Baldur’s Gate 3’s 1.0 launch will have tons more stuff. Let’s go by the numbers of the new and exciting features come release day.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Launch Details Show Off New Classes, Races, Companions, and More!

Larian revisits their journey with Baldur’s Gate 3 development. One of the things they shared is how gargantuan the experience was, compared to their previous title, Divinity Original Sin 2. That game was created by 120 individuals, across 3 years. Baldur’s Gate 3, on the other hand, was helmed by 400 folks. Development for this one took almost 6 years, many of which were spent in Early Access. Speaking of which, almost 2 million players partook in this early period. 

Comparing the two herculean games shows exactly how massive a leap Larian took when creating Baldur’s Gate 3. DOS2 had a total of 5 races, as compared to BG3’s 11 (and 31 subraces, more on this later). The older game had 225 player spells and actions compared to BG3’s 600. DOS2 also had 45 talents (passive skills) vs the newer game’s 308. 

Baldur’s Gate 3 also has a staggering 2 million words in its script. This probably doesn’t account for the various lore books, item descriptions, and other fun tidbits. The game’s cinematics are also three times the length of all three mainline Lord of the Rings movies, combined. No mention though if this is the regular or the (superior) extended cut editions. 

The new news for Baldur’s Gate 3 is the confirmation of the level cap, new races, the monk class, and possible party companions. 

A Feather in Your Cap

One of the biggest announcements was that Larian confirmed that Level 12 will be the max level in Baldur’s Gate 3. While they originally planned the maximum to be level 10, they realized that there were too many fun abilities locked behind level 12. They did not go too much into detail, but they did mention spells such as Planar Allies, Otto’s Irresistible Dance, and Chain Lightning. 

Two new races have also been confirmed, though one was possibly teased in one of the previous trailers. Players can now choose to be a Dragonborn or a Half-Orc. The Dragonborn has a plethora of choices when it comes to subraces. Specifically, we have Black, Blue, Brass, Bronze, Copper, Gold, Green, Red, Silver, and White. A player’s choice of subrace will determine the character’s damage and resistance strengths. 

Half-orcs seem to be the perfect choice for those who want to be in the thick of things, like Barbarians or Fighters. They have powerful Savage Attacks which deal insane crit damage. Defense-wise, they get Relentless Endurance which saves them from outright death, letting them live to fight another day (or at least 1 more turn, if unlucky). 

Class is in Session

The announcement also confirmed not just the 12th class, the monk, but also all of the new subclasses being thrown into the mix. 

Players will get to select Wild Magic Barbarians, Spore Druids, Champion Fighters, Gloom Stalker Rangers, Assassins, Storm Sorcery Sorcerers, Sword Bards, Archfey Warlocks, or Vengeance Paladins. Clerics get a ton more options, with the Knowledge, Nature, Tempest, and War subclasses opening up. Wizards get a similar treatment with the new Conjuration, Divination, Enchantment, Necromancy, Illusion, and Transmutation subclasses being made available. 

Monks are your traditional punchy martial class. They prefer to be light on their feet, with some traversal options like Step of the Wind. This class fights best when unencumbered by pesky things such as armor and heavy weapons, preferring to fight with Unarmored Defense, clubs, or even just their fists. Monks will have three subclasses available to them: Open Hand for close beat-em-up combat, Shadow for stealthy sneaking, and Four Elements for launching spells with your fists. 

Three’s Company

Baldur’s Gate’s 6th Origin Character has been confirmed. The Barbarian Karlach, previously an in-game quest giver, will now have a fully playable Origin Story. Just like Astarion, Gale, Shadowheart, Lae’zel, and Wyll, Karlach can be a permanent companion in your party as well. Larian did tease that there will be a seventh and final Origin Character that will be revealed in next week’s Panel from Hell. 

Moving on to non-origin companions, we get confirmation that Halsin, Jaheira, Minsc, and Minthara will be recruitable. We do know that both Halsin and Jaheira are druids, Minsc will likely be a Ranger like in old times, and Minthara is a Paladin. 

Larian did mention that there were plans to lock party compositions after the game’s first act, like in a pivotal moment in DoS2. However, they backtracked on this decision and will allow players to swap their companions at any point in the game instead. They further confirm that most companions will be romanceable, specifically calling out Halsin the druid. 

Feats and Spells, and Baldur’s Gate 3

There are tons more info revealed in the lengthy press announcement. The game will launch with 37 feats in total. Some of the new feats in the launch version are Resilient, Elemental Adept, Dungeon Delver, Sentinel, Lucky, Mage Slayer, Heavy Armour Master, Sharpshooter, Medium Armour Master, Ritual Caster, Savage Attacker, Performer, Polearm Master, Durable, and Observant. 

The game will also have over 600 spells. Some of the new ones being introduced are Banishing Smite, Hold Monster, Cloudkill, Heroes’ Feast, Disintegrate, Sunbeam, Destructive Wave, Blinding Sickness, Flesh Rot, Circle of Death, and more. 

A Countdown to Greatness

The surprise announcement that Baldur’s Gate 3’s PC version releasing 4 weeks earlier could not have made us more excited. Just like previously announced, those who already own the Early Access version will have a 72-hour head start, though limited only to the game’s first Act. Speaking of which, there will also be three difficulties at launch: Normal, Story, and Hardcore. 

Be sure to hop on over to the Baldur’s Gate 3 Wiki for more on the game! 

In other news, check out Wo Long Crossover with Naraka: Bladepoint and Zhongyuan DLC Now Available, and Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults Kickstarter is Now Fully Funded. 

The post Baldur’s Gate 3 Launch Details Show Off New Classes, Races, Companions, and More! appeared first on Fextralife.

Final Fantasy XVI Review:  In this Final Fantasy XVI Review, we’ll be taking a look at the latest entry to the Final Fantasy series which is developed by Creative Business Unit III and published by Square Enix. What does this game have to offer, what makes it stand out among the other Final Fantasy games, what is the gameplay, and what are the things you can do for both side and post-game content? We’ll answer these and cover your other questions in this Final Fantasy XVI Review.

Final Fantasy XVI Review: An Action-Packed Upgrade for a Beloved Franchise

• Genre: Action Role-Playing Game, Adventure
• Developed by: Creative Business Unit III, Square Enix
• Published by: Square Enix
• Release Date: June 22, 2023
• Platform/s: PlayStation 5
• Reviewed on: PlayStation 5
• Price at the time of Review: USD 69.99 ~ 99.99

Final Fantasy XVI Review: Story and Setting

Storytelling and the fictional world of Final Fantasy XVI are well-realized, breathtaking, and compelling. As a player who finds story-driven games attractive, the game does its job of reeling me into the unfolding plot, making me fall in love with the characters, and imprinting itself in my mind even when I’m not playing it, leaving me wanting to come back for more. That is what Final Fantasy games are known for. Delivering a solid story with a cohesive world. Final Fantasy XVI is no exception, and Creative Business Unit III and Square Enix have nailed it.

Final Fantasy XVI is set in a medieval period within Valisthea, divided into two continents, Ash and Storm. The land is scattered with Mothercrystals that provide people with magic and energy, driving civilization through the Aether’s power. In the present day, the nation is divided into six kingdoms that are fighting to gain control of their respective Mothercrystals, each with different goals of maintaining the alliance, conquering, and surviving the Blight’s corruption that continues to threaten and destroy Valisthea.

The key components of the story heavily revolve around the political aspects of the different kingdoms, their military, leaders, and the Dominants: humans who have been chosen as hosts to the different elemental Eikons. These Dominants can use magic without the crystals and can transform into their respective Eikons, making them the ultimate weapons used in war. However, excessive use of their gifts can lead to serious implications for their lives and ultimately result in death.

The game follows the story of the protagonist, Clive Rosfield, the firstborn son of the archduke of The Grand Duchy of Rosaria. He is also the dedicated “Shield” to his younger brother and successor to the throne, Joshua Rosfield who happens to be the Dominant of the Fire Eikon, Phoenix. As we witness Clive’s life in his teenage years, a series of unfortunate events unfold. The Grand Duchy of Rosaria falls, a battle between two Eikons emerges, and a tragedy befalls the Rosfield brothers, setting Clive on a path of vengeance.

Throughout your journey as Clive, you’ll experience the different phases of his life and learn more about the game’s lore through story progression, interactions with different NPCs, side quests, and the game’s unique feature, the ATL or Active Time Lore. We won’t spoil too much in this review since we want everyone to enjoy the story and the revelations that unfold.

Final Fantasy XVI has a darker tone, and we appreciate it. It may not be how we are accustomed to a traditional Final Fantasy game, but for this installment, the Game of Thrones inspiration and grittier vibe seemingly work. Video games, in general, are another form of storytelling, and overall, the story and setting of this game are among its strongest features. When combined with superb voice acting and a well-written script, it definitely leaves both new and veteran fans of the Final Fantasy series in shock and awe. One tip: you might want to keep a box of tissues beside you.

Final Fantasy XVI Review: Gameplay

As I sat down to play for this review, I was worried that the pacing would slow me down and eventually bore me since there are a lot of cutscenes and dialogue, especially in the prologue. However, with patience and the fact that the game starts off with a bang, I was unaware of the amount of time I’d spent playing and how drawn I was as the tension of the story started to build. More gameplay mechanics eventually became accessible to me as I progressed. Yes, it can be slow during the prologue, but it immediately opens more once you start in the present day, and there is a generous amount of content when it comes to the key features and combat mechanics of the game. Let’s talk more about it.

Exploration

Let me start by clarifying that Final Fantasy XVI is not an open-world game, and this could divide players since the open-world setting was already done in Final Fantasy XV. So why not make it possible here? Honestly, it doesn’t need to be for this installment. It reminds me of classic Final Fantasy games, and it feels like the developers decided to “go back to their roots,” which works for this game. In Final Fantasy XVI, locations to explore become available through the story progression. You’ll gain access to the World Map, and from there, you do have some freedom to travel to different areas, provided they are unlocked and can be accessed during certain parts of the main story. 

The locations you explore are divided into sections and are mostly linear, starting from Point A and ultimately reaching Point B, which is your objective. As you traverse these areas such as forests, ruins, village settlements, the desert, and more, you’ll encounter enemies that vary from beasts to humans, including flora and fauna. You’ll discover different loot and fight against bosses. Some areas may feel large in terms of space, but they can easily be cleared out by consulting the location’s map.

While tackling Main Quests, you are not obligated to go directly to the location where the objective of the main quest takes place. Instead, you can always go back to other explored areas and the main hub of the game to engage in side quests, bounty hunting, equipment upgrades, training, or simply exploration. Yes, it might feel underwhelming for some due to the limited space available for exploration, but I still admired the design of each location and interacting with the different characters. Personally, I didn’t feel overwhelmed or distracted by larger spaces.

