For many barbarian heroes, choosing all attack, all defense or all HP has little effect ( see notes).
However Gravemaker has a unique 2 turn DOT for target and nearby. Gravemaker’s DOT, like all DOT, bypass defense stat and reflect damage ( but not the recent reflect ailments seen on newer heroes ).
This makes Gravemaker one of the few heroes to get a huge impact from raising attack stat.
Since attack buffs do not increase DOT but defense buffs increase defense and minions increase HP, attack nodes ( and troops) are the only way to increase Gravemaker’s DOT.
increased attack also helps with wound talent and boosts the effect of Gravemaker’s elemental link.
Natalya is tricky because her DOT is non dispellable and longer ( and only effects a single target ), but Gravemaker is the strongest argument for a 5*+18 all attack barbarian hero.
All attack barbarian heroes do not even have to decide between HP or defense since no fork has two attack branches.
Notes
Click for notes
Choosing every branch with attack or defense or HP.
Does not apply here, but I am including since Gravemaker is the exception that shows why these are just guidelines:
