Best Diablo 4 Whirlwind Twister Barbarian builds in Season 5

Cande Maldonado
Diablo 4 Barbarian pause menu

Diablo 4 Season 5’s lootpool makes many classes shine in Diablo 4 Season 5, but the Barbarian’s Whirlwind Twister build is the standout.

The Season of the Infernal Hordes is named after Season 5’s new mechanic, though it may be the first “purposefully broken” season to introduce level-skipping bugs and build enhancing uniques, like the Crown of Lucion.

If you want to make the most of these new uniques and build the best Whirlwind Twister Barbarian in Diablo 4, this guide is for you. If you’re still not sold on this build, check out our best Barbarian builds guide.

A Whirlwind Barbarian build fighting in a dungeon in Diablo 4
The battlefield is tainted red with your Whirlwinds.

Best Whirlwind Twister Barbarian leveling build in Diablo 4 Season 5

As you level while playing through either the campaign or the new Season 5 content, you’ll want to make sure you’re selecting skills in the following order:

LevelSkill
1Flay
2Enhanced Flay
3Battle Flay
4Whirlwind
5Enhanced Whirlwind
6Furious Whirlwind
7Rallying Cry
8Enhanced Rallying Cry
9Tactical Rallying Cry
10Whirlwind
11Whirlwind
12Whirlwind
13Whirlwind
14Charge
15Enhanced Charge
16Mighty Charge
17Death Blow
18Enhanced Death Blow
19Fighter’s Death Blow
20Flay
21Imposing Presence
22Imposing Presence
23Imposing Presence
24Wrath of the Berseker
25Prime Wrath of the Berseker
26Supreme Wrath of the Berseker
27Flay
28Flay
29Flay
30Swiftness
31Swiftness
32Swiftness
33Pit Fighter
34Walking Arsenal
35Charge
36Charge
37Charge
38Charge
39Pit Fighter
40Pit Fighter
41Hmstring
42Cut to the Bone
43Cut to the Bone
44Cut to the Bone
45Death Blow
46Death Blow
47Death Blow
48Death Blow
49Thick Skin
Renown 1Counteroffensive
Renown 2Counteroffensive
Renown 3Counteroffensive
Renown 4Defensive Stance
Renown 5Defensive Stance
Renown 6Heavy Handed
Renown 7Brute Force
Renown 8Brute Force
Renown 9Brute Force

Once you get the hang of the Whirlwind Twister Barbarian, you’ll be zooming through packs of monsters faster than they can say “loot drop.” That said, it’s not all smooth sailing from the get-go.

Fury generation might trip you up early on, yet it’s just a minor annoyance until you figure out the flow.

To keep that whirlwind going, you’ll need some reliable backup. Enter Flay, your trusty generator for when you need to poke something hard. It’s not flashy, but it gets the job done. Then, there’s Rallying Cry, your go-to shout for Fury and a little speed boost.

For those moments when you need to close the gap or just flex on some poor minions, Charge will have your back, doubling as a solid secondary damage source. And when it’s time to put the big bad bosses out of their misery, Death Blow steps in as your finishing move.

Don’t forget to claim your rewards from the Season 5 Battle Pass and spend your Smouldering Ashes in the EXP boost to reach level 50 in a matter of hours.

Best Arsenal setup for leveling

The Arsenal system lets you assign specific weapons to each of your attack skills, with each weapon adding its own little bonus. You’ll also get to double-dip on those sweet weapon perks thanks to the Technique Slot.

Notably, the Arsenal System shows up automatically at Level 5. As for the Technique Slot, you’ll grab that at Level 15 after a quick and easy Masters of Battle quest in the Dry Steppes.

The Whirlwind Twister build plays nice with every weapon in your arsenal, which is convenient since you’ll be assigning them like a micromanager.

  • Flay goes with your Dual-Wield weapons to keep that Fury flowing.
  • Slap Whirlwind on your Two-Handed Slashing weapon.
  • Death Blow and Charge get paired with your Two-Handed Bludgeoning weapon to max out the benefits of Walking Arsenal.
  • For the Technique Slot, Two-Handed Axe Expertise is your best friend.

