:

    • Strength and Dexterity: Allocate the minimum required strength and dexterity to equip your chosen gear. Keep in mind that you may need slightly higher values to switch between different gear setups. Flexibility is key here.

    • Vitality: Invest the majority of your stat points into vitality. High health is essential for survival in Diablo 2, especially for a melee character.

    • Energy: Do not allocate any points into energy. Barbarians do not rely on mana for their skills, and you can manage your mana with the equipment you wear.

Skill Tree

The Whirlwind Barbarian build focuses on the following skills:

    • Whirlwind: Max out the Whirlwind skill, as it's the cornerstone of this build.

    • Berserk: Allocate one point into Berserk. This skill can help you deal with physical immunities or stone-skinned enemies by converting your damage to magic damage.

    • One-Point Wonders: Invest a single point into useful utility skills like Natural Resistance, Increased Speed, Iron Skin, and Increased Stamina. These skills provide valuable bonuses to your character.

    • Find Item: Place points into the Find Item skill. The higher the skill level, the better your chances of finding extra loot from fallen enemies.

Additional Skills

While the primary focus is on the skills mentioned above, there are other skills you can experiment with. Some players opt for adding Frenzy to their build for increased attack speed before Whirlwinding. This can help you move faster and whirl through enemies more efficiently. However, this approach requires additional skill points.

Combat Mastery

Your choice of weapon dictates which mastery you'll invest in:

    • Polearm Mastery: If you're wielding a polearm, max out Polearm Mastery for improved damage and attack rating.

    • Weapon Mastery: Choose the appropriate weapon mastery (Blade, Axe, or Mace Mastery) if you're using a different weapon type.

War Cries

You'll primarily focus on the following war cries:

    • Battle Orders: Max out Battle Orders to boost your life and mana, enhancing your overall survivability and sustainability.

    • Battle Command: Allocate one point into Battle Command to increase your skill levels temporarily. This is especially useful when you need a skill boost in critical situations.

    • Howl: While not a primary skill, you can invest a single point in Howl for crowd control. However, you may find that it's not as effective as other options.

Gear Selection

Now, let's explore the budget-friendly gear options for your Whirlwind Barbarian:

Weapon Choices

    • Obedience: Obedience is an excellent budget rune word that provides significant enhanced damage and a 40% chance of crushing blow. It can be crafted in a 5-socketed polearm, making it an accessible choice. The Cold damage on it can be a drawback, as it prevents Find Item from working on frozen enemies. However, it remains a strong option for budget builds.

    • Oath: Another budget-friendly rune word, Oath, can be crafted in a variety of weapon types. It offers a decent balance of damage and attack speed. While it requires a Mal Rune, it's more accessible than high-value runes like Ber or Jah.

    • Hellslayer: The Hellslayer is a unique item with impressive enhanced damage and crushing blow. It's relatively inexpensive and a viable choice for budget-conscious players.

    • Unbending Will: A newer rune word, Unbending Will, is an attractive option for budget builds. It uses low-level runes, but it's essential to find a suitable base with six sockets for it.

    • Reaper's Toll: While Reaper's Toll lacks the high damage output of other options, it offers an "ignores Target Defense" attribute, life leech, and decrepify. It's a reasonable choice for players looking to slow down enemies and improve their survivability.

Helmet

Your helmet choice will depend on your specific needs. Here are some viable options:

    • Vamp Gaze: Vamp Gaze provides life leech and physical damage reduction. It's a budget-friendly option that offers excellent survivability. The cold damage may limit its effectiveness for Find Item, but it's a solid choice.

    • Guillaume's Face (GFace): GFace offers increased attack speed, deadly strike, and crushing blow. It's a suitable alternative if you want to optimize your build further.

    • Rare Helm: Keep an eye out for rare helmets with valuable stats such as resistances, life leech, and crushing blow. While less common, a well-rolled rare helmet can be a game-changer.

Armor

Selecting the right armor is crucial for achieving balanced resistances and survivability. Budget-friendly options include:

    • Smoke: The Smoke rune word provides 50% to all resistances and is an excellent choice to cap your resistances. It's crafted using Nef and Lum runes, making it accessible for most players.

    • Shaftstop: Shaftstop offers damage reduction and resistances. While not as budget-friendly as Smoke, it's still a solid option for extra survivability.

    • Treachery: Treachery is another affordable rune word that grants increased attack speed, fade, and a chance to cast Venom. It's often preferred for its enhanced attack speed and resistances.

    • Fortitude: A more expensive option, Fortitude, provides substantial enhanced damage and bonuses. While it's not budget-friendly, it's something to aim for in the long term.

Gloves

For gloves, consider:

    • Laying of Hands: Laying of Hands offers increased attack speed, fire resistance, and enhanced damage against demons. It's a valuable choice for dealing with demons commonly found in Diablo 2.

