Tag: 2.0

Volatile 2.0 Diablo IV Rogue Build [RDY-4-Launch]

Volatile 2.0 Rogue BUILD for Diablo IV [RDY-4-Launch]

(did anyone say “EXPLOSIONS?!” be the bearer of bad ~~news~~ BOOMS & send your victims to the other side with traps & all kinds of explosive goodness)

♦ ◊ ♦ ◊ ♦

Diablo IV launches on June 6th, 2023 for PC (Battle.Net), XBOX, & PlayStation with a 4 days Early Access (no wipe) for pre-orders (so kind of really launching June 2nd).

I’ve also made spreadsheets for those 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 build calculator links (mostly needed for the paragons)

This build will be updated post-launch to a new & expanded version when I have more in-game information as reference.

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 RDY-4-Launch Builds spreadsheet on this link. This build (Volatile 2.0) is one of the builds on that spreadsheet.

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

(active) Puncture – Throw blades a short distance, dealing 21% (X – ?) damage. Every 3rd cast Slows enemies by 2 seconds. Critical Strikes will always Slow. Requires Dual Wielded Weapons. Lucky Hit Chance: 50% Damage: Physical ; Tags: Basic, Ranged, Marksman
- (1st upgrade) Enhanced Puncture – Gain 2 Energy when Puncture damages a Crowd Controlled enemy.
- (2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Primary Puncture – Puncture now throws 3 blades in a spread, each dealing 35% of its Base damage. Hitting an enemy with at least 2 blades at once makes them Vulnerable for 2 seconds.

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

(active) Twisting Blades – Impale an enemy on your blades, dealing 45% (X – ?) damage and making them take 8% (multiplicative) increased damage while impaled. After 1.5 seconds the blades return to you, piercing enemies for 72% (X – ?) damage. Combo Points increase damage and grant a Movement Speed bonus: 1: 58% damage & 20% Movement Speed (*MS) bonus ; 2: 72% damage & 40% *MS bonus ; 3: 86% damage & 60% *MS bonus Requires Dual Wielded weapons Energy Cost: 30 Lucky Hit Chance: 33% Damage: Physical ; Tags: Core, Melee, Imbueable, Cutthroat
- (1st upgrade) Enhanced Twisting Blades – Twisting Blades deals 30% (multiplicative) increased damage when returning.
- (2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Advanced Twisting Blades – When your Twisting Blades return, your active Cooldowns are reduced by 1 second per enemy they passed through, up to 3 seconds.
(passive) did not pick any Core passives to save points

Agility Skills (Required Points: 6 )

(active) Caltrops – Leap backwards and throw Caltrops on the ground, dealing 30% (X – ?) damage and Slowing enemies by 50%. Lasts 6 seconds. Energy Cost: 21 Lucky Hit Chance: 25% Damage: Physical ; Tags: Agility, Trap
- (1st upgrade) Enhanced Caltrops – Enemies take 3% (multiplicative) increased damage from you each second they’re in Caltrops.
- (2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Disciplined Caltrops – You have +5% Critical Strike Chance against enemies inside your Caltrops. Double this amount against Vulnerable enemies.
(passive) Weapon Mastery – Gain a bonus when attacking based on weapon type:
Daggers: 5%/10%/15% (multiplicative) increased damage to Healthy enemies.
Swords: 3%/6%/9% (multiplicative) increased damage.
Bows: 4%/8%/12% (multiplicative) increased damage to Vulnerable enemies.
Crossbows: 5%/10%/15% (multiplicative) increased Critical Strike Damage.
(passive) did not pick other Agility passives to save points

Subterfuge Skills (Required Points: 11 )

(active) Dark Shroud – Surround yourself with up to 5 protective shadows. Gain 8% Damage Reduction per active shadow. Each time you take direct damage, that damage is reduced and a shadow is consumed Cooldown: 20 seconds. Tags: Subterfuge
- (1st upgrade) Enhanced Dark Shroud – Dark Shroud’s shadows have a 10% chance to not be consumed
- (2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Countering Dark Shroud – While you have at least 2 active shadow from Dark Shroud, gain +10% Critical Strike Chance.
(passive) Exploit – You deal 6%/12%/18% (multiplicative) increased damage to Healthy and Injured enemies.
- (upgrade) Malice – You deal 3%/6%/9% (multiplicative) increased damage to Vulnerable enemies.
(passive) Agile – Using a Cooldown (skill with cooldown) increases your Dodge Chance by 3%/6%/9% for 2 seconds.
- (upgrade) Mending Obscurity – DID NOT INVEST into this to save points
(passive) did not pick other Subterfuge passives to save points

Imbuements Skills (Required Points: 16 )

(active) Shadow Imbuement – Imbue your weapons with festering shadows. Enemies struck by your next 2 Imbuable Skills deal damage and infect enemies for 6 seconds. Infected enemies explode on death, dealing 40% (X) damage to all surrounding enemies. If the infection expires before the enemy dies, it will deal 40% (X) damage to only that enemy. Cooldown: 9 seconds. Lucky Hit Chance: 33% Damage: Shadow ; Tags: Imbuements
- (1st upgrade) Enhanced Shadow Imbuement – You have +25% increased Critical Strike Chance against Injured enemies infected by Shadow Imbuement.
- (2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Mixed Shadow Imbuement – Enemies damaged by Shadow Imbued Skills take 12% (multiplicative) increased Non-Physical damage from you for 8 seconds.
(passive) Precision Imbuement – Imbued Skills gain +5%/+10%/+15% increased Critical Strike Chance.
(passive – Invested 2/3 ranks into it only to save points) Shadow Crash – Lucky Hit: Shadow damage has up to a 10% chance to Stun for 0.5/1/1.5 seconds.
- (upgrade) Consuming Shadows – Each time you kill an enemy with Shadow Damage, you generate 10/20/30 Energy.
(passive) did not pick other Imbuements passives to save points

Ultimate Skills (Required Points: 23 )

(active) Death Trap – Place a trap that arms after 1.25 seconds. It activates when an enemy moves near, dealing 250% (X – ?) damage to enemies in the area. Cooldown: 50 seconds. Lucky Hit Chance: 4% Damage: Shadow ; Tags: Ultimate, Trap
- (1st upgrade) Prime Death Trap – Enemies are Pulled into Death Trap when it activates.
- (2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Supreme Death Trap – If Death Trap kills an enemy, its Cooldown is reduced by 10 seconds.
(passive) Innervation – Lucky Hit: Up to a 10%/20%/30% chance to gain 8 Energy.
- (upgrade) Second Wind – Every 100 Energy you spend grants you +5%/+10%/+15% increased Lucky Hit Chance for 5 seconds.seconds.
- (upgrade) Alchemist’s Fortune – Non-Physical damage you deal has a +5%/+10%/+15% increased Lucky Hit Chance.
(passive ) Trap Mastery – When Poison Trap or Death Trap activates, you gain +4%/+8%/+12% increased Critical Strike Chance against Vulnerable and Crowd Controlled enemies for 4 seconds.
(passive) Aftermath – After using an Ultimate Skill, restore 25/50/75 Energy.
(passive) did not pick other Ultimate passives to save points

Specializations (Required Points: 33 )

(passive) Victimize – Lucky Hit: Dealing direct damage to a Vulnerable enemy has up to a +30% chance to cause an explosion, dealing 23% of the original damage to them and surrounding enemies.

