PvP Whirlwind Barbarian Vs. Caster (BvC) Guide

Whirlwind Barbarian Vs. Caster (BvC) Guide for PvP and PvM

PvP Rank: S Class / PvM Rank: A Class

Introduction

The Whirlwind Barbarian Vs. Caster is one of the strongest PvM and PvP builds in the game. They are powerful in both duels vs melee and duels vs casters and are capable of dealing very high damage with their Whirlwind attack. They also have Teleport from Enigma for PvP and PvM to quickly move around and to quickly get close to casters and runners in PvP.

Whirlwind Barbarian Vs. Caster Skills

Whirlwind Barbarians (BvC) deal very high damage in PvP, have Battle Orders and Shout for very high life and defense, have a high faster run walk speed, and have Teleport which comes from the Enigma runeword armor.

Recommendation: BvC Whirlwind Barbarian

Stats: Enough Strength for equipment, enough Dexterity for equipment (you can use Angelic Amulet and Ring for attack rating if you are fighting a Barbarian, Werebear, or Paladin), all remaining points in Vitality, 0 Energy.

Skill Points:

20 Whirlwind

20 Axe Mastery

20 Battle Orders

20 Shout

5 Increased Speed

1 Battle Command

1 Berserk (optional if you are doing PvM to handle physical immunes)

Enough in Natural Resistance to have over stacked resistances.

All Remaining points in Natural Resistance and Increased Speed.

Whirlwind Barbarian (BvC) Gear

Weapons

Grief Berserker Axe (Eth Tir Lo Mal Ral)/Beast Berserker Axe (Ber Tir Um Mal Lum) - The lowest attack speed Grief will meet the final attack speed breakpoint when combined with a Beast Berserker Axe which gives Fanaticism. Fanaticism gives increased attack speed, increased attack rating, and increased damage. Grief is sometimes considered bad manners in PvP so you can optionally use an ethereal Breath of the Dying Berserker Axe (Vex Hel El Eld Zod Eth) in its place when dueling. When fighting physical builds it's also sometimes helpful to switch Beast for a Stormshield because it gives high block and 35% reduced physical damage taken.

Weapon Switch

Call To Arms (Amn Ral Mal Ist Ohm)/+3 to Warcries weapon - Call to Arms is used for +1 to all skills and +3 to Battle Orders along with a +3 to Warcries weapon. This combination is best because Call to Arms is capped at +3 to Battle Orders due to how o skills work in Diablo 2 Resurrected. You can also switch to a +5 or +6 Battle Orders helmet, +3 to Warcries amulet, 2 Stone of Jordans (or Bul-Kathos' Wedding Bands) for +2 to skills, and +1 to Warcries Skill Grand Charms but this is rarely worth the time in my opinion. If you want a faster way of buffing yourself you can simply keep a +3 to Warcries amulet in your inventory.

Helmet

Arreat's Face (Um'd) - Gives +2 to Barbarian Skills, +2 to Barbarian Combat Skills, 30% faster hit recovery, 20% increased attack rating, up to 6% life stolen per hit, 20 strength, 20 dexterity, all resistances +30%.

Body

Enigma Dusk Shroud (Jah Ith Ber) - Enigma gives Teleport, +2 to all skills, 45% faster run walk, high strength per level, 8% physical damage taken reduction, 5% increased life, 15% of damage taken goes to mana, and high magic find per level. This armor is important for this build because it allows you to Teleport close to teleporters and ranged attackers so that you can get close enough to Whirlwind them. It's a big part of what makes this build a Barbarian Vs. Caster build.

Gloves

Trang-Oul's Gloves - Give 20% faster cast rate for Teleport, 25% increased poison skill damage, and 30% cold resistance.

Belt (PvP)

Verdungo's Hearty Cord - Use this as your default belt in PvP and especially use it against physical damage builds for up to 15% reduced physical damage taken, 40 vitality, replenish life +13, and 10% faster hit recovery.

Belt Vs. Lightning Builds

Thundergod's Vigor - Use this belt in PvP against lightning damage builds for 20 strength, 20 vitality, 1-50 lightning damage, 10% to maximum lightning resistance, 20 lightning absorb, and a 5% chance to cast level 7 Fist of the Heavens when struck.

Belt (PvM)

String of Ears - This belt is the best option for PvM for up to 8% life leech (life leech has full effect in PvM but only partial effect in PvP), 15% reduced physical damage taken, and magic damage taken reduced by 15.

Feet

Gore Riders - Gives 30% faster run walk, 15% deadly strike, 15% crushing blow, and 10% chance of open wounds.

Feet Vs. Lightning & Cold Builds That Lower Your Resistances

Tri-resist Faster Run Walk Boots - Look for rare 30% faster run walk boots with as close to 40% cold resistance and 40% Lightning Resistance as you can get optionally with fire resistance and/or faster hit recovery. As a budget option you can also use Natalya's Boots for 40% faster run walk and up to 25% lightning resistance and 25% cold resistance.

