Dark Ice Rogue BUILD for Diablo IV [RDY-4-Launch]

(get up close & personal to cause the shadows to explode, chilling & freezing your foes)

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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).

Diablo IV‘s Launch is getting closer and it’s time to make some Ready-For-Launch full Builds/Theorycrafts that should be good for both ‘fresh-into-endgame’ characters as well as late endgame. I’ also plan to evolve them further when the game is released & keep them updated when we get rebalance updates. This is one such build for the Rogue Class called Dark Ice.

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:

https://youtu.be/OrJwt7jVYUc

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 (Dark Ice) is one of the builds on that spreadsheet.

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

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

Agility Skills (Required Points: 6 )

Subterfuge Skills (Required Points: 11 ) Not taking an Active Subterfuge skill

Imbuements Skills (Required Points: 16 )

Ultimate Skills (Required Points: 23 )

Specializations (Required Points: 33 )

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

In Diablo IV apparently (I have multiple sources that confirmed this) 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 Unique 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 the notes under the Aspects list for some additional picks:

Frostburn (Gloves)

Lucky Hit: Up to a [15 – 25]% chance to Freeze enemies for 2 seconds.

+[3 – 8]% Critical Strike Chance
+[0.07 – 0.14] Cold Damage
+[7 – 14]% Freeze Duration
Lucky Hit: Up to a 5% Chance to Restore +[14 – 28]% Primary Resource

A touch so frigid it stops the heart and chills the very soul.

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 (Dark Ice) is one of the builds on that spreadsheet.

• Helm: Exploiter’s Aspect
• Amulet: Aspect of Encircling Blades
• Chest: Aspect of Quickening Fog
• Pants: Aspect of Elusive Menace
• Gloves: Blast-Trapper’s Aspect Until The Unique goes here
• Boots: Frostbitten Aspect
• Ring 1: Icy Alchemist’s Aspect
• Ring 2: Aspect of Corruption
• 1H Weapon: Shadowslicer Aspect
• Off-hand: Aspect of Imitated Imbuement
• 2-H Weapon: Vengeful Aspect

NOTE 1: Blast-Trapper's Aspect goes in the Gloves slot ONLY until you get the Frostburn Unique Gloves. 
There are two other alternative picks for Uniques you could use if you get those first: Grasp of Shadow (Gloves) & Harlequin Crest (Helm)
See the note below:

NOTE 2: How to re-arrange if using any of the alternative Uniques:
- For Grasp of Shadow (Gloves): Blast-Trapper's Aspect gets removed from the Gloves to make room for the Unique (same item type as Frostburn so nothing special)
- For Harlequin Crest (Helm): Blast-Trapper's Aspect gets removed from the Gloves and Exploiter’s Aspect goes in the Gloves to make room for the Unique

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: Saphire, Skull, Diamond, or Emerald.
Armor: Skull or Ruby.
Jewelry: Diamond unless you need specific resistance more than all.

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 95 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 95 & 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 45 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 Chance/Critical Damage Bonus

Critical Chance / Critical Damage with Physical/Shadow/Cold Skills

Critical Chance/Critical Damage with Core/Imbuements/Ultimate Skills

Damage with Core/Imbuements/Ultimate Skills

Lucky Hit Chance

+ X Ranks to Core/Imbuements/Ultimate Skills

Lucky Hit Chance with Physical/Shadow/Cold Damage

Physical/Shadow/Cold Damage Bonus

+ % Critical Chance / Critical Damage with Physical/Shadow/Cold Damage

Resistance to All Elements

Damage to Enemies Affected by Trap Skills

+ % Physical/Shadow/Ice Damage to Elites

+ % Critical Strike Chance with Physical/Shadow/Cold Damage Against Elites

+ % Damage for X Seconds After Killing an Elite

Damage Reduction for X Seconds After Killing an Elite

Damage Reduction from Elites

Damage to Close Enemies

Critical Strike Chance Against Close Enemies

Critical Strike Damage to Close Enemies

Critical Strike Chance Against Crowd Controlled Enemies

Critical Strike Damage to Crowd Controlled Enemies

Damage to Crowd Controlled Enemies

Critical Strike Chance Against Vulnerable Enemies

Critical Strike Damage to Vulnerable Enemies

Vulnerable Damage

Damage while Healthy

Damage to Vulnerable Enemies with Imbued Skills

Critical Strike Damage with Imbued Skills

Shadow Imbued Skill Damage

Imbued Skill Damage

Imbuement Potency

Damage for X Seconds After Dodging an Attack

Attack Speed for X Seconds After Dodging an Attack

Dodge Chance (both +% and x% exist)

Dodge Chance Against Close Enemies

+ 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

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

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This concludes the Dark Ice Rogue 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)

XBOX

PlayStation

Official Website