BIG GRIZZ 4.0 Druid BUILD for Diablo IV S2 [Top Werebear Synegy]

(BIG GRIZZ IS BACK and it’s still got that BIG GRIZZ energy, it’s angrier than ever before, yet still feels beary tanky)

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Diablo IV Season 2 (Season of the Blood) started on October 17th, 2023 for Players on PC (Battle.Net & Steam), XBOX, & PlayStation). After extensive testing, I bring you a Werebear Druid with the TOP Synergy for the archetype. The build’s easy to gear up & get things going but requires 1 non-codex aspect. 2 out of 4 Uniques are relatively easy to get from Uber Bosses too. As usual, I’ll evolve & keep my builds updated. This is one such build for the Druid Class called BIG Grizz 4.0.

I’ve also made spreadsheets for my builds (see the links below) that have shortlisted the active and passive skills + legendary aspect + unique item + gems & sockets + suggested stat rolls + paragon boards that work well with the build which you can use to tinker. Alternatively, I’ve added a link to a new build calculator/planner that I’ll be using from now on as well which seems amazing.

This build will be updated when needed.

Video Version:

Skill Trees

Below you’ll see ONLY the Active & Passive skills that were selected for this build. For additional skills that can be taken + alternative skill options, you can check my Latest & older Builds spreadsheet on this link. This build (BIG Grizz 4.0) is one of the builds on that spreadsheet.

Basic Skill (Resource Generator/Builder) (Required Points: 0)

Spirit / Core Skill(s) (Resource Spender) (Required Points: 2 )

Defensive Skills (Required Points: 6 ) I took both of the Defensive skills listed below

Companion Skills (Required Points: 11 ) I did NOT take a companion

Wrath Skills (Required Points: 16 )

Ultimate Skills (Required Points: 23)

Key Passive / Capstone (Required Points: 33 )

Seasonal Mechanic (Vampiric Powers):

In Season 2 (Season of Blood), the seasonal Mechanics involves slotting in up to 5 (out of 22) Vampiric Powers at once. Each power requires a certain number of pacts to be applied to your armor. There are 3 types of Pacts: Ferocity, Divinity, Eternity. Pacts can be applied to Armor as follows: Helmet & Boots up can have to 3, Pants up to 4, while Chest Armor and Gloves can have up to 5 pacts applied to them. That Makes a Total of 20 and is enough for any possible combination of 5 powers. Below you can find Information of the total pacts this build needs + the 5 powers we’ve used.

VAMPIRIC POWERS:
Vampiric Powers Total Pacts Required: ferocity 2, divinity 8, eternity 7

Powers Used:
Blood Boil = eternity 6
Accursed Touch = divinity 6
Prey on the Weak = ferocity 2
Sanguine Brace = divinity 1 + eternity 1
Anticipation = divinity 1

Class Mechanic (Spirit Boons):

The Spirit Boons system lets you pick 1 spirit Boon per bond out of 4 categories. Eventually you unlock the option to specialize into a certain bond which will let you get 2 Boons from that category. I advise using the following 2 + 1 +1 +1 for now.

• Eagle Category: take those two
  • Scythe Talons: +5% Critical Strike Chance.
  • Avian Wrath: +30% Critical Strike Damage.
• Deer Category: take this one
  • Wariness: Take 10% reduced damage from Elites
• Snake Category: IMPORTANT TO NOTE that the best pick for mobbing is terrible for single target here!
  That best pick is Obsidian Slam: Every 20th kill will case your next Earth Skill to Overpower.
  As it’s obvious, while it’s a 1on1 fight it’s practically useless. Thus, you may temporarily swap it out for 99% of the boss fights that won’t have constant minions/summons, especially for uber bosses. As replacement, there are two decent picks here so choose whichever you like based on whether you need more survivability or ultimate CDR
  • option 1) Masochistic: Critical Strikes with Shapeshifting Skills heal you for 3% of your maximum Life.
  • option 2) Calm Before the Storm: Lucky Hit: Nature Magic Skills (Earth & Storm) have up to a 15% chance to reduce the Cooldown of your Ultimate Skill by 2 seconds.
• Wolf Category: There are also two decent picks here. I personally think Energize is the best fit since Bolster‘s Survivability is no longer needed and Calamity‘s duration increase only counts Grizzly Rage‘s base duration and not the bonus from the aspect when counting those 25%. Pick based on whether you need more spirit regen or longer Ultimates.
  • option 1) Energize: Lucky Hit: Dealing damage has up to a 15% chance to restore 10 Spirit.
  • option 2) Calamity: Extend the duration of Ultimate Skills by 25%.

