Barbarian Guide: Grimm

01Overview

Name	Grimm (Barbarian)
How to get	Clear Stage 3, Frozen Plains, on Normal
Role	Melee · Axe warrior with the most HP and tons of stuns
HP	132
Move speed	100
Attack multiplier	×0.95
Starting skill	Bash
Damage elements	Physical
Ultimate	Call of the Ancients
Own legendaries	16 items

02How to get the Barbarian

Grimm the Barbarian joins your town once you clear Stage 3, "Frozen Plains", on Normal for the first time: beat the stage boss, Frost Lord, and walk through the portal to clear it. Stage 3 opens after you clear Stage 2.

The first time you enter this stage on Normal and solo, you play chapter 3 of the main story, "Fury of the Ice", and Grimm shows up in the story and fights by your side. In a party, once you've done the story, or on Nightmare or Hell, it's a regular stage. For how the chapter plays out, see the main story walkthrough.

Once Grimm has joined, go back to town, walk to the Campfire, open the hero screen and choose "Play this hero" to switch to the Barbarian.

03Playstyle

All twelve Barbarian skills are Physical. His attack multiplier is the lowest of the seven; he relies on HP and crowd control instead. All four Earthshaker skills (Leap Slam, Fissure, Stomp, Rockfall) stun, and Thunder Shout also briefly reduces the damage you take.

The Berserk school is close-up flurries and bleeding: Frenzy gets faster the more you hit, Rend makes enemies bleed, and Whirlwind does 30% more damage to bleeding enemies.

04The Barbarian's 12 skills

The Barbarian's skills come in three schools of four. When you level up, cards from the same school as skills you already know show up more often. Once a skill is maxed (Lv5), if you've taken the required stat upgrade card this run and its partner skill is at Lv2, a golden evolution card appears.

Berserk

Bash Physical

A wide axe blow that pushes hard and briefly stuns.

Evolves at max level → Brutal Strike: take the "Power" upgrade card and get Frenzy to Lv2

Frenzy Physical

Relentless blows: every one that lands makes you attack faster (up to 5 times).

Evolves at max level → Blind Rage: take the "Sprint" upgrade card and get Rend to Lv2

Rend Physical

A wide cut that makes enemies bleed and unleashes a flying claw gust; the bleeding stacks with every hit.

Evolves at max level → Hemorrhage: take the "Power" upgrade card and get Whirlwind to Lv2

Whirlwind Physical

Spin with your weapon, cutting everything around you, and unleash three whirlwinds that push forward, dragging in and cutting enemies. Bleeding enemies take 30% more.

Evolves at max level → Steel Tornado: take the "Sprint" upgrade card and get Bash to Lv2

Earthshaker

Leap Slam Physical

Leap onto enemies and crash down on everything around. Stuns.

Evolves at max level → Skyfall: take the "Vigor" upgrade card and get Stomp to Lv2

Ground Slam Physical

Strike the ground and open a fissure: the rock bursts in a straight line and stuns.

Evolves at max level → Cataclysm: take the "Power" upgrade card and get Rockfall to Lv2

Stomp Physical

Stomp every so often: damages, slows and briefly stuns what is near.

Evolves at max level → Earthquake: take the "Armor" upgrade card and get Leap Slam to Lv2

Rockfall Physical

Strike the ground and the mountain answers: rocks fall from the sky onto distant enemies, crushing and stunning them.

Evolves at max level → Stone Sky: take the "Power" upgrade card and get Ground Slam to Lv2

Ancestral

Double Throw Physical

Throw two axes at once that come back to your hands.

Evolves at max level → Axe Storm: take the "Reflexes" upgrade card and get Ancestral Totem to Lv2

Thunder Shout Physical

A shout that spreads as a shockwave: it pushes back and stuns everything around you, and for a moment you take less damage.

Evolves at max level → Ancestral Shout: take the "Vigor" upgrade card and get Ancient Spear to Lv2

Ancestral Totem Physical

Plant a totem that throws phantom axes at nearby enemies.

Evolves at max level → Ancestral Wrath: take the "Reflexes" upgrade card and get Thunder Shout to Lv2

Ancient Spear Physical

Hurl a spectral harpoon that pierces, makes them bleed and drags enemies to you.