In areas that require more exploration, sections can be easily traversed by discovering obelisks. These allow the player to easily fast travel from one obelisk to another, as long as it is active. The world and characters change through story progression, so it’s important to revisit pivotal locations like the hub to discover new items in shops, unlock new crafting recipes, find additional side quests, engage in more NPC interactions, and more.

Overall, the exploration aspect of the game, searching areas as I progressed while fighting enemies and bosses, including interactions with the environment and characters, left me satisfied. I appreciated how easy it is to use both the world and area maps, as well as the convenient and simplified features for fast traveling.

Combat Systems

Final Fantasy XVI excels in three areas: the story, visuals and sounds, and combat. When you start the game, the pacing of combat might be slow for some, but this won’t matter since more options become available as you progress through the main story. Be patient, learn the basic maneuvers, and experience Clive’s journey as he unlocks his full potential as a skilled warrior.

Clive has the capability of wielding different Eikonic powers, as heavily featured in trailers, and this is where the combat shines. Without a doubt, the combat reminded me of a combination of games such as Stranger of Paradise and Devil May Cry. You can execute different combos that involve melee attacks and abilities, as well as switch Eikons on the fly to unleash unique elemental skills. The fluidity of combat enhances the experience, allowing me to instruct Torgal to jump in and attack, heal, and launch enemies in the air while simultaneously using combos of melee and magic, ultimately finishing them off with a cheeky little mortal blow finisher.

During minor and major boss battles, I found myself in awe of the smooth transitions between fighting and cinematic moments that involve Quick Time Events (QTEs). The exhilarating experience of Eikon vs. Eikon combat, reminiscent of Kaiju battles, left me picking up my jaw from the floor. The action role-playing game (ARPG) elements in this installment fit perfectly, and it felt rewarding whenever I perfectly dodged, parried, staggered, and executed combos using different combinations of Eikonic Abilities.

Eikon combat in Final Fantasy XVI plays a pivotal role in the game due to its breathtaking and majestic sequences. As you embody an Eikon, you’ll have access to their unique controls and mechanics. For example, Ifrit is capable of lunging toward the target, delivering heavy blows, and throwing fireballs from a ranged distance, while Phoenix is agile, flying in the air, evading attacks, and shooting a barrage of flames. However, summoning or embodying an Eikon does not work like in traditional Final Fantasy games, where you can summon these powerful creatures at any given time in battle. Instead, it only happens during pivotal moments in the game.

As mentioned, you’ll need to progress the story to unlock Clive’s full combat capabilities. But early in the game, players have access to a set of basic combat skills and the Eikonic Abilities of the Phoenix. Abilities in Final Fantasy XVI are unlocked by spending Ability Points (AP), acquired by defeating enemies and completing quests. You can learn these abilities and improve their effects or potency by “Upgrading” and “Mastering” them in exchange for more AP. For each equipped Eikonic power, Clive can choose two abilities mapped to the Square or Triangle buttons. Pressing R2 with Square or Triangle unleashes the Eikon’s Ability. These abilities have cooldowns and will refill over time.

While the combat sounds exciting, it’s important to note that you’ll need to get used to using combos effectively. Yes, it is an ARPG, but it doesn’t mean you can just keep mashing buttons and hope for the best. I had to learn through the training mode and constant battles that chaining combos while giving commands to Torgal and switching between Eikons requires timing and situational awareness. The number of combos you can perform on the ground and in the air is exciting, and it’s refreshing to see in a Final Fantasy game. The game also features a recommended string of combos, which you can view in the ability details by pressing Triangle, making it easier to try a variety of moves and abilities.

Like any other Final Fantasy game, Clive has access to equipment such as weapons, armor, and accessories that improve his offensive and defensive stats. Once you unlock the forge, you can ask Blackthorne to craft new weapons or reinforce existing ones to increase their level and stats in exchange for materials. Alternatively, you can purchase equipment and items from general merchants like Charon’s Toll. While I do wish they added some cosmetic items like costumes to change Clive’s or the party members’ clothing, I’ll let it pass since there’s still a touch of customization where each weapon available for Clive has a unique appearance, which is a staple in Final Fantasy games.

Regarding party members, you only get to control Clive, and throughout the story, you are joined by different characters who act as AI companions in battle. These companions cannot be controlled directly, nor can you switch between them; they act of their own free will. AI companions do not have health bars, which means they won’t die, but they can get hit with attacks that interrupt their actions.

However, you do have some control over the greatest companion in the game, Torgal. Torgal is a hound who is your trusty companion most of the time. He has access to three moves: Sic, a basic attack that can be used to extend combos; Heal, which recovers Clive’s HP; and Ravage, which launches small enemies into the air. If Torgal accompanies Clive during battle, his Pedigree level improves, increasing the potency of his attacks and effectiveness in combat.

My only gripe is that these AI companions sometimes react slowly when I need them to follow up with attacking a staggered enemy or even help with healing the party. I also wish I could customize their equipment to improve their effectiveness in combat. However, this is a minor issue that doesn’t significantly affect my overall experience. I hope future patches or updates will allow us to control and customize other party members, similar to Final Fantasy XV and Final Fantasy VII Remake.

Side & Post-Game Content

In addition to the main campaign, Final Fantasy XVI offers a considerable amount of side and post-game content. While we can’t disclose the exact number of side quests available in this review, there is a generous number of them. There is also an “Arcade” mode, bounty hunts, collectibles to find, and a New Game Plus mode that introduces further challenges. Let’s delve into the different side and post-game content:

• Side Quests: As you progress through the game, side quests become available and are marked with a green exclamation point on the area map. These side quests are important for your journey as they provide additional lore, unlock features or upgrades, and offer useful rewards. Certain side quests may become temporarily locked during specific points in the game and will only be available after progressing through the main story.
• Collectibles: The lore of Final Fantasy XVI is compelling, and you’ll want to stay updated on the events. As Clive progresses, he can interact with Loresman Hapcrates to find a comprehensive compendium of Valisthean lore. The compendium covers basic information, persons, geography, history, and past ATL entries. By sharing stories of Clive’s adventures with Hapcrates, the Thousand Tomes gets updated, and more topics become accessible as the Loresman’s level increases. The hideaway also includes an Orchestrion that provides background music for the hub. The tracklist expands as you acquire more orchestrion rolls from completing quests, purchasing them from merchants, or finding them as loot.
• Bounty Hunts: As you progress through the main campaign, you’ll unlock the Hunter Board, where you can select from a group of elite enemies that need to be slain in exchange for hefty rewards. These unique enemies can be challenging to fight, depending on their rank, so make sure you are prepared before taking on the hunt.
• Arete Stone: The Arete Stone is unlocked as you progress and offers replayable elements to hone your combat skills. The Hall of Virtue serves as a training mode where you can adjust parameters and try out different combos. Arcade Mode allows you to replay any previously cleared stage and awards a score based on performance. Stage Replay, like Arcade Mode, lets you replay a cleared stage at the current level to gain experience points (EXP) and obtain random loot.
• New Game Plus: Upon completing the game, you’ll have the option to start a New Game Plus (NG+) playthrough. In NG+, you can carry over certain progress and items from your previous playthrough, allowing you to experience the game again with added challenges and benefits.

It’s worth noting that side quests and post-game content provide opportunities to gain additional experience points, AP, and items, which can be beneficial for tackling more challenging battles, optimizing your character’s abilities, and unlocking achievements.

Final Fantasy XVI Review: Design, Audio, and Visuals

The design of Final Fantasy XVI is undeniably beautiful and well-suited to its medieval setting. As I explored different locations, each one felt unique and I found myself admiring the lush green forests with dangerous fauna, towering medieval castles and ruins with impeccable details, bustling cities surrounded by market stalls, and small, quiet towns where citizens lived their lives. Even areas that were once vibrant had been consumed by the blight, turning lifeless.

The characters, including NPCs, are well-crafted and each has their own unique wardrobe. The Dominants are dressed to reflect their personalities and Eikons. For example, Jill, the dominant of Shiva, wears a conservative battle robe with hints of blue, while Benedikta wears a more provocative outfit with feather accents to represent the wind Eikon, Garuda. The representation of different magical elements is stunning, with vibrant colors that pop when magic is cast, making combat visually satisfying.

The audio in the game is exceptional, thanks to the work of music composer Masayoshi Soken. The orchestral score he created enhances the adrenaline during combat and suits the different locations you explore. The intense drums, violins, brass instruments, and angelic choir voices adapt and build tension according to your gameplay, immersing you in the experience.

Voice acting in the game is available in multiple languages, including English, Japanese, French, German, Italian, and Spanish (Latin America). I initially played with Japanese voices but found it distracting that the words didn’t match the characters’ mouth movements. Switching to English felt more natural, but both Japanese and English voice acting were delightful to listen to. The actors delivered splendid performances, fully realizing their characters.

Final Fantasy XVI is currently exclusive to the PlayStation 5 and offers the choice between Frame Rate or Graphics Mode. I predominantly played in Frame Rate Mode for the fast-paced action and over-the-top scenes and effects, aiming for a smooth 60 FPS experience. Graphics Mode, on the other hand, enhances visual clarity with higher quality at the expense of a lower 30 FPS frame rate, which can affect fluidity in battle sequences and input responses.

The game transitions seamlessly between combat, cutscenes, and cinematic quick-time events. Loading times are virtually non-existent, and fast traveling is nearly instant. Overall, the game performs exceptionally well, with the only minor issue being a few seconds of frame drops during a specific cutscene in one of the early chapters. However, I believe this can be addressed through post-launch patch updates.

Final Fantasy XVI Review: Replayability & Price Point

According to game director Hiroshi Takai, completing the story of Final Fantasy XVI will take around 35 hours, and including all side and post-game content could extend the playtime to 70-80 hours. In my opinion, starting New Game Plus (NG+) in the harder mode could potentially add another 90 hours, as it adjusts enemy and boss behaviors and increases combat difficulty.

After finishing the main story for the first time, you’ll unlock New Game Plus, which introduces Final Fantasy Mode (Hard Mode) and other game modes accessible through the Arete Stone, such as gauntlets where players can upload scores and climb online leaderboards.

In Final Fantasy Mode, enemies become tougher, their placements are adjusted, combat difficulty is increased, and better rewards are available for gear upgrades. Completionists will likely benefit from experiencing NG+ features, while most players may choose to end their journey after completing the game once.

The physical and digital Standard Edition of Final Fantasy XVI is priced at $69.99 USD, while the physical Deluxe Edition costs $99.99 USD and includes pre-order DLCs, a cloth world map of Valisthea, and a steel book case. The Digital Deluxe Edition on the PS Store is priced at $89.99 USD and offers digital bonuses such as an art book and soundtrack.

