Whirlwind Barbarian impossible to build?

**Ilandalar** · 16-05-2012, 13:57

The rune I have setup for fury generation is the Cleave one and I can WW way more than enough. You do not have to go overboard with other skills/runes (and since I'm getting my head ripped off in A2 nightmare you probably shouldn't do that anyway). I can actually take the rune off and still be able to use WW a ton more than I would use Cleave.

**StormLord** · 16-05-2012, 14:35

I don't feel WW in this game at all especially since there are skills dealing much more dmg in shorter period of time. Also D3 finally made it possible to play without the WW as the main build.

**Lifeless** · 17-05-2012, 03:12

Leap, Ground Stomp, Cleave with Reaping Swing rune generates a TON of fury and allows me to Whirlwind almost constantly, while still allowing a little bit of versatility in my skill usage so as not to be completely boring.

That was in Normal though - Now that I'm in Nightmare I'm using Frenzy (Sidearm) and Rend (Blood Lust) and my killing speed/survivability has increased greatly.

**ElementEight** · 18-05-2012, 05:49

WW really sucks right now. It's channel, deals mediocre damage, (no burst, obv), the runes are mediocre in utility and you can just use it for 5 seconds or so.

**Lifeless** · 18-05-2012, 06:49

I went back to WW after getting a much much better weapon, and I was tearing mobs up like nothing. But then I went up against a champion pack and yeah...Frenzy it is.

**RazeBarb** · 18-05-2012, 08:38

I'm lvl29 and got Whirlwind on RMB with Cleave on LMB.
I open fights with Furious charge on 1, then I'll throw in cleave once or twice and off I go to Whirlwind.
I find whilrwind with the constantly triggering Revenge really powerful.

**Ilandalar** · 18-05-2012, 15:33

I'm currently wearing a 300ish dps weapon/shield combination and WW is the only skill I would go for at the moment. Fury generation is still not an issue (Reaping/Wind Shear) and it is one of the most versatile/damaging skills the barbarian has (by comparison). Hammer of the ancients is a great skill damage-wise but very very clunky to use against groups, especially hard hitters. Rend is difficult to measure in efficiency so I can't comment too much on it though I have used it on difficult packs while kiting them. Ground slam is semi-decent as a skill but the 30 fury cost makes it hardly worth using (probably with the 15 fury cost rune I might consider it).

But the great thing about WW is that it can be paired up with some defensive abilities to give you enough time to stay in the pack and whirl at them until they drop dead. I personally use 7sec Ignore Pain and Ground Stomp (15 seconds of invulnerability basically) and I can easily dispatch of non-boss groups in that time. Also if the group is somehow tougher and outlives your 15 seconds of invulnerability health globes should have dropped by now and you should have no issues whirling to them. If things go bad WW can also be used to get out of the pack and start over when thing go off cooldown.

Anyway the great damage of WW comes from constant use (currently 4300 dps/target for me), something that other skills do not allow.

As a bonus it also makes slow weapons seem fast.

**edistotiger** · 18-05-2012, 18:19

WW was fun for awhile on normal, but it becomes more and more suicidal the further you progress in the game. You just can't sit there whirling through elites and champions and expect to live on the higher difficulties.

**ElementEight** · 18-05-2012, 20:51

Originally Posted by edistotiger

WW was fun for awhile on normal, but it becomes more and more suicidal the further you progress in the game. You just can't sit there whirling through elites and champions and expect to live on the higher difficulties.

That'd be my biggest complaint. Blood Funnel tried healing you, but is mediocre at doing so. I don't get why it's crit based.

Since you go through monsters, you'll take an instant attack from all of them, instead of staying at one spot and taking attacks from those within melee range with a cooldown. This really decreases your survivability. If you want a spender. HotA + Smash is your best bet. Use wrenching smash (ground stomp rune) to gather monsters up, and you'll hit many of them very very hard.

**Galabab** · 18-05-2012, 23:20

i tried WW with mighty weaon mastery and superstition. No matter what you run out of rage after 4 mobs its ridiculous.
Switched back to aoe hammer of ancients.
Wellmaybe with wind sheer at lvl 44 its worth a try but i dont see how 4 fury leech (mastery+windsheer) will make a differnce to 3 fury leech.