Diablo IV allows for players to experiment with different builds according to the handful of classes available in the game, and the “best” one can come down to personal preference. While the selection may seem narrow to those looking to maximize their damage potential, there is a lot of fun to be had by just simply messing around! Below are a few of my favorite Diablo IV builds for the Rogue, Necromancer, Sorcerer, and Druid.
Please keep in mind that these Diablo IV builds are not based on efficiency. You can try them out if you’d like, but understand that they may not be the absolute best at killing hordes of enemies or even tackling bosses. These were done just for experimentation, and I found them fun!
Flurry and Vulnerability Rogue
This was my go-to build in Diablo IV during the review period, and while it may not be the best build by far, it was a fun one. Combining Puncture with Flurry, and it’s appropriate Aspect, would allow me to take on swathes of foes with ease. This build loses its luster in the late game, but was a lot of fun and I enjoyed the feeling of tearing through enemies in the early game. It evoked a similar feeling to the Impale build in Diablo III, and I’m still trying to chase that specific high. That said, while it drops off, it is still a viable build if playing with a group, especially if you use Shadow Imbuement and Death Trap as your Ultimate ability.
Double Imbuement Rogue
Double Imbuement may seem redundant to some, but it works spectacularly with Rogue. Those who aren’t as interested in using Puncture for Vulnerability can instead imbue attacks with Shadow, Poison, and Chill damage to inflict this extremely valuable status ailment. I used Shadow and Chill Imbuements with Marksman skills (with the bow), specifically, and found rotating their uses kept me engaged at all times. Naturally, like other Rogue builds, this relies on Death Trap and making sure you can reset cooldowns for skills that eat up your resource. But I really enjoyed this build as it made me focus on the game and choose whether or not to use Shadow damage for groups of enemies, or switch to Chill damage to freeze more formidable foes to keep myself out of harm’s way.
Solo (No Minion) Necromancer
Minions are the bread and butter of the Necromancer’s build, but who’s to say that they can’t go the journey alone? Solo Necromancer is something of a challenge to pull off, but feels rewarding. While I assumed the class would be wholly reliant on minions, it was a pleasant surprise to know that you can actually play the Necromancer alone to great effect. While you’ll want to invest in Corpse Explosion (which is a staple in most end game Necromancer builds), there’s something satisfying in tackling bosses alone. This will make the game a bit harder, and even frustrating at World Tier III, but with the right Aspects and skills, it’s a lot of fun.
Perma-Werewolf Druid
While Pulverize and Werebear form may be the most straightforward and durable build in terms of the post-game, running around as a Werewolf is still loads of fun. Again, like most Diablo IV builds listed here Perma-Werewolf is not necessarily the best. You can, of course, combine your Werewolf form with the Tornado skill, or you can just invest in everything Werewolf related and give enemies Rabies, which is the Druid’s form of poison. Werewolf builds are fun, mostly because they rely on speed and you to account for your resources. Enemies can tear through you relatively fast, and you’ll be reliant on killing them before they kill you. It’s a lot of fun if you want to stay engaged, but can prove frustrating if you don’t have the right Aspects or invest in the right passives that boost attack speed and life steal.
Ice Sorcerer
Even since the early beta period, the ice path for Diablo IV reigned supreme for Sorcerers. Due to this build’s ability to inflict Vulnerability on enemies, and spray shards of ice at enemies with specific Aspects, it’s great for playing with groups or by yourself. This was the build I used for my Hardcore run that got me through the story, and it was definitely one of the safer builds I tried. Of course, with Ice Armor you can mitigate a lot of damage and even restore MP to keep the barrage of spells going. Blizzard’s Enchantment that makes it appear ever couple of seconds is also great, so you’ll always have damage going out.
Diablo IV is available for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, and Xbox One.