Considering the exceptional quality of gameplay, storytelling, audio, and visuals, the $69.99 USD price point is reasonable for Final Fantasy XVI. If you have been eagerly anticipating this game, were convinced by the demo, or are simply a fan of the Final Fantasy franchise, I believe it’s a fair price. However, if you’re still unsure, you can download the demo on the PS5 to experience and gain a better understanding of what the game has to offer.

Final Thoughts

Initially, I had reservations about Final Fantasy XVI due to my preference for traditional turn-based combat mechanics and my mixed feelings towards previous entries like Final Fantasy XV, which leaned towards an action RPG approach. However, after playing the demo and experiencing the full game, my perspective changed. I accepted and embraced the new direction Square Enix has taken to appeal to a wider audience.

Whether you’re a new or veteran fan of Final Fantasy, I highly recommend this game. Final Fantasy XVI combines new features with the core elements of the franchise. It boasts a refreshing, grittier, and darker tone, with storytelling that consistently builds tension and reveals intriguing revelations. The gameplay is satisfying, featuring different types of action sequences and fluid combat mechanics, fully utilizing the power of the PlayStation 5. Final Fantasy XVI has become one of my favorite entries in the series, winning me over with its well-crafted story and breathtaking gameplay.

The post Final Fantasy XVI Review: An Action-Packed Upgrade for a Beloved Franchise appeared first on Fextralife.

Diablo 4 Paragon System Guide: In this Diablo 4 article, I’m going to explore the Paragon System. There are a lot of things that go into choosing which Paragon Boards and Glyphs to use regardless of what Class you are. If you’re looking for a comprehensive discussion to figure out what to do with your Paragon Boards for your Builds, then this guide is for you!

Diablo 4 Paragon System Guide

So once you reach Level 50 and unlock the Paragon Board, which is different for every Class, you’re going to only be able to head upward and toward your first glyph socket. As you keep playing from Level 50 onward, having unlocked the Paragon System, Glyphs will drop until you have acquired all of them such that there won’t ever be duplicates. You’ll always get a new one every time it drops, allowing you to slot them in a socket. 

Diablo 4 Paragon System Guide: How Glyphs Work

Now each Class has its own set of Glyphs even though some of them are named similarly and share the same bonuses. So the first thing you’ll want to do is to figure out a Glyph that benefits your playstyle. I have the Necromancer Paragon Board here with the Essence Glyph at the beginning. Essence is going to give me Critical Strike Damage with Core Skills for each Dexterity Node that I select inside the red radius. So the more Dexterity Nodes I unlock, the more Critical Strike Damage I’m going to gain. Additionally, if the amount of Dexterity adds up to at least 25, I’ll receive a secondary bonus that increases Critical Strike Damage against enemies who aren’t Healthy, so below 80% Health.

There are two parts to this. First is picking a Glyph that actually benefits me, and as a Blood Necromancer, there aren’t too many that affect Blood Skills specifically, except for Critical Strike Damage with Core Skills. And the second one is making sure that I can unlock the secondary bonus and that there are a good number of Dexterity Nodes around it in order to get as much Critical Strike Damage as I can. Had I slotted 2 more, if they were available, I would’ve further boosted my Critical Strike Damage with Core Skills.

Diablo 4 Paragon System Guide: Second Paragon Board

Once you’ve slotted the Glyph that best suits your playstyle while unlocking its additional bonus, and you don’t have Stats you can assign anymore, you should continue moving up the board. Here, I highly recommend prioritizing damage. Usually, one side of a board focuses on damage whereas the other is all about defense so you can do both if you like. Now once you get to the top, you’re going to attach and select another Paragon Board. You’ll be able to look through these and see what their Legendary and Rare Nodes do. 

A lot of new players make the mistake of selecting their next Paragon Board solely based on the Legendary Node available because the Rare Nodes inside often outshine this Legendary Node in many, many cases. What I suggest doing is previewing each and every board and looking through these Rare Nodes in terms of what they do and the magic clusters around each one to determine the bonuses they grant. Doing so will give you a really good picture of what you’re in for and if it matches your Build. As such, I highly recommend selecting a board that has 3-4 good node clusters. Four is better, of course, and then rotate the board to unlock the best nodes first. This will then be followed by mapping your route. 

You’ll essentially move from one Rare Node cluster to the next, picking up Magic Nodes around it, maybe dipping over and selecting up the Legendary Node if it’s not too far off. Avoid the ones you don’t want and head over to those you do as quickly as possible. As you’re gaining access to these Rare Nodes, one of the things you should pay attention to is the additional bonuses they provide as long as you meet their attribute requirements. Every single Rare Node in Diablo 4 has an additional secondary bonus that once you meet the Stat requirement, you unlock.

For instance, if it says 340 Willpower and your character already has this amount, you’ll gain the corresponding bonuses so you ought to be familiar with what they are to be able to target these attributes on your gear. A lot of times, you’ll unlock 2-3 bonuses at the same time because they have similar requirements. 

Now I really want to emphasize how important it is to pick a good Second Board because once you move on to your Third Board in any direction, those will cost more Stats to unlock secondary bonuses. This means that if there are bonuses you really like, you’ll want to double down and obtain them on your Second Board. It’s also worth noting that these choices will be less relevant as you progress further in Diablo IV but at the beginning, you need to pay close attention to focus on min-maxing your gear. 

Diablo 4 Paragon System Guide: Second Glyph

Next, I urge you to experiment with different Paragon Boards to see what works best for you. You don’t have to pick one and stick with it if it’s not working like with Skills. And it’s also because the Second Board is really going to be the backbone of your Diablo IV Build. So at some point, you’re going to come across another socket where you’ll place your next Glyph, meaning you need to move toward it. 

The Glyph you want to put here will based on the available Stats near it together with the additional bonus you gain that you couldn’t put on your First Board. When these Glyphs hit Level 15, and even though you’re b-lining from one node cluster to the next, you may consider changing your route to take advantage of your Glyphs’ expanded radius. Because remember that if you’re getting 6 or 7 Critical Strike Damage per Dexterity, and all of a sudden, the range has expanded, you can take more Dexterity Nodes to further amplify your Critical Strike Damage rather than unlocking the ones you don’t need. 

Other Boards

There’s also a lot of nuance that comes with picking your Third and Fourth Boards. For instance, on my Build here, I’ve dipped over into the Bone Graft Tree, which is not particularly applicable to a Blood Necromancer Build. However, it has one node cluster that I really like, which gives Maximum Essence and Essence on Kill. So I’ve taken this because my Blood D4 Necro has trouble with Essence management and one of the ways to rectify it is by making sure I have more when combat starts. I even regain some of it upon killing enemies. So you want to be on the lookout for little clusters like these, particularly if you’re encountering Essence, Spirit, or Energy management problems. 

However, here’s where things get tricky because I don’t need anything else from the Third Board. And so, I went back to the top of my Second Board to gain access to my Fourth Board. But those nodes are going to be more expensive Stat-wise to unlock the additional bonuses I want. Once I have enough Paragon points to reach the Rare Node on this Fourth Board, I’d actually be better off pulling all the node points out, detaching the board entirely, and instead, making it my Third Board. Doing so will turn my Bone Graft Tree into my Fourth Board since I’m only using one node cluster here. And this is exactly why you won’t want to do something like what I did because you would’ve made all the nodes and the Third Board more expensive. 

Final Tips

Make sure that you have the attributes around the glyph socket you’re using in order to get the secondary bonus. Once this expands, keep increasing the respective Stats to get more bonuses from it. And remember that the Second Board you pick is your primary board Stat-wise and early on in the Paragon levels. 

Now as you go higher and higher in the level scale of D4 from Level 80 to 90, it’s not going to matter much the order of Boards you pick. But if you’re between Level 50 to 75, it’ll be very important for your Build. Again, don’t choose your Second and Third Boards based on the Legendary Nodes but remember to look at the Rare and Magic Nodes as well to greatly benefit you.

So this wraps up our Paragon System Guide, I hope you found it useful. It’s not that complicated but there are a lot of different things you can do. You really have to pay attention though. I also don’t recommend sitting there trying to math it all out while you’re making your Build. Just pick a tree and see if it works. If it does, continue the route, otherwise, change the board and pick different nodes. 

If you have further questions about the Paragon System, please let me know. Be sure to check out our Diablo 4 Wiki for any other questions you have about the game and the Builds page if you are looking for more Diablo IV Builds, as well as our Ultimate Beginner Guide and All Classes Overview if you are looking for more Diablo 4 content!

The post Diablo 4 Paragon System Guide appeared first on Fextralife.

Diablo 4 Meteor Sorcerer – Lvl 70 Fire Build Guide: In this Diablo 4 Sorceress Class Build, I’ll show you how to play a Lvl 70+ Fire Sorcerer. This is a thematic build focused on keeping your gameplay fun while still giving you quick clears of content and keeping you alive. If you are looking for a really fun build to both get you from the beginning of Tier IV up to the very late game, then this Diablo 4 Fireball Mage Build guide is for you!

Diablo 4 Perfected Pyromancer Build – Meteor & Fireball

I made this build because I love the fire effects of the game and I wanted to recreate the classic D2 Fireball build where possible. The result is a really fun and interactive build that gives you a lot of active gameplay, rather than relying on one skill mindlessly. You will feel powerful, you will clear endgame content with ease, but you’ll also be engaged and put on an amazing show while doing it.

This is an advanced version of our level 50 Pyromancer Sorcerer, with some key differences based mainly around the focus of your skill allocation and the optimization of the gear you should use. The advanced paragon boards bring in extra damage and survivavility that you really need.

Your gameplay will be rather simple: Summon your two hydras to start a fight, round up a large group of enemies, then use meteors until your mana runs out and if there are elites use Inferno to stick them in place and rain free meteors while your mana regenerates. Get out of tough spots using Flame Shield while leaving your enemies immobilized, burning and exploding behind, then calmly blow them up some more from afar.

And if you run into fast mobs that are moving out of your meteor: use the fireball skill to quickly take them down.

The Fire Sorcerer is an excellent option for those that want to clear a room quickly and with a bang, and it also plays very well with friends, as your fireball enchantment will apply to any enemy your party is facing and create explosions even when your friends get the kills.

The build is simple to set up, and has a wide variety of options to further improve it, making it a good choice for both players that are just starting with Tier IV, and those engaged in the endgame grind.

Diablo 4 Fire Sorcerer Build LvL 70+: Skill Distribution

Once you hit Tier IV you’ll want to start thinking about min/maxing to get the most out of your build, and that starts with skills. Our skill choices are very similar to the Pyromancer level 50, with specific adjustments based on how the endgame actually plays. The most important part of skill selection is that this build, as all the builds I make, is FLEXIBLE. If you are just starting and can’t find specific gear and want to put a point into a shield, do it. You can swap it later. If you want to only put 3 points into Hydra and unlock teleport and ice armor with those points, you can do it too.

My objective was to create and demonstrate an exclusively fire sorc that was viable at this point in the game, so I have focused and redoubled on fire only, but the build will work even if you change small aspects.

And of course, keep in mind your skillpoints should also move if you don’t have all of them yet and have found equipment with the skill. For example if you’re trying to build this from the start of the game, or if you are missing reputation skillpoints, you can find a head piece with +Hydra – then you could not put extra points into hydra yet and up your meteor damage first, etc.

The skill allocation speaks for itself, you will be mostly using your hydras to nip away at enemies and lucky hit meteors, your meteors for heavy damage, and your fireball for small groups or fast moving targets. Whatever you do, don’t sleep on your Flame Shield. It’s an incredibly powerful CC breaker that we’ll take full advantage of to live through dungeons many levels above us.

Enchantments

The sorceress enchantment system is full of opportunity and can also be very tempting for opportunistic assignment. You may get a piece of gear with a free firewall that we did not put any points in, and it may slot beautifully into your build. The same can be said for Ice Armor, Frost Nova, Teleport, etc.

That said, you absolutely must put one of the enchantments as Fireball. This enchantment is very powerful and the key binding aspect behind the builds burst room-clearing capabilities. Fireball detonations on enemy death scale to the point of creating amazing chain reactions that can actually decimate multiple simultaneous groups of enemies. And it looks great.

For my second enchantment, if you want to stick to my recommendation, we’ll use Meteor. There’s an 8% chance of a meteor on a lucky hit, but it can be triggered by your 2 hydras that have fantastic attack speed, so it actually ends up being a lot more if you have invested into lucky hit where possible (you should, this is a good mechanic for the sorcerer)

Diablo 4 Perfected Pyromancer Sorc Build: Equipment, Gems and Aspects

Equipment is the most important part of any endgame build, and It’s important to understand that it’s a long term goal. You won’t have all paragon boards available right away, and getting all uniques will probably take a lot of farming, so try to use Legendary Aspects to adjust to your needs while you farm levels and better gear.

Legendary Aspects and Unique Powers

My current build is making use of zero unique items. There are some that can be used for good synergies, but in practice they can be very rare drops, bad rolls, or you may get a godtier item some other way.

As a general note, try to prioritize Mana Cost Reduction, Fire / Pyromancy / Conjuration Damage, and damage reduction from X.

Another important thing to notice is that, when looking for stats, you’ll want to make sure you are fulfilling your Paragon Rare Node requirements. Some rare nodes have very high requirements, and equipment is what allows you to fulfill them. These bonuses often double the rare node effect so, for example, getting an equipment piece with +100 Intelligence might unlock one or more node bonuses, giving you a massive bonus as a result.

Helmet

Legendary Aspect

Aspect of the Protector: Damaging an Elite enemy grants you a Barrier absorbing up to [x] damage for [10] seconds. This effect can only happen once every [30] seconds. You want to have a high roll on this to maximize the usefulness of the barrier. You will engage elites all the time and 30 seconds is a quick cooldown, plus ten seconds is usually enough to decimate an elite group.

Affixes

• +Intelligence
• +Willpower
• +Dexterity
• Life on Kill
• Maximum Life
• + Hydra (3 will become 4 for Ancestral upgrades)
• + Total Armor

Chest

Legendary Aspect

Aspect of the Unwavering: Taking direct damage has a [2-6%] chance to reset the Cooldown of one of your Defensive Skills. This is INVALUABLE for this build, as any direct damage you take may reset your Flame Shield cooldown, giving you an immunity bubble, unstoppable, and +10% damage for 4 seconds.

Affixes

• + Damage
• + Conjuration Skill Damage
• + Pyromancy Damage
• + Fire Damage
• + Stats
• + Damage Reduction from X (anything)
• + Total Armor

Gloves

Legendary Aspect

Aspect of the Three Curses: Meteor deals [X]% increased Critical Strike Damage against Healthy targets. This is a relatively situational aspect as its main impact will be the hit of your first meteor, as targets won’t be healthy for the second barrage. That said, it helps create a quicker death for weaker mobs, who will then explode for AoE damage, hopefully helping start your chain reaction of death.

Affixes

• + Critical Strike Chance
• + Fireball
• + Intelligence
• + Willpower
• + Dexterity
• + Attack Speed
• Lucky Hit Chance: Heals or Mana regeneration ones

Unique Equipment

Don’t use the Fireball Unique Gloves (Gloves of the Illuminator – Unique Effect: Fireball now bounces as it travels, exploding each time it hits the ground, but its explosion deals x% less damage) This bonus is SO bad it’s laughable. It will nerf your Fireball by a ridiculous amount, and creates an almost comical bouncing effect that is so terribly underwhelming our entire Twitch chat was rofl about super mario fireballs.

Waist

Legendary Aspect

Aspect of Disobedience: You gain [0.25-0.50]%[x] increased Armor for 4 seconds when you deal any form of damage, stacking up to [25.00-50.00]%[x]. This is essentially a big boost to your survivability, but you want to get a high roll to really make it count. You’ll be dealing damage constantly and greatly benefit from it.

Affixes

• + Meteor
• + Damage Reduction (all types)
• + Stats

Boots

Legendary Aspect

Ghostwalker Aspect: While Unstoppable and for 4 seconds after, you gain [10- 25%] increased Movement Speed and can move freely through enemies. This aspect greatly increases your movement speed everytime your flame shield pops. In addition, it will allow you to freely move through enemies, so you can use Flame Shield to break CC and this aspects will allow you to move away from the spot.

Alternatively, you can use Aspect of Binding Embers (Flame Shield lets you move unhindered through enemies. Enemies you move through while Flame Shield is active are Immobilized for [2.0-3.0] seconds. ) The immobilized can be very useful for making sure nothing chases you away from the group.

Affixes

• + Movement Speed (Only if you care about running fast, I don’t)
• + Flame Shield
• + Intelligence
• + Willpower
• + Stats

Unique Equipment (only if you’re willing to break the roleplay for some ice)

Penitent Greaves: These greaves provide a massive boost to movement speed. On top of that, its unique power leaves a trail of frost behind you, chilling enemies. Enemies that are chilled will move and attack slower, and if they stand on top of the chill for too long, they’ll freeze.

Weapon: Two-Handed Staff

Legendary Aspect

Aspect of Armageddon: A hail of Meteorites falls during Inferno, dealing [X] Fire Damage on impact. Your Meteorites Immobilize enemies for 3 seconds.

or

Aspect of Shattered Stars: Meteorites fall around Meteor, dealing [X] Fire damage on impact. Your Meteorites additionally Burn enemies they hit for [X] damage over [X] seconds.

You need both aspects for this build so decide which goes on Amulet and which goes on your Weapon based on the ones you have rolled better. Your weapon is SUPER important for your damage output so make sure to look for something that has high DPS, and good rolls to:

Affixes

• + Intelligence (You are looking to get a roll of 100+, which you will upgrade to ~170)
• + All Stats (You are looking to get a roll of 50+, which you will upgrade to ~75)
• + Core Skill Damage
• + Damage to Distant / Close Enemies depending on your preferred playstyle

Unique Equipment

Staff of Endless Rage: This is a good but not good enough unique because, despite the nice fireball bonus, the fixed stats on the staff do nothing to boost your paragon, and the DPS rolls on the unique can be rather disappointing. You can use it as a placeholder but I would always prioritize a stat-heavy rolled rare that we customize. If you do opt for this staff, you’ll have to sacrifice one synergy aspect as the weapon slot is only shared with your gloves or jewelry.

Amulet

Legendary Aspect

Aspect of Armageddon: A hail of Meteorites falls during Inferno, dealing [X] Fire Damage on impact. Your Meteorites Immobilize enemies for 3 seconds.

or

Aspect of Shattered Stars: Meteorites fall around Meteor, dealing [X] Fire damage on impact. Your Meteorites additionally Burn enemies they hit for [X] damage over [X] seconds.

Affixes

• + Inner Flames Passive
• + Rank all conjuration skills
• + Rank all defensive skills
• + Pyromancy Skill Damage

First Ring

Legendary Aspect

Serpentine Aspect: You may have [X] additional Hydra active, but Hydra’s duration is reduced by [X]%. Your Hydras are going to put in great work dealing passive damage and triggering lucky hit free meteors, so to maximize the use of your resources, make sure you get a good roll on this one to benefit their duration.

Affixes

• + Damage to Burning Enemies
• + Damage
• + Fire damage
• + Critical Strike Chance
• + Resource Regeneration
• + Damage to close/distant enemies depending on your playstyle

Second Ring

Legendary Aspect

Aspect of Inner Calm: Deal [3.0-10.0]%[x] increased damage for each second you stand still, up to [30]% [x]. You want to roll 9 or 10% for this to be worth it, but this aspect adds 30% damage after 3 seconds of standing still, which is completely doable if you are managing your positioning and making good use of your barrier and Flame Shield. It will also pile onto the 10% damage increase we get after using flame shield, making your Inferno+Meteor shower combo truly deadly.

Or

Aspect of Ancient Flame: While both bonuses from the Esu’s Ferocity Key Passive are active, your Attack Speed is increased by [40-50]%. This is a more situational aspect, but you may want to use it here or on your gloves instead of Aspect of Three Curses. You can experiment with both or use the one you’ve gotten better rolls on.

Affixes

• + Damage to Burning Enemies
• + Damage
• + Fire damage
• + Critical Strike Chance
• + Fire Damage
• + Resource Regeneration
• + Damage to close/distant enemies depending on your playstyle

Gems

For gems, you’ll want to slot:

• Weapon: Amethysts to increase your Damage over Time for your burning.
• Armor: Rubies to boost your maximum life for your Barriers.
• Jewelry: Skulls to boost your defense value because resistances don’t work well and having flat armor is actually better.

Paragon and Glyphs for Endgame Fire Sorceress Build

When it comes to Paragon boards, we are mainly going to aim for rare nodes that increase our damage output, as well as glyphs that synergize with our build. Please note that the order in which I get the nodes is just a general guideline, and you can adjust it to your current needs.

First Paragon Board – Base

On the first paragon board, you’ll want to first take the rare node on the right and then head up toward the Glyph socket. We will be completely ignoring any elemental resistance nodes as they are useless when compared to the flat % damage reduction ones available further up your boards. On the glyph socket, you’ll want to slot the “Warding” glyph and eventually assign 25 willpower around it. The normal effect will boost the damage rare node above, while the bonus effect will give you extra damage reduction based on your mana. If you’re doing ok for survival, you can ignore the second bonus until you have points to spare.

Continue up through the left of the board through the non-physical damage node, grab the ones around it too, and then unlock your second board.

