2.3 Whirlwind (GR 60-65... for now)

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by jhow4 last updated Jul 5, 2015 ( Patch 2.2 )

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Skills

Hammer of the Ancients Rolling Thunder
- Hammer of the Ancients
Cost: 20 Fury

Call forth a massive hammer to smash enemies directly in front of you for 535% weapon damage. Hammer of the Ancients has a 1% increased Critical Hit Chance for every 5 Fury that you have.
Rolling Thunder

Create a shockwave that deals 505% weapon damage to all enemies within 22 yards in front of you.
Whirlwind Blood Funnel
- Whirlwind
Cost: 10 Fury

Deliver multiple attacks to everything in your path for 340% weapon damage.

While whirlwinding, you move at 100% movement speed.
Blood Funnel

Critical Hits restore 1% of your maximum Life.
Overpower Killing Spree
- Overpower
Cooldown: 12 seconds per charge

Deal 380% weapon damage to all enemies within 9 yards. Max 3 charges.

Critical Hits have a chance to reduce the recharge time of Overpower by 1 second.
Killing Spree

Your Critical Hit Chance is increased by 8% for 5 seconds.

Overpower's damage turns into Lightning.
Battle Rage Bloodshed
- Battle Rage
Cost: 20 Fury

Enter a rage which increases your damage by 10% and Critical Hit Chance by 3%. Lasts 120 seconds.
Bloodshed

Critical Hits cause an explosion of blood dealing 20% of the damage done to all other nearby enemies.
Wrath of the Berserker Insanity
- Wrath of the Berserker
Cooldown: 120 seconds

Enter a berserker rage which raises several attributes for 20 seconds.

Critical Hit Chance: 10%
Attack Speed: 25%
Dodge Chance: 20%
Movement Speed: 20%
Insanity

While active, gain 50% increased damage.
War Cry Impunity
- War Cry
Generate: 20 Fury
Cooldown: 20 seconds

Unleash a rallying cry to increase Armor for you and all allies within 100 yards by 20% for 120 seconds.
Impunity

Increase resistance to all elements by 20% while affected by War Cry.

Nerves of Steel
- Nerves of Steel
Fatal damage instead reduces you to 15% Life. For 3 seconds afterward, you take 95% reduced damage and are immune to all control-impairing effects.

This effect may occur once every 60 seconds.
Weapons Master
- Weapons Master
Gain a bonus based on the weapon type of your main hand weapon:
Swords/Daggers: 8% increased damage
Maces/Axes: 5% Critical Hit Chance
Polearms/Spears: 8% attack speed
Mighty Weapons: 2 Fury per hit
Ruthless
- Ruthless
You deal 40% additional damage to enemies below 30% health.
Rampage
- Rampage
Increase Strength by 1% for 8 seconds after killing or assisting in killing an enemy. This effect stacks up to 25 times.

Items

Helm of the Wastes

Set Helm

Primary Stats

+626–750 Strength
+4 Random Magic Properties
Empty Socket

Wrath of the Wastes
Helm of the Wastes
Pauldrons of the Wastes
Cuirass of the Wastes
Tasset of the Wastes
Sabaton of the Wastes
Gauntlet of the Wastes
(2) Set: Increase the damage per second of Rend by 500% and its duration to 15 seconds.
(4) Set: During Whirlwind you gain 50% damage reduction and your applied Rends deal triple damage.
(6) Set: Whirlwind gains the effect of the Dust Devils rune and all Whirlwind damage is increased by 800%.
Pauldrons of the Wastes

Set Shoulders

Primary Stats

+416–500 Strength
+91–100 Resistance to All Elements
+4 Random Magic Properties

Wrath of the Wastes
Helm of the Wastes
Pauldrons of the Wastes
Cuirass of the Wastes
Tasset of the Wastes
Sabaton of the Wastes
Gauntlet of the Wastes
(2) Set: Increase the damage per second of Rend by 500% and its duration to 15 seconds.
(4) Set: During Whirlwind you gain 50% damage reduction and your applied Rends deal triple damage.
(6) Set: Whirlwind gains the effect of the Dust Devils rune and all Whirlwind damage is increased by 800%.
Xephirian Amulet

Legendary Amulet

Primary Stats

Attack Speed Increased by 5.0–6.0%
+3 Random Magic Properties

Secondary Stats

Prevent all Lightning damage taken and heal yourself for 10–15% of the amount prevented.
One of 3 Magic Properties (varies)

+330–524 Dexterity

+330–524 Strength

+330–524 Intelligence
Cuirass of the Wastes

Set Chest Armor

Primary Stats

+416–500 Strength
+4 Random Magic Properties
Empty Socket

Wrath of the Wastes
Helm of the Wastes
Pauldrons of the Wastes
Cuirass of the Wastes
Tasset of the Wastes
Sabaton of the Wastes
Gauntlet of the Wastes
(2) Set: Increase the damage per second of Rend by 500% and its duration to 15 seconds.
(4) Set: During Whirlwind you gain 50% damage reduction and your applied Rends deal triple damage.
(6) Set: Whirlwind gains the effect of the Dust Devils rune and all Whirlwind damage is increased by 800%.
Steady Strikers

