Build Overview
The Hammer of the Ancients (HotA) Barbarian embodies the ultimate berserker fantasy, delivering devastating blows that decimate enemies through massive Earthquake Explosions. This build centers around the Mantle of Mountain's Fury unique chest armor, which creates screen-clearing explosions that can obliterate entire packs of enemies in an instant.Season 8 Status
In the current season, the HotA build remains unchanged except for access to the new seasonal Boss Powers mechanic.Build Profile at a Glance
Advantages
- ✓ Exceptional area-of-effect damage
- ✓ Strong single-target damage
- ✓ Impressive survivability
- ✓ Satisfying and straightforward playstyle
Limitations
- ✗ Performance drops in tight corridors
- ✗ Limited in-combat mobility
- ✗ Requires several specific unique items
Key Building Blocks
Essential Equipment
Critical Items
The build absolutely requires these unique items:
- Mantle of Mountain's Fury (Chest) - The cornerstone that enables Earthquake explosions
- Ugly Bastard Helm (Helmet) - Provides a crucial 100% damage multiplier
- Fists of Fate (Gloves) - Offers additional damage multiplier with Critical Strike Chance
Critical Legendary Aspects
Mandatory Aspects
These aspects are mandatory for optimal performance:
- Aspect of Incendiary Fissures - Converts Earthquakes to Fire damage and adds a major damage multiplier
- Aspect of Earthquakes - Provides another significant damage multiplier after spawning Earthquakes
- Executioner's Aspect - Increases Strength scaling for substantial Earthquake damage boost
Required Runewords
Runewords
- IgniTec (Two-Handed Weapon) - Automatically generates and spends offering to spawn Earthquakes with every Hammer of the Ancients cast
- YulZec (Two-Handed Weapon) - Reduces Ultimate cooldown when casting abilities with cooldowns, enabling 100% uptime on Call of the Ancients
Skill Selection & Rotation
Active Skills
| Skill | Final Modifier | Points | Tree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hammer of the Ancients | Violent | 1/5 | Core |
| Rallying Cry | Tactical | 1/5 | Defensive |
| War Cry | Power | 1/5 | Brawling |
| Challenging Shout | Tactical | 1/5 | Defensive |
| Iron Skin | Strategic | 1/5 | Defensive |
| Call of the Ancients | Supreme | 5/5 | Ultimate |
Key Passives
Essential Passives
- Unconstrained - Primary Berserking passive, maintained through War Cry and Blood Rage
- Offensive Focus: Warpath, Heavy Handed, Brute Force, Wallop (amplifying Critical Strike, Overpower, and Vulnerable damage)
- Defensive Coverage: Defensive Stance (from Mantle of Mountain's Fury) and Aggressive Resistance (from Ugly Bastard Helm)
- Utility: Pressure Point for Vulnerable application
Weapon Expertise
Two-Handed Axe Expertise remains the optimal choice, providing a multiplicative Vulnerable damage bonus that synergizes with our regular Vulnerable application.Combat Rotation
Simple Rotation
Use all Shouts and Iron Skin on cooldown
→
Spam Hammer of the Ancients
→
Maintain Call of the Ancients
1. Use all Shouts and Iron Skin on cooldown (they have short cooldowns)
2. Spam Hammer of the Ancients to trigger automated Earthquakes via IgniTec
3. Maintain Call of the Ancients with its near-100% uptime
Complete Gear Guide
Helmets
- Best: Ugly Bastard Helm
- Masterworking Priority: Prolific Fury/Aggressive Resistance Ranks
- Provides 100% multiplier for Fire damage (our converted Earthquakes)
- Alternatives: Harlequin Crest, Heir of Perdition, Relentless Berserker's Aspect
Chest Armor
- Best: Mantle of Mountain's Fury
- Masterworking Priority: Chance for Earthquakes to Deal Double Damage
- Absolutely required as the core of the entire build
- Alternatives: NONE (Required)
Gloves
- Best: Fists of Fate
- Masterworking Priority: Critical Strike Chance
- Provides damage multiplier plus high Critical Strike and Lucky Hit Chance
- Alternatives: Aspect of Inner Calm
Pants
- Best: Aspect of Bul-Kathos
- Masterworking Priority: Resistance to All Elements
- Provides consistent Damage Reduction
- Alternatives: Arreat's Bearing
Boots
- Best: Aspect of Concussive Strikes
