So, harpoons and Ghost Glaives travel farther than some other throwing weapons so I'm assuming they clear faster.

I also think offhand should be eth lacerator for amp proc.

What type of Jav for mainhand? Harpoon or Ghost Glaive with 400+ed?

The longer range is very relevant for pvp, but makes practically no difference for pvm. I’ll skip the explanation on this part to keep it short n sweet, but lmk if you want to know the logic behind this statement.
The reason they’re considered to be an upgrade to warshrike is because of their significantly higher dmg, assuming you can afford gg eth rares.

The advantage of warshrike is that it gives you 100% pierce (on both weapons if you use it main hand) without relying on razor/wisdom, and makes it relatively easier to reach max ias.
Faster ias = faster amp procs = more dps during that short time frame.
And the use of something like guillaumes + ias/ed jewel also make it so the lower dmg from warshrike is not so bad when you compare it to gg eth rares paired with wisdom instead.

That said, yes, at some point if you are willing to pay the big price, rares can beat the standard cheap option.

Now, about your question…
The best base depends on how you build it.
I’m a fan of hybrid throw/ww, but if you build a pure throw barb, you’ll most likely be using lvl 15 fana and 40ias from gear (LoH + HL).
If that’s the case, then 400+ ed% ghost glaives don’t even need ias if you use lacerator on main hand.
Paired with 0% ias GG off-hand, you’ll reach the 9 frames bp.
If you want to use GG on main hand, they would need 20+ ias.

Using winged harpoon, you could reach 8 frames, even if they have 0% ias (used on off-hand) or 20+ias (used on main hand).

GG’s average base dmg is 30% more than WH.
8fpa is 12.5% faster than 9fpa.

I’ll spare you the calculations, but this means that to be equal dps, a WH would need to have a total bonus ed% 16.2% higher than the ed% on GG.
That’s without considering any sources of +max dmg from inventory, which lowers this % considerably depending on the amount you have.
With around +80 max dmg, we’re looking at some 10% more ed needed instead.
This means that 440ed WH 8fpa would be about equal dps to 400ed GG at 9fpa.

Again, this is also without considering the time required to proc amp, and any sources of crushing blow.

Oh man, I really appreciate this info. It’s a lot to take in, but I’m able to understand it. You explained it well.

I’ve just been doing pure throw while I race to 99. What made you go WW/throw? Do you WW with your throwing weapons? (Probably a dumb question, but I really don’t know.)

For my build, I use Wiz + 35% FCR Spirit on swap for 105% FCR and max block (I pump a lot of dex for damage). I still have 4.5k HP and haven’t RIP’d yet.
So I use 2x FCR rings with 9 min, leech, AR, and res to hit the 105 FCR on swap.
Cham’d Gface for CBF, CB, etc.
Highlord’s
LoH
Enigma
Razor belt
Travs for damage
Full inventory of 3/15+/18+ and Sunder (since I’ve started using a chanter to follow my Barb in pubs, maybe I don’t need Sunder for phys immunes).
So definitely 80+ max damage even if I carry a cube.

For max damage with this build, if I use Lacerator main hand, I’d want a 400+ ED eth Ghost Glaive offhand and it wouldn’t need IAS? If it does need IAS, how much? (The IAS calc/ breakpoints make my head hurt.)
Merc has 15 Fana.

Would I need to change something up to have a 15/40 in helm for the proper IAS breakpoint? With TZ leveling, the 105 FCR isn’t used often, and I host TZ pre-tele runs with a 200 FCR sorc anyway.

Any suggestions for build changes, if necessary, would be greatly appreciated. I’m about to hit 98 tonight and I’ve got a long road to 99. I want it to go as fast as possible, even if I need to invest more into gear.

When I hit 99, maybe I’ll try throw barb for PvP instead of a basic BvC like I had planned. Throw is quite fun.