Feet Vs. Fire Builds

Hotspur (Up'd)- Use these boots when fighting fire damage builds for 45% fire resistance, 15 life, and 15% to maximum fire resistance. Hotspur boots can be Up'd to Demonhide Boots in the Horadric Cube using a Perfect Diamond, Shael rune, and Tal rune. They can also be Up'd a second time to Wyrmhide Boots in the Horadric Cube with a Perfect Diamond, Lem rune, and Ko rune.

Amulet

Highlord's Wrath - Gives +1 to all skills, deadly strike per level, 1-30 lightning damage, and 35% lightning resistance. Highlord's Wrath is recommended for deadly strike because you typically won't need high attack rating in this slot for runners and casters.

Rings (PvP)

Raven Frosts - Raven Frosts each give up to 20 dexterity, 250 attack rating, 20% cold absorb, and cannot be frozen. You should use two Raven Frosts when you're not fighting high defense builds, fire damage builds, or lightning damage builds.

Rings (PvM)

Dual Leech Ring/Raven Frost - You should use a dual leech life steal/mana steal ring to sustain mana in PvM. Raven Frost should also be used for up to 20 dexterity, 250 attack rating, 20% cold absorb, and cannot be frozen.

Amulet & Rings Vs. High Defense Characters

Angelic Amulet and Ring can be switched to with a Raven Frost in your other ring slot when you are fighting Paladins, Werebear builds, or high defense Barbarians for more than 1000 base attack rating and high life.

Rings (Absorb)

You should switch one Raven Frost to a Dwarf Star for 15% fire absorb and 40 life when fighting fire damage builds and you should switch one Raven Frost to a Wisp Projector for up to 20% lightning absorb when fighting lightning damage builds.

Charms

Hellfire Torch for +3 Barbarian skills, Annihilus for +1 to skills, one Poison Damage Small Charm to cancel enemies life regeneration, and an inventory of max damage/attack rating/life charms. You should switch several of your charms for cold resistance/life charms when fighting Cold Sorceresses because their Cold Mastery lowers your cold resistance and you should switch several of your charms for lightning resistance/life charms when fighting lightning builds that lower your lightning resistance. As an added tip you can also use a Thawing Potion against Cold Sorceresses for +50% cold resistance and +10% to maximum cold resistance.

Mercenary Type

Act 2 Might Mercenary

Mercenary Weapon

Ethereal Reaper's Toll - Gives 15% life stolen per hit and a 33% chance to cast the Decrepify curse on striking.

Mercenary Armor

Ethereal Fortitude (El Sol Dol Lo) - Gives 300% enhanced damage, up to all resistances +30%, life per level, 5% to maximum lightning resistance, and a 20% chance to cast level 15 Chilling Armor when struck.

Mercenary Helmet

Ethereal Andariel's Visage (Ral'd) - Gives +2 to all skills, 10% life leech, -30% fire resistance, and 30 strength. Ral gives 30% fire resistance but you can also use a 30% fire resistance jewel with other great modifiers.

Budget Mercenary Weapon

Reaper's Toll - Gives 15% life stolen per hit and a 33% chance to cast the Decrepify curse on striking.

Budget Mercenary Armor

Duriel's Shell - Gives all resistances +20%, 50% cold resistances, life per level, 15 strength, and cannot be frozen.

Budget Mercenary Helmet

Tal Rasha's Helmet - Gives 10% life steal, all resistances +15%, and 60 life.

Note: Ethereal items don't lose durability on mercenaries.

Whirlwind Barbarian (BvC) Strategy

This build should make quick work of almost every caster class in the game. Enigma allows you to Teleport next to casters and runners for a high damage Whirlwind attack that uses both weapons. Whirlwind Barbarians (BvC) are also a powerful build for fighting against almost every melee class. It's sometimes still worth it to switch from your Beast weapon to Stormshield when fighting against physical builds for high block and 35% reduced physical damage taken. The Barbarian Vs. Caster build is, however, a little weak against builds that have several summons like Druids because you will often hit multiple summons with Whirlwind instead of the other player. Barbarian Vs. Casters are currently one of the strongest builds for PvM and PvP in the game.

Whirlwind Barbarian Leveling Items

You can use Hsarus' Belt and Gloves once you have 30 strength and are at least level 3 for high defense and attack rating from the set bonus. Civerb's Cudgel is a great starter weapon that increases in damage as you level and only requires level 9. You can switch to an Axe later in the game. You can add in Angelic Amulet and Ring once you are level 12 for high life and attack rating and you can equip a Manald Heal ring for up to 7% mana stolen per hit as early as level 15. Smoke armor (Nef Lum) only requires level 37 and is a great inexpensive starter runeword that can be used early on for an easy 50% to all resistances.

And that's all for the Whirlwind Barbarian (BvC) Guide. You can also check out the most popular crafted items here Crafting Guide.