Volatile Rogue BUILD for Diablo IV
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 Open Beta Tests are almost here and I felt motivated to make some Pre-Launch theorycrafted semi-builds that should be good for ‘fresh-into-endgame’ characters when the game launches. I also plan to evolve them into FULL builds when the game is released & keep them updated when we get rebalance updates. This is one such build for the Rogue Class called Volatile.
The Beta tests will only let us reach lvl 25 and only let us play in the first Act/Zone (Fractured Peaks) so those builds will be more useful for the actual game launch and ideally for characters around lvl 50+ or 60+. I’ve used 50+ and 60+ skill points when making the build instead of the full 100 so that they can be used to jumpstart a player’s post-story endgame grind.
I’ve also made spreadsheets for those builds (see the links below) that have shortlisted the active and passive skills + legendary aspect that work well with the build so one can spend the extra skill points on the way to lvl 100 into those other skills.
This build will be updated post-launch to a new & expanded version when I have actual 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 on the way to lvl 100 + alternative skill options, you can check my pre-launch builds spreadsheet on this link. This build (Volatile) is one of the builds on that spreadsheet.
Some of the skill icon images you see could be outdated & different from what is seen in the Full release version. I plan to replace them once the Beta ends or after the full launch
Basic Skill (Resource Generator/Builder) (Required Points: 0 )
- (active) Puncture – Throw your blades, dealing 59.66% (X – ?) damage and Slowing enemies by 20% for 2 seconds. Requires Dual Wielded Weapons. Damage: Physical Tags: Basic, Ranged Lucky Hit Chance: 50%
- (1st upgrade) Enhanced Puncture – Gain 5 Energy when Puncture damages a Crowd Controlled enemy.
- (2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Primary Puncture – Puncture has a 30% chance to make Crowd Controlled enemies Vulnerable for 2 seconds.
Core Skill(s) (Resource Spender) (Required Points: 2 )
- (active) Twisting Blades – Impale an enemy on your blades, dealing 107.38% (X – ?) damage and making them take 8% (multiplicative) increased damage while impaled. After 1.5 seconds the blades return to you, piercing enemies for 139.60% (X – ?) damage. Combo Points increase damage and grant a Movement Speed bonus: 1: 57% damage & 20% Movement Speed bonus ; 2: 70% damage & 40% Movement Speed bonus ; 3: 83% damage & 60% Movement Speed bonus Requires Dual Wielded weapons Energy Cost: 21 Damage: Physical Tags: Core, Melee, Imbueable
- (1st upgrade) Enhanced Twisting Blades – Twisting Blades deals 15% (multiplicative) increased damage per enemy it passes through when returning, up to 60% (multiplicative).
- (2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Improved Twisting Blades – Enemies are Immobilized while impaled with Twisting Blades.
- (passive) Sturdy – You gain +12% Melee Damage Reduction.
- (upgrade) Siphoning Strikes – did not pick to save points
- (passive) did not pick other Core passives to save points
Agility Skills (Required Points: 6 )
- (active) Caltrops – Leap backwards and throw caltrops on the ground, dealing 71.59% (X – ?) damage and Slowing enemies by 50%. Lasts 6 seconds. Energy Cost: 21 Damage: Physical Tags: Agility, Trap
- (1st upgrade) Enhanced Caltrops – Enemies take 3% (multiplicative) increased damage from all sources each second they’re in Caltrops.
- (2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Disciplined Caltrops – You have 15% 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: 15.0% (multiplicative) increased damage to Healthy enemies. Swords: 9% (multiplicative) increased damage. Bows: Up to 12% (multiplicative) increased damage to Vulnerable enemies. Crossbows: 15% (multiplicative) increased Critical Strike Damage. For all weapons: Vulnerable enemies take 20% (multiplicative) increased damage Healthy characters have more than 80% of their life.
- (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: 20.0 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 18% (multiplicative) increased damage to Healthy and Injured enemies.
- (upgrade) Malice – You deal 9% (multiplicative) increased damage to Vulnerable enemies.
- (passive) did not pick other Subterfuge passives to save points
Imbuements Skills (Required Points: 16 )
- (active) Imbue Weapon: Poison – Imbue your weapons with lethal poison. Your next 2 non- Basic Melee or Ranged Skills apply up to 198.85% (X) Poison damage over 5 seconds. Cooldown: 9.0 seconds. Tags: Imbuements
- (1st upgrade) Enhanced Imbue Weapon: Poison – Poison Imbue’s Poison Duration is increased by 1 second.
- (2nd upgrade – my pick of the 2) Blended Imbue Weapon: Poison – Critical Strikes with Poison Imbued Skills deal 30% (multiplicative) increased Poison damage.
- (passive) Deadly Venom – You deal 3% (multiplicative) increased Poison damage.
- (upgrade DID NOT take) Alchemical Advantage – You gain +1% increased Attack Speed for each enemy you’ve Poisoned, up to +15%.
- (upgrade DID NOT take to save points) Debilitating Toxins – Poisoned enemies deal X% less damage.
- (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 596.56% (X – ?) damage to enemies in the area. Cooldown: 45.0 seconds. Damage: Shadow Tags: Ultimate, Imbueable
- (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 20% chance to gain 5 Energy.
- (upgrade) Second Wind – Every 100 Energy you spend grants you +10% increased Lucky Hit Chance for 5 seconds.
- (upgrade) Alchemist’s Fortune – DID NOT INVEST in this to save points
- (passive) Aftermath – After using an Ultimate Skill, restore 25 Energy.
- (passive – DID NOT take to save points) Trap Mastery When Poison Trap or Death Trap activates, you gain 4% increased Critical Strike Chance against Vulnerable and Crowd Controlled enemies for 4 seconds.
- (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 nearby enemies.
Class Mechanic:
I don’t have much information about the 3 Specializations of the Rogue which are their 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.
My guess is that it would be best to switch between specializations depending on the situation/content. For now I won’t go into detail or say use only a certain one of those until the game launches and I try them out.
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 pre-launch builds spreadsheet on this link. This build (Volatile) is one of the builds on that spreadsheet.
- Helm: Aspect of The Umbral
- Amulet: Aspect of Unstable Imbuements
- Chest: Aspect of Shared Misery
- Pants: Aspect of Might
- Gloves: Vengeful Aspect
- Boots: Ghostwalker Aspect
- Ring 1: Blast-Trapper’s Aspect
- Ring 2: Volatile Blades
- 1H Weapon (see NOTE below): Volatile Shadows
- Off-hand (see NOTE below): Aspect of Corruption
- 2-H Weapon (if you decide to use one): Volatile Shadows
NOTE: You'll be using a Dual-Wielded Weapon & Offhand combo for this build. I do not currently know if having a 2H weapon equipped as a 2nd weapon set will grant the aspect on it at all times so I've put the same aspect on both the 1H and 2H.
Useful Links (Spreadsheets & more):
For all of my Diablo IV Pre-Launch Theorycrafts/Builds: This Spreadsheet
For my Diablo IV Pre-Launch Class Skill Trees (can be used as mini-calculator): This Spreadsheet
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This concludes the Volatile 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)