The Barbarian of Diablo 4 doesn't seem to need a lot in the way of extra protection or power. This is a class that's known for their prowess with various physical weapons and their own hardy constitution, but even the toughest character needs some help when it comes to elemental resistances and extra experience points.
There's a decent selection of consumables in Diablo 4 that a Barbarian should always have with them to give them extra experience, more destructive melee and AoE damage, and a boost to experience gained. These items include potions and elixirs that the Barbarian consumes or other accessories like incense or keys that disappear from the inventory when used.
7 Iron Barb Elixir
There's a Barbarian talent build that uses this elixir to strengthen certain defense powers, but it's a great addition for any build. Thorns is only marginally useful for classes like Sorcerers and Rogues who need to stay at a ranged instance anyway, but for a Barbarian that's always in melee range their armor can be just as deadly as their weapons.
There are a few variations on the Thorns build, with players doing what they can to buff this defensive power already using gear and gems, but adding the effect of this elixir makes this Barbarian even deadlier. It not only buffs the power of Thorns but also the armor and experience gained.
6 Elixir of Demon Slaying
It's literally the name of the game, and part of the setting of the franchise is called The Burning Hells, so a lot of the combat is going to involve demons. The quests that make up the main campaign and storyline almost always involve demons, so this is one of the most important consumables that any character can carry.
The elixir is useful against a number of hellish foes, including Goatmen, Flies, and Fallen in addition to Demons. It also grants an experience gain boost, like all of the "Slaying" variety of elixirs, which scales with the character's level.
5 Whispering Keys
Whispering Keys are the only consumable on the list that isn't acquired from the Alchemist, but is sold by the Purveryer of Curiosities in exchange for another currency, Obols. These drop from elite enemies in dungeons and cellars and at open-world events that are randomly generated, and players can't buy anything from this vendor without them.
There are all kinds of chests in the game, and the player will probably find a Silent Chest before they even discover what a Whispering Key is. It's the only way to open one of these mysterious chests, and they tend to have better loot than other chests. Every class should have a few Whispering Keys in their inventory at all times in case they find one of these in the wilderness.
4 Poison Resistence Elixir
There are various kinds of elemental damage in Diablo 4, but the player is going to confront poison more than anything else. Both the open world and dungeons are choked with angry monsters and wild animals, and they include mushrooms, spiders, snakes, and a variety of other things that bite, stab, or sting.
There are different grades of resistance elixirs depending on the character's level, but they're still useful even if they're weak. Even the experience bonus scales to level, so no matter what the strength of the elixir, the boost is the same.
3 Elixir of Beast Slaying
It just seems like something a Barbarian would have, so perhaps more essential from a role-playing point of view. Any class that spends a lot of time in the wilderness and has a reputation for rocking leather and fur should carry a few Elixirs of Beast Slaying.
A Barbarian tends to spend a lot of time in the wild anyway, but on a more practical level, this is the kind of elixir that's ideal for farming resources like leather. Leather drops from slain animals can be refined by an Alchemist and are used extensively when upgrading weapons, which is the main preoccupation of a Barbarian.
2 Ancient Times Incense
The Barbarian's most important stat is Strength, and this is the only consumable that gives it a bonus. It improves the character's armor by a wide margin and allows them to take even more hits than before. This is useful for spellcasting classes but they tend to stay out of melee range, but it's one of the most important features of playing a Barbarian.
Incense is a consumable that works for the whole party as opposed to an individual. It gives the same buff to any other player within range, making this an essential consumable for a party with more than one Barbarian.
1 Crushing Elixir
Overpower is an important ability for any class to have, but it's crucial for a Barbarian. It takes the damage and mechanics from Critical Hit and elevates them to the next killer level, but it only happens about 3% of the time.
This elixir doesn't improve the rate at which Overpower hits but makes it more effective when it does by improving the rate of damage. The Weak version of this elixir grants a 20% bonus, which is more than decent for a low-level potion, but the highest grade is the Heady type which goes up to 60%.
Diablo 4 is available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Xbox Series X/S.