    • Rare Gloves: Look for rare gloves with helpful stats, such as increased attack speed, life leech, and resistances. You can often find budget-friendly rare gloves that suit your needs.

Rings

Your ring choices should focus on the following attributes:

    • Raven Frost: Raven Frost provides Cannot be Frozen, Dexterity, Attack Rating, and Cold Damage. It's a critical component for preventing freezing effects on your character, which is essential for uninterrupted gameplay.

    • Dwarf Star: Dwarf Star offers Fire Absorb, Life, and Extra Gold from Monsters. It's particularly useful when tackling areas like the Tristram Cow Level (often referred to as "Trav").

    • Rare Rings: Seek out rare rings with life leech, resistances, and stats that complement your build. These can be more budget-friendly than high-demand unique rings.

Belt

For your belt, consider:

    • String of Ears: String of Ears is an excellent choice for its damage reduction and life leech. It's an affordable option and can significantly improve your survivability.

    • Verdungo's Hearty Cord: Verdungo's offers damage reduction, Vitality, and enhanced maximum Stamina. It's a solid choice if you can find one.

Boots

Choose between the following boot options:

    • Goblin Toes: Goblin Toes provide a 25% chance of crushing blow, which is a crucial mechanic for a Whirlwind Barbarian. They offer affordability and can be highly effective for the build.

    • Gore Rider: Gore Rider boots offer 15% crushing blow, deadly strike, and increased run/walk speed. They are another great choice for budget-conscious players.

    • Rare Boots: If you can't find either of the above options, look for rare boots with stats that complement your build, such as enhanced damage, resistances, and movement speed.

Amulet

For your amulet, consider:

    • Highlord's Wrath: Highlord's Wrath provides increased attack speed, deadly strike, skill bonuses, and lightning resistance. It's a superb choice to enhance your damage output.

    • Rare Amulet: A well-rolled rare amulet can offer life leech, resistances, and other helpful stats. Keep an eye out for amulets that enhance your character's capabilities.

Inventory Charms

In your inventory, focus on collecting charms that complement your build. Consider:

    • Magic Find Charms: Magic Find (MF) charms can help increase your chances of finding valuable items and runes. Having a mix of MF charms can boost your loot drops.

    • Life and Resistances Charms: Charms that provide life and resistances can enhance your survivability. Look for these to ensure you stay alive in challenging situations.

    • Annihilus Charm: If you can obtain an Annihilus Charm, it's an excellent addition to your inventory. It grants skill bonuses and other benefits. They're relatively affordable, so it's worth considering.

Mercenary

A reliable mercenary is an asset to your Barbarian. While the Act 2 mercenary is a popular choice, you can also experiment with the Act 5 mercenary for different strengths. Here's a brief overview of gear options for your mercenary:

Act 2 Mercenary

For your Act 2 mercenary, consider equipping the following gear:

    • Reaper's Toll: Providing a 33% chance to cast Decrepify, Reaper's Toll helps slow down enemies and enhances your survivability. It also offers life leech.

    • Treachery: Equip your mercenary with Treachery to benefit from increased attack speed, resistances, and the Fade skill.

    • Life Leech: Additional life leech gear can help your mercenary stay alive longer. If you can, find gear with life leech, resistances, and enhanced defense.

Playing with the Whirlwind Barbarian

With your Whirlwind Barbarian build in place, you can embark on adventures in Diablo 2 Resurrected. Here are some gameplay tips to keep in mind:

    • Life Tap One-Point Wonder: Consider investing in the Life Tap skill to ensure your Barbarian can quickly recover life when facing enemies. It's a game-changing skill that greatly enhances your survivability.

    • Variety in Weapon Choices: Experiment with different weapon options, as mentioned earlier. This allows you to adapt to various situations and enemy types. While some weapons may be optimal for specific scenarios, others can provide flexibility.

    • Respect for Mercenaries: Pay attention to your mercenary's gear and survival. A well-equipped mercenary can make a significant difference in your overall effectiveness.

    • Targeted Farming: Focus on areas and enemies that align with your strengths and resistances. As a Whirlwind Barbarian, you can excel in areas with numerous demons, as your build includes bonuses against them.

Conclusion

The Whirlwind Barbarian build for Season Five of Diablo 2 Resurrected offers a fantastic combination of fast-paced melee combat and budget-friendly gear choices. With careful stat allocation, skill selection, and a diverse range of gear options, you can embark on exciting adventures and conquer the challenges the game presents.

Remember that Diablo 2 Resurrected offers numerous opportunities for customization, and your build can evolve as you acquire better gear and runes. As you progress through the ladder, keep an eye out for upgrades and continue optimizing your Whirlwind Barbarian to become a true force of nature in the world of Sanctuary.