Class Mechanic:

I don’t have much information about the 3rd Specialization of the Rogue. The 3 Specializations are the Rogues’ Class Mechanics:

Combo Points – Your Basic Skills now generate Combo Points. Certain Skills consume Combo Points for additional effects.
Inner Sight – Attack marked enemies to fill up your Inner Sight gauge. When it’s full, gain unlimited Energy for 4 seconds.
Preparation – This specialization was not available during the closed beta builds of the game.

I prefer and advise using Combo Points but I liked Inner Sight during the beta too so not a bad one either for some 0 cost Skill Spams every now and then. We’ll have to wait and see about the last one.

Unique Item

Eyes in the Dark (Pants)

While Injured, Your Potion Also Grants [30%] Movement Speed for 2 Seconds

Unless it hits a Boss or Player, Death Trap will continue to re-arm itself until it kills an enemy. However, Death Trap‘s Cooldown is increased by [15 – 30]%.

[3.1 – 7.3]% Dodge Chance
+[0.07 – 0.14] Shadow Damage
+[16.5 – 23.5]% Damage to Elites
+[7 – 14]% Damage to Trapped Enemies

“And so, when the sun dipped behind the hills each night, he knew that Ashen Jack would soon be near. Watching, and waiting.” – Greenslade’s Tales, Chapter 2: “Each Long Night”

Sockets & Gems

Full Diamonds is a good fit for many builds, including this one. I’ve shortlisted 5 total gems that work well with the build so pick based on your preference. I’d recommend either of those for Weps: Diamond, Skull, Saphire or Emerald. For Armor: Diamond, Skull or Ruby. For Jewelry: Diamond unless you need specific resistance more than all.

XYZ Diamond (Requires Level XY)

• Weapon: +N% Ultimate Skill Damage
• Armor: +N% Barrier Generation
• Jewelry: N% Resistance to All Elements

+5%/+5%/5 for chipped (the 2nd grade at lvl 20)

XYZ Skull (Requires Level XY)

• Weapon: +N Life On Kill
• Armor: +N% Healing Received • Jewelry: +N Armor

+13/+5%/+170 for chipped (the 2nd grade at lvl 20)

XYZ Saphire (Requires Level XY)

• Weapon: +N% Critical Strike Damage to Crowd-Controlled Enemies
• Armor: N% Damage Reduction While Fortified
• Jewelry: N% Cold Resistance

+7.5%/5%/14.3% for chipped (the 2nd grade at lvl 20)

XYZ Ruby (Requires Level XY)

• Weapon: +N% Overpower Damage
• Armor: +N% Maximum Life
• Jewelry: N% Fire Resistance

+15%/+5.5%/14.3% for chipped (the 2nd grade at lvl 20)

XYZ Emerald (Requires Level XY)

• Weapon: +N% Critical Strike Damage to Vulnerable Enemies
• Armor: +N Thorns
• Jewelry: N% Poison Resistance

+7.5%/39/14.3% for chipped (the 2nd grade at lvl 20)

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 RDY-4-Launch Builds spreadsheet on this link. This build (Volatile 2.0) is one of the builds on that spreadsheet.

Helm: Enshrouding Aspect
Amulet: *Aspect of Unstable Imbuements OR Aspect of Volatile Shadows (see notes)
Chest: *Aspect of Cruel Sustenance OR Aspect of Siphoned Protection (see notes)
Pants: *Aspect of Cruel Sustenance OR Aspect of Siphoned Protection UNTIL the Unique goes here (see notes)
Gloves: Vengeful Aspect
Boots: Exploiter’s Aspect
Ring 1: Ravenous Aspect
Ring 2: Aspect of Unstable Imbuements OR Aspect of Volatile Shadows (see notes)
1H Weapon (see NOTE below): Aspect of Corruption
Off-hand (see NOTE below): Blast-Trapper’s Aspect
2-H Weapon: Bladedancer’s Aspect

NOTE 1: You have to pick one aspect that will be discаrded once you get the Unique Pants. You can use both Aspect of Cruel Sustenance AND Aspect of Siphoned Protection only until you get & equip Eyes in the Dark. So pick whichever you feel is weaker and less worth it and discard it while putting the other one in the Chest slot.

NOTE 2: You have to pick one aspect that will be in the +50% effectiveness Amulet slot out of those two: Aspect of Unstable Imbuements OR Aspect of Volatile Shadows. So pick whichever you feel is more worth the bonus and put it on the Amulet slot while putting the other on Ring Number 2.

Paragon Boards:

Use the links below to check the paragon boards selected and the nodes I’ve taken. One link is for what the boards will look like at lvl 94 without any paragon points from renown (so more paragon points will be obtained on the way to 100 as well as from renown. The other link will be what the boards will look like when fully maxed out on paragon points.

