Thunder Barbarian (HotA)

This guide is for solo farming on low monster power. The name come from the Rune Thunderstrike or the Rune Rolling Thunder of the skill Hammer of the Ancients. This is a very effectiv and fast playstyle and makes a lot of fun.

Skills

Mainattack
Hammer of the Ancients (Thunderstrike)
best choice
cost 20 fury
325% weapon damage - in front of you
1% increased crit for 5 fury you have
Whenever you kill an enemy with HotA, every other enemy within 10y is stunned.

Hammer of the Ancients (Rolling Thunder)
alternative if you have items which reduce  HotA fury costs
cost 20 fury
275% weapon damage 22yards in front of you
1% increased crit for 5 fury you have

Hammer of the Ancients (Birthright)
alternative if you have very good gear and want more drops
cost 20 fury
325% weapon damage - in front of you
1% increased crit for 5 fury you have
Critical hits have a 10% chance to drop treasure or health globes.

This runes work better then rune smash on low monster power, because smash has a lower aoe effect.
Thunderstrike is the best rune.


2nd Skill - Sprint (Marathon)
cost 20 fury
movement speed bonus 50% for 5 sec

You run faster and longer then with the rune run like the wind.


3rd skill - Batle Rage (Into the Fray)
cost 20 fury
increase damage by 15%
critical hit chance 3%
critical hits generate 15 fury


4th skill - Wrath of the Berserker (Thrive on Chaos)
every 25 fury you generate adds 1 second to the duration effect


5th & 6th skill - free to choose
These skills depend on your gear and playstyle.
How much additional defense do you need/want?
How do you want to start the fight if you don't have any fury?
Do you wear any items with reduced hota fury costs?
How much crit do you have and how good can you maintain 100% wotb uptime?

Fury Generator
Bash (Instigation)
WarCry (Charge) - also adds a little bit defense
Overpower (Momentum)

Offensive
Overpower (Killing Spree)

Defensive
Overpower (Crushing Advance)
WarCry (Impunity)

My suggestion is get one fury generator and depending on your gear an offensive or defensive skill.


Passiv 1+2
Ruthless + Weapon Master

Passiv 3 - free to choose
These passiv depends on your gear and playstyle and which skills you have choosen as 5th and 6th.

Fury Generator
Unforgiving (I use this)
Animosity - also adds additonal crit if you have a full rage

Offensive
Brawler

Defensive
Bloodthirst
Tough as Nails
Nerves of Steel
Superstition


Skill Calculator - Basic Skills
Skill Calculator - Example 1 with Bash + Warcry
Skill Calculator - Example 2 with Overpower + Warcry
Skill Calculattor - My Skills for MP1 with wearing Leoric's Signet and Goldskin



How this build work & Playstyle

For a smooth and fast playstyle we need 2 one-hand weapons.

After generating some fury and activating battle rage our main attack is Hammer of the Ancients (HotA).

HotA costs 20 fury and we will generate 15 fury for every critical hit (18 fury if we have the passive Animosity). This means we need a high critical hit chance and we must hit more then one target most of the time.

Further we can reduce the fury costs by wearing a Stone of Jordan and/or Mara's Kaleidoscope with reduced fury costs for HotA. To reduce the fury cost is not mandatory, but it helps to have an easier start to generate fury.
Furthermore there is to say, that too much fury cost reduction can be counterproductive to maintain Wrath of the Berserker. Then you must spent your fury with spamming Battle Rage or Sprint.

More fury increases our critical hit chance of HotA.
basic 100 fury => +20% crit
We can have a way more max fury with items or passiv Animosity, which will help us a little bit.

High crit hit chance from gear + ruthless 5% + weapon master 10%+ wotb 10% + battle rage 3% + fury 20% + overpower (killing spree) 10%
=> leads to very high critchance (70-100%)

The mechanic that we spent and generate fury in the same time, is the basic to maintan Wrath of the Berserker.
To increase our uptime of Wrath of the Berserker we must attack constantly, therefore we have sprint which helps us with traveling between groups of monsters. Further we must decrease the time to loot, which is often a problem for many players. You can't loot all and you must loot fast to be effective.

Items

We fight with 2x one hand weapons.
The mainhand should be an axe or mace for additonal crit.
Both should have high dps, a socket and critical hit chance and if you can afford strength.
Also an Echoing Fury without critical hit chance is a good option. The %fear doesn't bother us, because most monsters should die with one hit.

24% Movement Speed is for every farming barbarian a must have.

Our belt should have life steal and 15 additional fury.

Rings:
For Farming exp I suggest Leoric's Signet and a Hellfire Ring.
If you don't farm exp or don't want wear a Leoric's Signet, you should take a rare one with critical hit chance or a Stone of Jordan for reduce fury cost.

Critical Hit Chance is the most important stat after reaching a good amount of Strength, Vitality and All Resistance.

If you have 2 perfect emeralds in your weapons then in the most cases you don't need any additonal critical hit damage to oneshot most monsters. Additional critical hit damage will only increase your charakter screen dps, but not your real dps or your farm speed.

Thats why the 2nd important stat for you will be increased attack speed (ias) to reduce the time where you stand still and attack.


minimum Startgear for MP0

Weapons (Mace or Axe)
800 dps with >60% crit and a socket (best emeralds you can afford)

Gloves, Belt, Helm, Shoes
cheap IK Set Pieces

Chest
cheap Tyrael'S Might with Strength and maybe low vitality

Shoulder
cheap Vile Ward with Strength or rare with Vitality, Strength, all resistance

Pants
rare with Vitality >190, All Resistance, 2 Socket

Wrist
rare with critical hit chance >4%, Vitality >120, (Strength)

Amulet
rare with critical hit chance >9%, Vitality >180, (Strength, Socket)

Ring #1
Your best Hellfire Ring with Strength. If you don't have one now take a rare ring linke ring #2.

Ring #2
rare with critical hit chance >5%, Strength >100, (Socket, Vitality)



Barbarian Guide Overview