- Masterworking Priority: Ranks to War Cry
- Procs frequently for additional damage multiplier
Amulet
- Best: Vehement Brawler's Aspect
- Masterworking Priority: % Strength, level to passives
- Enables Ultimate uptime and adds damage multiplier
- Alternatives: Banished Lord's Talisman, Locran's Talisman
Rings
- Ring 1: Bold Chieftain's Aspect
- Masterworking Priority: Critical Strike Chance, Attack Speed
- Provides Cooldown Reduction for all Shouts
- Ring 2: Ring of Starless Skies
- Masterworking Priority: Critical Strike Chance, Attack Speed
- Reduces Fury cost of Hammer of the Ancients and grants damage increase
Weapons
- Main Hand: Executioner's Aspect
- Masterworking Priority: Earthquake Duration, Damage While Berserking
- Provides Strength scaling for increased Earthquake damage
- Off-Hand: Aspect of Elements
- Masterworking Priority: Earthquake Duration, Damage While Berserking
- Simple multiplier for Fire damage
- Two-Handed Bludgeoning: Aspect of Incendiary Fissures
- Masterworking Priority: Earthquake Duration, Damage While Berserking
- Converts Earthquakes to Fire and adds large multiplier
- Two-Handed Slashing: Aspect of Earthquakes
- Masterworking Priority: Earthquake Duration, Damage While Berserking
- Adds multiplier after spawning Earthquakes
Affixes and Tempers
Priority Stats
Priority Stats
Offensive
Earthquake Duration, Damage While Berserking, Critical Strike Damage, Critical Strike Chance, Attack Speed, Strength
Quality of Life
Earthquake Size (optional on Pants and Boots for bigger explosions)
Defensive
All Resistance (particularly important on Pants)
Paragon Board Configuration
Paragon Strategy
The build utilizes four Class Boards with the most beneficial offensive Legendary Nodes:
- Starting Board - Exploit Glyph
- Provides scaling for Vulnerable damage
- Key Nodes: Brawn, Iron Strength, Raw Power, Tenacity
- Carnage - Crusher Glyph
- Multiplicative Overpower Damage for Mace wielders
- Key Nodes: Fierce, Berserker, Brash, Enraged
- Blood Rage - Challenger Glyph
- Places Glyph near numerous Strength nodes
- Key Nodes: Restorative, Wrath, Revel, Craving
- Force of Nature - Rumble Glyph
- Massive additive damage source for Earthquakes
- Key Nodes: Raw Might, Catalyst, Tenacity, Alloyed, Squall
- Decimator - Dominate Glyph
- Focuses on Overpower and Vulnerable synergy
- Key Nodes: Restorative, Pillage, Destroyer, Demolish, Brawn, Arrogance
Boss Powers
Main Boss Power
Grigoire's Lightning Square- Provides bonus damage when using Core skills (like Hammer of the Ancients)
- Can be swapped for preference as this is mostly for activation
Modifier Boss Powers
- Sinerat's Flames
- Increases Fire damage from our Earthquakes
- Harbinger of Hatred's Volley
- Multiplier to Vulnerable damage for 5 seconds (maintain 100% uptime)
- Hatred's Embrace's Haste
- Generic Critical Strike Chance bonus
Frequently Asked Questions
How does this build apply Vulnerable?
Through Pressure Point passive, which provides high uptime when combined with Hammer of the Ancients' natural Lucky Hit Chance and Fists of Fate.
How does the build hit Resistance and Armor caps?
- Armor: Primarily from Mantle of Mountain's Fury's large Armor roll, plus Paragon and Affixes
- Resistance: Relies on All Resistance roll on Pants, Jewelry, and Occult Gems
What are the most important stats for the build?
Earthquake Duration and Damage While Berserking are the most crucial. The former directly affects Explosion damage, while the latter is needed to reach the cap on Blood Rage.
Is this the best Barbarian build currently?
Yes. With Mantle of Mountain's Fury and access to numerous strong multipliers, HotA Barbarian is currently the strongest available build.
What are the required items for this build?
- Absolutely Required: Mantle of Mountain's Fury (enables Earthquake explosions)
- Strongly Recommended: Ugly Bastard Helm (provides 100% damage multiplier)
What Legendary Aspects are most important?
Aspect of Incendiary Fissures, Aspect of Earthquakes, and Executioner's Aspect are critical, each providing powerful multipliers to Earthquake damage.