Barbarian skills

This page lists all known Barbarian skills, with information that was current as of August 2011. This page is a quick listing; follow the links to the individual skill pages for full discussion of every skill, including first hand reports, Blue quotes, runestone information, and numerous screenshots and other images.

All character skills have undergone considerable changes during development, with the biggest change coming before Blizzcon 2010, when skill trees and passive skills were removed from the skill listing and Traits were introduced. See the Barbarian skill archive for information about skill changes over time.

Useful skill links:

• Skills - General skill design and mechanics.
  • Active skills -- Skills where effects are activated by the player.
  • Passive skills -- Skills where effects are activated automatically, by the computer or by special events.
  • Signature skills -- Skills that define characters.
  • Shouts -- Skills that buff the player or debuff monsters.
• Fury -- The Barbarian's energy resource.
• Runestones -- The huge skill customization and improvement system.
• Barbarian skill archive -- Removed Barbarian skills.
• Barbarian traits -- Passive skills in Diablo III were called traits for a while before reverting back.

Active Skills

Barbarian Skill Tree interpretation by Muldric.

Click to the individual skill pages for more details about these skills including numbers, screenshots, runestone information, blue quotes, and much more.

Bash

Bash is available at level 1.
A powerful melee swiping attack, this hits a single target for heavy damage, with a chance to knockback as well.

• Description: Bashes the enemy for X-X weapon damage, with a X% chance to cause knockback.

Ground Stomp

Ground Stomp is available at level 1.
This defensive skill causes the Barbarian to stomp his foot, crushing the earth and stunning all nearby enemies. With runestones it can add damage, knockback, and more.

• Description: Shakes the ground, stunning all enemies within X feet for X seconds.

Hammer of the Ancients

Hammer of the Ancients is available at level 2.
The Barbarian swings a huge yellow hammer overhead, crushing it down on enemies for massive damage, plus a good chance of critical damage.

• Description: Calls forth a massive hammer to smash the enemy for X% weapon damage, and has a X% critical chance.

Battle Rage

Battle Rage is available at level 3.
A shout that provides a damage boost and critical hit improvement for a short duration.

• Description: Enter a rage which provides a X% damage boost and X% critical hit bonus for X seconds.

Ignore Pain

Ignore Pain is available at level 4.
A shout, this skill reduces all damage taken and grants immunity to most debuffs.

• Description: Reduces all damage taken by X% and grants immunity to root, snare and stun effects for X seconds.

Cleave

Cleave is available at level 5.
A powerful melee attack, this hits multiple enemies per swing; as many as are within the sweep of the Barbarian's reach, dealing substantial damage to everything.

• Description: The Barbarian swings at multiple targets at once, dealing X% weapon damage to all targets in front of him.

Leap Attack

Leap Attack is available at level 6.
A deadly fast attack, this one allows the Barbarian to leap into attack, moving far faster than running speed, as well as vaulting over obstacles or monsters between him and his prey.

• Description: The Barbarian makes a mighty leap, causing X% weapon damage to all enemies within X feet upon landing.

Weapon Throw

Weapon Throw is available at level 7.
A powerful ranged attack, this one allows the Barbarian to hurl his weapon at enemies. Runestones add amazing effects, including one in which the Barbarian hurls a monster corpse, dealing high damage to nearby targets.

• Description: The Barbarian hurls a weapon at his foes, causing X% weapon damage and slows the target to X% of their normal movement speed for X seconds.

Rend

Rend is available at level 8.
A melee attack that deals considerable bonus damage to all enemies within range.

• Description: Perform a slashing vicious blow to all enemies within X feet, dealing X% weapon damage and an additional X-X physical damage over X seconds.

Threatening Shout

Threatening Shout is available at level 9.
A shout that debuffs enemies, lowering their damage.

• Description: Shouts with great ferocity, reducing damage done by enemies within X feet by X% for X seconds.

Frenzy

Frenzy is available at level 11.
Consecutive hits with this melee skill grant increased attack speed and weapon damage.

• Description: Each strike grants a X% attack speed and X% weapon damage boost for X seconds. Frenzy can be stacked up to X times for a total bonus of X% attack speed and X% weapon damage.