Second Paragon Board – Searing Heat

On this board you’ll want to rotate until you have the “Pyromancy” rare node on the bottom side as this will be the first node you’ll want to take before getting to the board’s legendary slot. Take the Fire Damage rare nodes then head up to the Searing Heat legendary node that increases your Fireball and Meteor critical strike chance.

From here you’ll head up and make a diversion to the left to grab the rare node “Keeper of Flames”, that reduces your damage taken from burning enemies. You will then go back a few slots and head right (the opposite way) to unlock “Combustion” and increase your fire damage and critical strike damage.

Continue upward toward the glyph slot, where we will use “Adept” to improve our mastery skill damage. You need to grab some intelligence slots around this area for it to get its full benefits, so do that before heading up toward the “Flame Touched” rare glyph that also boosts mastery and damage, and finally left toward the gate.

Third Paragon Board – Burning Instinct

You’ll want to rotate the board until you have the “Smoldering Embers” rare node and glyph slot on the bottom left side. Head straight for it and take it in combination with its damage magic nodes. From there, head upwards to the glyph slot and use “Tactician” and make sure that you add enough dexterity in range to use the glyph’s bonus, that gives you +10% damage for 4 seconds everytime you use a defensive skill. This is a great synergy for your Flame Shield, which should be coming off cooldown often, giving you very useful and consistent boosts.

From here, head left and obtain the “Cinders” slot, that increases your damage to burning enemies and your intelligence. These bonuses can be greatly boosted by upgrading Tactician!

There are now two rare nodes we want and they are in different directions. You can head to one and then to the other, and optimize your path based on what stat slots you prefer to use and whether you plan to exit to the next board through the left (like we will). Your first target is “Kindling”, which gives damage to burning enemies and, more importantly, damage vs elites! Take the other damage nodes around it as these are quite important. Your second target is “Safeguard”, which gives you damage reduction vs elites, greatly improving your survivability in high level dungeons.

Now onto the legendary node, go through “Keeper of Flames” to further improve your damage reduction vs burning enemies, then grab Burning Instinct legendary node to improve your burning damage based on your intelligence (this is why getting those big intelligence rolls on the staff can be super important!)

Fourth Paragon Board – Enchantment Master or Elementalist

These boards are not currently used on the build footage as they are beyond the level that I am at. However, this is a build meant to keep growing, so my guidance is to pick one of the two based on your preferences and feel of how your build is coming together.

Enchantment Master should be rotated to get to “Ruinous”, which gives + non-physical damage and damage to elites. The legendary bonus on this board is not very impactful, it gives you +20% enchantment effect. Taking this node would boost your fireball enchantment damage from 50% to 60%, and your chance to trigger a meteor from 8% to 10%. Not a huge change for either so you can opt out of this and continue on to another board.

The other good nodes in enchantment master are “Suffused Resilience” because it reduces the damage over time you take, and “Elementalist” because it increases your non-physical damage and 4% of your max life.

The Elemental Summoner board is next up, and it can be quite good for making your Hydras work harder for you. The legendary node here is really underwhelming, so you would rotate the board to get “Reservoir” and “Conjurer” near your gate. Reservoir gives you extra mana and 4% maximum life, while Conjurer will increase your conjuration damage and intelligence.

Another great node on this board is “Swift Conjurer” as it also increases attack speed in addition to giving more conjuration damage.

The remaining useful nodes are “Keeper of the Elements” and “Fleeting”, but they are far away and you may be better served by using points to improve socket nodes that you like.

Final Tips

Setting out to play a sorceress that’s not focused on movement speed and has no teleport is probably a strange idea for many veteran players, but it really does work. Your boots can give you many evades (I currently have four), which work quite as good as a teleport and don’t eat your resources.

Your playstyle should be focused on rounding up enemies to trigger satisfying chain reactions as the weaker ones die and take out the larger ones with them, while you calmly stand and cast.

Make sure not to overdo your movements: your mana cost reduction and damage boosts are counting on you standing still for a few seconds. So summon your hydras, drop your meteors, then inferno elites into place and shower down more deadly meteors on them from the safety of your flame shield.

If you are struggling to get aspects and gear, remember that you can gamble for sacred and ancestral gear at the curiosities vendor, and you can run legions and helltide mystery chests with the help of randoms on the server. Overall, your drops seem to improve as you level so don’t worry if ancestrals are not coming in right away.

Remember to craft and drink Precision Elixirs, which increases both critical strike chance and critical strike damage, further boosting the build performance.

This build shines when you are facing large quantities of enemies, so try to run dungeons with tight corridors and big packs.

Lastly, whatever you do, NEVER run a nightmare dungeon that has -fire damage or -burning!

Be sure to check out our Diablo 4 Wiki for any other questions you have about the game and the Builds page if you are looking for more Diablo IV Builds, as well as our Getting Started Guide and Best Class to Play if you are looking for more Diablo 4 content!

The post Diablo 4 LvL 70+ Perfected Pyromancer Sorceress Build Guide appeared first on Fextralife.

In this Armored Core 6 preview, we’re going to be talking about new gameplay details for the mech Souls game that’s being developed by From Software, releasing on August 25th, and coming to PlayStation, Xbox, and PC via Steam.  

Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon Gameplay Preview and Impressions

Just a couple of days ago, we were fortunate enough to attend a presentation being put on by From Software and Bandai Namco, where the producer of the game, Yasunori Ogura, showed us the ins and outs of Armored Core VI.

If you didn’t know, Armored Core is a staple franchise for From Software and one of their first franchises, first being published in 1997 at the studio’s inception.

Armored Core VI aims to take this franchise and reboot it in a sense, and it seems to me, having seen this presentation and watched the gameplay, that there are a lot of Souls-like mechanics that you will see in this gameplay if you look closely enough.

Flying Through the Fires of Rubicon

So, for starters, let’s take a look at one of the big focuses of Armored Core VI, and this is the use of three-dimensional space as a mech. Your player is piloting a mech in this game, so being able to move up and down vertically and travel in these huge spaces, which is only possible because you’re driving a mech, is a huge focus of this game.

Designing these huge three-dimensional spaces for each mission is a significant part of this game, allowing players to take on objectives in different ways and giving them enough room to maneuver around. It makes players feel like they’re in a mech and can pilot it around, and they’re not just confined to a limited space. This is one big aspect of the level design.

The other part of this is the interior spaces of each level. After you’ve explored the exterior and got into the later parts of a mission, you’re going to be inside more confined spaces, and verticality plays a lesser degree in this space. It’s more on the same level playing field, not completely vertical like in the larger spaces of the game. This is where you really get to see the combat that From Software is known for, where players decide when to use their shield when to boost left or right when to attack. 

Final Flight of the Osiris

What’s really interesting about the combat in Armored Core VI is that there is an impact gauge above the enemy. When it’s completely full, the enemy will stagger, similar to the posture system from Sekiro. So, players are not only dealing damage to the enemy but also trying to stagger them to open them up for direct hits that deal increased damage. However, players should also be cautious as they have their own impact gauge and can be staggered if they take too much damage too quickly.

There is also a boost bar at the bottom of the screen, which functions similarly to a stamina gauge. It determines how often players can boost, dash left or right, or move vertically in the larger spaces of the game. Managing this boost resource or energy resource is similar to managing stamina in games like the Souls series or Elden Ring.

Inside the internal spaces, players will have objectives they can scan through walls to locate enemies and use the element of surprise to take on enemies that are unaware. They need to hack through doors to access certain places, and there will be boss fights as well.

Boss fights are expected to play a huge role in this game, and players are expected to die. Just like in the Souls series or Elden Ring, players will have to learn from their mistakes, study attack patterns, and adapt their strategies accordingly.

Customization Core

One of the things we absolutely love about mech games in general, particularly Armored Core, is the freedom to customize your mech according to your preferences. If you want to play a certain style, you are free to do so. For instance, you can change the legs on your mech, opting for tank-like legs, quad legs, or reverse legs, each significantly altering your gameplay experience. 

Rolling around instead of flying drastically changes how you approach levels. The freedom to customize your equipment and stats further influences your playstyle in Armored Core. The focus on the parts you use dictates your approach. Not only can you change the legs, but you can also modify the head, core, arms, and internal parts, allowing for endless combinations and personalization.

In addition to body part customization, Armored Core VI offers a wide range of weapons, both ranged and melee. From machine guns and assault rifles to laser daggers and missile launchers, the options are diverse. 

Furthermore, different types of boosters and generators affect thrust mechanics and machine performance. The complexity of options and finding the perfect combination is a significant aspect of the game. Expect build guides and mech guides to help you discover effective combinations that work well together.

Mission Impossible

One remarkable feature of Armored Core VI is the ability to change your mech’s loadout and assembly between missions. Even when you die, you can adjust your loadout and retry a boss or checkpoint with a different strategy. This dynamic element sets Armored Core VI apart from other games where changes can only be made at the beginning or between missions, eliminating the frustration of replaying entire missions due to improper setups or unsuccessful strategies.

The freedom to customize and adapt in Armored Core VI is a thrilling element of the game. Discovering the perfect configuration for your mech and the ability to adjust loadouts between missions or after deaths adds an extra layer of enjoyment and strategic depth to Armored Core VI.

Armored Core VI Preview: Stocked and Loaded

There are supply points located around the maps that serve as checkpoints for players and replenish ammunition. These supply points also provide repair kits, which function similarly to Estus Flasks with a limited quantity that can heal the player until reaching the next checkpoint. 

Balancing damage taken and the availability of ammunition becomes crucial in progressing to the next checkpoint. The amount of damage sustained should not impede reaching the next checkpoint. 

Careful attention must also be given to ammunition usage, as depleting all rocket rounds before reaching halfway to the next checkpoint will pose challenges. Players need to consider the number of shots fired, the damage incurred, and the time spent to effectively eliminate enemies in Armored Core VI.

Masters of the Arena

Furthermore, it is worth noting that Armored Core VI is primarily single-player, but it features online PvP, allowing players to engage in battles with each other. This inclusion of online PvP adds an intriguing aspect, particularly for fans of PvP and FromSoftware titles. 

We fondly remember our own experiences of enjoying online PvP in Chromehounds, another mech game developed by FromSoftware, where you could tinker with their mech, participate in battles, and witness the outcomes. Although the exact player counts for simultaneous online play was not disclosed, we’re sure this will be revealed quite soon. 

The showcased gameplay and information highlight the distinct FromSoftware style present in the game. From well-crafted level designs to intense boss fights and responsive combat mechanics, the game exhibits the familiar elements associated with FromSoftware titles. The player’s character feels responsive and aligned with their intentions, creating a sense of personal responsibility when mistakes occur. 

Even if someone is not typically inclined towards mech games but enjoys FromSoftware titles like Elden Ring or Dark Souls, Armored Core VI might still hold appeal due to the presence of these important elements, which may not be immediately apparent.

Armored Core VI: Project Phantasm

So what do you guys think of the new information and the new gameplay footage? Are you guys excited for Armor Core 6?

I’m super excited to play this game. We can just see so much of From Software in this game. Every time we look at the gameplay and it just gets us more and more excited than you know. August 25th is just a couple of months away. 

Let us know what you think in the comments below! 

The post Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon Gameplay Preview and Impressions appeared first on Fextralife.

Diablo 4 Druid Build – Nature’s Fury: In this Diablo 4 Endgame Druid Build Guide, I’m going to show you my Nature’s Fury Build. If you’re looking for a Diablo 4 Endgame Druid Build that is aimed at World Tier 3, and one that effectively makes use of the Nature’s Fury Key Passive, then this Diablo 4 Build Guide is for you!

Diablo 4 Druid Build – Nature’s Fury

So let’s start off by taking a look at Nature’s Fury, which makes it so that when you cast an Earth Skill, you have a 20% chance to trigger a free Storm Skill of the same category. This time, if you cast a Storm Skill, it has a 20% chance to activate a free Earth Skill of the same cluster. As such, you’re rewarded for using both Earth and Storm Magic. 

Now there are a couple of Legendary Aspects to make this Diablo IV Build particularly deadly, and the first one is the Symbiotic Aspect. When you trigger that free Skill we’ve been talking about, your Non-Ultimate cooldowns of the opposite type are reduced by up to 8 seconds. For instance, let’s say you’re standing there, spamming away with Storm Strike and you activate Earth Spike. You’ll end up triggering the Nature Series Passives so then all the other Earth Skills would gain the 8-second cooldown reduction. If it were the other way around with Earth Spike first, and then Storm Strike, then all the cooldown of your Storm Skills will have been considerably lowered. 

For this Nature’s Fury Diablo 4 Druid Build, you have Storm Strike in order to apply Vulnerable and to reduce the cooldown of Earth Skills to make Earthen Bulwark and Trample work effectively. Earthen Bulwark gives you a huge damage shield and makes you Unstoppable so you’re near unkillable, especially in the later parts of the game. By refreshing this constantly, you’ll gain a constant damage shield that protects you and prevents you from taking damage while allowing you to move around since you’re not crowd-controlled.

Because you have the Aspect of the Trampled Earth, Trample becomes a Nature Magic and Earth Skill, and it’s able to summon 6 landslides to pummel enemies with huge AoE. The idea here is that when you go into combat, you’re going to initiate with Earthen Bulwark for protection and then follow through with Trample in the middle of a group to hit them with landslides that go behind you. 

Skill Distribution

Each Diablo 4 Druid Build comprises the 6 Active Skills they have equipped and changing these Skills can drastically alter the way the Druid Class in Diablo IV plays. In this section, we’ll take a look at what Skills you should slot for the Nature’s Fury Druid Diablo 4 Endgame Build. By the time you reach Level 50, you’ll approximately have 59 points, assuming that you’ve accumulated enough Renown from different regions to gain 10 extra points. So your Skill distribution should look something like this:

The above list gives you the general order to invest in Skills, but keep in mind that you should prioritize picking up new Active Skills over investing in passives, so pick up passives later if you can get new Active Skills when you level up.

Diablo 4 Nature’s Fury Endgame Druid Build – Skills

Cyclone Armor, Hurricane & Landslide

While fights are ongoing, you’re going to use Hurricane or Cyclone Armor and then spam Storm Strike in order to try and reset the cooldown of Earthen Bulwark and Trample. These Skills will be activated in an alternating manner over and over again. In this case, I’m taking advantage of Tornado to put something out that will continue to swirl around, Slow down enemies, and deal damage.

Since they’re Slowed, they’re CCed so we benefit from the Damage vs Crowd Controlled Enemies bonus. What’s more, is that even if the landslides are there, the tornadoes will continue to swirl around on the battlefield, making it a nice synergy. If you don’t have Tornado or another Storm Skill that takes advantage of your Spirit, it just sits there and you don’t really gain any use of it.

I’ve opted for Cyclone Armor for this Nature’s Fury D4 Druid Build to give you a little bit more protection. It also has a chance to trigger a lot more defensive Skills such as Debilitating Roar, Blood Howl, and Earthen Bulwark again. The extra Earthen Bulwark is useful if you’re already in the higher tiers of Nightmare Dungeons. 

Alternatively, you can opt for Hurricane if you’re looking to deal more damage on lower tiers. The nice thing about this Skill is that when you trigger it, you might get a chance to activate Trample. And you’ll gain more damage from it due to the Aspect of the Aftershock, which makes it so that every time you summon a landslide pillar, you receive another one that deals a little of extra damage. So the 6 pillars from Trample will be doubled as a result. Finally, in order to inflict more carnage, you’ll need to heavily invest in Landslide.

Cataclysm

Cataclysm is your Ultimate Ability that lets you throw it up and then you can keep doing what you want to do. It just goes off, deals damage to everything on the screen, CCs enemies, and makes them Vulnerable. So you’re free to move around and attack using other Skills. Cataclysm is great for situations where you need burst damage like in Boss fights.

Diablo 4 Nature’s Fury Endgame Druid Build – Equipment, Gems & Aspects

At World Tier 3, you’ll gain access to many items together with their bonuses. It can be challenging to determine the right ones to keep for your Diablo IV Druid Endgame Build without the proper direction. So in this section, I’ll discuss the best gear bonuses you should chase after together with the Gems and aspects to place in them. Remember that you can replace unwanted affixes at The Occultist and upgrade your gear at The Blacksmith for the best results.

Weapon

For the Weapon, the bonuses you’ll want include the following:

• Core Skill Damage
• Basic Skill Damage
• Willpower

For your Weapon, you’ll need to take advantage of the Aspect of Natural Balance, which makes it so that casting a Storm Skill grants your Earth Skills up to a 45% Critical Strike Damage for 4 seconds while casting an Earth Skill increases the Critical Strike Chance of your Storm Skills by up to 12%. This is doubled on a Two-Handed Weapon. So when you use Trample, you’re going to gain up to 24% Critical Strike Chance, or if you use Storm Strike, your next Trample for 4 seconds will gain up to 90% Critical Strike Damage!

Armor

For Armor, you have the Helm, Chest Armor, Gloves, Pants, and Boots. The major bonuses you’ll want here include the following:

• Maximum Life
• Damage Reduction
• Barrier Generation
• Lightning Damage
• Willpower
• Critical Strike Chance
• Attack Speed
• Damage Reduction while Injured
• Damage Reduction from Distant Enemies
• Spirit Cost Reduction
• Movement Speed

For this Nature’s Fury Diablo IV Druid Build, you’ll need the Earthguard Aspect, which gives you up to a 25% bonus amount of your next Earthen Bulwark for each enemy you crowd control up to 100%. So if you CC them, you’d deal even more damage, particularly on higher levels of the game to gain all the protection you need.

Speaking of protection, you’ll want the Aspect of Mending Stone to raise the duration of Earthen Bulwark by 6 seconds, up to 9 seconds. Killing enemies with Trample will also replenish some of your active Barrier to help with survivability as you’re running around. Earthen Bulwark is a difficult Skill to use without this aspect simply because 3 seconds is not that long of a damage shield. 

Lastly, you have the Aspect of the Protector to conjure another damage shield for 10 seconds when going up against an Elite or Boss.

Jewelry

For Jewelry, you have the Amulet and 2 Rings. The gear bonuses you’ll need include the following:

• Damage to Close Enemies
• Damage
• Dexterity
• Storm Skill Damage
• Ranks of All Defensive Skills

Diablo 4 Nature’s Fury Endgame Druid Build – Spirit Boons

For the most important Spirit Boon of this D4 Druid Build, you’re going to take advantage of Obsidian Slam where every 20th kill will cause your next Earth Skill to Overpower. This means that Trample is going to Overpower every time. It’s great because this Skill hits like a truck.

Diablo 4 Nature’s Fury Endgame Druid Build – Paragon

At Level 50, you unlock the basic Paragon board to further enhance your Diablo 4 Nature’s Fury Endgame Druid Build. I’m using the Shapeshifter Glyph, which makes it so that shapeshifting has a 20% chance to cause Trample’s damage to critically strike on top of your Critical Strike Chance, which is huge since you also get the extra Critical Strike Damage from the Aspect of Natural Balance. In effect, you’re going to hit very hard, particularly if you’re Overpowering at the same time.

From here, you’re better off using the Ancestral Guidance Druid Paragon Board, and that’s because there’s a little cluster here that provides you with higher Spirits while gaining back resources on kill. So you can spam Tornado more and get extra damage. Additionally, you’re not only depending completely on Trample because the Ancestral Guidance Legendary Node allows you to deal 30% increased damage for 5 seconds after spending 75 Spirit, which is huge and will apply to everything you do!

Final Tips

In terms of gear, it may seem like you need a lot of specific aspects but the most important ones to get are the Symbiotic Aspect and the Aspect of the Trampled Earth. The others act like the icing on the cake to make this Nature’s Fury Diablo 4 Druid Build better. You might not get the best rolls on these 2 Legendary Aspect at the start but it’ll get your Build going as you acquire better pieces of Equipment. 

Now if you want to play this Build without having Trample, you can alternatively make use of Boulder to have a Skill that not only uses a cooldown but also deals decent damage. The problem with Boulder though is it has a much narrower AoE so you need to be a lot more accurate with your cast but it still inflicts great damage. So you can use it between Levels 1 to 50.

So that wraps up our Nature’s Fury Diablo IV Druid Build, which is probably the last World Tier 3 Druid Build that I’ll do. Be sure to check out our Diablo 4 Wiki for any other questions you have about the game and the Builds page if you are looking for more Diablo IV Builds, as well as our Ultimate Beginner Guide and All Classes Overview if you are looking for more Diablo 4 content!

The post Diablo 4 Druid Build – Nature’s Fury appeared first on Fextralife.

Diablo 4 Necromancer Build – Blood Lancer: In this Diablo 4 Endgame Necromancer Build Guide, I’m going to show you my Blood Lancer Build that focuses on using Overpower and the Blood Lance Ability. If you’re looking for a Diablo 4 Endgame Necromancer Build that is aimed at World Tier 3, and one that doesn’t make use of Blood Surge, Bone Spear, or Shadow Damage, then this Diablo 4 Build Guide is for you!

