Juggler Barbarian BUILD for Diablo IV
Diablo IV launches on June 6th, 2023 for PC (Battle.Net), XBOX, & PlayStation with a 4 days Early Access (no wipe) for pre-orders (so kind of really launching June 2nd).
Diablo IV‘s Open Beta Tests are almost here and I felt motivated to make some Pre-Launch theorycrafted semi-builds that should be good for ‘fresh-into-endgame’ characters when the game launches. I also plan to evolve them into FULL builds when the game is released & keep them updated when we get rebalance updates. This is one such build for the Barbarian Class called Juggler.
The Beta tests will only let us reach lvl 25 and only let us play in the first Act/Zone (Fractured Peaks) so those builds will be more useful for the actual game launch and ideally for characters around lvl 50+ or 60+. I’ve used 50+ and 60+ skill points when making the build instead of the full 100 so that they can be used to jumpstart a player’s post-story endgame grind.
I’ve also made spreadsheets for those builds (see the links below) that have shortlisted the active and passive skills + legendary aspect that work well with the build so one can spend the extra skill points on the way to lvl 100 into those other skills.
This build will be updated post-launch to a new & expanded version when I have actual in-game information as reference.
Video Version:
Skill Trees
Below you’ll see ONLY the Active & Passive skills that were selected for this build. For additional skills that can be taken on the way to lvl 100 + alternative skill options, you can check my pre-launch builds spreadsheet on this link. This build (Juggler) is one of the builds on that spreadsheet.
Some of the skill icon images you see could be outdated & differ from what is seen in the Full release version. I plan to replace them once the Beta ends or after the full launch
Basic Skill (Resource Generator/Builder) (Required Points: 0 )
- (active) Frenzy – Unleash a rapid flurry of blows, dealing 26.83% (X – ?) damage with each pair of hits. Dealing damage with Frenzy increases Frenzy’s Attack Speed by +20% for 3 seconds up to 60% Requires dual-wielding weapons. Damage: Physical Generate Fury: 5 Lucky Hit Chance: 30%
- (1st upgrade) Enhanced Frenzy – While Frenzy is granting +60% bonus Attack Speed, it also generates 1 additional Fury.
- (2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Combat Frenzy – You gain 8% (multiplicative) Damage Reduction for each stack of Frenzy you currently have.
Core Skill(s) (Resource Spender) (Required Points: 2 )
- (active) Hammer of the Ancients – Slam your hammer down with the fury of the ancients, dealing 107.31% X – ?) damage to a concentrated area. Requires a two-handed bludgeoning weapon. Damage: Physical Fury Cost: 35 Lucky Hit Chance: 40%
- (1st upgrade) Enhanced Hammer of the Ancients – Gain 10 Fury when Hammer of the Ancients damages 2 or more enemies.
- (2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Furious Hammer of the Ancients – Gain Berserking for 2 seconds when hitting 2 or more enemies with Hammer of the Ancients.
- (passive – NOT INVESTED INTO IT but good to consider) Pressure Point – Lucky Hit: Your Core Skills have up to a 10% chance to make enemies Vulnerable for 2 seconds.
- (passive) did not pick any other Core Passives to save points
Defensive Skills (Required Points: 6 )
- (active) Ground Stomp – Smash the ground, dealing 18.20% (X – ?) damage and Stunning enemies for 3 seconds. Damage: Physical Cooldown: 16.0 seconds
- (1st upgrade) Enhanced Ground – Stomp Increase Ground Stomp’s duration by 1 second.
- (2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Strategic Ground Stomp – Reduce the Cooldown of your Ultimate skill by 1 second for each enemy damaged by Ground Stomp.
- (passive) Imposing Presence – Gain 15% (multiplicative) additional Maximum Life.
- (upgrade) Martial Vigor – Damage Reduction against Elites, Bosses, and Players is increased by 4% (multiplicative).
- (passive) did not pick any other Defensive Passives to save points
Brawling Skills (Required Points: 11 )
- (active) Leap – Leap forward and slam downward, dealing 62.28% (X – ?) damage and Knocking Back nearby enemies on impact. Cooldown: 17.0 seconds Damage: Physical
- (1st upgrade) Enhanced Leap – If Leap doesn’t damage any enemies, its Cooldown is reduced by 4 seconds.
- (2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Power Leap – If Leap damages at least one enemy, gain X Fury.
- (passive) Aggressive Resistance – Gain 4% Damage Reduction while Berserking.
- (upgrade)Battle Frenzy – When a Brawling Skill damages at least one enemy, gain Berserking for 1 second.
- (upgrade) Prolific Fury – did not pick to save points
- (passive) did not pick any other Brawling Passives to save points
Weapon Mastery Skills (Required Points: 16 )
- (active) Steel Grasp – Throw out a trio of chains that deal 24.15% (X – ?) damage and Pull In enemies. Charges: 2 Charge Cooldown: 11.0 seconds Damage: Physical Tags: Weapon Mastery Lucky Hit Chance: 50%
- (1st upgrade) Enhanced Steel Grasp – Steel Grasp also makes enemies Vulnerable for 2.5 seconds.
- (2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Warrior’s Steel Grasp – Steel Grasp gains 1 additional Charge.
- (passive – only put 1 point to unlock the upgrades) Pit Fighter – You deal 3% (multiplicative) increased damage to Close enemies and gain 2% Distant Damage Reduction.
- (passive – did not put any points here) No Mercy – You deal 5% (multiplicative) increased damage against Immobilized, Stunned, or Slowed enemies.
- (passive – only put 1 point to unlock the next upgrade) Slaying Strike – You deal 8% increased damage against Injured enemies.