Revenge

Revenge is available at level 12.
A melee skill, this one becomes available when when the Barbarian is hit. It deals a fast spinning hit that can strike multiple enemies for considerable damage. When seen at Blizzcon 2010, this skill was an active one; players had to hit the button to trigger it once it was enabled. The skill was changed to a direct, automated strike of some sort during later development, though details are not yet known.

• Description: When hit, there is a X% chance the Barbarian may strike all enemies within X feet, dealing X% weapon damage and gaining X% health for each enemy hit.

War Cry

War Cry is available at level 14.
This shout boosts the Barbarian's Fury, as well as the armor of the Barbarian and all nearby party members.

• Description: A terrifying cry that provides X fury and increases the armor of the Barbarian and all party members within X feet by X% for X seconds.

Furious Charge

Furious Charge is available at level 16.
A very fast moving charge attack, enabling the Barbarian to pass through enemies on the way to his target.

• Description: Charge directly at an enemy causing X% weapon damage to them and X% damage to enemies in the way.

Seismic Slam

Seismic Slam is available at level 18.
A more powerful version of Ground Stomp, this skill deals higher damage and knocks back enemies, rather than stunning them.

• Description: Slam the ground causing a wave of destruction that deals X% weapon damage in front of the Barbarian and causes knockback.

Overpower

Overpower is available at level 19.
No description is available.

Ancient Spear

Ancient Spear is available at level 21.
"Get over here!" A spear on a chain, hurled to skewer enemies and drag them closer. Runestones can add the ability to skewer multiple enemies on a single spear. This skill should really be called "Ancient Harpoon" since harpoons have barbs and ropes to pull in the aquatic life form they are used to skewer. Spears have neither barbs nor ropes attached.

• Description: Throws a spear with a maximum range of X feet, pulling each target back to the Barbarian, slowing movement speed and dealing X-X damage.

Whirlwind

Whirlwind is available at level 22.
The classic Diablo 2 skill, this one allows the Barbarian to whirl in a moving circle, landing multiple hits to anything in range. Can be quite dangerous in PvP, since a slowed Barbarian becomes a sitting duck, unable to exit the WW in case of emergency.

• Description: The Barbarian swirls in a cyclone, delivering multiple attacks to everything in his path with each hit doing X% weapon damage.

Sprint

Sprint is available at level 23.
A shout that buffs the Barbarian with extra movement speed.

• Description: Grants X% speed boost for X seconds.

Earthquake

Earthquake is available at level 24.
This stomp causes massive damage to all nearby enemies.

• Description: Shakes the earth violently, causing massive damage to all nearby enemies.

Call of the Ancients

Call of the Ancients is available at level 27.
The only summoning skill of the Barbarian, this one allows him to summon the Ancients from Diablo II, who will briefly assist in battle.

• Description: Summons three ancient Barbarians; Talic, Korlic and Madawc, who inflict X% weapon damage. Lasts X seconds.

Wrath of the Berserker

Wrath of the Berserker is available at level 29.
This shout grants higher stats and enables the Barbarian to partially break monster immunities.

• Description: Enter a heightened sense of fury, raising several stats (Critical Hit, Attack Speed, Dodge Chance, Movement Speed) for X seconds. Monsters with damage immunities will take X% less damage from the Barbarian's attacks rather than being immune.

Passive Skills

Passive skills replaced Traits during late game development in 2011. Many Traits were simply changed to passive skills, but some are all new. See the Barbarian traits page for a full list of those passives.

Animosity is a Barbarian passive skill unlocked at Level 27, which increases Fury generation and maximum Fury.

Description

Name	Level	Description

<skill class="Barbarian">Animosity</skill>

Synergies

While Animosity doesn't affect any Barbarian skill directly, all Fury Spending skills can be cast more often with this passive in effect.

Development

Passive skills have had a long and storied history. When Diablo III debuted at the WWI 2008, skill trees included passive skills, much like in Diablo II. In 2010, it was announced that passive skills had been renamed traits and separated out from active skills. At the July 2011 Press Event, Blizzard announced that passive skills were once again in the game, replacing the traits system. Animosity was first revealed in the July 2011 Press Event with a listed level of 1 (presumably so players could try it out from the beginning).

Beta

The beta started in September 2011, and Animosity was moved to level 19. When passives were reorganized for Beta Patch 14, Animosity was moved up to level 27.