Diablo 4 Necromancer Build – Blood Lancer

This Diablo IV Build is different from the rest in that it uses Blood Lance, which lets you fling a lance in a straight line that sticks into an enemy to deal damage. And for 3 seconds, when you hit another target with this, the previous one you’ve attacked will continue to receive damage so you want to spread your blood lances around if possible. When you’ve gained access to Enhanced Blood Lance, it’ll also pierce through the enemy that’s been lanced or any enemy that’s already been lanced, dealing 15% reduced damage. If you can line them up and fling blood lances through the original target, you’ll easily stack damage on them at the same time.

Another upgrade you’d like to take is the Supernatural Blood Lance, which makes it so that every 8x you cast it, you have a guaranteed Overpower as well as a Blood Orb spawned from the first enemy hit. This is a lot of huge damage if you can get your Overpower Damage high in the first place. The biggest issue though is you only have 3 seconds from the time you attack them to hit as many other targets as you can. This means that you want a fast Attack Speed in order to be able to use numerous lances at the same time to spread them around efficiently. So if groups are spread out all over the screen, it’s going to be a challenge to use Blood Lance as compared to if they’re all bunched up together.

To improve this Blood Lancer Diablo 4 Necromancer Build, you’ll need the Aspect of Hungry Blood. When Blood Lance hits an already affected enemy, it has up to a 20% chance to fire a second lance at a nearby target, and this is 30% on an Amulet or up to 40% on a Two-Handed Weapon. The Aspect of Hungry Blood is a great way to increase the number of blood lances to really enhance your damage. Because remember that for each enemy you stick with Blood Lance, all the others that have already been subjected to the same fate will take damage.

Skill Distribution

Each Diablo 4 Necromancer Build comprises the 6 Active Skills they have equipped and changing these Skills can drastically alter the way the Necromancer Class in Diablo IV plays. In this section, we’ll take a look at what Skills you should slot for the Blood Lancer Necromancer Diablo 4 Endgame Build. By the time you reach Level 50, you’ll approximately have 59 points, assuming that you’ve accumulated enough Renown from different regions to gain 10 extra points. So your Skill distribution should look something like this:

The above list gives you the general order to invest in Skills, but keep in mind that you should prioritize picking up new Active Skills over investing in passives, so pick up passives later if you can get new Active Skills when you level up.

Diablo 4 Blood Lancer Endgame Necromancer Build – Skills

Grim Harvest & Corpse Explosion

Grim Harvest is a great way to generate a lot of Essence, and because your Attack Speed is high, you’re also able to use Corpse Explosion in quick succession. In between fights, I don’t try to use it as much but I have the option to top myself off real quick before attacking the next ones. But Corpse Explosion is a good way to make use of all the Corpses on the ground to deal some AoE damage when necessary on top of recovering Essence at the same time.

Rathma’s Vigor Key Passive & Blood Passives

In terms of gaining Overpower Damage for this Blood Lancer Diablo 4 Necromancer Build, Rathma’s Vigor plays a huge role. It raises your Maximum Life and after being Healthy for 15 seconds, your next Blood Skill automatically Overpowers. 

Next is the Tides of Blood passive, which makes it so that your Overpower Damage for Blood Skills is increased by 15%. This is even doubled when your Health is above 80% up to 30%, which is always the case for this Build. 

Book of the Dead & Bone Splinters

When it comes to the Book of the Dead, you can see here that I’ve sacrificed the Blood Golem to give this Blood Lancer D4 Necro Build more Health but also because I need Bone Splinters more. This is a Basic Skill that restores Essence so you can use it to fight a Boss to apply Vulnerable thanks to the Initiate’s Bone Splinters upgrade, in order to amplify your damage. But since it isn’t a Blood Ability, you’re not going to accidentally consume the Overpower that you get every 15 seconds. 

For the Raise Skeleton Skill, you’ll still have Skeletal Warriors and Mages. For the Skeletal Warriors, you’ll want to choose the 2nd node of the Reaper to give you more Corpses to heal with and get Essence from. Meanwhile, for the Skeletal Mages, you’ll select the 1st node of Cold to again, provide you with more resources and help Freeze enemies. 

Since you have both Minions, you’ll want the Viscous Aspect to gain 2 more Mages together with the Coldbringer’s Aspect so they can cast Blizzard that Chills targets standing in the AoE. Doing so protects and saves you from harm while boosting your damage.

Diablo 4 Blood Lancer Endgame Necromancer Build – Equipment, Gems & Aspects

At World Tier 3, you’ll gain access to many items together with their bonuses. It can be challenging to determine the right ones to keep for your Diablo IV Necromancer Endgame Build without the proper direction. So in this section, I’ll discuss the best gear bonuses you should chase after together with the Gems and aspects to place in them. Remember that you can replace unwanted affixes at The Occultist and upgrade your gear at The Blacksmith for the best results.

Weapon

For the One-Handed Weapon, the bonuses you’ll want include the following:

• Core Skill Damage
• Vulnerable Damage
• Damage to Injured Enemies
• Critical Strike Damage

For the Focus, the bonuses you’ll want include the following:

• Critical Strike Chance
• Critical Strike Chance Against Injured Enemies
• Damage for 4 Seconds After Picking Up a Blood Orb

This Blood Lancer Diablo IV Necro Build benefits from the Aspect of Rathma’s Chosen, which makes it so that whenever your Blood Skills Overpower, your Attack Speed increases by a whopping 50% for 4 seconds. As such, this is going to speed up the rate at which you fling blood lances because you’re going to Overpower every 8th cast. And sometimes, it’s every 8th cast is the second cast of that time because you’ve already built up 6 casts. 

Next, I also have the Accelerating Aspect so that when I execute Critical Strikes with Blood Lance, my Attack Speed increases by up to 25% for 5 seconds. This, together with the Aspect of Rathma’s Chosen will allow you to fling things very quickly, especially since you’re going to make use of the One-Handed Scythe, which has a higher Attack Speed and provides you with Life on Kill. 

Speaking of the Weapon, the reason why I have a Wand instead is due to the perfect roll on the Blood Seeker’s Aspect. So the first target you hit with Blood Lance will take extra damage for every other enemy you hit with it afterward. This means that if you use Blood Lance on an Elite and every time you pierce them and then attack another target, they’ll take greater damage than they would originally, thereby letting you wipe them out quicker.

Armor

For Armor, you have the Helm, Chest Armor, Gloves, Pants, and Boots. The major bonuses you’ll want here include the following:

• Maximum Life
• Basic Skill Attack Speed
• Attack Speed
• Damage Reduction from Distant Enemies
• Damage
• Maximum Minion Life
• Critical Strike Chance
• Ranks of Blood Lance
• Total Armor
• Thorns
• Dodge Chance
• Essence Cost Reduction
• Movement Speed

Jewelry

For Jewelry, you have the Amulet and 2 Rings. The gear bonuses you’ll need include the following:

• Damage to Injured Enemies
• Damage to Crowd Controlled Enemies
• Critical Strike Chance
• Maximum Essence

To help manage your Essence to constantly use Blood Lance, which you don’t want to stop to get the engine going to land crits and Overpower Damage, you’ll need the Aspect of the Umbral. This gives up to 4 Essence when you use Corpse Tendrils to round them up. So you can simply use it in the middle of your combo and then fling blood lances immediately afterward.

Another good aspect to have but something that isn’t mandatory is the Aspect of Potent Blood, which makes it so that at full Life, Blood Orbs grant up to 20 Essence, allowing you to fill up this meter fast. If you don’t have it yet, then that’s fine since you’re going to be pretty stationary with this Diablo 4 Necromancer Build anyway. Just try to use Blood Lance as fast as you can, and unless you’re constantly moving around, the Aspect of the Potent Blood won’t benefit you as much.

Diablo 4 Blood Lancer Endgame Necromancer Build – Paragon

At Level 50, you unlock the basic Paragon board to further enhance your Diablo 4 Blood Lancer Endgame Necromancer Build. I’m using the Control Glyph, which makes it so that you and your Minions deal 10% increased damage to Slowed or Chilled enemies or 20% increased damage to Stunned or Frozen targets. So you’re pretty much guaranteed to get the extra damage since your Skeletal Mages are constantly Chilling everything and you have Corpse Tendrils.

You’ll then want the Bone Graft Necromancer Paragon Board to facilitate Essence regeneration. I dipped into this a little bit and then proceeded to select the Blood Begets Blood Tree. The reason is that there’s a node cluster that provides Maximum Essence and Essence on Kill, especially because you can keep using Blood Lance to eliminate them. So these nodes are great if you’re still having resource issues, otherwise, opt for the Blood Begets Blood Board.

Final Tips

To further improve Overpower, you’ll want to look for gear bonuses that grant this. So you should definitely slot Rubies in your Weapons to boost it. A Legendary Aspect that significantly helps is the Aspect of Untimely Death. What this does is that each percent of your Maximum Life you heal beyond 100% Health grants a 0.5% bonus to Overpower Damage on your next Overpowering Attack up to a certain percentage. In this case, 60% on regular Equipment, and you can get more if you imprint this on your Amulet of Two-Handed Weapon. 

The Aspect of Untimely Death is huge because this means that every Blood Orb you pick up, every potion you use that overheals you, Life On Kill you get from your One-Handed Weapon or One-Handed Scythe are all going to help build up on this. And you can see the little marker for it about your Skill bar building up as your Health is going over to see how much your next Overpower Damage will be. This one aspect alone will give you about 50-75% as much Overpower as the rest of the sources combined, making it a must-have. 

Remember that if you have a bunch of enemies chained when you Overpower, they all take Overpower Damage. Additionally, the higher your health pool is and the more Fortified you are, the more damage you’re going to do with Overpower. So the general concept is to stay Healthy and to stay Fortified.

So that wraps up the Blood Lancer Diablo IV Necromancer Build. I don’t have all my gear optimized since I’m constantly changing Builds but you get the idea of how this works. The problems you’ll need to solve later on include properly managing Essence, getting your Attack Speed fast enough to keep attacking rapidly, and considerably enhancing Overpower Damage to absolutely wipe out everything on the screen. 

Stay tuned for our Diablo 4 Builds as we inch closer and closer to our World Tier 4 or Level 70+ Builds. Be sure to check out our Diablo 4 Wiki for any other questions you have about the game and the Builds page if you are looking for more Diablo IV Builds, as well as our Ultimate Beginner Guide and All Classes Overview if you are looking for more Diablo 4 content!

The post Diablo 4 Necromancer Build – Blood Lancer appeared first on Fextralife.

Diablo 4 Druid Build – Howlstorm: In this Diablo 4 Endgame Druid Build Guide, I’m going to show you my Howlstorm Build which is the evolved version of the Stormwolf Build. If you’re looking for a Diablo 4 Endgame Druid Build that is aimed at World Tier 3, and one that effectively combines Werewolf and Lightning Skills, then this Diablo 4 Build Guide is for you!

