The Speed Whirlwind Barbarian Guide - Topic

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May 2 2015 04:47pm

This guide will cover everything I have found out testing the true Whirlwind Barbarian, using the Bul-Kathos Set and Wrath of the Wastes set.

This build is capable of some of the fastest speed clears of t6 rifts and greater rift ~35-45

The build revolves around the Bul-Kathos swords providing us fury regeneration and a huge speed boost while we permanently whirlwind. They also synergize perfectly with the Wrath of the Wastes set since the number of Dust Devils from Wastes set you spawn is based on attack speed.

A quick Greater Rift 42 using full DPS set up (Focus+Restraint+3 DPS Legendary gems+Nerves of Steel)

Greater Rift 57 cleared with Bul-Kathos+Wastes+Unity+Element Ring+Maras Amulet (Not me)

Made possible by Insane Density + Power Pylon + Hamelin Rift Guardian (Using Poison Immune ammy)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0658A6-iBU

Whirlwinds Mechanics:

I'll just go over the basics, if you want more detailed information a quick google

search should get you what you need..

Damage for the Dust Devils will alternate between mainhand and offhand Weapons, so if you have one high DPS sword and one low DPS half the Dust Devils will be doing significantly less damage, so ideally you want both to be Ancient with high DPS

The number of Dust Devils spawned is based on attack speed, making the 30% attack speed we get from Bul-Kathos set very valuable

Attack speed has "breakpoints" meaning there will be "voids" where if you go slightly over a breakpoint it will have no effect on how many Dust Devils you are spawning or if you are just slightly under a breakpoint you will still be at the lower one meaning you have wasted IAS% somewhere

The only breakpoints we care about with Bul-Kathos set are: 2.0 attacks per second, 2.22 attacks per second, and 2.5 attacks per second

**It's important to know that the 30% attackspeed from Bul Kathos set does not show up anywhere in your character sheet so you must know how much IAS% you will need from gear/paragon to hit the breakpoints**

Hitting the Breakpoints:

Since I know a lot of you out there can't math, i'll help you out!

From using Bul Kathos set we get a base of 45% attack speed (30% from the set, 15% from dual wielding)

When in Wrath of the Berserker (WOTB) we also gain another 25% attack speed for a total of 70%

To hit the 2.0 breakpoint, if using 1.3 base weapon speed (If you don't have attack speed rolled on your swords, they will be 1.3 base) then you need only 9% IAS from gear/paragon when not in WOTB, and 0% IAS when in WOTB

To hit the 2.22 breakpoint with 1.3 base weapons you will need 26% IAS from gear/paragon when not in WOTB, and 1% IAS when in WOTB

To hit the 2.5 breakpoint with 1.3 base weapons you will need 47.4% IAS from gear/paragon when not in WOTB (Unrealistic to aim for), and 22.4% IAS when in WOTB

So if using a 1.3 base weapons you either want to shoot for 9% IAS or 26% IAS, to make sure you are hitting the 2.0 or 2.22 breakpoints when not in Wrath of the Berserker

If you are using a weapon with IAS% rolled on it so it changes the base weapon speed that it is on, changing the amount of IAS needed you can find calculators for this or you can follow my simple formula:

Breakpoint you want to hit divided by base weapon speed = APS multiplier needed

For example : 2.223 (desired breakpoint) / 1.391 (BK sword with 7%ias) / = 1.59 (Means you need 59% ias to reach this breakpoint) and we already have 45% base from dual wield+BK set and 70% in WOTB, so you would need 14% IAS (59-45=14) from gear/paragon to hit the breakpoint.

*I do not recommend going IAS% on weapons, as Life per fury spent and Vitality both offer you healing while Whirlwinding which we are always doing! If you want to go more DPS I suggest Damage vs Elites*

Game Play:

Hold down Whirlwind and Spinhttp://cdncache-a.akamaihd.net/items/it/img/arrow-10x10.png to Winhttp://cdncache-a.akamaihd.net/items/it/img/arrow-10x10.png!