Unique Items

In Diablo IV we can equip more than one unique item at the same time (not so ‘unique’ if we can get decked out in full uniques I guess). It seems that the one unique per build idea that Uniques inherited from the Mythical gear they supposedly replaced was scrapped even before the closed beta tests. My top pick will be the following one but check below it & the notes under the Aspects list for more info:

Top Pick Uniques for the Build

Insatiable Fury (Chest Armor)

Werebear form is now your true form, and you gain +3 Ranks to all Werebear Skills.

+[10.5 – 17.5]% Physical Damage
+[84 – 126%] Overpower Damage
+[4.9 – 10.5]% Damage Reduction while Fortified
+[25.5 – 46.5]% Total Armor while in Werebear Form

When the Days of Ash began, the great druid Nafain reminded his disciples that nothing, not even the loss of their humanity, was too great a sacrifice to protect Túr Dúlra from Astaroth’s flames.

Vasily’s Prayer (Helm) This one’s currently broken and the Fortify it gives does not scale with level/item power so it’s only half good/half worth it.

Your Earth Skills are now also Werebear Skills and Fortify you for N.

+[10.5 – 17.5]% Damage while Shapeshifted
+[42 – 63%] Overpower Damage
+[X – Y] Maximum Life
+[19 – 40]% Lightning Resistance

“Roots from the Great Oak growing at the seaward statue of Vasily will, on rare occasions, be found twisted back upon themselves, suffused with ferocious magic.” – Barrett’s Book of Implements

Alternative Choice 1: Harlequin Crest (Helm) Right now this seems like a very good option considering how broken Vasily’s Prayer is. It’s acceptable to loose the ability to cast Earthen Bulwark during grizzly rage if it means using a helmet with stats and bonuses that the Shako/Harlequin Crest provides.

Gain [5-8%] Damage Reduction. In addition, gain +[4] Ranks to All Skills.

[N] Maximum Life
X% Cooldown Reduction
+12% Resource Generation
+[28] All Stats

“This headdress was once worn by an assassin disguised as a court mage. Her treachery was unveiled, but not before she used its magic to curse the king’s entire lineage.” – The Fall of House Aston

Alternative Choice 2: Godslayer Crown (Helm) Right now this also seems like a very good option considering how broken Vasily’s Prayer is. It’s acceptable to loose the ability to cast Earthen Bulwark during grizzly rage if it means using a helmet with stats, CC and massive DPS boost that the Godslayer Crown provides.

When you Stun, Freeze, or Immobilize an Elite enemy, or damage a Boss, it pulls in nearby enemies. You deal x[30-60]% increased damage to them for 3 seconds. This effect can only occur once every 12 seconds.

+[4.2 – 7]% Cooldown Reduction
+[X – Y] Maximum Life
+[10.5 – 17.5]% Damage
+[5 – 12]% Crowd Control Duration

“The Sahptev faithful believe in a thousand and one gods. If it takes me as many lifetimes, I will find and kill them all.” – Gaspar Stilbian, Veradani Outcast

Banished Lord’s Talisman (Amulet)

+[X]% Resistance to All Elements

After you spend 300 of your Primary Resource, your next Core Skill is guaranteed to Overpower. Your Critical Strikes that Overpower deal x[80-120]% increased damage.

+[5 – 12]% Resource Generation
+[21 – 42] Overpower Damage
+[1.8 – 5]% Critical Strike Chance
+1 Ranks of All Core Skills (note: this goes to +2 when fully upgrade to 5/5)

Tibault’s Will (Pants)

While Injured, Your Potion Also Restores 20% Resource You deal x[20-40]% increased damage while Unstoppable and for 4 seconds after. When you become Unstoppable, gain 50 of your Primary Resource.

+[2 – 3] Potion Capacity
+[7 – 14]% Damage Reduction from Close Enemies
+[10.5 – 17.5]% Damage
+[5 – 13] Maximum Resource

“The younger apprentices think wearing heavy plate in the swamps is foolish. They fail to understand that our armor is our legacy, and without it we are nothing.” – Crusader Pembroke

Sockets & Gems

There are various possible good/viable choices for the gem slots. I’ve shortlisted what works by slot. I’d recommend picking one of those:

Weps: Ruby. (if you don’t have any use Emerald for a bit)
Armor: Ruby or Saphire/Topaz (dmg reduction can help you needed in higher tier NM dungeons).
Jewelry: Diamond unless you need specific resistance more than all.

