Bloodletter

Bloodletter is an exceptional unique Gladius in Diablo 2 Resurrected that stands out as one of the best leveling weapons for Barbarians. This one-handed sword combines devastating damage output with Barbarian-specific skill bonuses, making it a popular choice from level 30 through Nightmare difficulty.

Barbarian Build Enabler

Bloodletter's power comes from its synergy with Barbarian builds. The weapon grants +1-3 to Whirlwind and +2-4 to Sword Mastery, both exclusively for Barbarians. When dual-wielding two Bloodletters, a Barbarian can gain up to +6 to Whirlwind and +8 to Sword Mastery, creating a massive power spike at level 30. Combined with +140% enhanced damage, 12-45 added damage, and 20% increased attack speed, this setup dominates Normal difficulty and remains competitive through Nightmare.

Perfect for Dual-Wielding

The Gladius base type has fast attack speed and low strength requirements, making Bloodletter ideal for dual-wielding builds. The 8% life stolen per hit provides excellent sustainability, while +90 to attack rating ensures consistent hits. Barbarians running dual Bloodletters on /players 8 difficulty can clear content with ease, making this one of the most effective leveling setups available.

Upgrade Potential

Bloodletter can be upgraded to the elite Falcata base through the Horadric Cube, significantly increasing its damage while maintaining the skill bonuses. This makes it viable even into early Hell difficulty for budget builds. However, by the time you're farming endgame content, superior runewords like Grief or elite unique weapons will outperform even the upgraded version. Still, for players leveling through Normal and Nightmare, few weapons match Bloodletter's combination of damage and build-enabling skill bonuses.