Diablo 4 dev confirms Barbarian buffs coming amid ‘weak’ beta complaints

Some who played Diablo 4’s early access beta called the Barbarian class “weak;” Blizzard developers have promised to improve the character’s balancing as a result.

Blizzard Entertainment hosted an early access beta for Diablo 4 this past weekend, allowing a wide range of players to get a feel for the upcoming RPG.

Impressions were positive by and large, such that the anticipation hit a fever pitch in just a matter of days. Needless to say, many can’t wait for the title to finally launch digitally and at retail this summer.

Still, feedback suggests there’s room for improvement, particularly as it relates to Diablo’s Barbarian class. One Reddit post said the Barbarian felt “weak” compared to the other classes like Rogue and Sorceress.

Blizzard to buff Diablo 4’s Barbarian after beta feedback

Game Director Joe Shely addressed the complaints in a GamesRadar interview, telling the publication that the Barbarian reaches the height of its abilities throughout the mid-to-late-game.

Beta players merely experienced early game content with the class but said experience engendered “actionable class balance feedback.” As such, Shely has insisted developers will work hard to better balance the character in question.

The Game Director explained, “We don’t want a player who creates a Barbarian to feel weak at low levels. So we need to balance the class so that their strength at the end game is realized in that they are powerful, but without making the game unfair at low levels.”

Speaking in broader strokes, the developer continued: “Of course, with a game like Diablo 4, the classes aren’t balanced such that everyone is exactly the same power level 35, 36, 37, and beyond. Their overall [power] needs to be balanced against each other, and they need to be balanced especially in the end game, in the mid-game broadly, and the early game.”

Activision Blizzard

Diablo 4’s Barbarian already has some advantages over its counterparts, chief among them the extra legendary powers and item slots it’s afforded.

That said, a boost to its strengths in the early game will likely give players yet another reason to second-guess their choice of class.

Notably, Blizzard plans on hosting an open beta for PC and consoles from March 24 through March 27. The final game launches this summer on June 6.