The Ultimate Barbarian Arsenal Guide for Diablo 4
Unleash the full potential of your Barbarian in Diablo 4 with the Arsenal mechanic! Equip up to four weapons and earn Expertise to unlock powerful bonuses Explore various weapon types and discover unique Expertise bonuses to dominate the battlefield
Barbarians in Diablo 4 have a distinct advantage with their unique class mechanic called the Arsenal, which complements their renowned skill in handling various weapons. While most classes are restricted to equipping only two weapons or a single two-handed weapon, Barbarians can wield up to four weapons simultaneously, comprising of two one-handed weapons and two two-handed weapons. Moreover, the Expertise system further enhances their proficiency with a particular weapon type as they gain more experience using it. This combination of Arsenal and Expertise not only adds depth to Barbarian builds but also enhances the overall gameplay experience by reflecting the class fantasy.
How To Unlock the Barbarian Arsenal Mechanic
Barbarian players can easily unlock the unique class feature of the Barbarian's Arsenal mechanic in Diablo 4 by reaching Level 5, without the need for a quest to unlock the four weapon slots. Once they reach Level 5, Barbarians gain access to the Expertise system through their Character/Inventory screen, unlocking all four slots. As players switch to and fight with different weapon types, they will gain Expertise with each weapon. With time, their experience with each weapon type builds up, unlocking new bonuses. Notably, players gain Expertise experience from hitting enemies rather than killing them.
Players have the option to assign equipped weapons to specific abilities using the Skill Assignment menu, allowing for the optimization of Expertise bonuses and abilities. For example, players looking to increase their chances of Lucky Hits can assign their equipped Polearm to the corresponding ability. Additionally, a Technique slot becomes available at level 15, allowing players to choose one Expertise bonus to always apply regardless of the weapon being used. This can be especially beneficial for builds focused on regularly inflicting the Vulnerable effect in enemies, as the 2H Axe bonus can always be equipped in the Technique slot.
Barbarian Arsenal Overview: Weapons, Expertise, and Bonuses
Barbarians have the option to equip seven types of weapons across their four weapon slots. These include three 1H weapons, which are particularly effective when used in a dual-wield setup, and four 2H weapons. As Expertise Experience is earned, each weapon type gains a bonus that becomes increasingly powerful, culminating in a maximum Rank 10 bonus. Once a weapon reaches Rank 10, an additional bonus is unlocked for that particular type. While Barbarians are able to equip two 1H and two 2H weapons, these weapons will only provide passive stats and will not contribute to Expertise experience if they are not used in combat.
Weapon Types and Expertise Bonuses
Weapon Type | Unique Expertise Passive (Scales from Rank 1 to 10) | Rank 10 Additional Passive |
|---|---|---|
One-Handed Axe | +5% Crit Chance vs. Injured enemies | Lucky Hit: 55% chance to gain 0.6% attack speed for up to 2s |
One-Handed Mace | x10% damage vs. Stunned enemies | Lucky Hit: 10% chance to gain Berserking for 1.5s vs. Stunned enemies |
One-Handed Sword | Lucky Hit: 10% chance to gain up to 5 Fury vs. CC'ed enemies | +15% Attack Speed for 3s after killing CC'ed enemies |
Two-Handed Axe | x15% extra damage vs. Vulnerable enemies | +10% increased Crit Chance vs. Vulnerable enemies |
Two-Handed Mace | Lucky Hit: +10% chance to gain 2 Fury on hit. Doubled when Berserking. | x15% increased Crit Damage vs. Stunned/Vulnerable enemies while Berserking |
Two-Handed Sword | 20% of all damage output turns into Bleed damage | x30% Bleed damage after killing any enemy for 5 seconds |
Polearm | x10% extra Lucky Hit chance | +10% damage while Healthy |
Diablo 4 is available for PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S
