I just wanted to showcase my barbarian thorns build as I haven’t seen anyone else really cover this build. This variation is very defensive focused, I used thorns pretty much as early as I could, leveled with Rend/Thorns, and switched to double swing around level 70 and used this to level to 100 on Hardcore.
This isn’t going to clear screens as fast as WW or HotA, but for anyone looking for something a little different, this still puts out respectable damage, and can speed farm T60+ NM dungeons. But it can be a little clunky to play if there is low mob density or if the mobs attack really slow, and certain bosses are complete pain and take forever (such as Tomblord).
Here’s a quick overview video showing a T71 Aldurwood clear, still only took about 5 min and I played like garbage: Diablo 4 Thorns Berserker Barbarian Hardcore Tier 71 NM Dungeon Clear - YouTube
The main idea is to stack thorns, strength, armor, life, vulnerable dmg, and utilize the Needleflare and Death Wish aspects for AOE thorns dmg. I’m using double swing for pretty much permanent berserk.
Let me know what you think, or if you have suggestions.
Thanks!
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It looks like a watered down version of the afk druid thorns build.
Nice clear, I think that’s the best thorns build I’ve seen so far.
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You’re brave to run thorns on a GC character. Nice aldurwood run.
I’m use a thorns build, though maybe it’s more 2/3rds thorns. Maybe 4/5s thorns.
I’m at level 90 and run T55. Unfortunately I have really bad luck lately on my gear rolls and definitely need gear uogrades. I think I’m running into about 7m a reroll on my amulet trying to get total armor.
I run iron skins, bash, challenge, WotB, Deathblow, and Kick. I mostly let thorns kill, but drop a kick/deathblow (with encroaching wrath) combo to kill stubborn elites faster.
I certainly could drop WotB. I like your double swing though, I feel iron skins, frenzy, challenge, double swing, deathblow, kick could work also.
If they ever get steel grasp to work consistently each time I’d certainly add it to my build somehow.
That’s one of the things I like about thorns, it leaves a little bit of room in your build to add on top of it.
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Steel Grasp is pulling much more consistently since the patch. It’s very noticeable.
Haha thanks, yeah totally, lots of ways to play thorns… Yeah you could probably use steel grasp instead of DS, I’m not sure if the berserking uptime would be as high though?
I went with the triple shouts, even without Marshal or Rage of Harrogath, they’re just too good, kind of sucks that nearly all barb builds are basically forced to use them, I hope they change something around that…
I tried a thorn build back when I was WT3. Got into a Cellar with three goblins. All three of them escaped. From that point on, no more thorn builds for me. Sucks to see three goblins run off like that.
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LOL, yeah if there’s no mobs around to hit you, you are SoL trying to kill goblins.
This looks interesting. Im also trying a thorns build but I use Upheaval (violent) instead. I didn’t try out the aspects yet but the one with thorns on berserk looks very important. And with Upheaval I can only maintain berserk in groups, not on single bosses.
I might try out furious double swing but is it a better damage dealer against bosses? I tried double swing a bit in the past and it felt like it did nothing.
Yeah I think the death wish aspect is huge.
Eh, the double swing damage isn’t really good, i’m not really using it for the damage, but it might actually still be better than upheaval, I felt that upheaval was very underwhelming. You could also use steel grasp to proc berserking instead.
Also Rend is a decent option if you’re wanting to actually do some direct damage yourself, but you’ll still want something else to maintain your berserk uptime.
Gg, my ww level 89 barb highest i have pushed is tier 43 that too is uncomfortable with multiple deaths.
Unthinkable nto push tier 71
Use lingering strike for berserk on crit, and add earthquake from groundstomp, leap with there legendary effects.
You get -dmg taken from earth quake (leap), and a *DMG modi from ground stomp.
So you get a reliable way for more speed, extra DMG source, and survival.
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Yeah, I was using lunging strike, but I wasn’t able to have 100% uptime on berserk… Then again I wasn’t rolling any crit on my gear…
The Leapquake thing is a pretty neat idea though, worth a try.