- (passive – only put 1 point to save points) Expose Vulnerability – Dealing direct damage with a Weapon Mastery skill causes your next Core Skill to make enemies Vulnerable for 1.5 (multiplicative) seconds.
- (passive – did not pick but worth considering) Thick Skin – Each time you take direct damage gain X Fortify.
- (upgrade – did not pick but worth considering) Counteroffensive – While Fortified for over 50% of your Maximum Life, you deal 5% (multiplicative) increased damage.
- (upgrade – did not pick but worth considering) Defensive Posture – Increase the Damage Reduction gained while you are Fortified by an additional +3%.
Ultimate Skills (Required Points: 23 )
- (active) Iron Maelstrom – Activate to attach a chain to your Two-Handed Bludgeoning weapon and slam the ground, dealing 63.00% (X – ?) damage and Stunning them for 2 seconds. Reactivate a second time to attach a chain to your Two-Handed Slashing weapon and swipe it in front of you, dealing 21.00% (X – ?) damage and 126.00% (X) Bleeding damage over 5 seconds. Reactivate a final time to attach a chain to your Dual Wield weapons and swing them around you, dealing 34.13% (X – ?) damage per hit. Requires a Full Arsenal of weapons. Cooldown: 60.0 seconds Damage: Physical Tags: Ultimate
- (1st upgrade) Prime Iron Maelstrom – Iron Maelstrom gains +10% increased Critical Strike Chance and deals 20% (multiplicative) increased Critical Strike Damage
- (2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Supreme Iron Maelstrom – Dealing direct damage to an enemy after swapping weapons reduces Iron Maelstrom’s Cooldown by 1 second.
- (passive – only put 1 point to unlock the upgrades and save points) Tempered Fury – Increase your Maximum Fury by 3.
- (upgrade) Furious Impulse – Each time you swap weapons, gain 2 Fury.
- (upgrade – only put 2 points to save points) Invigorating Fury – Heals you for 2% of your Maximum Life for each 100 Fury spent.
- (passive – – did not take this to save points) Wallop – Your Skills using Bludgeoning weapons deal 5% (multiplicative) increased damage if the enemy is Stunned or Vulnerable.
- (upgrade – – did not take this to save points) Concussion – Lucky Hit: Skills using Bludgeoning weapons have up to a 10% chance to Stun enemies for 3 seconds, or up to a 15% chance when using a Two-Handed Bludgeoning weapon.
- (passive) Heavy Handed – While using Two-Handed weapons you deal 5% (multiplicative) increased Critical Strike Damage.
- (upgrade – did not take this to save points) Brute Force – Your Overpower deals 15% (multiplicative) increased damage when using a Two-Handed weapon *NOTE: It seems that unlocking this skill upgrade requires investing into either Wallop OR Heavy Handed (can still get both if you want)
- (passive) did not pick any other Ultimate Passives to save points
Specializations (Required Points: 33 )
- (passive) Walking Arsenal – Dealing direct damage with a Two-Handed Bludgeoning, Two-Handed Slashing, or Dual Wielded weapons grants 10% (multiplicative) increased damage for 6 seconds. While all three damage bonuses are active, you gain an additional 15% (multiplicative) increased damage.
Arsenal (Class Mechanic):
The Barbarian class mechanics is called Arsenal and this is how I believe it works:
The Barbarian class can equip 4 weapons at the same time: a Dual-wielding set of 2x One-Handed weps + two separate Two-Handed weapons (not dual-wielding those). They switch in combat between those based on what weapon is assigned to specific skills via the class unique Arsenal System. So each skill can have its own weapon assigned to it as long as it’s one of the 4 weapons equipped. The weps you don’t actually use work as ‘stat sticks’. Here are the types:
- Dual Wielded 1-Handed Weapons are Slashing and can be Swords, Axes, or Maces (strange why the 1H Maces are clumped together with Swords & Axes under Slashing and not listed as Bludgeoning maybe the information I found is incorrect… hopefully 1h Maces are not Slashing)
- The two slots of Two-Handed Weapons can be occupied by Slashing type weps like Swords, Axes, & Polearms and/or by Bludgeoning Maces
- Ideally 1x 2h Slashing, 1x 2h Bludgeoning and a Dual Wield 1h combo for the 4 weps if you go for a swap-centric build
Legendary Aspects / Powers
I will only list the Legendary Aspects that have been selected for the build and the slots in which I advise putting those. For in-depth information you can check my pre-launch builds spreadsheet on this link. This build (Juggler) is one of the builds on that spreadsheet.
- Helm: Aspect of The Relentless Armsmaster
- Amulet: Aspect of Retribution
- Chest: Aspect of Tempering Blows
- Pants: Aspect of Bul-Kathos
- Gloves: Relentless Berserker’s Apect
- Boots: Aspect of Shared Misery
- Ring 1: Aspect of The Umbral
- Ring 2: Aspect of Unrelenting Fury
- 1H Weapon: Windstriker Aspect
- Off-hand: Aspect of Ancestral Echoes
- 2-H Weapon One (see Class Mechanic for info): Aspect of Ancestral Force
- 2-H Weapon Two (see Class Mechanic for info): Aspect of Veteran Brawler
Useful Links (Spreadsheets & more):
For all of my Diablo IV Pre-Launch Theorycrafts/Builds: This Spreadsheet
For my Diablo IV Pre-Launch Class Skill Trees (can be used as mini-calculator): This Spreadsheet
♦ ◊ ♦ ◊ ♦
This concludes the Juggler Barbarian Build for Diablo IV. If you’re interested in the game below are links to the various platforms where one can buy it (you can just click the links to open a new tab):
PC (Battle.Net)