Legendary Bracers
Gauntlet of the Wastes

Set Gloves

Primary Stats

+626–750 Strength
Critical Hit Chance Increased by 8.0–10.0%
+4 Random Magic Properties

Wrath of the Wastes
Helm of the Wastes
Pauldrons of the Wastes
Cuirass of the Wastes
Tasset of the Wastes
Sabaton of the Wastes
Gauntlet of the Wastes
(2) Set: Increase the damage per second of Rend by 500% and its duration to 15 seconds.
(4) Set: During Whirlwind you gain 50% damage reduction and your applied Rends deal triple damage.
(6) Set: Whirlwind gains the effect of the Dust Devils rune and all Whirlwind damage is increased by 800%.
String of Ears

Legendary Belt

145 - 164 Armor

Primary Stats

+201 - 230 Vitality

Secondary Stats

Reduces damage from melee attacks by 25 - 30%.

+ 3 Random Magic Properties
Tasset of the Wastes

Set Pants

Primary Stats

+416–500 Strength
+4 Random Magic Properties
Empty Socket

Wrath of the Wastes
Helm of the Wastes
Pauldrons of the Wastes
Cuirass of the Wastes
Tasset of the Wastes
Sabaton of the Wastes
Gauntlet of the Wastes
(2) Set: Increase the damage per second of Rend by 500% and its duration to 15 seconds.
(4) Set: During Whirlwind you gain 50% damage reduction and your applied Rends deal triple damage.
(6) Set: Whirlwind gains the effect of the Dust Devils rune and all Whirlwind damage is increased by 800%.
Sabaton of the Wastes

Set Boots

Primary Stats

+416–500 Strength
+416–500 Vitality
+4 Random Magic Properties

Wrath of the Wastes
Helm of the Wastes
Pauldrons of the Wastes
Cuirass of the Wastes
Tasset of the Wastes
Sabaton of the Wastes
Gauntlet of the Wastes
(2) Set: Increase the damage per second of Rend by 500% and its duration to 15 seconds.
(4) Set: During Whirlwind you gain 50% damage reduction and your applied Rends deal triple damage.
(6) Set: Whirlwind gains the effect of the Dust Devils rune and all Whirlwind damage is increased by 800%.
Convention of Elements

Legendary Ring

Primary Stats

Critical Hit Chance Increased by 4.5–6.0%
+2 Random Magic Properties

Secondary Stats

Gain 150–200% increased damage to a single element for 4 seconds. This effect rotates through the elements available to your class in the following order: Arcane, Cold, Fire, Holy, Lightning, Physical, Poison.
Empty Socket
One of 3 Magic Properties (varies)

+220–349 Dexterity

+220–349 Strength

+220–349 Intelligence
Stone of Jordan

Legendary Ring

Primary Stats

Increases damage against elites by 25.0–30.0%
+2 Random Magic Properties
One of 6 Magic Properties (varies)

+8–10 Maximum Discipline (Demon Hunter Only)

+7–8 Maximum Fury (Barbarian Only)

+7–9 Maximum Arcane Power (Wizard Only)

+105–119 Maximum Mana (Witch Doctor Only)

+13–14 Maximum Spirit (Monk Only)

+7–8 Maximum Wrath

One of 3 Magic Properties (varies)

+220–349 Dexterity

+220–349 Strength

+220–349 Intelligence

One of 7 Magic Properties (varies)

Physical skills deal 15–20% more damage.

Lightning skills deal 15–20% more damage.

Cold skills deal 15–20% more damage.

Fire skills deal 15–20% more damage.

Arcane skills deal 15–20% more damage.

Poison skills deal 15–20% more damage.

Holy skills deal 15–20% more damage.
Bul-Kathos's Solemn Vow

Set Mighty Weapon

Bul-Kathos's Oath
Bul-Kathos's Solemn Vow
Bul-Kathos's Warrior Blood
(2) Set: During Whirlwind you gain 30% increased attack speed and movement speed.Increases Fury Generation by 10