Best leveling rotation

This is the best rotation for a leveling Whirlwind Twister Barbarian in Diablo 4:

  • Rallying Cry
  • Wrath of the Berserker
  • Charge
  • Whirlwind
  • Flay
  • Death Blow

Such a rotation is all about maximizing your Barbarian’s destructive potential while keeping things moving.

Start by shouting with Rallying Cry to buff up and stay mobile, then unleash your inner beast with Wrath of the Berserker to amp up your damage.

Charge into the fray like you’ve got something to prove, and once you’re in the thick of it, Whirlwind away. Flay adds some extra spice with bleed damage, and when it’s time to wrap things up, Death Blow finishes the job.

Best leveling Legendary Aspects

The Codex of Power is a collection of Legendary Aspects you can slap onto Rare or Legendary gear at the Occultist. You unlock Legendary Aspects by clearing specific Dungeons around Sanctuary.

Here are the best Legendary Aspects for a leveling Whirlwind Twister Barbarian in Diablo 4:

AspectPowerDungeonRegion
Relentless ArmsmasterGrants increase Fury Generation and reduces Fury cost while Walking Arsenal is active.Calibel’s MineScosglen
Earthstriker’sAfter you swap weapons 8 times, your next skill Overpowers and deals increased Overpower damage.Maugan’s WorksHawezar
SlakingIncreases your chance to earn Fury when a Core Skill damages a Bleeding enemy.MaulwoodFractured Peaks

Best Whirlwind Twister Barbarian endgame build in Diablo 4 Season 5

A Whirlwind Barbarian build fighting in a dungeon in Diablo 4
Storm into every room with your Whirlwind Fury.

Active Skills

Active SkillUpgradesPoints allocated
Lunging StrikeEnhanced1
WhirlwindEnhanced Furious1
Rallying CryEnhanced, Tactical1
Challenging ShoutEnhanced, Tactical1
KickEnhanced1
War CryEnhanced, Power5
Wrath of the BerserkerPrime, Supreme1

Passive Skills

Passive SkillPoints
Pressure Point1
Imposing Pressence3
Martial Vigor3
Booming Voice3
Guttural Yell3
Raid Leader3
Swiftness3
Aggressive Resistance3
Prolific Fury3
Pit Fighter3
Slaying Strike3
Thick Skin1
Counteroffensive3
Wallop3
Unconstrained1

The Whirlwind Twister Barbarian build gets the job done with style and brutality.

This build focuses on balancing power and comfort throughout the game. If mowing down hordes in a whirlwind of destruction sounds like fun, gear up, and shout your loudest Rallying Cry.

Best Arsenal setup for the endgame

In this build, we allocate our weapons strategically to maximize damage and utility.

  • One-Handed Sword Expertise: Helps manage Fury consumption.
  • One-Handed Mace Expertise: Provides a damage boost against Stunned enemies and adds an extra source of Berserking.
  • Technique Slot: Two-Handed Axe: It increases damage to Vulnerable enemies.

We use One-Handed Sword Expertise to help manage Fury consumption

The One-Handed Mace Expertise offers a reliable damage boost against Stunned enemies and adds an extra Berserking effect for enhanced combat effectiveness.

In the Technique Slot, go for the Two-Handed Axe, which increases our damage against Vulnerable enemies – a key factor in clearing tougher content. However, remember that the Technique Slot doesn’t grant secondary bonuses from rank 10 expertise.

Best endgame rotation

This is the best rotation for an endgame Whirlwind Twister Barbarian in Diablo 4:

  • Rallying Cry
  • War Cry
  • Challenging Shout
  • Wrath of the Berserker
  • Kick
  • Whirlwind

This rotation is all about buffing up and then unleashing chaos.

Start with Rallying Cry to ensure you’re zipping around the battlefield while generating Fury like a madman. Then, hit War Cry to go Berserk and crank up your damage.

Challenging Shout keeps you from getting squashed when facing big groups or tough foes. When it’s time to really melt faces, unleash Wrath of the Berserker for a huge power spike.

Use Kick to punt enemies where you want them, then dive into Whirlwind and watch everything around you turn to dust.