LVL 94 & no Points from renown: Click THIS LINK
MAXed out points: Click THIS LINK

Suggested Gear Rolls to look out for (NOT in order of priority):

I’ve shortlisted 41 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

Bonus to All Damage
Critical Strike Damage Bonus
Critical Strike Chance
Crit Chance / Critical Strike Damage with Core Skills
Damage with Core Skills
Lucky Hit Chance
Shadow Damage Bonus
Shadow Critical Strike Damage Bonus
Resistance to All Elements
Cooldown Reduction
+ % Critical Strike Chance with Shadow Damage
+ % Damage to Elites
+ % Shadow Damage to Elites
Damage Upon Killing an Elite
+ % Critical Strike Chance with Shadow Damage Against Elites
Damage Reduction for X Seconds After Killing an Elite
+ % Damage for X Seconds After Killing an Elite
Damage Reduction from Elites
Vulnerable Damage
Crit Chance / Critical Strike Damage to Close Enemies
Crit Chance / Critical Strike Damage to Vulnerable Enemies
Crit Chance / Critical Strike Damage to Crowd Controlled Enemies
Crit Chance / Critical Strike Damage with Cuththroat/Imbued/ Skills
Damage while Healthy
Damage to Vulnerable Enemies
Damage to Close Enemies
Damage to Crowd Controlled Enemies
Damage to Vulnerable Enemies with Imbued Skills
Critical Strike Damage with Imbued Skills
Imbuement Potency
Shadow Imbued Skill Damage
Damage to Enemies Affected by Trap Skills

High Priority

+ All Stats
Damage vs Injured Enemies
Damage vs Healthy Enemies
Weapon Damage (not sure if there are any bonuses to that as rolls)
Energy Generation / Regeneration/ On Kill
Movement Speed
Attack Speed
Dexterity
Resource Cost Reduction

Low Priority

Useful Links (Spreadsheets & more):

For all of my Diablo IV RDY-4-Launch Theorycrafts/Builds: This Spreadsheet

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

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

♦ ◊ ♦ ◊ ♦

This concludes the Volatile Rogue 2.0 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)

BIG GRIZZ 2.0 Diablo IV Druid Build [RDY-4-Launch]

BIG GRIZZ 2.0 Druid BUILD for Diablo IV [RDY-4-Launch]

(this build’s got that BIG GRIZZ energy & uses two defensive skills, making it beary tanky)

♦ ◊ ♦ ◊ ♦

Diablo IV launches on June 6th, 2023 for PC (Battle.Net), XBOX, & PlayStation with a 4 days Early Access (no wipe) for pre-orders (so kind of really launching June 2nd).

I’ve also made spreadsheets for those 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 build calculator links (mostly needed for the paragons)

This build will be updated post-launch to a new & expanded version when I have more in-game information as reference.

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 RDY-4-Launch Builds spreadsheet on this link. This build (BIG GRIZZ 2.0) is one of the builds on that spreadsheet.

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

(active) Storm Strike – Electricity gathers around your weapon, dealing 20% (X-?) damage to your target and chaining to up to 3 surrounding enemies, dealing 20% less damage each time it chains. You gain 25% Damage Reduction for 3 seconds after dealing damage with Storm Strike. Lucky Hit Chance: 25% Type: Storm Magic ; Damage: Lightning Generates: 15 Spirit
- (1st upgrade) Enhanced Storm Strike – Storm Strike has a 15% chance to Immobilize all enemies hit for 2.5 seconds.
- (2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Fierce Storm Strike – Storm Strike has a 50% chance to make enemies Vulnerable for 3 seconds.

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

(active) Pulverize – Shapeshift into a Werebear and slam the ground, dealing 50% (X-?) damage to nearby enemies. Lucky Hit Chance: 33% Type: Shapeshifting ; Damage: Physical Spirit Cost: 35
(1st upgrade) Enhanced Pulverize – Your next Pulverize will Overpower every 10 seconds while you remain Healthy.
(2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Raging Pulverize – Enemies are Stunned for 2 seconds when they are Overpowered with Pulverize.
(passive) Predatory Instinct – Critical Strike Chance against nearby enemies is increased by +3%/+6%/+9%.
- (upgrade) Iron Fur – You gain 3%/6%/9% Damage Reduction while in Werebear form. This bonus persists for 3 seconds after leaving Werebear form.
- (upgrade – did NOT take cuz it’s a Werewolf synergy) Digitigrate Gait / Lycanthropic Speed
(passive) did not pick other Spirit/Core passives to save points

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

(active) Earthen Bulwark – Rocks surround you for 3 seconds, granting a Barrier that absorbs 45% of your Base Life in damage. Lucky Hit Chance: 50% Cooldown: 16 seconds Type: Earth Magic ; Damage: Physical
(1st upgrade) Enhanced Earthen Bulwark – Earthen Bulwark makes you Unstoppable while active.
(2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Preserving Earthen Bulwark – Casting Earthen Bulwark grants 18% Base Life as Fortify.

(active) Blood Howl – Shapeshift into a Werewolf and howl furiously, Healing you for 20% of your Maximum Life. Cooldown: 15 seconds Type: Shapeshifting
(1st upgrade) Enhanced Blood Howl – Kills reduce the Cooldown of Blood Howl by 1 second.
(2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Innate Blood Howl – Blood Howl also generates 20 Spirit.
(passive) Ancestral Fortitude – Increase your Non-Physical Resistances by 5%/10%/15%.
- (upgrade) Vigilance – did not take to save points
(passive) did not pick other Defensive passives to save points

Companion Skills (Required Points: 11 ) I did NOT take a companion BUT if you want to sacrifice one of the Defensive skills, I recommend the skills & upgrades below

(active) DID NOT TAKE a Companion active due to using already full skillbar
(1st upgrade)
(2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2)
(passive) did not pick any Companion passives to save points

Wrath Skills (Required Points: 16 )

(active) Hurricane – Form a hurricane around you that deals 97% (X-?) damage to surrounding enemies over 8 seconds. Lucky Hit Chance: 33% Cooldown: 20 seconds Type: Storm Magic ; Damage: Physical
(1st upgrade) Enhanced Hurricane – Enemies who are damaged by Hurricane are Slowed by 25% for 2 seconds.
(2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2)Savage Hurricane – Enemies affected by Hurricane deal 20% less damage.
(passive) Crushing Earth – Earth Skills deal 5%/10%/15% (multiplicative) increased damage to Slowed, Stunned, Immobilized or Knocked Back enemies.
- (upgrade) Stone Guard – While Fortified for over 50% of your maximum Life, your Earth Skills deal 4%/8%/12% (multiplicative) increased damage.
- (upgrade) Safeguard – Critical Strikes with Earth Skills Fortifiy you for 2%/4%/7% Base Life.
(passive) did not pick any other Wrath passives to save points but there are some worth considering

Ultimate Skills (Required Points: 23 )