The Gear:

Weapons:

- Bul-Kathos swords : For max DPS ideal rolls are 10% Damage and 8% Elite Damage or 10% Damage and Vitality/Life per fury spent for defense, Whirlwind alternates damage from mainhand to offhand so ideally both should be ancient with good damage ranges

Helmets:

- Wrath of the Wastes Helm : Ideal rolls are Strength/Crit Chance/Whirlwind% (This affects Dust Devil damage)/Socket

- Leorics Crown : Ideal rolls are Strength/Crit Chance/Whirlwind%/Socket (Can be used for speed bounties with a Diamond gem or for max EXP% stacking with a Ruby gem)

Shoulders:

- Wrath of the Wastes Shoulders : Ideal rolls are Strength/Vitality or life%/All res/CDR or vita or life% (CDR only for speed runs)

Chest:

-Wrath of the Wastes chest : Ideal rolls are Strength/Vitality/Reduce damage from Elites/3 socket

Amulets:

**Crowd control reduction secondary is VERY valuable on Rings/Amulets**

-Hellfire Amulet :Ideal rolls are Strength or Physical%/Crit Chance/Crit Damage (The best possible amulet for this build, besides Greater Rift fishing, with a good passive)

-Immunity Amulet : Ideal rolls are Strength or Physical%/Crit Chance/Crit Damage (Poison Immune Amulet + Fishing Rifts for a poison Guardian can make the highest clears possible)

-Other Amulet :Ideal rolls are Strength or Physical%/Crit Chance/Crit Damage (Any old amulet with these rolls works just fine)

Gloves:

-Wrath of the Wastes Gloves : Ideal rolls are Strength/Attack Speed % or Vitality/Crit Chance/Crit Damage

- Gloves of Worship (From Act 2 Bounty Caches) : Ideal rolls are Strength/Attack Speed %/Crit Chance/Crit Damage (Used for T6 rift speed runs if not using Hexing Pants)

Belts:

-Chilaniks Chain : Ideal rolls are Strength/Vitality/Life % or All Resist/Life per fury spent (Used for speed runs, with Obsidian Ring of the Zodiac and some CDR this can be up permanently)

-Immortal Kings Belt : Ideal rolls are Strength/Vitality/Life % or All Resist/Life per fury spent (Can be used with Ring of Royal Grandeur with another IK piece for permanent Ancients)

-The Witching Hour : Ideal rolls are Strength/Vitality/Attack speed % / Crit Damage or All Resist (Can be used to reach the 2.22 breakpoint)

-Dread Iron : Ideal rolls are Strength/Vitality/Life % or All Resist/Life per fury spent (I believe this is Season 3 exclusive, can be used with Ground Stomp instead of Overpower)

-Pride of Cassius : Ideal rolls are Strength/Vitality/Life % or All Resist/Life per fury spent (Can be used for near to permanent Ignore Pain using Obsidian Ring of the Zodiac)

Bracers:

-Steady Strikers :Ideal rolls are Strength/Crit Chance/Attack Speed %/Physical % (Can be used if trying to hit the 2.22 Breakpoint when not in WOTB)

-Lacuni Prowlers : Ideal rolls are Strength/Crit Chance/Attack Speed %/Physical % (Can be used if trying to hit the 2.22 Breakpoint when not in WOTB)

-Slave Bonds : Ideal rolls are Strength/Vitality/All resist/Crit Chance/Physical % (Extra primary roll)

-Reapers Wraps : Ideal rolls are Strength/Vitality/Crit Chance/Physical % (Can be used to generate fury instead of Weapons Master)

-Nemesis Bracers : Ideal rolls are Strength/Vitality/Crit Chance/Physical % (More Elites = Faster clears!)

-Warzechian Armguards: Ideal rolls are Strength/Vitality/Crit Chance/Physical % (Can be used for even more movespeed in speed runs, synergize with Wreath of Lightning gem)

-Trag'oul Coils: Ideal rolls are Strength/Vitality/Crit Chance/Physical % (Can be used for trials to reset WOTB cooldown)

Rings:

**Crowd control reduction secondary is VERY valuable on Rings/Amulets**

-Ring of Royal Grandeur : Ideal rolls are Strength/Attack Speed %/Crit chance or Crit Damage/Socket (Used when you want to replace one Wastes set slothttp://cdncache-a.akamaihd.net/items/it/img/arrow-10x10.png with a different item)

-Focus + Restraint : Ideal rolls are Strength or Attack Speed %/Crit Chance /Crit Damage/Socket (Highest Damage output rings by far, but requires use of a generator skill)

-Convention of Elements : Ideal rolls are Strength or Attack Speed %/Crit Chance/Crit Damage/Socket (Best Damage output ring when another ring slothttp://cdncache-a.akamaihd.net/items/it/img/arrow-10x10.png is occupied)

-Stone of Jordan :Ideal rolls are Elite Damage/Physical Damage %/Socket/Strength or one of CC-IAS%-CHD (Arguably better for sustained damage compared to the 4 second burst of Elements Ring)

-Leorics Signet : Ideal rolls are Strength or Attack Speed %/Crit Chance/Crit Damage/Socket (Used for EXP farming)

-Hellfire Ring : Ideal rolls are Strength or Attack Speed %/Crit Chance /Crit Damage/Socket (Used for EXP farming)