First of all, ty for the donation. Unnecessary yet still appreciated
I really don’t want anyone to feel like they owe me something when I answer them, the feeling of being helpful is my only payment haha

Now…
Using a chant sorc you say?
That considerable added dmg may most likely be enough to aim for a 8fpa lower dmg WH rather than a 9fpa setup with GG.

Tbh, with this new info, warshrike will be hard to beat.
The optimal setup in your case could even be 7fpa warshrike, that you can reach with 70ias from gear, which would require you adapting your build this way :

Replace guillaume by a 2os circ (for 30ias, plus 40 from LoH&HL)
This would also free up your belt, as you get max pierce without razor. But then you would need a raven.
Raven is often avoided on barbs, when they want to use find item, but in your case you probably don’t care at all about shattering corpses. The high dex/ar is very great. It also allows you to play with no cold res at all. And if you don’t have cold dmg elsewhere, even the minor slow it gives you is a considerable bonus that can prevent missing a few hits against moving targets.

The final result would be very comparable dps to using a 400+ ed Winged Harpoon at 8fpa, or a Ghost Glaive at 9fpa. Again, because the chant factors in the fpa discrepancy, as well as the ctc amp, and CB. We’re at a point where it becomes really hard to determine what’s really optimal in terms of real effective dps.
But why would I suggest using the above adaptations for a 7fpa warshrike setup?
Cuz then this setup comes with potentially much better defensive stats (razor -> SoE, res/stats/life or whatever on circ instead of nothing from guillaume, raven) and/or potentially better fcr frames on your main weapons side, as you could use a 20fcr circ.
So you could sit at a comfortable 40fcr (37bp) instead of 20.

But tbh, your build seems already close to fully min/maxed. All the suggestions above would barely be noticeable. You’re at a point where reworking it too much could take more time than what it could save versus if you just invest that time in playing it haha

I can tell you more about my version of throw/ww hybrid in a future post

This post was edited by SinsOfTheSun on Sep 11 2025 10:41am

Thank you again
You're saving me a ton of time and from potentially buying expensive things I don't need, so it's FG well spent imo lol.

I'm gonna go the WS+Lacerator route with 2os 20Fcr 30ias helm. It seems like a no-brainer, unless I'm missing something.
I'll have no CB, but I'm not really fighting bosses, just mobs. Does that matter?

I've also been using Frenzy for more ias, but it's a pain in the ass. I like your idea better.

WS in mainhand right? I'll be switching to 8/15 SoE and P-raven as well.

So... here's more info about what I personally feel is the best pvm p8 barb.

We got a bunch of people who disagree about throw or ww being optimal.
For throw to bear ww, you need to hit multiple targets.
The weakness of throw is lower single target dps.
So in the end, throw is better at density destroying, while ww is obviously better at killing individual uniques/bosses and finishing lower density of mobs.

Going for a setup good at both throw and ww was really hard... until the introduction of Metamorphosis in D2R.

Mark of the Bear is the key of this particular build.
It gives 25 Eias and 20DR
In comparison, lvl 14-15 fana gives 33 Eias

In the end, this completely busted helm gives you
25% Eias
20% DR
CbF
10@
10 str&vita
25% CB
and up to 3x +3 skills (cuz you obviously make it in a barb helm, not a pelt)

So here's how this strange build goes :

meta
warshrike(or gg rare) + lacerator
enigma
LoH
HL
gores
arach
2x fcr rings with ar/res/leech

Now, you need to trigger MotB.
Luckily this is a very long buff, 3 mins, which is normally enough to last for most runs length.
Proccing it is very fast and reliable. A single attack, hit or miss. Shift - attack - unshift is about 2 seconds
But you need to have access to werebear.

So your weapon swap?
eDeath Ettin + Beast Ettin

You reach max ias just from MotB + lvl 9 fana
the extra 40% ias on gear, paired with the overcapped Eias above make the build extremely resilient to slows (holy freeze / decrep)

This combo is slightly less flat dps than a standard WW barb using dual grief, if you look at it just like that on paper.
But the much higher CB% is where it shines, as it is used after proccing amp on throw side, to help kill ultra high life targets where a pure throw barb normally gets slower.
And since you can very reliably self-proc amp, while a normal ww barb would rely on a weaker and less relyable decrep proc from reaper merc, this also allows you to use a pride merc, further boosting both your throw and ww arsenal.

