Build:Barbarian Barbaricare

Guide Author: Squirrel1221
Original Posting: Diablo: IncGamer's Forums
Patch Number: Patch 2.0.4

About the BuildEdit

Endearingly termed “Barbari-care,” Squirrel has put together a build inspired by a single item: Razor Strop (db). While equipped, this Legendary belt transforms Health Globes into diminutive detonators that, in addition to healing your hero for their normal amount, will also explode whenever picked up, dealing Fire damage to all enemies within 20 yards.

“This build is theorycrafted based on an item I found before RoS was released, but after Loot 2.0,” Squirrel writes in. While he hasn't yet acquired a level 70 version of Razor Strop to explode demonic faces and play doctor for his party members, he’s put some careful consideration into the finer points of what would make this build shine—and, of course, be fun to play!

Recommended Difficulty and Game ModeEdit

While a mostly novelty build, the core concept excels in group play and, with help from your friends, can provide great utility and additional damage in any difficulty level and any game mode. It’s recommended to test this build out, at least to start, in Normal on Master or Torment I.

To get a feel for what a similar build might look like in Torment VI, be sure to check out this video by Mikromanus!

The SkillsEdit

Let’s look closer at what it takes to be the ultimate healthcare Barbarian.

Skills

Active Skills

• Hammer of the Ancients (Birthright)

• Your primary single-target damage dealer
• Your primary method of directly generating Health Globes

• Whirlwind (Hurricane)

• Secondary damaging ability
• Pulls enemies in to better capitalize on Hammer of the Ancient’s small area of effect

• Leap (Call of Arreat)

• Primary escape ability
• An additional method of entering the fray and pulling in enemies to mow down
• As an added bonus, a minor [wiki]Fury[/wiki] generator

• Threatening Shout (Grim Harvest)

• Increases the chance of Health Globe generation
• Provides some self and group defensive utility

• Battle Rage (Swords to Ploughshares)

• Synergizes well with Hammer of the Ancients (Birthright) for both Health Globe generation and dealing additional damage
• Provides a self-buff to damage

• Ground Stomp (Jarring Slam)

• Synergizes with other Health Globe generation abilities
• Provides additional self and group defensive utility
• The 4 second stun provided by Jarring Slam gives ample time to collect existing Health Globes for more explosions

Passive Skills

• Bloodthirst

• [Supports sustain based on Health Globe Bonuses

• Animosity

• Combined with Unforgiving, replaces using a Fury Generator

• Unforgiving

• Combined with Animosity, replaces a Fury Generator

• Weapons Master

• Offers synergies and supports the use of certain weapons
• Using Maces or Axes for additional Critical Hit Chance encouraged

ItemsEdit

The core of this build is focused on Razor Strop, as both the inspiration and the linchpin for tying everything together. Of course, there’s always room for improvement, and there’s several items that can complement other aspects of this build, both thematically and mechanically.

Core Items

These items form the foundation of this build, and are largely necessary.

Razor Strop

• The heart and soul of this build, this is what turns Health Globes into not just a health resource, but a major portion of your damage

Complementary Items

These items compliment this build and provide synergy with existing mechanics.

Solanium

• The Legendary affix plays well into the build, offering yet another source of Health Globes Synergizes with the Weapon Master passive.

Reaper’s Wraps

• Helps reduce the need for a Fury Generator, allowing the doctor to operate in longer procedures

Lut Socks

• The Call of Arreat rune brings patients in, enabling doctors to treat multiple patients simultaneously

Rakoff’s Glass of Life

• Provides an additional source of Health Globes

The Ess of Johan

• Provides an alternative to Rakoff’s Glass of Life and Leap (Call of Arreat)

Illusory Boot

• Allows easier access to Health Globes in mob situations
• Can act as a replacement for the movement benefits of Whirlwind

Thematic Items

These items are more of a flavorful addition to this build, if you wish to explore the theme more thoroughly.

Gladiator Gauntlets

• Doctors have to get paid!

Unity

• Medical knowledge (and survivability) grows with unity

Sever

• Every good doctor has a trusty scalpel

Recommended Stats

Of course, not every slot needs to be a build-changing or complementing Legendary. On your other items, you should look out for the following stats:

• Cooldown Reduction allows your Fury generating abilities to be used more frequently
• Critical Hit Chance is a core damaging and healing stat, as it increases the amount of Health Globes available to you
• Pickup Radius makes it much easier to pick up all those tasty Health Globes
• +% Damage to Physical Skills improves the effectiveness of your primary damage dealing skills