(active) Grizzly Rage – Shapeshift into a Dire Werebear for 10 seconds gaining 20% (multiplicative) bonus damage and 20% damage reduction. Damage bonus is increased by 3% each second while in this form. Kills extend the duration by 1 second up to 10 additional seconds. Cooldown: 60 seconds Type: Shapeshifting
(1st upgrade) Prime Grizzly Rage – You are Unstoppable when Grizzly Rage is active.
(2nd upgrade) Supreme Grizzly Rage – Gain 8% Base Life as Fortify per second while Grizzly Rage is active.
(passive) Defiance – Nature Magic skills deal 4% (multiplicative) increased damage to Elites.
- (upgrade) Natural Disaster – Your Earth Skills deal 4%/8%/12% (multiplicative) increased damage to Vulnerable enemies. Your Storm Skills deal 4%/8%/12% (multiplicative) increased damage to enemies that are Stunned, Immobilized, or Knocked Back.
- (upgrade – did NOT pick to save points) Circle of Life – Nature Magic skills that consume Spirit restore 1%/2%/3% of your maximum Life.
- (upgrade) Resonance – Nature Magic Skills deal 2%/4%/6% (multiplicative) increased damage. Triple this bonus if an Earth Skill is the next Skill cast after a Storm Skill, or a Storm Skill is the next Skill cast after an Earth Skill.
(passive) Defensive Posture – Increases the amount of Fortify you gain from all sources by +5%/+10%/+15%.
- (upgrade) Thick Hide – Whenever you are Stunned, Immobilized, or Knocked Down, Fortify for 6%/13%/19% Base Life.
- (upgrade – only invested 1 point due to lack of points) Nature’s Resolve – 5%/10%/15% chance when struck to Fortify you for 4% Base Life.
- (upgrade) Unrestrained – Reduce the duration of control impairing effects by 3%/6%/9%. Triple this effect while you have Fortify for over 50% of your maximum Life.
(passive) did not pick other Ultimate passives to save points

Specializations (Required Points: 33 )

(passive) Ursine Strength – Gain 20% (multiplicative) additional maximum Life while in Werebear form and for 3 seconds after leaving Werebear form. While Healthy, deal 30% (multiplicative) increased damage.

Class Mechanic (Spirit Boons):

I don’t have much info regarding the Spirit Boons but I think you can pick at least 2 from the same category + maybe 1 more from another. I’d advise getting the following 2 for now.

Eagle Category, Scythe Talons: +5% Critical Strike Chance.
Eagle Category, Avian Wrath +30% Critical Strike Damage.

Unique Item

Insatiable Fury (Chest Armor)

Werebear form is now your true form, and you gain +2 Ranks to all Werebear Skills.

+[0.07 – 0.14] Physical Damage
+[21 – 42]% Overpower Damage
[7 – 14]% Damage Reduction while Fortified
+[0.07 – 0.14] Armor

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.

Sockets & Gems

Full Diamonds is a good fit for many builds, including this one. I’ve shortlisted 5 total gems that work well with the build so pick based on your preference. I’d recommend doing for Weps: Diamond, Skull, Saphire, Ruby or Emerald. For Armor: Diamond, Skull, Saphire, or Ruby. For Jewelry: Diamond unless you need specific resistance more than all.

XYZ Diamond (Requires Level XY)

• Weapon: +N% Ultimate Skill Damage
• Armor: +N% Barrier Generation
• Jewelry: N% Resistance to All Elements

+5%/+5%/5 for chipped (the 2nd grade at lvl 20)

XYZ Skull (Requires Level XY)

• Weapon: +N Life On Kill
• Armor: +N% Healing Received • Jewelry: +N Armor

+13/+5%/+170 for chipped (the 2nd grade at lvl 20)

XYZ Saphire (Requires Level XY)

• Weapon: +N% Critical Strike Damage to Crowd-Controlled Enemies
• Armor: N% Damage Reduction While Fortified
• Jewelry: N% Cold Resistance

+7.5%/5%/14.3% for chipped (the 2nd grade at lvl 20)

XYZ Ruby (Requires Level XY)

• Weapon: +N% Overpower Damage
• Armor: +N% Maximum Life
• Jewelry: N% Fire Resistance

+15%/+5.5%/14.3% for chipped (the 2nd grade at lvl 20)

XYZ Emerald (Requires Level XY)

• Weapon: +N% Critical Strike Damage to Vulnerable Enemies
• Armor: +N Thorns
• Jewelry: N% Poison Resistance

+7.5%/39/14.3% for chipped (the 2nd grade at lvl 20)

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 RDY-4-Launch Builds spreadsheet on this link. This build (BIG GRIZZ 2.0) is one of the builds on that spreadsheet.

Helm: Stormshifter’s Aspect
Amulet: Ballistic Aspect
Chest: *Earthguard Aspect OR Exploiter’s Aspect OR Symbiotic Aspect (see note below)
Pants: Mending Stone
Gloves: Aspect of The Ursine Horror
Boots: *Symbiotic Aspect OR Exploiter’s Aspect (see note below)
Ring 1: Aspect of Retaliation
Ring 2: Mangled Aspect
1H Weapon (see note below): Aspect of Natural Balance
Off-hand (see note below): *Shockwave Aspect (see note below)
2-H Weapon (see note below): Aspect of Natural Balance

NOTE 1: Get rid of 1, keep 1 in the boots, and use temporarily the other between: Earthguard Aspect OR Symbiotic Aspect OR Exploiter’s Aspect. This is a tough choice to make and it's up to you which one you like most to keep in the Boots and which one you want to use until the Unique. We'll need to empty this slot for the awesome unique eventually. You can have 1 here & the other in the Boots before you get the Unique Chest. I'd go Earthguard in the Chest as temp and Exploiter's in the Boots

NOTE 2: You may wanna consider putting Crashstone Aspect in the Off-hand slot or maybe put Aspect of The Rampaging Werebeast there

Paragon Boards:

Use the links below to check the paragon boards selected and the nodes I’ve taken. One link is for what the boards will look like at lvl 92 without any paragon points from renown (so more paragon points will be obtained on the way to 100 as well as from renown. The other link will be what the boards will look like when fully maxed out on paragon points.