Legendary Aspects / Powers

I will only list the Legendary Aspects that have been selected for the build and the slots in which I advise putting those. For in-depth information you can check my Latest & Older Builds spreadsheet on this link. This build (BIG Grizz 4.0) is one of the builds on that spreadsheet.

• Helm: Aspect of Disobedience / Vasily’s Prayer OR 1 of the Alternative Helm Picks (see notes in the Unique Items section)
• Amulet: Aspect of Retaliation / Banished Lord’s Talisman
• Chest: Aspect of Might / Insatiable Fury
• Pants: Aspect of Mending Stone / Tibault’s Will goes here
• Gloves: Aspect of the Rampaging Werebeast
• Boots: Ballistic Aspect
• Ring 1: Aspect of The Ursine Horror
• Ring 2: Raw Might Aspect
• Main Hand Weapon: I recommend using a 2h Hammer
• Off-hand Totem: I recommend using a 2h Hammer
• 2-H Weapon: Shockwave Aspect
  (I recommend using a 2H Hammer as a weapon. With a 1h weapon + off-hand totem you can get quite a bit less dps but more utility (cooldown reduction, spirit cost reduction, etc.) so if you decide to do that a 1h Mace/Hammer will be the best choice)

Paragon Boards:

Use the link below to check the paragon boards selected and the nodes I’ve taken. On the link you’ll see what the boards will look like at lvl 100 with ALL paragon points spent and fully min-maxed to get the most out of every board BUT it’s base on my gear’s attributes bonuses (WIL, DEX, INT) so you may need to reorder some of the floating nodes to make sure you get the double bonus requirements of all rare nodes. Leveling in Season 2 is fast so I no longer will provide a version with less points spent.

• MAX LEVEL & MAX Paragon points spent : Click THIS LINK

Suggested Gear Rolls to look out for (in order of priority):

I’ve shortlisted various different affixes that work well with the build of almost 300 total. I’ll highlight in Orange the ones I think should get higher priority. NOTE: I’ve added a new “Top Priority per Slot” list but left the old unsorted list below it.

This is the Sorted by Slot list of Top Priority Affixes/Rolls:

• Helm:
  • Priority 1: Cooldown Reduction
  • Priority 2: Maximum Life, Basic Skill Attack Speed
  • Priority 3: Core Stats (Wil, Dex, Int, All Stats), Total Armor
  • Priority 4: Maximum Spirit
    
• Chest:
  • Priority 1: Damage Reduction from Close/Distant Enemies, Damage Reduction while Fortified, Overpower Damage with Werebear Skills
  • Priority 2: Maximum Life, + X% Damage, Damage Reduction
  • Priority 3: Core Stats (Wil, Dex, Int, All Stats), +x Ranks to Debilitating Roar/Earthen Bulwark, Total Armor
  • Priority 4: Damage while Shapeshifted, Werebear Skill Damage, Earth Skill Damage, Earth Damage, Physical Damage
    
• Gloves:
  • Priority 1: + X ranks of Pulverize, Overpower Damage, Critical Strike Chance
  • Priority 2: Damage to Injured Enemies, Attack Speed
  • Priority 3: Earth Skill Cooldown Reduction, Lucky Hit Chance, Earth Critical Strike Damage, Critical Strike Damage with Werebear Skills
  • Priority 4: Core Stats (Wil, Dex, Int, All Stats), Critical Strike Chance Against Injured Enemies
    
• Pants:
  • Priority 1: Damage Reduction from Close/Distant Enemies, Damage Reduction while Fortified
  • Priority 2: Maximum Life, Damage Reduction while Injured
  • Priority 3: + X ranks of Trample, Core Stats (Wil, Dex, Int, All Stats), Total Armor while in Werebear Form
  • Priority 4: Total Armor, Damage Reduction
    
• Boots:
  • Priority 1: Movement Speed, Damage Reduction while Injured
  • Priority 2: Spirit Cost Reduction
  • Priority 3: Core Stats (Wil, Dex, Int, All Stats), Total Armor while in Werebear Form
  • Priority 4: Total Armor while in Werewolf Form
    
