Diablo 2: Resurrected is right around the corner, and promises to let players get in on classic demon-slaying action. Diablo 2 has become a fan-favorite of the action-RPG genre, and the series has only grown in popularity. The game includes seven different classes for players to learn and build through leveling up and amassing piles of loot. Each class offers a very distinct way to play the game with their own place in the game's lore as well as stats to level up, and skills to choose from.
The multiple different skills add a lot of variety to Diablo 2, but it also can make choosing a character and learning the ins and outs of every class a bit daunting. Every class in Diablo 2: Resurrected has different pros and cons, and some players may want to do some research before making their first character. For players who are interested in playing a Barbarian, there is a lot to know about Diablo 2: Resurrected's hard-hitting tank class.
RELATED: Diablo 2: Resurrected Trading Bug on Consoles Could Become A Problem
Diablo 2: Resurrected's Barbarian Background
The Barbarian hails from a number of tribes that exist on the outer rim of civilization in Diablo 2: Resurrected's world. The clans that they belong to are constantly at war with one another in attempts to seize power over the region. This has led to the people of the tribes becoming hardy and powerful, forged by the toils of unending war. This has also led to Diablo 2: Resurrected's Barbarian being an extremely competent fighter, although they do not have the knowledge or sophistication of others. The dangerous existence of the tribes also leads the Barbarian to look down upon those that he considers weak or soft.
The Barbarian's history in the wilderness has also allowed him to become very perceptive of his surroundings, while also leading him to believe that he can call upon the power of animals to help improve his already impressive prowess in combat. These skills come from his shamanistic relationship with nature, and allow him to access supernatural powers that many fighters could only dream of achieving.
These supernatural abilities allow the Barbarian to leap great distances, wield two weapons at once, and bolster his fortitude to better survive encounters. The Barbarian's training also gives him the option to learn and master a range of different melee weapons to customize his playstyle and abilities. That said, players will have to make sure they stay stocked up on health potions in Diablo 2: Resurrected.
Diablo 2: Resurrected's Barbarian Stats
The Barbarian has six stats total: Strength, Dexterity, Vitality, Energy, Stamina, Life, and Mana. When making a new Barbarian, the stats start at 30, 20, 25, 10, 91, 55, and 10 respectively, but can be raised by spending points on them as players level up. On each level up, the Barbarian's Stamina goes up by one, their Life by two, and their Mana by one as well. For each point that players dedicate to their Vitality stat their life also increases by four and their Stamina by one, while a point in Energy also increases their Mana by one. Since the Barbarian is a melee fighter, players will likely want to dedicate a lot of their points to Strength and Vitality. Having plenty of health will be particularly important later on in the game, or when hunting down some of Diablo 2: Resurrected's unique monsters.
RELATED: Diablo 2: Resurrected Will Be Missing Popular Loot Feature at Launch, But It Could Come Later
The Barbarian's stats also can struggle when fighting against enemies who utilize magical attacks. Having to engage in melee combat makes the class more susceptible to being hit by spells, and they can't raise their magic resistance until character level 30. This makes managing health very important for Barbarians. Luckily, Barbarians do have Find Potion so that players can loot them off dead monsters, but Barbarian players will still have to be careful to not put themselves in a position they can't heal through or run away from. This is one of the most common mistakes players make in Diablo 2: Resurrected, and one that Barbarian players need to ensure they don't make it often.
Diablo 2: Resurrected's Barbarian Skills
Barbarian Combat Skills:
- Bash (lvl. 1): A powerful smashing blow that knocks the target back
- Double Swing (lvl. 6): A quick double attack that can damage two nearby enemies
- Leap (lvl. 6): Barbarian jumps and knocks back enemies where he lands
- Double Throw (lvl. 12): Throws two weapons
- Stun (lvl. 12): A successful attack briefly stuns the enemy
- Concentrate (lvl. 18): An uninterruptible attack that also temporarily improves your defense
- Leap Attack (lvl. 18): Leap onto a target and attacks when landing
- Frenzy (lvl. 24): A quick double attack that increases your speed on a successful attack
- Beserk (lvl. 30): A powerful attack that leaves the Barbarian more vulnerable
- Whirlwind (lvl. 30): A fierce spinning attack
Combat Masteries:
- Axe Mastery (lvl. 1): Increased damage and Attack Rating when using axes
- Mace Mastery (lvl. 1): Increased damage and Attack Rating when using maces
- Sword Master (lvl. 1): Increased damage and Attack Rating when using swords
- Polearm Mastery (lvl. 1): Increased damage and Attack Rating when using polearms
- Spear Mastery (lvl. 1): Increased damage and Attack Rating when using Spears
- Throwing Mastery (lvl. 1): Increased damage and Attack Rating when throwing weapons
- Increased Stamina (lvl. 12): Increases Stamina and Stamina recovery rate
- Iron Skin (lvl. 18): Improves overall defense
- Increased Speed (lvl. 24): Increases your walk and run speeds
- Natural Resistance (lvl. 30): Increases resistances to elemental damage
Warcries:
- Howl (lvl. 1): Sends nearby monsters scrambling in fear
- Find Potion (lvl. 1): Can make a potion from a monster corpse
- Shout (lvl. 6): Warns of impending danger and improves the defense rating of you and your party
- Taunt (lvl. 6): Taunts a monster to walk to you and engage in melee range combat with you
- Find Item (lvl. 12): Grants a chance that an item can be found on a corpse
- Battle Cry (lvl. 18): Frightens nearby enemies, lowering their defense and damage
- Battle Orders (lvl. 24): Increases the maximum Life, Mana, and Stamina of you and your party
- Grim Ward (lvl. 24): Turns a corpse into a fetish that will frighten monsters away
- Battle Command (lvl. 30): Temporarily increases the skills of party members by 1
- War Cry (lvl. 30): Damages and stuns your enemies
There are numerous different builds that Diablo 2: Resurrected players can use when playing a Barbarian whether they want to focus on PvP or PvE content. However, players should focus their investment of skill points wisely, which includes fully levelling up a weapon mastery, and deciding whether the player wants to tank a ton of damage without dying or deal damage. Players can mix these, as well as putting a bit of party support with either option, but higher difficulty levels require specialized builds. Even though some consider Barbarian to be one of the worst classes in Diablo 2: Resurrected, the class can still perform fine if built correctly.
It will be interesting to see how Diablo 2: Resurrected turns out when it releases. Players have a lot of options for how to play the game when they jump into it, so fans may want to start preparing for Diablo 2: Resurrected. Thankfully, players don't have too much longer to wait to return to the classic title that redefined action-RPGs.
Diablo 2: Resurrected releases on September 23 for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
MORE: Comparing Diablo 4's Barbarian Class to Diablo 2: Resurrected's