-Unity : Ideal rolls are Elite Damage/Crit Chance/Crit Damage/Socket (Used for solo GR survivability)

Boots:

-Wrath of the Wastes Boots : Ideal rolls are Strength/Vitality/All Resist/Whirlwind%

Pants:

-Wrath of the Wastes Pants : Ideal rolls are Strength/Vitality/All resist/2 Sockets

-Hexing Pants : Ideal rolls are Strength/Vitality/All resist/2 Sockets (Can be used for a consistent damage+fury boost with Ring of Royal Grandeur)

Gearing your follower:

There is a couple of nice items you can get to really deck out your follower

-Bul-Kathos's Wedding Band Ring : Actually does decent damage even from your follower

-Eun-Jang-Do Dagger : Permenently freezes enemies belowhttp://cdncache-a.akamaihd.net/items/it/img/arrow-10x10.png 17-20% life

-Immunity Token : Required for double Unity combo

-Unity Ring : Required for double Unity combo

Legendary Gems:

-Bane of the Trapped : Top DPS gem, the damage % is multiplicative

-Taeguk : Top overall gem for this build, your stacks should only fall off if you die. Huge damage+toughness boost

-Esoteric Alteration : Top defensive gem, mostly what will kill you is elemental damage

-Molten Wildebeests Gizzard : Second best defensive gem, would only be used in combination with Esoteric Alteration

-Pain Enhancer : Personally don't really like this gem using Bul-Kathos swords as the Damage over time will be quite weak using a 1 handed sword, and the IAS% would only bump you up one breakpoint in the best case scenario

-Bane of the Powerful : Third best DPS gem, I use this when carrying a group or just want the highest DPS output possible

-Gogok of Swiftness : Almost didn't include this, it would only bump you up one breakpoint in the best case scenario and this build doesnt really need CDR

-Wreath of Lightning : Used for speed runs where you dont need more damage and would rather have more movespeed

-Boon of the Hoarder : Used for speed runs where you dont need more damage and would rather have more movespeed + gold (Personally never use this)

Skills:

The Core Skills:

-Whirlwind (Blood funnel rune): Its Physical and heals us!

-Battle Rage (Bloodshed rune) : You are going to be Critting a lot, the damage from this gets pretty rediculous when there is a lot of stuff grouped up

-War Cry (Impunity or Charge! runes) : Good survivability boost, tops us up on fury, and procs Chilaniks Chain. Use Charge! rune for T6 runs or speed low Greater Rifts where you dont need the extra resists

-Wrath of the Berserker (Insanity rune) : Breaking Crowd Control and being immune to it while having a huge damage/survivability burst? Sign me up.

Swappable Skills:

-Sprint (Marathon rune) : Almost put this in the Core Skill section, but can be swapped out for a utility skill in higher greater rifts, the damage from Run like the Wind rune is pitiful so didn't even put it in

-Overpower (Killing Spree or Momentum runes) : Crit chance is so strong so Killing Spree is a great choice, but if you need a boost of fury then Momentum works perfect for that

-Ground Stomp (Wrenching Smash rune) :Can be used to group stuff together in higher greater rifts, Can be used with the Dread Iron belt.

-Ignore Pain (Iron Hide, Ignorance is Bliss, Bravado runes) :Can be used with Obsidian Ring of the Zodiac for very high or permanent uptime, Bravado can be used for speed runs though I prefer Overpower

-Threatening Shout (Falter or Demoralize runes) : Can be used in high greater rift for extra survivability

Passive Skills:

-Ruthless : I always use this, a must have in my opinion (Unless fishing for high greater rifts)

-Weapons Master: If you dont use Reapers Wraps you must use this for fury generation

-Rampage : Second best DPS passive, though does not help you vs. most Rift Guardians.

-Boon of Bul-Kathos : 30 seconds off WOTB cooldown, use if you dont need a cheat death

-Nerves of Steel : Cheat Death! Always good, use when doing content you think you can die in (If fishing for high level Greater Rifts this usually isnt used, as more damage is needed)

-Superstition : Solid Defensive Passive

-Berserker Rage : If you find yourself with full fury always this is a great DPS passive

-Tough as Nails : I prefer it over Superstition when going full defense, since I would be already using Esoteric Alteration gem

-Bloodthirster: If you have 2-3 Health Globe rolls this can be ~1650-2000 life per fury spent, pretty solid

-Brawler : Solid DPS passive for fighting big groups, though does not help you vs. most Rift Guardians (If fishing for Hamelin in high greater rifts with immunity amulet, use this instead of Ruthless)

This post was edited by Tboner on May 2 2015 05:08pm