Icy Death Rogue BUILD for Diablo IV [S Tier Grade]

(Emerging from the Shadows & entrapping your foes to a Cold Death)

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Diablo IV launched on June 6th, 2023 for PC (Battle.Net), XBOX, & PlayStation) and I’ve had my fair share of playing and testing done. I’m now ready to start making full Builds/Theorycrafts that work for both ‘fresh-into-endgame’ characters as well as late endgame. I’ll evolve & keep them updated when we get major rebalance updates. This is one such build for the Rogue Class called Icy Death.

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 build calculator links (mostly needed for the paragons)

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 RDY-4-Launch Builds spreadsheet on this link. This build (Icy Death) 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 )

Key Passive (Required Points: 33 )

Class Mechanic (Specializations):

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. Core 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 – Every 100 Energy you spend reduces your Ultimate Skill’s Cooldown by 4 seconds. Using an Ultimate Skill resets the Cooldowns of your other Skills..

I prefer and advise using Preparation for this build. However, Combo Points is an amazing syenrgy with Flurry, especially if you take the Cunning Stratagem Paragon Node.

Unique Items

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 picks will be the following two but check the notes under the Aspects list for more picks:

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”

Harlequin Crest (Helm)

Gain [5-8%] Damage Reduction. In addition, gain +2 Ranks to All Skills.

[0.245 – 0.455] Maximum Life
X% Cooldown Reduction
+[42 – 70]% Crafting Material Drop Rate
[14 – 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

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: Emerald, Saphire, Ruby, Diamond, or Skull.
Armor: Ruby.
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 RDY-4-Launch Builds spreadsheet on this link. This build (Icy Death) is one of the builds on that spreadsheet.

• Helm: Exploiter’s Aspect / Harlequin Crest (see notes below)
• Amulet: Aspect of Stolen Vigor OR Aspect of the Crowded Sage
• Chest: Aspect of Stolen Vigor OR Aspect of the Crowded Sage
• Pants: Aspect of The Protector* / Eyes in the Dark (see notes below)
• Gloves: Conceited Aspect* (only use while you have Aspect of the Protector for Barriers) / Frostburn (see notes below)
• Boots: Ghostwalker Aspect / Exploiter’s Aspect
• Ring 1: Aspect of Volatile Shadows
• Ring 2: Accelerating Aspect
• 1H Weapon: Aspect of Encircling Blades
• Off-hand: Vengeful Aspect
• 2-H Weapon: Smiting Aspect

NOTES: How to re-arrange if using any of the Uniques:

- Aspect of the Protector stays in the Pants slot ONLY until you get the Eyes in the Dark Unique Pants.  For after that just discard it from the build or move it to the Helm slot. If you also have the Unique Helm you're better off removing this Aspect from the build.  
- For Frostburn (Gloves): Conceited Aspect gets removed from the Gloves slot to make room for the Unique Gloves. Many (me including) may prefer Legendary Gloves for the +4 Ranks to Flurry they give but Frostburn is a pretty good synergy with the build too, especially for mobbing.
- For Harlequin Crest (Helm): Ghostwalker Aspect get removed from the Boots slot & replaced by Exploiter’s Aspect, this makes room for the Unique Helm.
- For Eyes in the Dark (Pants): Aspect of Control gets removed from the Ring 1 slot to make room for the Unique Ring. 

ALTERNATIVE: If you decide to use Doombringer (Sword) in the build, you may wanna sacrifice one of the Ring Aspects (Accelerating Aspect OR Aspect of Volatile Shadows) and move the Aspect of the weapon/off-hand that Doombringer Replaces on that Ring slot.

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 89 with 179 paragon points (so more paragon points will be obtained on the way to 100). The other link is what the boards will look like when fully maxed out on paragon points but i did leave the last 1 up to you to spend.

• 179/223 Paragon Pts. (~LVL 89 with renown & altar pts): Click THIS LINK
• MAX LEVEL Paragon points spent -1 (222/223): 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 or to Flurry

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/Cold 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 Icy Death 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