LVL 92 & no Points from renown: Click THIS LINK
MAXed out points: Click THIS LINK

Suggested Gear Rolls to look out for (NOT in order of priority):

I’ve shortlisted 37 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

Bonus to All Damage
Critical Strike Damage Bonus
Critical Strike Chance
Critical Strike Damage with Core Skills
Damage with Core Skills
Lucky Hit Chance
Earth/Lightning Damage Bonus
Earth/Lightning Critical Strike Damage Bonus
Resistance to All Elements
Cooldown Reduction
+ % Critical Strike Chance with Earth/Lightning Damage
+ % Damage to Elites
+ % Earth/Lightning Damage to Elites
Damage Upon Killing an Elite
+ % Critical Strike Chance with Earth/Lightning Damage Against Elites
Damage Reduction for X Seconds After Killing an Elite
+ % Damage for X Seconds After Killing an Elite
Damage Reduction from Elites
Vulnerable Damage
Critical Strike Damage to Close Enemies
Critical Strike Damage to Vulnerable Enemies
Critical Strike Damage to Crowd Controlled Enemies
Critical Strike Damage with Nature/Earth/Shapeshifting/Storm Skills
Damage while Healthy
Damage to Vulnerable Enemies
Damage to Close Enemies
Damage to Crowd Controlled Enemies
Damage while Fortified

High Priority

+ All Stats
Damage vs Injured Enemies
Damage vs Healthy Enemies
Weapon Damage (not sure if there are any bonuses to that as rolls)
Spirit Generation / Regeneration / On Kill
Movement Speed
Attack Speed
Willpower
Resource Cost Reduction

Low Priority

Useful Links (Spreadsheets & more):

For all of my Diablo IV RDY-4-Launch Theorycrafts/Builds: This Spreadsheet

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

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

♦ ◊ ♦ ◊ ♦

This concludes the BIG GRIZZ 2.0 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)

Reaping Army 2.0 Diablo IV Necromancer Build [RDY-4-Launch]

Reaping Army 2.0 Necromancer BUILD for Diablo IV [RDY-4-Launch]

(control an Army of Undead and get bonuses based on the number of summoned Minions)

♦ ◊ ♦ ◊ ♦

Diablo IV launches on June 6th, 2023 for PC (Battle.Net), XBOX, & PlayStation with a 4 days Early Access (no wipe) for pre-orders (so kind of really launching June 2nd).

This build will be updated post-launch to a new & expanded version when I have more in-game information as reference.

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 RDY-4-Launch Builds spreadsheet on this link. This build (Reaping Army 2.0) is one of the builds on that spreadsheet.

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

(active) Decompose – Tear the flesh from the enemy, dealing 30% (X) damage per second and forming a usable corpse with the flesh every 2.5 seconds. Lucky Hit Chance: 40% Generates: 7 Essence per second Damage: X ; Tags:
- (1st upgrade) Enhanced Decompose – If an enemy dies while being Decomposed, you gain 10 Essence.
- (2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Acolyte’s Decompose – You and your Minions deal 10% (multiplicative) increased damage to enemies who are being Decomposed.

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

(active) Sever – A spectre of you charges forward and attacks with its scythe for 42% (X) damage then returns to you and attacks again for 21% (X-?) damage. Lucky Hit Chance: 20% Essence Cost: 20 Damage: X ; Tags:
- (1st upgrade) Enhanced Sever – Sever damages enemies along its path for 25% of its damage.
- (2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Supernatural Sever – Sever deals 2% (multiplicative) increased damage for each Minion you have upon cast.
(passive) Hewed Flesh Lucky Hit: Your damage has up to a 4%/8%/12% chance to create a corpse at the target’s location.
(passive) DID NOT INVEST in other Core passives to save points

Macabre Skills (Required Points: 6 )

(active) Corpse Explosion – Detonate a Corpse, dealing 75% (X-XX) damage to nearby enemies. Lucky Hit Chance: 40% Damage: X ; Tags:
- (1st upgrade) Enhanced Corpse – Corpse Explosion’s radius is increased by 15%.
- (2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Blighted Corpse Explosion – Corpse Explosion becomes a Darkness Skill and, instead of exploding, releases a vile miasma dealing 110% (X-?) Shadow Damage over 6 seconds.
(passive) Grim Harvest Consuming a Corpse generates 3/6/9 Essence.
- (upgrade) Fueled by Death You deal 4%/8%/12% (multiplicative) increased damage for 4 seconds after consuming a Corpse.
(passive) Skeletal Warrior Mastery Increase the damage and Life of your Skeletal Warriors by 15%/30%/45% (multiplicative).
(passive) DID NOT INVEST in other Macabre passives to save points

Corruption Skills (Required Points: 11 )

(active) DID NOT TAKE a Corruption active due to using 2 minions on the skillbar
- (1st upgrade)
- (2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2)
(passive) Skeletal Mage Mastery – Increase the damage and Health of your Skeletal Mages by 15%/30%/45% (multiplicative).
(passive) DID NOT INVEST in other Corruption passives to save points

Summoning Skills (Required Points: 16 )

(active) DID NOT TAKE a Summoning active due to using 2 minions on the skillbar
- (1st upgrade)
- (2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2)
(passive) Reaper’s Pursuit – Damaging enemies with Darkness Skills increases your Movement Speed by +5%/+10%/+15% for 3 seconds.
- (upgrade) Crippling Darkness – DID NOT INVEST in this to save points
- (upgrade) Gloom – When you damage enemies with Darkness Skills, they take 2%/4%/6% (multiplicative) increased Shadow Damage from you and your Minions for 2 seconds, stacking up to 3 times.
- (upgrade) Terror – Darkness Skills deal 3%/6%/9% (multiplicative) bonus damage to enemies who are Slowed, and 3%/6%/9% (multiplicative) bonus damage to enemies who are Stunned or Immobilized. These bonuses stack and apply to Shadow Damage dealt by your Minions.
(passive) Necrotic Carapace – When a Corpse is formed from your Skills or your Minions, Fortify for 2%/4%/6% Base Life.
(passive) DID NOT INVEST in other Summoning passives to save points

Ultimate Skills (Required Points: 23 )

(active) Army of the Dead – Call forth the deep buried dead. Volatile Skeletons emerge over the next 7 seconds that explode when around enemies, dealing 30% (X-?) damage. Lucky Hit Chance: 54% Cooldown: 90 Seconds. Damage: X ; Tags:
- (1st upgrade) Prime Army of the Dead – When Army of the Dead’s Volatile Skeletons explode, they have 15% chance to leave behind a Corpse.
- (2nd upgrade) Supreme Army of the Dead – Army of the Dead also raises your Skeletal Warriors and Skeletal Mages.
(passive) Bonded in Essence Every 5 seconds, your Skeletal Priest’s Healing will Heal your skeletons for 20%/40%/60% of their Maximum Life.
- (upgrade) Death’s Defense Your Minions can’t lose more than 75%/50%/25% of their maximum Life from a single damage instance.
(passive) Golem Mastery Increase the damage and Life of your Golem by 15%/30%/45% (multiplicative).
(passive) Inspiring Leader After you have been Healthy for at least 4 seconds, you and your Minions gain +4%/+8%/+12% Attack Speed. (seems to need a point in Death’s Defene to unlock this)
- (upgrade) Hellbent Commander Your Minions deal 10%/20%/30% (multiplicative) increased damage while you are near them.
(passive) DID NOT INVEST in other Ultimate passives to save points

Specializations (Required Points: 33 )

(passive) Kalan’s Edict – After you have not taken damage in the last 3 seconds, your Minions gain +15% Attack Speed. While you have at least 7 Minions, this bonus is doubled.

