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

Berserker skills

• Tier 1 skills
  • Battle Rage
  • Bad Temper
• Tier II skills
  • Double Strike
  • Sprint
• Tier III skills
  • Frenzy
  • Threatening Shout
• Tier IV skills
  • Leap Attack
  • Slashing Strike
  • Berserker State
• Tier V skills
  • Whirlwind
• Tier VI skills
  • Wrath of the Berserker
  • Onslaught

Juggernaut skills

• Tier I skills
  • Bash
  • Scavenge
• Tier II skills
  • Cleave
• Tier III skills
  • Revenge
  • Ground Stomp
  • Invigorated
• Tier IV skills
  • Taunt
  • Bloodthirst
• Tier V skills
  • Seismic Slam
  • Recovery
• Tier VI skills
  • Earthquake
  • Strong Constitution

Battlemaster skills

• 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