References

• Zediono's translation of JudgeHype's pre-beta report — IncGamers 1st Aug 2011
• Kastigar's Really Big Barb thread — IncGamers 8th Sep 2011
• Barbarian Passive Skills — Blizzard's Official Diablo III Site

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Berserker Rage is a Barbarian passive skill unlocked at Level 20, which increases the Barbarian's damage when he is full of Fury.

Description

Name	Level	Description

<skill class="Barbarian">Berserker Rage</skill>

Synergies

No synergies with any active skills or other Barbarian passives are known.

Development

Passive skills have had a long and storied history. When Diablo III debuted at the WWI 2008, skill trees included passive skills, much like in Diablo II. In 2010, it was announced that passive skills had been renamed traits and separated out from active skills. At the July 2011 Press Event, Blizzard announced that passive skills were once again in the game, replacing the traits system. Berserker Rage was first revealed in the July 2011 Press Event with a listed level of 1 (presumably so players could try it out from the beginning).

Beta

The beta started in September 2011, and Berserker Rage was moved to level 17. When passives were reorganized for Beta Patch 14, Berserker Rage was moved up to level 20.

References

• Zediono's translation of JudgeHype's pre-beta report — IncGamers 1st Aug 2011
• Kastigar's Really Big Barb thread — IncGamers 8th Sep 2011
• Barbarian Passive Skills — Blizzard's Official Diablo III Site

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Bloodthirst is a Barbarian passive skill unlocked at Level 24, which causes the Barbarian to gain life based on the amount of damage he deals, in a traditional leech-skill.

Reaper of Souls Change

This skill is set for a big change/nerf in Reaper of Souls. Datamined information tells of its future:[1]

Bloodthirst: Each point of Fury spent heals you for 165 Life. Heal amount is increased by 1% of your Health Globe Healing Bonus.

This is part of RoS' across-the-board change to healing, which is almost entirely removing Life Steal from the game, whether it comes from skills or item bonuses.

Current Description

One of the many powerful Barbarian passive skills, Bloodthirst provides a passive Life Steal bonus no other class can match. (Other classes can add Life Steal with specific skills, but never via a full time passive.) This skill makes things much easier for the Barbarian's survival and can open up more gear options, since Barbs can obtain Life Steal from this, or from their Mighty Belts, while all other classes can only get Life Steal from weapons.

Name	Level	Description

<skill class="Barbarian">Bloodthirst</skill>

Synergies

There are no direct synergies with any active skills or other Barbarian passives. However all skills that boost damage boost the effectiveness of Life Steal, and the Barbarian has a number of those.

Development

Passive skills have had a long and storied history. When Diablo III debuted at the WWI 2008, skill trees included passive skills, much like in Diablo II. In 2010, it was announced that passive skills had been renamed traits and separated out from active skills. At the July 2011 Press Event, Blizzard announced that passive skills were once again in the game, replacing the traits system. Bloodthirst is unique in that it was an original passive skill and is once again a passive skill, but was never a trait. For the July 2011 Press Event, it had a listed level of 1 (presumably so players could try it out from the beginning), but for the beta, it was a level 10 passive.

Beta

The beta started in September 2011, and Bloodthirst was moved to level 10. When passives were reorganized for Beta Patch 14, Bloodthirst was moved up to level 24.

Previous Versions

• Bloodthirst (skill) - The original passive skill.

In Other Games

Players familiar with Diablo II (or WarCraft II or DotA) will recognize that this skill provides lifesteal. However, in Diablo II most skills didn't give life per hit, but there were health leeching prefixes on weapons, which could make any class gain health on hits.

References

• Zediono's translation of JudgeHype's pre-beta report — IncGamers 1st Aug 2011
• Kastigar's Really Big Barb thread — IncGamers 8th Sep 2011
• Barbarian Passive Skills — Blizzard's Official Diablo III Site
• Datamined Barbarian skill changes forum thread.

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Relentless is a Barbarian passive skill unlocked at Level 40, which reduces damage taken and eliminates Fury cost when the Barbarian is badly injured.

Description

Name	Level	Description

<skill class="Barbarian">Relentless</skill>

Synergies

While Relentless doesn't affect any Barbarian skills directly, all Fury Spending skills can be cast with impunity as long as Relentless is active and the Barbarian is low on health.