So in the end?
This hybrid build can achieve higher ww dps then a pure ww barb, against high life targets
and more throw dps than a pure throw barb, due to the MotB buff which allows us to replace faith merc but much more extra ed% from might + pride
You now have the complete arsenal against both density and tanky targets, on a 40fcr ultra tank build.
Not only better in every way, but also more fun to play due to having some diversity instead of always using the same attack.

WS main hand yeah, cuz if your first hit pierce then your 2nd missile is also piercing
And loosing CB is no big deal, the dmg is halved on ranged attacks anyway, and as you said you're on a build made for density destroying (rarely fighting bosses).
Personal preference here, but I wouldn't use a sunder. Even without chant it's questionable on this build. You could have a 10max/xx/xx gc and swap it with sunder in case you know you'll be farming a TZ filled with physical immunes for the next hour.

And yeah, it's kinda funny how this cheaper starter setup using WS, when paired with chant, is effectively performing just as good (if not better) as some ultra gg eth rare ghost glaives, due to the 2fpa faster throw and how we also often forget that the increased dmg from a rare is in the end only half of your hits.

I posted above my hybrid variant, just for your info since you seemed interested. But don't rework your whole build you're nearly there haha

This post was edited by SinsOfTheSun on Sep 11 2025 11:49am

Just some final thought...

if you're looking for 2x 15 ias jewel for your circ, you better get 15ias/15max rather than 15ias/40ed
40ed would beat 15max if you were using higher base dmg
but in your case 15max is better and cheaper

You probably already knew the above... but I came back mostly because I realized that I made a lil mistake in all the previous statements...
You won't reach the 37fcr bp on main side, cuz even if you get 20 extra fcr on circ, you'll also lose 10 from swapping a fcr ring to raven.
(I missed that detail cuz I'm used to CbF on helm on the metamorphosis setup, which effectively reach the 37fcr bp)

Not a big deal, you'll still have your 105fcr on swap, and while you're fighting fcr doesn't do much cuz you most likely tele once then attack.
So in case this circ purchase is just a temp, you wouldn't lose anything even if it was just 10fcr instead of 20.
But if you intend to then convert this barb to pvp, then ignore the temp 10fcr circ

Oooo, that's a really good point on the jewels + They are much cheaper lol.

I did realize I wouldn't have the 37fcr bp, but I was fine with 20 a lot of the time and only weapon swapped for long distance teleing.

For PvP, what would you aim for? Throw seems like a lot more fun tbh.
Lacerator + xx-ias ghost glaive? Need ias from helm? Won't have merc. Would prob need 70 from gear, I'd imagine.

There’s so many different approaches for pvp
Brawler is more popular than pure throw
But even for a brawler, you can either WW on swap, or assume that you’ll WW on throw side.
Cuz WW is mostly used to move away from telestomps, which requires fast reactions and having to interrupt your throw sequence to then press w to then use WW away is not what I call fast enough.

So with that in mind…
Balrog spear has a faster wsm and the highest 1h non-throw dmg.
A bit less throw dmg, but can reach 1fpa faster, while also being more ww dmg. Possibly the best base for a brawler, if you understand that ww is more suited for a reaction escape than a true offensive skill on this pvp build.
And not using another weapon set for ww on swap also means that you get +6 BO.

I’d recommend the brawler route.
It’s more well rounded and fun.
I’m pretty sure the overall win rate is better than a pure throw barb if we include all possible matchups.
But if you prefer a pure throw setup, then ghost glaive is probably your best base option.

Pvp is a bit outside my field of expertise. I don’t mind helping you theorycraft, but I’m sure you’d get better tips from more experienced pvp’ers

This post was edited by SinsOfTheSun on Sep 11 2025 12:43pm