45 articlesThe Barbarian in Diablo 4 has a unique gimmick called the Arsenal system. This mechanic allows them to swap between multiple weapons on the fly, making use of whatever is best for their abilities.
Unlike in past Diablo games, you don’t need to press a hotkey to swap weapons. It can be pretty confusing at first, and the game doesn’t do the best job explaining it either.
Thankfully, we’re here to help. This guide will tell you how to do so!
How to Swap Weapons in Diablo 4
Did you notice that all of the Barbarian’s skills have a text note saying that they require a specific weapon type? That’s where the weapon swapping comes in!
Diablo 4: Best Endgame Warlock Build To Melt Pit BossesMay 28, 2026
Where to Find the Hidden Objectives for “The Needle’s Path” in Diablo 4May 27, 2026
Where to Farm Unique Gear and Charm in Diablo New UpdateMay 9, 2026In fact, real-time weapon swapping is completely tied to the Barbarian’s skills! Weapons will automatically swap when you use a skill, and each skill also has a weapon assigned to it.
For example, say that you have “Hammer of the Ancients” and “Flay” as your skills. The former will swap to a bludgeoning weapon when used, while the latter will use a slicing weapon.
You can also manually define which weapon each skill will use. To do so, press the S key to bring up your Skills menu.
In the Skills menu, hover over the skill you wish to customize. Use the scroll wheel on your mouse to change the weapon assigned to the skill.
If you’re playing with a controller, you will need to open the Abilities tab and press down the left stick. Pick the skill you wish to change, then press Square (PS5) or X (Xbox) to cycle through weapons.
Not all skills let you assign any kind of weapon you want, however! Most of them require specific weapon types.
The game will automatically choose your best weapon by default. This usually is just whichever weapon has the highest damage stat. It’s unknown if the game accounts for rarity when auto-select is on.
So, there you have it! Set your favorite weapons for each skill, then use skills to swap weapons on the fly.
ALSO READ: How to Salvage Items and Weapons in Diablo 4
