Barbarian (Diablo III)

The Barbarian is one of the first 2 characters confirmed to be in the game by Blizzard, and is the first character in the gameplay video.

Gameplay

The gameplay video voiceover states that the Barbarian "overcomes his enemies with pure brute force". He engages in melee combat mostly, but some old Barbarian skills like Leap and Whirlwind are also seen.

Skills

Fury Generator

• Bash (Unlocked at lvl 1)
  • Generate: 6 Fury per attack
  • Brutally smash an enemy for 145% weapon damage with a 20% chance to knock the enemy back.
    • Runes
• Cleave (Unlocked at lvl 4)
  • Generate: 4 Fury per attack
  • Swing in a wide arc to deal 120% weapon damage to the targeted enemy and 60% weapon damage to any other enemies caught in the swing.
    • Runes
• Leap Attack (Unlocked at lvl 6)
  • Generate: 15 Fury, Cooldown: 10 seconds
  • Leap into the air, dealing 40% weapon damage to all enemies within 8 yards of your destination. Only generates Fury if you hit an enemy.
    • Runes
• Ground Stomp (Unlocked at lvl 8)
  • Generate: 15 Fury, Cooldown: 12 seconds
  • Shake the ground to inflict 30% weapon damage to all enemies within 12 yards and stun them for 3 seconds. Only generates Fury if you hit an enemy.
    • Runes
• Frenzy (Unlocked at lvl 11)
  • Generate: 3 Fury per attack
  • Swing for 80% weapon damage. Each swing increases attack speed of Frenzy by 15% for 4 seconds. This effect can stack up to 5 times for a total bonus of 75% attack speed.
    • Runes
• War Cry (Unlocked at lvl 14)
  • Generate: 30 Fury, Cooldown: 30 seconds
  • Unleash a rallying cry to increase the armor of you and all allies within 30 yeards by 100% for 60 seconds.
    • Runes
• Furious Charge (Unlocked at lvl 16)
  • Generate: 15 Fury, Cooldown: 10 seconds
  • Rush forward knocking back enemies and inflicting 60% weapon damage to enemies at the destination and 30% damage to enemies along the path of the charge. Only generates Fury if you hit an enemy.
    • Runes
• Ancient Spear (Unlocked at lvl 22)
  • Generate: 15 Fury, Cooldown: 10 seconds
  • Throw a spear up to 45 yards to pull an enemy back to you, slowing target's movement by 50% and dealing 55% weapon damage.
    • Runes

Fury Spender

• Threatening Shout (Unlocked at lvl 1)
  • Cost: 20 Fury
  • Shout with great ferocity, reducing damage done by enemies within 25 yards by 50% for 15 seconds.
    • Runes
• Hammer of the Ancients (Unlocked at lvl 2)
  • Cost: 20 Fury
  • Call forth a massive hammer to smash enemies directly in front of you for 180% weapon damage. Hammer of the Ancients has a 15% increased chance to critical hit.
    • Runes
• Battle Rage (Unlocked at lvl 3)
  • Cost: 20 Fury
  • Enter a rage which increases damage by 30% and critical hit chance by 4% for 30 seconds.
    • Runes
• Weapon Throw (Unlocked at lvl 7)
  • Cost: 20 Fury
  • Hurl a throwing weapon at an enemy for 210% weapon damage and slowing the movement by 70% for 4 seconds.
    • Runes
• Rend (Unlocked at lvl 9)
  • Cost: 20 Fury
  • Perform a vicious strike to all enemies within 9 yards, dealing 60% weapon damage every second for 3 seconds
    • Runes
• Seismic Slam (Unlocked at lvl X)
  • Cost
  • Description
    • Runes
• Sprint (Unlocked at lvl X)
  • Cost
  • Description
    • Runes
• Whirlwind (Unlocked at lvl X)
  • Cost
  • Description
    • Runes

Situational

• Tier 1 skills
  • Battle Cry
  • Second Wind
• Tier II skills
  • Stubborn
  • Enrage
• Tier III skills
  • Hammer of the Ancients
  • Ignore Pain
• Tier IV skills
  • Weapon Throw
  • Inspiration
• Tier V skills
  • Furious Charge
  • Retaliation
• Tier VI skills
  • Cripple

Examples
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v514/martini_5697/Barbarian-BattleCry.jpg
(source: Blizzard Gameplay video, 28-Jun-08)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v514/martini_5697/Barbarian-FuriousCharge.jpg
(source: Blizzard Gameplay video, 28-Jun-08)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v514/martini_5697/Barbarian-HammeroftheAncients.jpg
(source: Blizzard Gameplay video, 28-Jun-08)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v514/martini_5697/Barbarian-Whirlwind.jpg
(source: Blizzard Gameplay video, 28-Jun-08)

Builds and Guides

None yet.

Lore

The Barbarian character is apparantly the same character as the D2 Barbarian, so he likely comes from the Mount Arreat region originally. No word yet on what he's been doing for the last 20 years.

In my journey to catalogue the various denizens, civilizations, and fauna of our world, I have traveled far and wide, but never before have I been struck with such dismay as when standing upon the ramparts of the ancient fortress of Bastion's Keep. I came to see firsthand the barbarians, those near-legendary, immense, relentless, dual-wielding furies of combat dwelling upon their sacred Mount Arreat.

Instead, I stand here looking at a mountain that has been torn asunder by some extraordinary force. The sight, I must confess, is incomprehensible. Yet what I see before me cannot be denied.

What truly happened here? Where are those majestic warriors of old?

Though they were once misunderstood as simple, bloodthirsty invaders, the long and noble history of these proud people is now rightly acknowledged. And therein lies the greater tragedy here, for those of us familiar with the nobility of the barbarians remember too what they call their "vigil", the concept that lay at the very heart of their culture. The barbarians consider it their sworn duty to protect Mount Arreat and the mysterious object within. They believe that if they fail to uphold their duty to the great mount, or are not given a proper burial upon its slopes, they will be denied a true warrior's death, and their spirits shall roam the land without honor for all eternity.

If there are any barbarians left alive, they must truly be without hope. Perhaps this is the genesis of the rumors of monstrous things reported to resemble the barbarians in size and ferocity, but that are in reality nothing more than unreasoning, inhuman beasts. Could the destruction of not only their home but also their very beliefs have actually brought this magnificent race so low? - www.blizzard.com/diablo3