Let’s be honest, taking a Barbarian from the starting gates in Diablo 4’s Season of Blood to the higher levels can feel way more hands-on than running a Necro or Sorc. But that’s the charm – you get choices. Early on, I’ve messed with Rend for the big bleeds, Hammer of the Ancients for chunky hits, and of course Whirlwind for nonstop action. Thing is, HOTA’s a beast later on, but during the campaign it can feel like you’re forever waiting on fury to drop the hammer. Whirlwind, though – from level 1 onwards – keeps you moving, keeps you hitting, and honestly feels like the perfect pace-setter when you’re still hunting for gear like Diablo 4 Items to boost your kit.

The reason Whirlwind shines for levelling is momentum. No inching towards enemies, no stop-start gameplay. You’re literally a spinning wall of blades mowing through packs. Fury management is the only real hurdle, but with Lunging Strike slotted in, you’re zipping across the field while topping up the bar. From there, spend points into Whirlwind and build out the obvious synergies. Grab Rallying Cry to keep your spin alive with fury and extra movement speed, and War Cry for a burst of damage and a bit of fortify – those two shouts are game changers when you’re ploughing through bigger packs or elites.

It’s not just about looking flashy. While a HOTA build gives you surgical hits for high-priority targets, Whirlwind wipes the floor with everything at once. You’ll clear dungeons faster, knock out Whispers more efficiently, and pull enemies together into one giant mess before shredding the lot. The early game gets even better when you land an Aspect of the Dire Whirlwind – suddenly your spin ramps up faster, enemies vanish quicker, and you barely notice the fury tick-down because you’re swimming in the carnage.

Most people swap out eventually, usually around level 50 when World Tier 3 unlocks, because the endgame meta leans heavy into HOTA’s single-target muscle. And making the change is easy – you’ve already got the foundation, you just drop in the new skills and gear once you’ve farmed the right Aspects and maybe a couple of big-ticket Uniques. But while you’re climbing those first tiers and speed matters more than late-game burst, Whirlwind feels unbeatable. Play what makes you smile – whether that’s bleed stacking, hammer smashing, or spinning through entire maps. For me, nothing matches that ‘spin to win’ rush, especially while picking up gear and chasing the perfect D4 items.