Barbarian’s Raw Power Returns in Diablo 4 Season 9 PTR Buffs
With Diablo 4 Season 9, Sins of the Horadrim, set to arrive this July, the latest PTR patch reveals critical class rebalancing efforts. While the Sorcerer dominates the quantity of changes, the Barbarian receives meaningful upgrades that focus on brute strength and core ability scaling. Though limited to six skills, these tweaks are substantial enough to shift the class’s effectiveness in both solo and group play.
Among the most important changes is a massive buff to Bash. Previously dealing 33% base damage, Bash now hits for a staggering 90%. This change repositions Bash as a viable opener or a stagger tool in a stun-heavy build. Lunging Strike also benefits from this same increase, ensuring Barbarians have more explosive options for engaging enemies.
Flay—known for its bleeding mechanic—now applies 115% damage through its Bleed effect, up from 48%. This is a drastic buff that places Flay-based damage-over-time (DoT) builds on par with other top-tier strategies. Players who favor sustained damage through bleed stacking may find this to be the cornerstone of their Season 9 builds Diablo 4 Boosting.
Frenzy, a fast-hitting skill that was often underutilized, is getting a damage bump as well. Each pair of hits now inflicts 70% damage, a significant upgrade from the previous 30%. This change brings Frenzy builds into viable territory, especially for players using attack speed-enhancing gear or Frenzy-focused Aspects.
Another notable change is to Hammer of the Ancients, a favorite for many Barbarian veterans. Its damage is increased slightly from 98% to 110%. Though not massive, this bump is meaningful in synergy-heavy builds where a small boost can dramatically impact burst potential. It reinforces the skill as a core finisher in many damage rotations.
Finally, Leap has been reworked to prioritize utility over disruption. Its damage is increased from 55% to 77%, and its knockback is replaced by a 70% slow that lasts five seconds. This change makes Leap more reliable for controlling the battlefield without scattering mobs, a common frustration among group-focused players Diablo 4 Items.