List of popular Whirlwind builds and their estimated Single Target Damage output (Huge shoutout to Shadow from the bnet forums):

http://us.battle.net/d3/en/forum/topic/17084928946

The main star build is the high CDR Permanent WOTB/COTA/IP build.





Legend:

IAS = attack speed %
WOTB = Wrath of the Berserker
Orotz = Obsidian Ring of the Zodiac
FnR = Focus + Restraint Rings
BK=Bul-Kathos Oath Set
APDS = Ancient Parthan Defenders
CDR = Cool down reduction
CoTA TaO= Call of the Ancients with Together as One rune
IP = Ignore Pain


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

Bul-Kathos Wastes is capable of some of the fastest speed clears of t6 rifts and greater rift ~35-50, as well as doing the highest single target damage of any whirlwind build and able to clear greater rift 57+

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.

If you are playing Season 3 (Or Season 3 has ended and Obsidian Ring of the Zodiac is available to you) then a build with 100% uptime of WOTB+COTA+IP is possible

The Orotz build also does not rely on Unity for toughness so it is amazing for group play (You can even use Warcry+WOTB Striding Giant+COTA TaO+IP for INSANE toughness)



A quick Greater Rift 50 using High CDR Orotz build(My cooldown management isn't that good yet, so some downtime on WOTB/COTA)
Passives are Boon of BK, Ruthless, Rampage, Berserker Rage
Missing 10% Damage rolls on both swords, Missing 13% crit chance (Paragon+Overpower) and some ancient rolls so damage could be MUCH higher
Build is easily capable of 57+






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 Amulet)

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

Whirlwind% on gear affects the damage of the Dust Devils

The Element chosen for Whirlwind will change the damage of the Dust Devils to that Element (And will be buffed from stacking that Element% on Amulet/Bracers/SOJ)

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

Attack speed snapshots each time you start channeling Whirlwind, so if using Gogok you must re channel after getting 15 stacks

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: 2.0001, 2.2223, 2.50001, 2.8572, 3.0001, and 3.3334 (I don't recommend trying for 3.3334, it requires IAS% rolls on both weapons, I highly recommend hitting 3.0001)

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




Convention of Elements bug:

Currently (Possibly will be fixed in a future patch) the Dust Devils are only getting buffed by the Physical cycle of the ring (Regardless of what element you choose for Whirlwind)

But fear not! Element% from gear (Bracers/Amulet) will still affect the rune you have chosen for Whirlwind, so if you are using Wind Shear then stack Lightning%, if using Blood Funnel then stack Physical%




Obsidian Ring of the Zodiac Mechanics:

This ring is a tricky bugger. Lots of testing has been done on it probably all the mechanics at work havent been figured out but what we know so far:

The number of procs is based on your Whirlwind breakpoint

Density only has some effect on how many procs you get, basically as long as you are hitting you will be getting the maximum number of procs that you can get

So theoretically if you could hit a million monsters at once you would get no more procs then hitting a single target (But if in a sparse rift you will get no procs while hitting nothing)

The ring allocates procs to skills that are on cooldown, the more skills that are on cooldown the less reduction each will get

This means the more cooldown skills you have the more CDR you will need to keep them all at 100% uptime

This also means for maximum optimization you only want to use skills as you need them so that the skill doesn't "eat up" (Taking away procs from CoTA and/or WOTB) unnecessary zodiac procs

For example: Ignore Pain will only be "eating up" procs that could be going to CoTA/WOTB when it is on cooldown, so if the skill becomes available again but you still have the Ignore Pain buff up you want to wait until just before it runs out to re activate it (During the time when it is not on cooldown you will be getting more procs allocated to WOTB/COTA)




How much CDR?

**All CDR values listed are what would appear in your character screen, not how much you need from gear/paragon, and assuming 3.0001 breakpoint in WOTB**

If using Orotz its tough to say exactly how much you will need since because of the way that Orotz behaves, it will depend on the players ability to time the re application of skills and possibly their latency to the server, how many cooldowns they are using and what breakpoint they are hitting.