Development

Passive skills have had a long and storied history. When Diablo III debuted at the WWI 2008, skill trees included passive skills, much like in Diablo II. In 2010, it was announced that passive skills had been renamed traits and separated out from active skills. At the July 2011 Press Event, Blizzard announced that passive skills were once again in the game, replacing the traits system. Relentless was first revealed in the July 2011 Press Event with a listed level of 1 (presumably so players could try it out from the beginning).

Beta

The beta started in September 2011, and Relentless was moved to level 25. When passives were reorganized for Beta Patch 14, Relentless was moved up to level 40.

References

• Zediono's translation of JudgeHype's pre-beta report — IncGamers 1st Aug 2011
• Kastigar's Really Big Barb thread — IncGamers 8th Sep 2011
• Barbarian Passive Skills — Blizzard's Official Diablo III Site

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Ruthless is a Barbarian passive skill unlocked at Level 10, which increases the chance and damage of critical hits.

Description

Name	Level	Description

<skill class="Barbarian">Ruthless</skill>

Synergies

No synergies with any active skills or other Barbarian passives are known.

Development

Passive skills have had a long and storied history. When Diablo III debuted at the WWI 2008, skill trees included passive skills, much like in Diablo II. In 2010, it was announced that passive skills had been renamed traits and separated out from active skills. At the July 2011 Press Event, Blizzard announced that passive skills were once again in the game, replacing the traits system. Ruthless was first revealed in the July 2011 Press Event with a listed level as 1 (presumably so players could try it out from the beginning).

Beta

The beta started in September 2011, and Ruthless was moved to level 12, and later dropped to level 10. Passives were reorganized for Beta Patch 14, but Ruthless didn't change.

References

• Zediono's translation of JudgeHype's pre-beta report — IncGamers 1st Aug 2011
• Kastigar's Really Big Barb thread — IncGamers 8th Sep 2011
• Barbarian Passive Skills — Blizzard's Official Diablo III Site

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Unforgiving is a Barbarian passive skill unlocked at Level 55, which eliminates Fury decay and increases Fury regeneration.

Description

Name	Level	Description

<skill class="Barbarian">Unforgiving</skill>

Synergies

While Unforgiving doesn't affect any Barbarian skills directly, all Fury Spending skills can be cast more often with this passive in effect.

Development

Passive skills have had a long and storied history. When Diablo III debuted at the WWI 2008, skill trees included passive skills, much like in Diablo II. In 2010, it was announced that passive skills had been renamed traits and separated out from active skills. At the July 2011 Press Event, Blizzard announced that passive skills were once again in the game, replacing the traits system. Unforgiving was first revealed in the July 2011 Press Event with a listed level of 1 (presumably so players could try it out from the beginning).

Beta

The beta started in September 2011, and Unforgiving was moved to level 30. When passives were reorganized for Beta Patch 14, Unforgiving was moved up to level 55.

References

• Zediono's translation of JudgeHype's pre-beta report — 1st Aug 2011
• Kastigar's Really Big Barb thread — IncGamers 8th Sep 2011
• Barbarian Passive Skills — Blizzard's Official Diablo III Site

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| | Iron Skin | Increases armor by Template:Cyanize. | 10 |Barbarian |-

Pound of Flesh is a Barbarian passive skill unlocked at Level 10, which increases the frequency and healing power of health globes.

Hover for latest stats

Description

This passive improves the odds of a health globe dropping. It's assumed that this only works for kills by the character with the passive, since unlike gold and item drops, health globes are shared/seen by all characters in the game.

Synergies

No synergies with any active skills or other Barbarian passives are known.

Development

Passive skills have had a long and storied history. When Diablo III debuted at the WWI 2008, skill trees included passive skills, much like in Diablo II. In 2010, it was announced that passive skills had been renamed traits and separated out from active skills. At the July 2011 Press Event, Blizzard announced that passive skills were once again in the game, replacing the traits system. When traits were changed back to passive skills in early 2011, Pound of Flesh was moved directly from a level 11 trait to a level 1 passive (presumably so players could try it out from the beginning).

Beta

The beta started in September 2011, and Pound of Flesh was moved to level 10. Passives were reorganized for Beta Patch 14, but Pound of Flesh didn't change.

Previous Versions

• Pound of Flesh (trait) - As a trait.