Book of the Dead (Class Mechanic):

This build is all about taking as many summons as possible without sacrificing any of them for passive bonuses. I’d advise taking all minions for this build and the types + upgrades are: Skeletal Skirmishers: Upgrade 1 + Shadow Mages: Upgrade 2 + Bone Golem: Upgrade 2 (OR Iron Golem – Sacrifice):

Skeletal Skirmishers + Upgrade 1 so that we get and extra minion to boost the damage of Sever and other things that scale from the number of minions
- Description: You can raise an additional Skirmisher
Shadow Mages + Upgrade 2 is a good dps increase & goes especially well with Minion Attack Speed bonuses
- Description: Shadow Mages fire an additional shadow bolt every 6th attack.
Bone Golem + Upgrade 2 will let big boi tank for us and keep the aggro away from us oftentimes. Alternatively, if you want even more DPS, Iron Golem – Sacrifice can help
- Description: Your Golem gains 10% maximum Life and the amount of Thorns they inherit from you is increased from 30% to 50%.

Unique Item

Ring of Mendeln (Ring)

[6 – 35]% Cold Resistance
[6 – 35]% Shadow Resistance

While you have 7 or more Minions you gain: Lucky Hit: Up to a 10% chance to empower all of your Minions, causing the next attack from each to explode for N Physical damage.

+[4 – 10]% Lucky Hit Chance
+[7 – 14]% Minion Attack Speed
[17.5 – 31.5]% Maximum Minion Life
+[0.14 – 0.28] Thorns

The signet of Mendeln ul-Diomed, the founder of the Priests of Rathma and the first Necromancer, was lost for over 3,000 years. The immense power over death held within, however, has not diminished.

Sockets & Gems

Full Diamonds is a good fit for many builds, but this one doesn’t do much barrier. I’d recommend doing for Weps: Diamond, Skull, Amethyst or Emerald. For Armor: Skull, Amethyst or Emerald. For Jewelry: Diamond unless you need specific resistance more than all.

XYZ Diamond (Requires Level XY)

• Weapon: +N% Ultimate Skill Damage
• Armor: +N% Barrier Generation
• Jewelry: N% Resistance to All Elements

+5%/+5%/5 for chipped (the 2nd grade at lvl 20)

XYZ Skull (Requires Level XY)

• Weapon: +N Life On Kill
• Armor: +N% Healing Received
• Jewelry: +N Armor

+13/+5%/+170 for chipped (the 2nd grade at lvl 20)

XYZ Amethyst (Requires Level XY)

• Weapon: +N% Damage Over Time
• Armor: N% Damage Taken Over Time Reduction
• Jewelry: N% Shadow Resistance

+5%/+8.2%/+14.3% for chipped (the 2nd grade at lvl 20)

XYZ Emerald (Requires Level XY)

• Weapon: +N% Critical Strike Damage to Vulnerable Enemies
• Armor: +N Thorns
• Jewelry: N% Poison Resistance

+7.5%/39/14.3% for chipped (the 2nd grade at lvl 20)

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 RDY-4-Launch Builds spreadsheet on this link. This build (Reaping Army 2.0) is one of the builds on that spreadsheet.

Helm: Viscous Aspect
Amulet: Aspect of Empowering Reaper
Chest: Blood Getter’s Aspect
Pants: Aspect of Hardened Bones
Gloves: Cadaverous Aspect
Boots: Exploiter’s Aspect
Ring 1: Aspect of Frenzied Dead
Ring 2: *Aspect of Reanimation Until *The Unique goes here
1H Weapon: Unyielding Commander’s Aspect
Off-hand: Rotting Aspect
2-H Weapon (if you decide to use one):Unyielding Commander’s Aspect

NOTE: Aspect of Reanimation is a great choice for Until The Unique goes on that 2nd ring slot. Alternatively, you can put another Resource generation or Offensive Aspect such as: Aspect of Flesh-Rending, Requiem Aspect, Hulking Aspect, Edgemaster's Aspect, Aspect of Inner Calm

Paragon Boards:

Use the links below to check the paragon boards selected and the nodes I’ve taken. One link is for what the boards will look like at lvl 99 without any paragon points from renown (so more paragon points will be obtained on the way to 100 as well as from renown. The other link will be what the boards will look like when fully maxed out on paragon points.

LVL 99 & no Points from renown: Click THIS LINK
MAXed out points: Click THIS LINK

Suggested Gear Rolls to look out for (NOT in order of priority):

I’ve shortlisted 38 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

Bonus to All Damage
Critical Strike Damage Bonus
Critical Strike Chance
Critical Strike Damage with Core Skills
Damage with Core Skills
Lucky Hit Chance
Shadow Damage Bonus
Shadow Critical Strike Damage Bonus
Resistance to All Elements
Cooldown Reduction
+ % Critical Strike Chance with Shadow Damage
+ % Damage to Elites
+ % Shadow Damage to Elites
Damage Upon Killing an Elite
+ % Critical Strike Chance with Shadow Damage Against Elites
Damage Reduction for X Seconds After Killing an Elite
+ % Damage for X Seconds After Killing an Elite
Damage Reduction from Elites
+ % Minion Damage
+ % Damage to Enemies affected by Shadow DoT
+ % Minion Resistance to All Elements
+ % Minion Attack Speed
+ % Maximum Minion Life

High Priority

Amplify_Damage_From_Pets_Per_Player_Percent (Struck’s note: my guess is this is + % Minion Damage based on the player’s % Damage)
Lucky Hit: Critical Strikes From Your Minions Have up to a 5% Chance to Reduce Enemy Damage Dealt by X% for N Seconds
+ All Stats
Damage while Healthy
Damage vs Healthy Enemies
Damage vs Injured Enemies
Damage vs Close Enemies
Weapon Damage (not sure if there are any bonuses to that as rolls)
Essence Generation
Essence Regeneration
Essence On Kill
Movement Speed
Attack Speed
Intelligence
Resource Cost Reduction

Low Priority

Useful Links (Spreadsheets & more):

For all of my Diablo IV RDY-4-Launch Theorycrafts/Builds: This Spreadsheet

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

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

♦ ◊ ♦ ◊ ♦

This concludes the Reaping Army 2.0 Necromancer 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)

Chaining Thunder 2.0 Diablo IV Sorcerer Build [RDY-4-Launch]

Chaining Thunder 2.0 Sorcerer BUILD for Diablo IV [RDY-4-Launch]

(be the Master of Thunder & Storms that shocks & electrifies enemies while zapping around the map)

♦ ◊ ♦ ◊ ♦

Diablo IV launches on June 6th, 2023 for PC (Battle.Net), XBOX, & PlayStation with a 4 days Early Access (no wipe) for pre-orders (so kind of really launching June 2nd).