Evolves at max level → Immortal Spear: take the "Power" upgrade card and get Double Throw to Lv2

05Ultimate: Call of the Ancients

Call of the Ancients Physical

Three giant ancestral axes fall from the sky one after another and crush nearby enemies; they fill you with fury (more attack).

Once the Fury orb at the bottom right is full, you can unleash it. Fury builds like this: defeating a normal enemy +1, an elite +6, a boss +30; taking damage gives about +7 for every 10% of HP you lose; and hitting enemies slowly adds more (capped per second). If you go more than 5 seconds without hitting an enemy or getting hit, Fury that isn't full slowly drains away.

Press R or Space to unleash it, or tap the Fury orb on mobile. The higher your level in the run, the harder your ultimate hits (+6% per level).

06Talent tree

After every run, Grimm earns hero experience (more for surviving longer, killing more, and beating more bosses). Each hero level gives 1 talent point, up to level 31, for 30 points in total: exactly enough to fill the whole tree. You learn talents from the Mentor in town and can reset them for free.

The three branches match the three skill schools, and each talent needs the one before it. The third talent in a branch directly boosts the damage of that school. Whichever school your main skills come from, fill that branch first.

07Elemental matchups: who to hit hardest

• Physical, 12 skills: no race it's especially strong against; only ×0.6 against Dragon

The table below shows how much damage this hero's elements deal to each stage boss (×1.6 strong, ×0.6 resisted, and two types multiply together). For the full chart, see elemental matchups.

08Beginner builds

Your starting skill always comes along; pick the other four slots from the builds below. When you level up, take the build's skills first, then fill in the stat cards their evolutions need.

Earthshaker stun (best for beginners)

BashStarting skill · PhysicalLeap SlamSkill slot · PhysicalGround SlamSkill slot · PhysicalStompSkill slot · PhysicalRockfallSkill slot · Physical

All four skills stun. Leap Slam pairs with Stomp, and Fissure with Rockfall. Whole packs stay stunned, and bosses go down safely too.

Evolutions this build can reach: Leap Slam (Vigor), Ground Slam (Power), Stomp (Armor), Rockfall (Power)

Berserk bleed

BashStarting skill · PhysicalFrenzySkill slot · PhysicalRendSkill slot · PhysicalWhirlwindSkill slot · PhysicalThunder ShoutSkill slot · Physical

Your starting Bash pairs with Frenzy, Rend applies bleed, and Whirlwind does 30% more to bleeding enemies. Thunder Shout keeps you alive.

Evolutions this build can reach: Bash (Power), Frenzy (Sprint), Rend (Power), Whirlwind (Sprint)

Beginner tips

• 132 HP is the highest of all, so you can stand further forward than anyone else.
• The Earthshaker talent branch has regeneration and HP, a perfect fit for the Earthshaker stun build.
• Call of the Ancients brings three giant axes and also boosts your attack for a while. Hit hard right after you use it.

09The Barbarian's own legendary gear

The Barbarian has 16 legendaries of their own. They only drop while you play the Barbarian, and each one changes how a skill plays. For effects, numbers and combos, see the full Barbarian legendary list.

Heart of the Whirlwind
Whirlwind heals you for 3% of the damage it deals.

Earthrender
Ground Slam's fissure keeps dealing damage for 3 s, and Rockfall drops 2 more rocks.

Wrath of the Ancients
Thunder Shout and Ancient Spear: -40% cooldown, and each gives you 15 Fury.

Mammoth Hide
Stomp: +25% radius, and it stuns for 0.5 s.

10FAQ

How do I get the Barbarian?

Clear Stage 3, Frozen Plains, on Normal for the first time (beat Frost Lord and walk through the portal). Grimm joins your town, and you can then switch to the Barbarian at the Campfire.

Can I play the Barbarian as a woman?

Yes. Open the hero screen at the Campfire in town and choose Male or Female. It only changes the look; abilities are identical.

How do I use the Barbarian's ultimate?

Defeating enemies, taking damage and hitting enemies all build Fury. When the Fury orb is full, press R or Space (or tap the Fury orb on mobile) to unleash Call of the Ancients.

Which is easier, the Barbarian or the Knight?

Both are easy to pick up. The Barbarian has more HP and more stuns, but you only get him after clearing Stage 3; the Knight is there from the start.