Every Barbarian run opens with 
Double Swing. He has 7 evolutions and 12 passives, so his build is as much about masteries and war cries as about which skill evolves.
Weapon masteries, war cries and Whirlwind.
- Life
- 110
- Starting weapon
- Sword
Where the damage is
His strongest evolutions at max level, for a new hero without gear: 
Berserk, 
Frenzy, 
Lacerator.
| Name | Skill tree | Evolves from | Evolves with | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Berserk | Combat Skills | 30 | 700 |  Concentrate | — | |
Frenzy | Combat Skills | 24 | 582 | Double Swing | — | |
Lacerator | Combat Skills | 18 | 412 | Double Throw | — | |
Concentrate | Combat Skills | 18 | 286 |  Bash |  Iron Skin | |
Leap Attack | Combat Skills | 18 | 210 |  Leap | — | |
Battle Command | Warcries | 30 | — |  Battle Orders | — | |
Battle Orders | Warcries | 24 | — |  Shout |  Find Item |
Planning a build
- Frenzy is the line every run starts on: Double Swing with
Increased Speed evolves at 24. - Berserk is his hardest hitter: Bash with
Axe Mastery becomes Concentrate at 18, then Berserk at 30 with Iron Skin. Berserk's damage is magic, which gets through physical immunes. - Masteries follow your weapon. Each mastery gives the same bonus for its own kind of weapon, one at a time, and a card offers the mastery for the weapon in hand in place of the one you hold, keeping its levels.
- Lacerator is the thrown option, from Double Throw with
Throwing Mastery at 18.
Evolution lines
Each line takes the skill to its max level, holds the passive, and reaches the hero level; the next chest evolves it. A level marked with a passive is later than the evolved skill's own, because the passive opens later.
- Bash with Axe Mastery → Concentrate (level 18) with Iron Skin → Berserk (level 30)
- Double Swing with Increased Speed → Frenzy (level 24)
- Leap with
Faster Run/Walk → 
Leap Attack (level 18) - Double Throw with Throwing Mastery → Lacerator (level 18)
- Shout with
Vitality → Battle Orders (level 24) with Find Item → 
Battle Command (level 30)
Staying alive
Natural Resistance (+67% to all resistances) and 
Increased Stamina (+61% life) are the strongest defensive passives in his list. Battle Orders adds life as a share of your own, not of gear's +Life. Berserk's exposure takes only physical hits.
Attributes
Strength adds +5% physical damage a card, the most direct boost for his blows.
Passives
| Name | Skill tree | At max level | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Axe Mastery | Combat Masteries | 1 | With an axe: +60% physical damage and +29% chance of a critical strike | |
Find Potion | Warcries | 1 | Slain monsters have a 5% chance to leave a healing potion | |
Mace Mastery | Combat Masteries | 1 | With a blunt weapon: +60% physical damage and +29% chance of a critical strike | |
Sword Mastery | Combat Masteries | 1 | With a sword: +60% physical damage and +29% chance of a critical strike | |
Pole Arm Mastery | Combat Masteries | 6 | With a polearm: +60% physical damage and +29% chance of a critical strike | |
Spear Mastery | Combat Masteries | 6 | With a spear or javelin: +60% physical damage and +29% chance of a critical strike | |
Throwing Mastery | Combat Masteries | 6 | Thrown axes deal 75% more damage and have +29% chance to fly on through what they hit | |
Find Item | Warcries | 12 | Slain monsters have a 5% chance to leave gold (champions 50%), and now and then an item | |
Increased Stamina | Combat Masteries | 12 | +61% maximum life | |
Iron Skin | Combat Masteries | 18 | More Defense: less damage from physical hits | |
Increased Speed | Combat Masteries | 24 | +43% movement speed, up to +43% | |
Natural Resistance | Combat Masteries | 30 | +67% to all resistances; poison and chill wear off 125% faster |