This build will be updated post-launch to a new & expanded version when I have more in-game information as reference.

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 RDY-4-Launch Builds spreadsheet on this link. This build (Chaining Thunder 2.0) is one of the builds on that spreadsheet.

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

(active) Arc Lash – Unleash arcing lightning that shocks enemies in front of you for 42.00% (X- ?). Every 10 times Arc Lash swipes, it Stuns all enemies hit for 2 seconds. Lucky Hit Chance: 30% Damage: Lightning ; Tags: Basic, Shock
- (1st upgrade) Enhanced Arc Lash – If Arc Lash’s initial swipe Critically Strikes, it swipes and additional time.
- (2nd upgrade – no point invested here but it’s my pick of the 2) Glinting Arc Lash – Hitting a Stunned enemy with Arc Lash reduces your Cooldowns by 0.25 seconds.

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

(active) Chain Lightning – Unleash lightning that deals 42% (X-?) damage and chains and chains between Nearby enemies and you up to 6 times. Lucky Hit Chance: 25% Mana Cost: 35 Damage: Lightning ; Tags: Core, Shock
(1st upgrade) Enhanced Chain Lightning – Chain Lightning gains a +3% increased Critical Strike Chance per bounce.
(2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Greater Chain Lightning – When Chain Lightning Critically Strikes, it has a 25% chance to form a Crackling Energy.
(passive) did not pick any Core passives to save points

Defensive Skills (Required Points: 6 )

(active) Teleport – Transform into lightning becoming Unstoppable and surging to the target location dealing 25% (X -?) damage around you upon arrival. Lucky Hit Chance: 40% Cooldown: 11 Damage: Lightning ; Tags: Defensive, Shock
(1st upgrade) Enhanced Teleport – Teleport’s cooldown is decreased by 0.5 seconds per enemy hit, up to 3 seconds.
(2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Mystical Teleport – For 4 seconds after Teleporting, Crackling Energy deals 40% (multiplicative) more damage.
(passive) Elemental Attunement – Elemental Critical Strikes have a 5%/10%/15% chance to reset the Cooldown of one of your Defensive Skills. Can only happen once every 10 seconds.
(passive) did not pick any other Defensive passives to save points

Conjuration Skills (Required Points: 11 )

(active) Lightning Spear – Conjure a crackling spear of lightning that seeks out enemies for 6 seconds, dealing 15% (X – ?) damage per hit. Lucky Hit Chance: 35% Cooldown: 20 Damage: Lightning ; Tags: Conjuration, Shock
(1st upgrade) Enhanced Lightning Spear – After Critically Striking, Lightning Spear has a 5% increased stacking Critical Strike Chance for its duration.
(2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Invoked Lightning Spear – Lightning Spear Stuns enemies for 2 seconds when Critically Striking.
(passive – i only put 1 point here to unlock the next passives) Align the Elements – You gain 5%/10%/15% Damage reduction against Elites for each second you don’t take damage from any of these sources, up to 50%.
- (1st upgrade – not a must have but I maxed it) Mana Shield – Every time you spend 100 Mana, you gain 5%/10%/15% Damage Reduction for 5 seconds.
- (2nd upgrade – TOP TIER PASSIVE & MUST HAVE) Protection – Using a cooldown grants 10%/20%/30% of your maximum Life as a Barrier for 5 seconds.
(passive) Precision Magic – Your Lucky Hit Effect Chance is increased by up to 5%/10%/15%.
(passive) did not pick any more Conjuration passives to save points

Mastery Skills (Required Points: 16 )

(active – did not invest points into it but good to consider) Ball Lightning – Conjure a ball of lightning that slowly moves forward, continually zapping enemies for 18% (X -?) damage. Lucky Hit Chance: 20% Mana Cost: 50 Damage: Lightning ; Tags: Mastery, Shock
(1st upgrade – no need to get upgrades if only getting it for the Enchantment) Enhanced Ball Lightning – Ball Lightning’s damage rate is increased by 200% of your Attack Speed Bonus.
(2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Wizard’s Ball Lightning – If an enemy is hit at least 4 times by a cast of Ball Lightning, a Crackling Energy is formed. Can only happen once per cast.
(passive) Static Discharge – Critical Strikes with Shock Skills have a 5% chance to form a Crackling Energy.
- (upgrade) Shocking Impact – Every time you Stun an enemy, you deal 15%/30%/45% Lightning Damage to them. [this is further boosted by the Unique Item]
- (upgrade) Regenerative Conduit – Crackling Energy restores 4/8/12 Mana upon pickup.
(passive) Ice Veil – Your Barriers have a +5%/+10%/+15% increased duration. (Barriers absorb damage from all sources up to a specified amount.)
- (upgrade) Snap Freeze – did NOT take this one
- (upgrade) Cold front – did NOT take this one

Ultimate Skills (Required Points: 23 )

(active) Unstable Currents – Lightning surges within you for 10 seconds. Whenever you cast a Shock Skill, a random Core, Conjuration, or Mastery Shock Skill is also cast. Cooldown: 70 Damage: Lightning ; Tags: Ultimate, Shock
(1st upgrade) Prime Unstable Currents – Unstable Currents increases your Attack Speed by +25% while active.
(2nd upgrade) Supreme Unstable Currents – While Unstable Currents is active, Crackling Energy continually pulses and consumes no charges.
(passive) Coursing Currents – Hitting enemies with Shock Skills increases your Critical Strike Chance by +1%/+2%/+3%. Resets upon getting a Critical Strike.
- (upgrade- did NOT take to save points) Conduction – Critical Strikes with Shock Skills increase your Movement Speed by +3%/+6%/+9% for 3 seconds.
- (upgrade) Electrocution – Enemies deal 5%/10%/15% less damage for 5 seconds after being Critically Struck by your Shock Skills.
- (upgrade) Convulsions – Lucky Hit: Shock Skills have a 3%/6%/9% chance to Stun enemies for 3 seconds.

