PvP Double Throw Barbarian Guide

Double Throw Barbarian Guide for PvP and PvM

PvP Rank: B Class / PvM Rank: B Class

Introduction

Double Throw Barbarians can use ethereal Lacerators for a 33% chance to Amplify on hit which doubles your physical damage. It's even possible to find rare ethereal throwing weapons that out damage ethereal Lacerators for significantly higher damage. The Barbarian class is also exceptional at surviving damage especially when they're using ranged attacking throwing weapons.

Throwing Barbarian Skills

Double Throw Barbarians are now better in PvM because of the recent changes to the Throwing Mastery. They also have very high single target damage and Battle Orders and Shout which give them very high life and defense.

Recommendation: Double Throw Barbarian

Stats: Enough Strength for gear, enough Dexterity for maxed block (which increases your throwing damage and attack rating), all remaining points in Vitality, 0 Energy.

Skill Points:

20 Double Throw

20 Throwing Mastery

20 Battle Orders

20 Double Swing (Double Throw synergy)

1 Battle Command

1 Increased Stamina

1 Increased Speed

1 Whirlwind (if this is a PvP build)

1 Axe Mastery (if this is a PvP build)

Enough in Natural Resistance to have over stacked resistances.

All remaining points in Axe Mastery to give Whirlwind increased attack rating and damage.

Double Throw Barbarian Gear

Weapons

Two Ethereal Lacerators - Ethereal Lacerators have a 33% chance of applying Amplify damage which double your damage, have 30% increased attack speed, and can be ethereal because they have replenishes quantity. One Ethereal Lacerator can be switched for an ethereal Warshrike in PvM for high pierce, deadly strike, replenishes quantity, and a faster attack speed.

Weapons (High End)

Ethereal Lacerator/Ethereal Rare Throwing Weapon - There are ethereal rare elite throwing weapons that can be good enough to replace an ethereal Lacerator for PvP and they can even have replenishes quantity but these weapons are extremely rare.

Weapon Switch (PvP)

Ethereal Breath of the Dying Berserker Axe (Vex Hel El Eld Zod Eth) - Gives 30 to all attributes for the 156 strength requirement of Stormshield, 30 dexterity which increases your attack rating and block chance, and -25% target defense to help you hit more often. You should keep one Call to Arms (Amn Ral Mal Ist Ohm) for +4 to Battle Orders in your Horadric Cube to switch to whenever you need Battle Orders because only one ethereal Lacerator will fit in your Horadric Cube. If you're using an ethereal Warshrike or an ethereal rare throwing weapon you should also keep a +3 to Warcries weapons in your cube for a total of +7 to Battle Orders.

Weapon Switch Shield (PvP)

Stormshield (Um'd) - Stormshield should be used with an ethereal Breath of the Dying Berserker Axe on weapon switch because it gives 35% reduced physical damage taken, 60% cold resistance, 25% lightning resistance, and a high block chance.

Town Switch Battle Orders Equipment (PvP)

You can optionally switch to Battle Orders equipment in town. You can switch to Warcries weapons, 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 Warcries Skill Grand Charms but this is rarely worth the time in my opinion. If you want a faster way of buffing up you can simply keep one Call to Arms for +4 to Battle Orders, a +3 to Warcries amulet, and optionally if there is room a +3 to Warcries weapon in your Horadric Cube instead.

Weapon Switch (PvM)

You won't need to use Whirlwind in PvM. In PvM you should use a Call to Arms (Amn Ral Mal Ist Ohm) for +1 to all skills and +3 to Battle Orders (only one is needed for the +3 o skills limit) and a +3 to Warcries weapon on your weapon switch. The budget option is two +3 Warcries weapons which can simply be shopped from Act 5 Anya in Nightmare difficulty once you are at a middle level.

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

Fortitude (El Sol Dol Lo) - Gives up to 300% enhanced damage, all resistances +30%, high life per level, 5% to maximum lightning resistance, and a 20% chance to cast level 15 Chilling Armor when struck. Fortitude is very important for damage on Double Throw Barbarians but it's still sometimes worth it to switch to an Enigma (Jah Ith Ber) armor for Teleport when it's needed for fights.

Gloves (PvP)

Blood Crafted Gloves - Give up to 20% increased attack speed, 10% crushing blow, 3% life leech, high life, and up to 3 resistances.

Budget Gloves (PvP)

Magnus' Skin - The budget option gives 20% increased attack speed, 100 to attack rating, and 15% fire resistance.

Budget Gloves (PvM)

Laying of Hands - These gloves are the best option for PvM because they give 350% increased damage against demons, 20% increased attack speed, a 10% chance to cast level 3 Holy Bolt on striking, and 50% fire resistance.

Belt (PvP)

Verdungo's Hearty Cord - Use this as your default belt in PvP and 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)

Razortail - Use this belt for PvM for a 33% chance to pierce, 15 dexterity, and 10 to maximum damage.

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.

Rings

Raven Frosts - Your rings when you're not fighting a fire damage or lightning damage build should be two Raven Frosts which each give up to 20 dexterity, 250 attack rating, 20% cold absorb, and cannot be frozen.

Rings (Absorb)

You should switch one Raven Frost to a Dwarf Star for 15% fire absorb and 40 life when fighting fire builds and you should switch one Raven Frost to a Wisp Projector for up to 20% lightning absorb when fighting lightning 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. You should also switch several of your charms to lightning resistance/life charms when fighting lightning builds that lower your lightning resistance. As an added tip you can also use Thawing Potions against Cold Sorceresses for +50% cold resistance and +10% to maximum cold resistance and Antidote Potions against poison builds for +50 poison resistance and +10% to maximum poison resistance.

Mercenary Type

Act 2 Might Mercenary

Mercenary Weapon

Ethereal Infinity (Ber Mal Ber Ist) - Lacerator casts the Amplify curse so Reaper's Toll isn't needed for the Decrepify curse. You should use an Infinity instead for a level 12 Conviction aura which lowers enemies defenses by 83% and resistances by 85%. The Pride runeword is not recommended for PvM because it has low damage which doesn't leech enough life to keep your mercenary alive. Pride is better for PvP but this shouldn't matter because it's considered bad manners to use a mercenary when dueling.

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

Ethereal Insight (Ral Tir Tal Sol) - Gives up to level 17 Meditation which gives high mana regeneration and high damage.

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.

Double Throw Barbarian Strategy

Double Throw Barbarians have high life, high defense, and can deal very high damage but you also have to be skillful with your aim to duel well with this character. High block and defense builds like Paladins and builds that have homing attacks like Bowazons and Bone Necromancers can be difficult to take down. Switching to Stormshield can be helpful for approaching Amazons. It's usually better to let PvP opponents come to you which makes aiming your throwing weapons much easier. Whirlwind can be used as a backup attack in dueling but try not to use it too much or it can cause the person you are dueling to run away and play defensively.

Double Throw 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. You can add 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. You can also gamble throwing weapons at various levels until you get two throwing weapons with decent rolls if you want to level as a Throwing Barbarian. Smoke (Nef Lum) is a body armor that only requires level 37 and is an excellent inexpensive starter runeword that can also be used early on for its all resistances +50%.

And that's all for the Double Throw Barbarian Guide. You can also check out the most popular crafted items here Crafting Guide.