• Amulet:
  • Priority 1: Cooldown Reduction, +X Ranks of Wrath Skills, Movement Speed
  • Priority 2: Maximum Life, +X Ranks of a Passive you like, Storm Skill Cooldown Reduction
  • Priority 3:Damage while Shapeshifted, Werewolf/Storm Skill Damage, +X% Damage, Damage Reduction from Close or Distant Enemies/While Injured/While Fortified, Damage Reduction from Enemies That Are Poisoned
  • Priority 4: Spirit Cost Reduction
    
• Rings:
  • Priority 1: Vulnerable Damage, Critical Strike Damage, Core Skill Damage
  • Priority 2: Maximum Life, Critical Strike Chance, Damage to Injured/Close/Poisoned Enemies
  • Priority 3: Physical/Lightning Damage, Lucky Hit Chance
  • Priority 4: Resource Generation, Fortify Generation
    
• Main Hand Weapon: See the 2H Weapon Rolls List
  
• Off-hand Totem: if you decide to use 1H + Totem
  • Priority 1: Cooldown Reduction, Critical Strike Chance
  • Priority 2: Spirit Cost Reduction
  • Priority 3: Lucky Hit Chance, Core Stats (Int, Dex, Wil, All Stats), Damage Reduction while Fortified
  • Priority 4: Fortify Generation, Up to a 5% Chance to Restore X% Primary Resource, Critical Chance Against Injured
    
• 2-H Weapon: See the 1H Weapon Rolls List
  • Priority 1: Vulnerable Damage, Critical Strike Damage, Core Skill Damage
  • Priority 2: Damage to Injured Enemies, Damage to Close Enemies
  • Priority 3: Critical Strike Damage with Werewolf Skills, Lightning Critical Strike Damage, Damage to Poisoned Enemies
  • Priority 4: Core Stats (Wil, Dex, Int, All Stats)

This is the UNsorted by list of useful Affixes/Rolls:

Overpower / Overpower with Werebear Skills

Critical Strike Chance/Critical Damage Bonus

Critical Chance / Critical Damage with Physical/Earth/Nature/Shapeshifting/Werebear Skills

Critical Chance/Critical Damage with Core/Basic Skills

Damage with Core/Basic/Nature/Earth/Shapeshifting/Werebear Skills

Damage Against Close Enemies

+ X Ranks to Core/Defensive/Wrath Skills

+ X Ranks to Pulverizee/Debilitating Roar/Earthen Bulwark/Trample

Cooldown Reduction

+ Maximum Life

+ All Stats

+ Willpower, + Dexterity, + Intelligence

Vulnerable Damage / Damage Against Vulnerable Enemies

Resource/Spirit Cost Reduction

Attack Speed

Damage Reduction while from Close Enemies

Damage Reduction while Fortified

Damage Reduction while Injured

Movement Speed

Resistance to All Elements

Total Armor / Total Armor in Werebear Form

+ X% Damage

Damage vs Injured Enemies

Damage vs Healthy Enemies

Damage while Healthy

Critical Strike Chance Against Injured Enemies

Physical/Earth Skill Damage Bonus

Spirit Generation / Regeneration / On Kill

Lucky Hit Chance

Lucky Hit Chance with Physical/Earth/Nature/Shapeshifting/Werebear Skill Damage

Damage Reduction from Enemies That Are Poisoned

Damage Against Crowd Controlled Enemies

Lucky Hit: Up to a 5% chance to Restore +X% Primary Resource

Fortify Generation

Lucky Hit: Up to a 5% chance to Heal +X Life

Barrier Generation

Lucky Hit: Up to a +X% Chance to Execute Injured Non-Elites

Weapon Damage (not sure if there are any bonuses to that as rolls)

Useful Links (Spreadsheets & more):

For all of my Diablo IV Latest Season 2 & Older (Post-Launch, RDY-4-Launch) Theorycrafts/Builds: This Spreadsheet

For my Diablo IV Class Skill Trees (can be used as mini-calculator): This Spreadsheet

For all of my Diablo IV Pre-Launch Theorycrafts/Builds: This Spreadsheet

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This concludes the BIG Grizz 4.0 Druid Build for Diablo IV. If you’re interested in the game below are links to the various platforms where one can buy it (you can just click the links to open a new tab):

PC (Battle.Net, Steam)

XBOX

PlayStation

Official Website