Specializations (Required Points: 33 )

(passive) Overflowing Energy – Crackling Energy hits 1 additional enemy. Each time Crackling Energy hits an enemy, your Shock Skill Cooldowns are reduced by 0.1 seconds, increased to 0.25 seconds against Elites.

Enchantment (Class Mechanic):

I’d recommend mix-and matching two of the following Enchantments (you’ll need at least 1 point invested or from gear in the skills):

Obvious Synergies
- Chain Lightning – Chain Lightning forms automatically after spending 100 Mana. (my pick)
- Lightning Spear – Absorbing Crackling Energy has a 10% chance to conjure a Lightning Spear. (my pick)
- Arc Lash – When you use a Cooldown (skill with cooldown), enemies around you are Stunned for 0.5 seconds.
- Ball Lightning – Lucky Hit: Critical Strikes have a 25% chance to spawn a static Ball Lightning. (you’ll need to put at least 1 point into this as it’s not part of the build)
Still good to try
- Frost Nova – Lucky Hit: Your Conjuration Skills have a 30% chance to unleash a Frost Nova when hitting enemies. (you’ll need to put at least 1 point into this as it’s not part of the build)
- Hydra – After spending 300 Mana, a 5-headed Hydra spawns for 5 seconds. (you’ll need to put at least 1 point into this as it’s not part of the build)

Unique Item

Esadora’s Overflowing Cameo (Amulet)

[4 – 25]% Resistance to All Elements Upon collecting Crackling Energy, there’s a 10% chance to release a lightning nova, dealing N Lightning Damage.
+[7 – 14]% Non-Physical Damage
Damage_CracklingEnergy (Struck’s note: I’m 99% sure this is +X% Damage With Crackling Energy)
+[1 – 2] Ranks of the Shocking Impact Passive
+[16.5 – 23.5]% Movement Speed

The only thing more potent than Esadora’s magic was her endless hatred of humanity. As she lay dying, the pale amulet around her neck drank in both.

Sockets & Gems

Full Diamonds is a good fit for most builds, including this one, and I’d recommend doing this. For this build some people may prefer Skulls or Saphires in the weapons or even Skull in Jewelry.

XYZ Diamond (Requires Level XY)

• Weapon: +N% Ultimate Skill Damage
• Armor: +N% Barrier Generation
• Jewelry: N% Resistance to All Elements

+5%/+5%/5 for chipped (the 2nd grade at lvl 20)

XYZ Skull (Requires Level XY)

• Weapon: +N Life On Kill
• Armor: +N% Healing Received • Jewelry: +N Armor

+13/+5%/+170 for chipped (the 2nd grade at lvl 20)

XYZ Saphire (Requires Level XY)

• Weapon: +N% Critical Strike Damage to Crowd-Controlled Enemies
• Armor: N% Damage Reduction While Fortified
• Jewelry: N% Cold Resistance

+7.5%/5%/14.3% for chipped (the 2nd grade at lvl 20)

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 RDY-4-Launch Builds spreadsheet on this link. This build (Chaining Thunder 2.0) is one of the builds on that spreadsheet.

Helm: Exploiter’s Aspect
Amulet: *Aspect of Shared Misery Until The Unique goes here (see note below)
Chest: Aspect of Fortune
Pants: Aspect of The Unwavering
Gloves: Aspect of the Unbroken Tether
Boots: *Aspect of Shared Misery (see note below)
Ring 1: Aspect of Splintering Energy
Ring 2: Prodigy’s Aspect OR Aspect of The Umbral is a great alternative but only REALLY good with Aspect of Shared Misery in the builds
1H Weapon: Aspect of Overwhelming Currents
Off-hand: Stable Aspect
2-H Weapon (if you decide to use one): Aspect of Overwhelming Currents

NOTE: After the unique goes on the Amulet slot, Shared Misery goes in the Boots slot. Before that use a filler in the Boots. My choice will be Charged Aspect. OR keep Shared Misery in the Boots then in the Amulet put Accelerating Aspect if you can manage the mana drain all that attack speed will cause. Alternatively, for the Amulet move the Splintering Energy there and use Aspect of The Umbral in the 1st Ring instead of it.

Paragon Boards:

Use the links below to check the paragon boards selected and the nodes i’ve taken. One link is for what the boards will look like at lvl 97 without any paragon points from renown (so more paragon points will be obtained on the way to 100 as well as from renown. The other link will be what the boards will look like when fully maxed out on paragon points.

LVL 97 & no Points from renown: Click THIS LINK
MAXed out points: Click THIS LINK

Suggested Gear Rolls to look out for (NOT in order of priority):

I’ve shortlisted 39 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

Bonus to All Damage
Critical Strike Damage Bonus
Critical Strike Chance
Critical Strike Damage with Core Skills
Damage with Core Skills
Damage with Crackling Energy
Lightning Damage Bonus
Lightning Critical Strike Damage Bonus
Critical Strike Damage vs Crowd Controlled Enemies
Cooldown Reduction
+ % Critical Strike Chance with Lightning Damage
+ % Damage to Elites
+ % Lightning Damage to Elites
Damage Upon Killing an Elite
+ % Critical Strike Chance with Lightning Damage Against Elites
Damage Reduction for X Seconds After Killing an Elite
+ % Damage for X Seconds After Killing an Elite
Damage Reduction from Elites
Resistance to All Elements
Attack Speed

Higher Priority

+ All Stats
Damage while Healthy
Damage vs Healthy Enemies
Damage vs Injured Enemies
Damage vs Close Enemies
Weapon Damage (not sure if there are any bonuses to that as rolls)
Damage vs Stunned Enemies
Damage vs Slowed Enemies
Damage vs Immobilized Enemies
Mana On Kill
Mana Generation
Mana Regeneration
Barrier Generation Bonus
Damage Reduction with an Active Barrier
Lucky Hit Chance with an Active Barrier
Lucky Hit Chance
Movement Speed
Intelligence
Resource Cost Reduction

Lower Priority

Useful Links (Spreadsheets & more):

For all of my Diablo IV RDY-4-Launch Theorycrafts/Builds: This Spreadsheet

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

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

♦ ◊ ♦ ◊ ♦

This concludes the Chaining Thunder 2.0 Sorcerer 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)