Axe Specialization
While using axes or Francisca Axes, gain 3 Weapon Damage.
Discover the best Dark and Darker Barbarian builds. Browse the 14 perks, 11 skills and 0 spells available to the Barbarian, then theorycraft your own loadout with the build calculator.
The Barbarian is a high-HP, two-handed melee bruiser built around raw burst damage and intimidation. With huge health pools and the ability to smash through doors and breakable structures, you bring relentless pressure and map control. The tradeoff is mobility: you move slowly, struggle to close gaps, and are exposed to kiting and magic.
Your strengths are durability and damage. A large health pool lets you trade blows other classes cannot, and two-handed weapons deliver some of the heaviest burst in the game, often killing in a couple of clean hits. You can also break doors and structures to control space, deny escapes, and create new angles. Your weaknesses are reach and tempo. Slow movement makes you easy to kite by ranged and mobile opponents who refuse to commit. Magic users punish you from distance, and missing a big swing leaves you open. Without good positioning, you can be whittled down before you ever land a meaningful hit.
Play the Barbarian as a pressure threat that forces mistakes. Use corners, doorways, and tight rooms to remove the enemy's space to kite, and approach from angles rather than open lanes. Time your swings for committed actions and openings instead of throwing wild attacks that you cannot recover from. Smash structures to cut off retreats or open surprise routes. Manage stamina and movement carefully, since being caught mid-swing or out of position is fatal. Pick your fights, avoid prolonged open-field chases against ranged enemies, and close decisively once you are in range to deliver your burst.
Barbarian builds usually choose how much to lean into raw offense versus survivability and tempo. Common directions include: - Heavy burst bruiser: maximise two-handed damage to delete targets in a few swings, accepting fragility against kiters. - Tanky brawler: stack health and durability to win drawn-out trades and survive poke from magic and ranged. - Mobile skirmisher: lean toward movement and approach tools so you can actually reach the enemies who try to run. Most players mix these depending on weapon choice and the gear they can afford. The right balance shifts with each patch, so experiment with stat weights and gear before committing. To tune numbers and compare loadouts, use the build calculator.
Prioritise perks and skills that address your core weaknesses while amplifying your strengths. Look for options that boost survivability, improve your damage output, or help you close distance and resist crowd control, since reaching the enemy is half the battle. Skills that grant short bursts of speed, aggression, or staying power tend to pay off most, letting you commit to fights on your terms. Defensive and utility picks can shore up your magic vulnerability. Exact perks change frequently, so check the full, up-to-date perk and skill list below for current options, and compare what other players are running with the community.
Barbarian · bjornofthebonk
Dexterity · Strength · Vigor
Health 189 · Move Speed 284 · Action Speed 27% · Physical Power Bonus 22% · Armor Penetration 20% · Physical Damage Reduction 43% · Magical Damage Reduction 69%
Barbarian · GazzyTaco
Dexterity · Agility
Health 154 · Move Speed 290 · Physical Damage Reduction 30% · Magical Damage Reduction 15%
Barbarian · Agathet
Strength · Vigor · Agility
Health 179 · Move Speed 296 · Additional Physical Damage 3 · Physical Power Bonus 27% · Action Speed 16% · Physical Damage Reduction 35% · Magical Damage Reduction 35%
Barbarian · Rezkin
Dexterity · Strength · Vigor
Health 181 · Move Speed 292 · Additional Physical Damage 4 · Action Speed 31% · Physical Power Bonus 29% · Armor Penetration 16% · Physical Damage Reduction 39% · Magical Damage Reduction 35%
Barbarian · okdan24
Vigor · Strength · Agility
Health 199 · Move Speed 291 · Additional Physical Damage 5 · Physical Power Bonus 40% · Action Speed 21% · Physical Damage Reduction 40% · Magical Damage Reduction 31%
Barbarian · NicIsAkatosh👑
Strength · Agility · Dexterity
Health 181 · Move Speed 298 · Additional Physical Damage 4 · Action Speed 25% · Physical Power Bonus 36% · Armor Penetration 17% · Physical Damage Reduction 34% · Magical Damage Reduction 29%
While using axes or Francisca Axes, gain 3 Weapon Damage.
Gain 2% Physical Damage Bonus and 0.5% Move Speed Bonus for every 10% of your maximum health missing, up to 20% and 5% respectively.
When you hit 2 or more players with a melee weapon within 1.5 seconds, gain 40% Physical Damage Bonus for 3 seconds.
While equipped with a two-handed weapon, gain the ability to destroy unreinforced containers. Also gain 1 Impact Power on your two-handed weapon attacks, making it easier to break blocks and parries.
While using axes or Francisca Axes, gain 20% Headshot Damage Bonus.
Hitting a target with a two-handed weapon increases the duration of movement speed reduction effects applied to them by 100%.
Gain 75 Magic Resistance and ignore knockback effects. The maximum Magical Damage Reduction limit is increased to 75%.
Recover 25% Maximum Health after killing a player.
Gain 20% increased potency towards all drinks, while reducing the duration by 50%.
Gain 10% Max Health Bonus.
While not wearing any chest armor, gain 10% Physical Damage Bonus and 1 Impact Power.
Targets hit by a headshot are inflicted with Bleed.
Bleed: Deals a total of 12 Physical Damage over 4 seconds.
Increases the duration of all shouting abilities by 50%.
When attacking with a two-handed weapon, gain 5% Physical Damage Bonus and 10% Armor Penetration.
Strike a target, reducing their Move Speed Bonus by 30% for 2 seconds. While debuffed, each time the target moves they receive 1 Physical Damage.
Cooldown: 24 seconds
Lose 10% of Maximum Health, but gain 15% Action Speed for 8 seconds and heal for 15% of damage dealt while active.
Cooldown: 28 seconds
Your next attack deals an additional 5 True Physical Damage. If the target’s health is 10% or lower after the attack, they are instantly killed.
Cooldown: 24 seconds
Throws a grappling rope at a target up to 4m away, pulling them toward you.
Cooldown: 16 seconds
Throws an axe to deal 150% weapon damage. Can only be used when an axe is equipped as your primary weapon.
Cooldown: 8 seconds
Gain 10 Strength, 7% Move Speed Bonus. While active, lose 5% Physical Damage Reduction for 6 seconds.
Cooldown: 28 seconds
Grants an additional 50% Armor Penetration on your next attack, but reduces your Armor Rating by 100 while active. The effect is consumed when you hit a target or object with a melee attack.
Cooldown: 24 seconds
Frightens all enemies within a 7.5m range radius for 6 seconds reducing their Physical Damage Bonus by 20% and Move Speed Bonus by 2.5%.
Cooldown: 28 seconds
Gain 20% Max Health Bonus for 10 seconds. This effect applies to yourself and allies within a 7.5m radius.
Cooldown: 28 seconds
While active, gain 8 All Attributes. In exchange, lose 10% of your Maximum Health over 8 seconds.
Cooldown: 28 seconds
Spin rapidly with a two-handed weapon, dealing 90% of weapon damage to all nearby enemies. While spinning, your weapon cannot be interrupted by any impact.
Cooldown: 32 seconds