See the traits page for more details on previous versions of this and many other passive skills.

References

• JudgeHype.com BlizzCon 2010 Coverage — The Barbarian (Translated by Zediono)
• Zediono's translation of JudgeHype's pre-beta report — IncGamers 1st Aug 2011
• Kastigar's Really Big Barb thread — IncGamers 8th Sep 2011
• Barbarian Passive Skills — Blizzard's Official Diablo III Site

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Intimidation is a rune effect in Mantra of Conviction, a Mantra-type Monk skill.

This rune effect retains the base skill function, and adds a debuff to enemies in range so they deal 10% less damage.

Skill Rune Effects

See the Mantra of Conviction rune effects article for thorough coverage of all the rune effects in this skill, including screenshots, videos, and strategy tips.

Name	Level	Description

<skill subcat="Mantras" class="Monk">Mantra of Conviction</skill> <skill class="Monk" rune="Intimidation">Mantra of Conviction</skill>

Media

Screenshots and videos will be added post-release.

Development

Prior to the February 2012 skill and rune system reworking, this rune effect was granted by the Alabaster Rune, which created the following effect:

Intimidation

[e] Enemies affected by Mantra of Conviction inflict 45% less damage.

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| | Cruelty | Unknown. (Currently shares a description with Bloodthirst.) | 15 |Barbarian |-

| | Aggression | Increases attack by Template:Cyanize. | 17 |Barbarian |-

| | Superior Skill | Increases precision by Template:Cyanize. | 19 |Barbarian |-

| | Expert Defense | Increases defense by Template:Cyanize. | 20 |Barbarian |-

| | Toughness | Increases vitality by Template:Cyanize. | ?? |Barbarian |-

| | Weak Spot | Increases critical strike damage by Template:Cyanize. | ?? |Barbarian |-

Superstition is a Barbarian passive skill unlocked at Level 30, which reduces non-physical damage and increases Fury generation.

Description

Name	Level	Description

<skill class="Barbarian">Superstition</skill>

Synergies

While Superstition doesn't affect any Barbarian skill directly, all Fury Spending skills can be cast more often with this passive in effect, as long as the Barbarian is taking non-melee damage.

Development

Passive skills have had a long and storied history. When Diablo III debuted at the WWI 2008, skill trees included passive skills, much like in Diablo II. In 2010, it was announced that passive skills had been renamed traits and separated out from active skills. At the July 2011 Press Event, Blizzard announced that passive skills were once again in the game, replacing the traits system. Superstition was first revealed in the July 2011 Press Event as a level 26 skill.

Beta

The beta started in September 2011, and Superstition was moved to level 20. When passives were reorganized for Beta Patch 14, Superstition was moved up to level 30.

References

• Zediono's translation of JudgeHype's pre-beta report — IncGamers 1st Aug 2011
• Kastigar's Really Big Barb thread — IncGamers 8th Sep 2011
• Barbarian Passive Skills — Blizzard's Official Diablo III Site

Template:Skill navbox Diablo IIISlaughter Bad Temper Frenzied Attacks Insane Courage Second Wind Shield of Iron Tough as Nails |}

Development

The Barbarian's skills and skill trees were first seen at BlizzCon 2008, with only a few skills enabled and many showing nothing more than vague descriptions in the skill tree.

Removed Skills

• Rampage
• Taunt

The updated Barbarian skills list at Blizzcon 2010 removed all earlier passive skills (they became Barbarian traits) and changed around a number of active skills as well.

Five skills were added in Blizzcon 2010.

• Rampage
• War Cry
• Ancient Spear
• Rend
• Call of the Ancients

The following skills were present in 2009, and gone in 2010. Many of these were turned, more or less directly, into Barbarian Traits.

• Berserker Skills
  • Bad Temper
  • Double Strike
  • Slashing Strike
  • Berserker State
  • Onslaught
• Juggernaut Skills
  • Scavenge
  • Invigorated
  • Bloodthirst
  • Recovery
  • Strong Constitution
• Battlemaster Skills
  • Battle Cry
  • Second Wind
  • Stubborn
  • Enrage
  • Inspiration
  • Retaliation
  • Cripple

References

• Full Barbarian Skill Trees and Stats
• Zediono's translation of JudgeHype's pre-beta report -- IncGamers 1st Aug 2011

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