Best endgame Legendary Aspects

Here are the best Legendary Aspects for Whirlwind Twister Barbarians in Diablo 4:

AspectPowerDungeonRegion
Vocalized EmpowermentYour Shout skills generate Primary Resource.Sirocco CavernsKehjistan
Numbing WrathEach point of Fury generated while at Maximum Fury Grants Fortify.Heathen’s KeepHawezar
Iron BloodGain damage reduction for each nearby Bleeding enemy.Forgotten RuinsKehjistan
Relentless Berserker’sExtend Berserking duration each time you damage an enemy with a Core Skill.Hakan’s RefugeKehjistan
Wind StrikerCritical Strikes grant Movement Speed.Shivta RuinsKehjistan
Berserk RippingInflict Bleeding while Berserking.MournfieldDry Steppes
Edgemaster’sDeal increased damage based on available Primary Resource.OldstonesScosglen
Dire WhirlwindWhirlwind’s Critical Strike Chance increases with time.Garan HoldScosglen
Brawler’sGain increased damage for each enemy hit with Kick.Haunted RefugeHawezar
Bold Chieftain’sShout Skills reduce cooldown.Gamble Murmuring Obols
StarlightEarn Primary Resource for life healed.Gamble Murmuring Obols
Ancestral ChargeCharge calls forth four Ancients who also charge.Gamble Murmuring Obols

Remember, you can also strip these Aspects from their original item and apply them to an item of your choosing.

Paragon Board

A Diablo 4's Whirlwind Barbarian build Paragon Points menu
With the right Paragon Boards and Glyphs, your endgame Whirlwind Twister Barb will be unstoppable.

Once you hit Level 50, skill points become a thing of the past, and Paragon points take over.

This new system makes you pick upgrades from themed boards loaded with buffs. Each path is unique, but the upside is you can tweak your Whirlwind Twister Barbarian build with specific Glyphs to boost your build exactly how you want in Diablo 4.

Best Glyphs

Check out the recommended Glyphs to target and get your Barb in top shape:

Level 15

  • Twister
  • Exploit
  • Disembowel
  • Ambidextrous
  • Undaunted
  • Bloodfeeder

Level 21

  • Twister
  • Ambidextrous
  • Bloodfeeder
  • Undaunted
  • Exploit
  • Disembowel

Best endgame item build

Item SocketItem typePower
Crown of LucionRubyHelmUsing skills with a resource cost, you gain increased damage.
Rage of Harrogath2 RubiesChestWhen you inflict Bleeding on an enemy, you get a chance to reduce skill cooldowns.
Devilish Runic GlovesGlovesWhen you generate100 Fury, the next direct damage creates Dust Devils.
Tibault’s Will2 RubiesPantsDeal increased damage and restore 50 points of Primary Resource while Unstoppable.
Ghostwalker RunicBootsGet increased movement speed while Unstoppable.
Bonebreaker of Fierce Winds2 EmeraldsLeft HandShout Skills create 3 Dust Devils, which are bigger and deal increased damage.
Ramaladni’s Magnum OpusEmeraldLeft Hand 2Skills using this weapon deal increased damage per Fury point.
Skullsplitter of Anger ManagementEmeraldRight HandWhen you have over 40 Fury, you are Berserk.
Dust Devil’s Demonblade2 EmeraldsRight Hand 2Whirlwind leaves behind Dust Devils.
Slaking AmuletEmeraldAmuletChance to gain Fury when a Core deal deals damage to Bleeding enemies.
Starlight BandDiamondRingGain Primary Resource for life healed.
Bold Chieftain BandDiamondRingWhen you cast a Shout Skill, your cooldown is reduced.

Make sure to farm Mother’s Gifts and clear Infernal Hordes frequently to get some of the best loot this season.

Best Whirlwind Twister Barbarian PvP build in Diablo 4 Season 5

The endgame build for Whirlwind Twister Barbarian works well for PvP in Diablo 4.

It’s got sturdy defenses, making it an impenetrable force for most classes and builds. We strongly recommend you invest in improving your Fury supply to avoid running out in the middle of combat.

Now that you know how to craft this top-tier Barbarian build, check out our guides for the Druid, Sorcerer, Rogue, and Necromancer.

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