More Details

Head
- Helm of the Wastes
- Stat Priority: Str CHC Physical %
Shoulders
- Pauldrons of the Wastes
- Stat Priority: Str Vit AR Life
Amulet
- Xephirian Amulet
- Eye of Etlich
- Stat Priority: Socket CHD CHC Poison Res
Torso
- Cuirass of the Wastes
- Stat Priority: Str Vit AR Reduced Elite Dmg
Wrists
- Steady Strikers
- Lacuni Prowlers
- Stat Priority: Physical % CHC Str
Hands
- Gauntlet of the Wastes
- Stat Priority: Str CHD CHC AS
Waist
- String of Ears
- Stat Priority: Str Vit AR
Legs
- Tasset of the Wastes
- Stat Priority: Str Vit AR
Feet
- Sabaton of the Wastes
- Stat Priority: Str Vit AR Dmg %
Rings
- Convention of Elements
- Stone of Jordan
- Unity
- Stat Priority: Socket CHD CHC Physical %
Weapon
- Bul-Kathos's Solemn Vow
- Bul-Kathos's Warrior Blood
- Stat Priority: Str AS
Offhand
- Stat Priority: None

Legendary Gems
- Bane of the Trapped
  Bane of the Trapped
  
  Gem
  
  Primary Stats
  
  Increase damage against enemies under the effects of control-impairing effects by 15.00%.
  Gain an aura that reduces the movement speed of enemies within 15 yards by 30%. (Requires Rank 25)
- Taeguk
  Taeguk
  
  Gem
  
  Primary Stats
  
  Gain 2.00% increased damage for 1.5 seconds when you spend resource on a channeled skill. This effect stacks up to 10 times.
  Gain 2.0% increased Armor for every stack. (Requires Rank 25)
- Pain Enhancer
  Pain Enhancer
  
  Gem
  
  Primary Stats
  
  Critical hits cause the enemy to bleed for 2500.0% weapon damage as Physical over 3 seconds.
  Gain Blood Frenzy, granting you 3% increased Attack Speed for each bleeding enemy within 20 yards. (Requires Rank 25)

Paragon Priorities

Core

Movement Speed
Primary Stat
Vitality
Maximum Resource

Offense

Attack Speed
Critical Hit Damage
Critical Hit Chance
Cooldown Reduction

Defense

Resist All
Life
Armor
Life Regeneration

Utility

Area Damage
Life on Hit
Resource Cost Reduction
Gold Find

Build Guide

The Whirlwind Barbarian isn't going anywhere. There haven't been many changes, but one new 2.3 item really pushes the Wrath of the Wastes set over the top. The new Patch 2.3 bracers: Bracers of the First Men, allows anywhere between 75-100% Increased Attack Speed after hitting with Hammer of the Ancients. Keeping your BK weapons and Wastes set in place and adding those bracers means that you can hit the vaunted 3.33 APS breakpoint for maximum WW ticks and Dust Devil ticks. If you don't have much luck with the IAS on the bracers, simply pull the power from the bracers into Kanai's cube and it will put use 100% IAS when using it in the cube. If you have a nicely rolled pair and can hit the break point with them, then utilizing Hexing Pants of Mr. Yan as Kanai's passive can be huge to your damage overall.
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The breakpoints are as follows(credit to Reddit):
1.25 aps = 4.0000 WW ticks / sec & 2.6087 DD tornadoes / sec
1.66 aps = 5.4545 WW ticks / sec & 3.5294 DD tornadoes / sec
2.00 aps = 6.6667 WW ticks / sec & 4.2857 DD tornadoes / sec
2.50 aps = 8.5714 WW ticks / sec & 5.4545 DD tornadoes / sec
3.33 aps = 12.000 WW ticks / sec & 7.5000 DD tornadoes / sec
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So 100% of 1.67 APS = 3.34APS. That's what you're shooting for. Doing the math to hit the maximum breakpoints on your WW and DD ticks is vital. So stopping to hit with Hammer of the Ancients to grant that IAS every 3 seconds will have your Tornadoes and Dust Devils doing crazy damage. Remember, with IAS you're able to cast skills faster, so utilizing it right at that 3 seconds while you still have the IAS bonus will mean you get in and out of danger quicker when stopping to attack. IF you're having trouble with IAS on your gear or your bracers are close to 100% and you don't want to put them in Kanai's cube, using the Gogok of Swiftness as a legendary gem can help supplement attack speed and also help cooldowns as needed. Alternatively, running with an Obsidian Ring for CDs isn't a bad option as well once seasonal items are available.
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I'm sure other combinations with the Focus/Restraint will also be viable, as well as other ring combinations with Kanai's cube opening up many possibilities, including using the Obsidian Ring in your jewelry slot. This is a WIP, but it's doing a LOT of damage on the PTR currently and is topping at mid 60's in GRs already. Hammer of the Ancients can be use with basically any rune, including the Cold rune for chilling to save yourself in key moments. Rolling Thunder just allows for quicker clears of trash mobs. Overpower is something I'm testing to be able to have increased Crit Chance, however there's plenty of options here. Pride of Cassius with Ignore Pain can be effective for high GRs as well, however a String of Ears allows for decent survivability. Swapping several things out is completely possible with the Belt or Overpower skill slot. Some combination of Furious Charge combined with this is also possible. Again, PTR is there for testing, so let's see what else we can come up with.

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