Diablo 4: The Case for Playing a Barbarian at Launch | Game Rant

While Diablo 4 still doesn't have a solid release window, speculation continues to grow around Blizzard's upcoming action-RPG. A few details have trickled out from the studio over the last year, including three of the games' five playable classes. Diablo 4 players will be able to start the game as either the Barbarian, the Druid, or the Sorceress.

Leading the charge at the very center of this trio is the Barbarian, an unstoppable melee juggernaut and classic Diablo character. While he may be facing stiff competition from the Druid and the Sorceress, the Barbarian has many qualities that help him stand out from the crowd. To help players decide whether they want to step into the furry-boots of Blizzard's hulking hack-n-smasher, here's an argument for playing the Barbarian in Diablo 4.

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One of the most compelling reasons to play a Barbarian in Diablo 4 is also one of the simplest: the Barbarian is the quintessential Diablo class. Although he didn't appear in the first title, the brutal melee master has made his mark on every game since, almost always as a fan favorite. The fact that the Barbarian keeps coming back again and again, often with very few alterations, indicates that Blizzard is just as fond of the raging hero.

As a favorite with not only fans, but the developers too, Barbarian players can be confident that their chosen class in Diablo 4 will likely live up to expectation. Multiple games spent honing the perfect gameplay rhythm of hack, smash and sunder mean that fans of muscularity and animalistic violence are sure to satisfied with the results.

Unlike Diablo's Sorceress/Wizard, which has been constantly renamed and reimagined over the course of the series or classes that come and go like the Demon Hunter or Rogue, the Barbarian has always had a clear identity. This fixed point of entry has given Blizzard the freedom it needs to really refine the class' rough edges, and get the most out of his brutal skills.

No Diablo fan was surprised that Barbarian will be making a return in Diablo 4. Similarly, it wasn't hard to guess that the class would continue to fill its time-honored role. The Barbarian has always been, and will continue to be in Blizzard's new title, a juggernaut of melee combat. Using a resource called Fury, Barbarians are brutal, close-quarters killers, just as happy beating down a boss as they are hacking through a horde.

Just like in previous Diablo titles, the Barbarian will primarily deal physical damage with his skills. These include a mix of old favorites and new arrivals, with a consistent blend of crowd-control and DPS. Standouts include the taunting Rallying Shout, for drawing in the enemy, and the classic Leap, for diving headfirst into the thick of the action.

The Barbarian will also launch with a pair of Talent trees, the Golden and the Red. The Golden tree focuses primarily on damage, both taking it and dishing it out. This is done through bonuses to bleeding attacks, damage reduction, and attack speed. The Red tree is more focused on crowd control, with bonuses against slowed, immobilized, and stunned enemies.

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Just because the Barbarian is such an iconic Diablo character, doesn't mean that Blizzard haven't tried to expand on his design in Diablo 4. In fact, the Barbarian has an all new Arsenal system to cement his place as the undisputed champion of brutal weaponry.

Diablo 4's Arsenal allows the Barbarian to carry up to four different weapons into combat. He can heft a pair of two-handed weapons, and another pair of one-handers at the same time. Although the Barbarian will only be able to attack with one (or two if dual-wielding one-handers) of these weapons at a time, he can switch between them at will.

This adds an extra skill level into Diablo 4's melee gameplay, as players must juggle the right weapon for the situation. Some of the Barbarian's skills even require specific weapon-types, to maximize the impact of the system. Others gain different bonuses depending on which kind of weapon is being wielded. To cap it off, the Barbarian gains the passive bonuses from the entire Arsenal at all times. This means that the brutal brawler has the highest capacity for simultaneous legendary items in Diablo 4.

With his strong legacy and well-defined playstyle, the Barbarian should be an obvious choice for any player who wants to get stuck in to brutal melee combat in Diablo 4. Not many of the classes in the upcoming title can boast 23-years of Diablo history behind them. However, the real lure of the Barbarian lies in its classic, well-honed gameplay style, and Blizzard's proven ability to do justice to the savagery of this raging warrior.

Diablo 4 is in development for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

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