From what I have heard if you are just using WOTB (No COTA or IP) then around 44% CDR (In your character screen) with Orotz is enough to maintain 100% WOTB uptime

If using the 3 big cooldown build (IP+WOTB+COTA) then 57.76% CDR makes it pretty comfortable to keep all at 100% uptime (Requires 81.5% CDR from gear+paragon+Gogok, 20 from weapons+16 from rings+8 shoulder+12.5 helm gem+15 Gogok+10 Paragon) I suspect 54.10% CDR (Dropping one 8% CDR roll) would be fine if you were able to time your cooldowns like a perfect robot, unfortunately I am not one

If not using an Orotz, then 57.76% CDR also allows 100% uptime of Ignore Pain Iron Hide with a 6 second Pride of Cassius and also around 53% uptime of WOTB (Using Boon of BK Passive)



Hitting the IAS Breakpoints:

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

The Bul-Kathos set bonus is actually multiplicative meaning you multiply your attack speed by 1.3 to get your final attacks per second

Since we are dual wielding we gain 15% attack speed

When in WOTB we also gain another 25% IAS for a total of 40% IAS

If using Gogok gem we gain another 15% at max stacks for a total of 55% attack speed

To hit the 2.0001 breakpoint, if using 1.3 base weapon speed (If you don't have IAS rolled on your swords, they will be 1.3 base) then you need only 3.4% attack speed from gear/paragon when not in WOTB, and 0% IAS when in WOTB

To hit the 2.2223 breakpoint with 1.3 base weapons you will need 16.5% IAS from gear/paragon when not in WOTB, and 0% IAS when in WOTB

To hit the 2.5001 breakpoint with 1.3 base weapons you will need 33% IAS from gear/paragon when not in WOTB (pretty unrealistic to aim for), and 8% IAS when in WOTB

To hit the 2.8572 breakpoint with 1.3 base weapons you will need 29.2% IAS from gear/paragon when in WOTB

To hit the 3.0001 breakpoint with 1.3 base weapons you will need 37.6% IAS from gear/paragon when in WOTB (You would be using Gogok gem if aiming for this so you would need 22.6% IAS elsewhere)

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 (Including BK bonus) = APS multiplier needed

For example : 3.3334 (desired breakpoint) / [1.391*1.3]=1.8083 (BK sword with 7%ias multiplied by BK set bonus ) / = 1.844 (Means you need 84.4% ias to reach this breakpoint) and we already have 55% base from dual wield+WOTB+Gogok, so you would need 29.4% IAS from gear/paragon to hit the breakpoint.

*I do not recommend going IAS% on weapons, as Life per Fury spent/Vitality/CDR/Damage % are all amazing!*



Game Play:

Hold down Whirlwind and Spin to Win!

If using a FnR build you will have to charge every 5 seconds to keep the buff up and if using an Ignore Pain build will have to watch the cooldown to ensure 100% uptime

If using an Orotz build with 4 cooldown skills you will have to manage your cooldowns like a hawk to maintain 100% Uptime on WOTB/COTA (And only cast WOTB/COTA with 15 gogok stacks)





The Gear:

Weapons:

- Bul-Kathos swords : Ideal rolls depend on build.. If going a CDR build you likely want 10 CDR on both swords, and your choice of vitality or 10% Damage, 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 for speed runs or CDR builds)



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 if not using permanent IP/WOTB build**

-Hellfire Amulet :Ideal rolls are Strength or Element%/Crit Chance/Crit Damage/Socket (The best possible DPS amulet for this build, with a good passive)

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

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



Gloves:

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

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



Belts:

**If using Ignore Pain - Ignorance is Bliss then Life per Fury spent is not really needed, All res + Life% will be best to avoid being one shot**

-Chilaniks Chain : Ideal rolls are Strength/Vitality/Life % or All Resist/Life per fury spent (Used for speed runs, with Orotz 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 with no CDR)

-The Witching Hour : Ideal rolls are Strength/Vitality/Attack speed % / Crit Damage or All Resist (Can be used to reach a higher IAS 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:

-Strong Arms : Ideal rolls are Strength/Crit Chance/Attack Speed %/Element % (Can be used with Ground Stomp or even without an "activator", CoTA will proc it and also Ess of Johan amulet will proc it)

-Steady Strikers : Ideal rolls are Strength/Crit Chance/Attack Speed %/Element % (Can be used for hitting the 3.0001/3.3334 Breakpoints)

-Ancient Parthan Defenders : Ideal rolls are Strength/Vitality/Crit Chance/Element % (Can be used for extra toughness with high CDR FnR build using Furious Charge - Cold Rush)

-Lacuni Prowlers : Ideal rolls are Strength/Vitality/Crit Chance/Attack Speed %/Element % (Ideal for hitting the 3.0001/3.3334 Breakpoints)

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

-Reapers Wraps : Ideal rolls are Strength/Vitality/Crit Chance/Element % (Can be used to generate extra fury, not needed ever in my opinion)

-Nemesis Bracers : Ideal rolls are Strength/Vitality/Crit Chance/Element % (More Elites = Faster clears! Not good to use in high greater rifts, very good for group play)

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

-Trag'oul Coils: Ideal rolls are Strength/Vitality/Crit Chance/Element % (Can be used for trials to reset WOTB cooldown on low/no CDR build)


Rings:

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

-Obsidian Ring of the Zodiac : They always roll pretty much the same, roll off the reduce resourse cost for a socket, at least 6% IAS will be required to hit the ideal breakpoint (Required for the top build)

-Ring of Royal Grandeur : Ideal rolls are Strength/Attack Speed %/Crit chance or Crit Damage or CDR/Socket (Used when you want to replace one Wastes set slot with a different item)

-Focus + Restraint : Ideal rolls are Strength or Attack Speed %/Crit Chance or CDR/Crit Damage or CDR/Socket (Highest Aoe damage output rings, but requires use of a generator skill and is squishy compared to the Orotz build, and has less single target damage)

-Convention of Elements : Ideal rolls are Strength or Attack Speed %/Crit Chance or CDR/Crit Damage or CDR/Socket (Best damage output ring when another ring slot is occupied, required for the top build)

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

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

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

-Unity : Ideal rolls are Elite Damage/Crit Chance/Crit Damage or CDR/Socket (Used for solo GR survivability, not needed with the top build)

-Skull Grasp : Do not use this, had to include it because it may seem good if you don't understand how it works, it does not buff the Dust Devil Damage so it is not good at all



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)


My Preferred Gear Set ups:

-T6 Speed Rifts/Speed lower Greater Rifts : Ring of Royal Grandeur+Gloves of Worship+Obsidian Ring of the Zodiac+Chilaniks Chain+Nemesis Bracers with high CDR (Or use Waste Gloves + Element Ring/SOJ for more damage)

-Speed ~40-45 Greater Rifts : High CDR Orotz build+Chilaniks Chain+Nemesis Bracers (No Ignore Pain)

-High Solo/Group Greater Rift Pushing : High CDR Orotz build (Perma WOTB+COTA+IP+Warcry) *Shown in video*


Gearing your follower:

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

-The Ess of Johan : Pulls enemies together and procs Strong Arm Bracers

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

-Eun-Jang-Do Dagger : Permenently freezes enemies 17-20% life (Damage must be rolled to lightning if using Wyrdward ring)

-Thunderfury : Next best weapon after Eun-Jang-Do

-Immunity Token : Required for double Unity combo, and keeps your follower alive in higher greater rifts

-Unity Ring : Required for double Unity combo

-Wyrdward Ring : Stuns a decent amount with some IAS and lightning damage rolled on weapon



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 for extra toughness

-Pain Enhancer : Not good for BK builds

-Bane of the Powerful : Third best DPS gem, if not using Gogok for CDR

-Gogok of Swiftness : Required for high CDR builds, and helps a lot in reaching high IAS breakpoints

-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 or Wind Shear runes): Physical should only be used if you really need the healing

-Battle Rage (Bloodshed or Swords to Ploughshares runes) : You are going to be Critting a lot, the damage from this gets pretty rediculous when there is a lot of stuff grouped up, Ploughshares can be used to extra healing for you and your CoTA

-Wrath of the Berserker (Insanity or Striding Giant runes) : Breaking Crowd Control and being immune to it while having a huge damage/survivability burst? Sign me up. Can have 100% uptime with high CDR Orotz builds


Swappable Skills:

-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, it also lasts for 60 seconds so if used in a high CDR Orotz build it wont "eat up" zodiac procs

-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 or without Orotz 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, I prefer War Cry

-Rend (Bloodlust or Mutilate runes) : Can be used in High Greater Rifts for Healing or more damage though I dont recommend it

-Call of the Ancients (Together as One rune) : Used with high CDR builds for extra toughness and single target damage



Passive Skills:

-Ruthless : I always use this, a must have in my opinion

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

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

-Boon of Bul-Kathos : 30 seconds off WOTB+COTA cooldown, must have for high CDR builds

-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 : Amazing passive for high greater rifts with good density (Used for fishing highest Greater Rifts)

-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 but I would never use it

-Brawler : Solid DPS passive for fighting big groups, though does not help you vs. most Rift Guardians

a guide is needed for the easiest char/build in game? lol

I would hardly call managing 3-4 cooldowns and making sure you hit the right cdr/ias breakpoints at all times is the easiest char/build in the game, why dont you go back to being made fun of on the bnet forums? it was quite entertaining..

This post was edited by Tboner on May 15 2015 11:33am

bnet forums r full of nub, I troll there some time. again theres nothing hard managing cooldown or cdr/ias breakpoint, ww barb is pew pew ez mode vs most of the other char atm. whats hard is grinding those 56+ trial keys not building/playing the actually char.

Hey man, give the guy some credit for doing this for the noobs.

you realize that this is D3 you are talking about. No skills are required to play this game.

Bump

Why is pain enhancer bad with bk weapons

Bloodshed rune is better with BK weapons then sword of ploughnesS?

Gogok is just better



Damage / healing, what do you want more?