Diablo 4 Druid Build – Howlstorm

The general strategy for this Diablo IV Build is similar to the previous Stormwolf Druid Build, which means that you’re still going to use Lightning Storm as your primary means of attack. So first off, you’re going to hit enemies with Rabies to put Poison all over everything and then you’re going to Immobilize them in place with Poison Creeper. Next, you’re going to town with Lightning Storm to get that extra damage against Immobilized enemies that Storm Druids gain.

Moreover, you still have the Neurotoxin passive, which makes it so that Slow enemies that are poisoned take extra damage. So it’s great to have Damage versus Slowed Enemies, especially since your Perfect Storm Key Passive performs extremely well against them. Another Staff bonus you’ll want is the Damage to Crowd Controlled Enemies to amplify the damage against Slowed targets further, making it very helpful for this D4 Druid Build. Even if they come out of being Immobilized, they’re still Poisoned, and therefore subject to crowd control so they still take bonus damage.

In World Tier 3, this Howlstorm Druid Build will still have an issue with Spirit regeneration. Like any Druid, you’re going to struggle with resource management for a bit, especially if you don’t have the Aspect of the Umbral yet. This makes it so that you gain Spirit every time you CC an enemy. Once you have this on a Ring, you’ll no longer have any resource problems. You can get the base version of the Aspect of the Umbral by completing the Champion’s Demise Dungeon in Dry Steppes.

Skill Distribution

Each Diablo 4 Druid Build comprises the 6 Active Skills they have equipped and changing these Skills can drastically alter the way the Druid Class in Diablo IV plays. In this section, we’ll take a look at what Skills you should slot for the Howlstorm Druid Diablo 4 Endgame Build. By the time you reach Level 50, you’ll approximately have 59 points, assuming that you’ve accumulated enough Renown from different regions to gain 10 extra points. So your Skill distribution should look something like this:

The above list gives you the general order to invest in Skills, but keep in mind that you should prioritize picking up new Active Skills over investing in passives, so pick up passives later if you can get new Active Skills when you level up.

Diablo 4 Howlstorm Endgame Druid Build – Skills

In this section, I’ll discuss how the Skills work for the current Howlstorm Endgame Build of the Druid Class. The strategies will change depending on the type of foe you’re facing whether they’re comprised of a large group of enemies or Elites and Bosses.

Lightning Storm & Blood Howl

Unless you’ve got a better roll for the Aspect of the Umbral, there are a couple of other ways to improve Spirit regeneration. First is by gaining access to the Energized Spirit Boon. This makes it so that on a Lucky Hit, dealing damage has a 15% chance to restore 10 Spirit. And Lightning Storm hits a lot of enemies so this should get you back some resources to be able to keep you channeling.

Next, you’re still going to use the Innate Blood Howl upgrade so that every time you activate Blood Howl, you’ll generate 20 Spirit, making it invaluable at this part of the game. Remember that as you kill enemies, the cooldown of this Skill is reduced by 1 second so it’s important to pop this quite regularly. 

Additionally, I’m using the Assimilation Aspect on one of my Rings, and what this does is it increases your Dodge Chance against enemies that are affected by your damage over time (DoT). So when they’re Poisoned and you perform a dodge, you’ll gain up to 10 Spirit back, making it a good way to restore some resources while receiving a little bit of defense.

Diablo 4 Howlstorm Endgame Druid Build – Equipment, Gems & Aspects

At World Tier 3, you’ll gain access to many items together with their bonuses. It can be challenging to determine the right ones to keep for your Diablo IV Druid Endgame Build without the proper direction. So in this section, I’ll discuss the best gear bonuses you should chase after together with the Gems and aspects to place in them. Remember that you can replace unwanted affixes at The Occultist and upgrade your gear at The Blacksmith for the best results.

Weapon

For the Weapon, the bonuses you’ll want include the following:

• Core Skill Damage
• Basic Skill Damage
• Willpower
• Damage to Poisoned Enemies

You’ll also need the Overcharged Aspect here. This makes it so that with Lucky Hit, you have up to a 40% chance (if imprinted on a Two-Handed Weapon) when dealing Lightning Damage to overload the target for 3 seconds causing any direct damage you deal to pulse for additional damage against surrounding enemies. This is how you’ll really get a lot of damage into a group of enemies once you overcharge them. Multiple lightning bolts will come raining down and electricity just goes out everywhere to wipe them out really quickly so I highly recommend putting it on a Two-Handed Weapon. A Staff is best here to deal extra damage against CCed targets.

Armor

For Armor, you have the Helm, Chest Armor, Gloves, Pants, and Boots. The major bonuses you’ll want here include the following:

• Maximum Life
• Ranks of Poison Creeper, Lightning Storm, Rabies
• Poison Damage
• Damage Reduction from Enemies That Are Poisoned
• Damage Reduction from Distant Enemies
• Movement Speed
• Attack Speed
• Damage to Injured Enemies
• Critical Strike Chance Against Injured Enemies
• Spirit Cost Reduction

Using Lightning Storm is dangerous at times since you’re standing in place. To stay alive, you’ll first need the Aspect of the Protector, which is going to give you a Barrier when you’re damaging Elites and Bosses. 

Next is the Mad Wolf’s Glee Sacred Unique Chest Armor. So by default, this Howlstorm Diablo IV Druid Build will be in Werewolf form. Note, however, that it isn’t necessary for this Build but it probably will be in World Tier 4. But the great thing about its Stats is the increased Poison Damage and Damage Reduction, which is huge since you can get about 20% Damage Reduction. There’s also the raised Movement Speed as well as the +2 Ranks to Werewolf Skills, making it beneficial for both Rabies and Blood Howl. If you don’t acquire this Chest Armor, you can go for Defensive Passives that reduce the damage you take from crowd-controlled enemies. 

Another Legendary Aspect worth taking is the Protecting Aspect. This makes it so that when you’re hit while not Healthy, which is below 80% Health, a magic bubble is summoned around you for up to a maximum of 5 seconds. While standing in it, you gain Immunity so you can’t be CCed. If you have the Protecting Aspect imprinted on an Amulet, the duration is raised to 7.5 seconds. This is absolutely staggering because you can literally stand there in the middle of 100 enemies and they won’t be able to touch you, allowing you to drop your AoEs and just rain Lightning Storm. It has saved me so many times even when I’m outnumbered 100 to 0. 

And then on my Boots, you have the Eluding Aspect, which makes it so that if you become Injured while CCed, you gain Unstoppable for 4 seconds, letting you get out of this CC effect to save your life. As such, it’s fine not to take the Earthen Bulwark Skill but later on, we might need to switch to this. We’ll see how it goes.

When it comes to boosting damage for this Howlstorm D4 Druid Build, you’ll need the Smiting Aspect, which I have on my Gauntlets. This makes it so that you have an increased Critical Strike Chance of up to 20% against Injured enemies whose health is below 35%. And while you’re Healthy, you gain up to 40% crowd control duration. This is great because they’re going to stay Slowed longer from your Poison even after Poison wears off. And you’ll be able to critically strike them more often since they’re already weakened as a result. Doing so will let you finish them off quickly.

Jewelry

For Jewelry, you have the Amulet and 2 Rings. The gear bonuses you’ll need include the following:

• Critical Strike Chance
• Damage to Crowd Controlled Enemies
• Damage to Slowed Enemies
• Damage Over Time
• Life Regeneration while Not Damaged Recently

For Jewelry, this Howlstorm Druid IV Build needs the Lightning Dancer’s Aspect and the Accelerating Aspect. The Lightning Dancer’s Aspect makes it so that Lightning Storm Critical Strikes spawn 3 Dancing Bolts that seek out enemies in the area dealing Lightning Damage. So this is another reason that Critical Strikes are very essential for this D4 Druid Build because you want to trigger it as much as possible to absolutely nuke them.

And then you also have the Accelerating Aspect, which makes it so that when you critically strike with Lightning Storm, you’re going to enhance your Attack Speed to reduce the time it takes for your animations to complete. For instance, Lightning Storm is going to cast and build faster. So when you start a fight, you’re starting at 1 Lightning Bolt and you want to get up to 5 Lightning Bolts as fast as you can.

Diablo 4 Howlstorm Endgame Druid Build – Spirit Boons

For the other Spirit Boon, you’ll want Overload. Any Lucky Hit dealing Lightning Damage has up to a 20% chance to cause the target to emit static discharges. So you’ll end up distributing Lightning Damage effectively, which you really can’t have enough of for this Druid Diablo IV Build.

Diablo 4 Howlstorm Endgame Druid Build – Paragon

At Level 50, you unlock the basic Paragon board to further enhance your Diablo 4 Howlstorm Endgame Druid Build. I’m using the Tracker Glyph to increase my Poisoning damage effect by 33% so when I use Rabies, it’s going to roughly last for 8 seconds instead of 6. And when I use Poison Creeper, the effect will last longer to deal increased damage to Poisoned targets once again.

Remember to alternate between these 2 Skills if possible or to double stack them to attack Poisoned enemies no matter if it’s a Boss, an Elite, or a pack of enemies. Not only will you extend the duration of Poison and Slowed but you’ll also make it so that they’re always CCed to deal extra damage. As such, when you cast Rabies on targets and then drag them into the others, the time that Rabies lasts on them will be longer, resulting in a very good clear speed.

To gain extra Spirit until you get a good roll of the Aspect of the Umbral, you’re going to select the Ancestral Guidance Druid Paragon Board. There are even a few nodes that not only give increased Spirit but also Spirit back on kill, helping you keep this resource up. Additionally, your damage is boosted by 30% after spending 75 Spirit for 5 seconds, which is great. And then you can swap over to the Thunderstruck Board. 

Final Tips

The bonuses you’ll want to look out for on this Howlstorm Diablo 4 Druid Build is Core Skill Damage, Damage to Crowd Controlled or Slowed Enemies, and Damage Reduction from Poisoned or Distant Enemies. Core Skill Damage lets your Lightning Storm hit as much as you can to damage Poisoned enemies. Meanwhile, Damage to Crowd Controlled or Slowed enemies is self-explanatory whereas Damage Reduction to Poisoned or Distant Enemies helps with survivability. Note that you’re not going to get usually hit by Melee targets since you’re rooting and Slowing them down to keep your distance from them. 

And lastly, I highly recommend getting Boots with at least 1 extra Evade Charge on it with some Movement Speed to be able to outrun enemies when you Slow them down with Poison. This allows you to stay out of harm’s way, and if you have an extra hop or two with dodge, then that’s even easier to do. 

So this wraps up my Howlstorm D4 Druid Build. I hope you guys see that this can still be played well on World Tier 3 and I think it’s going to continue to be viable at Tier 4 with some modifications.

Stay tuned for more Diablo 4 Builds as we wrap up our World Tier 3 Guides here this week and move on to World Tier 4 for our final Builds. Be sure to check out our Diablo 4 Wiki for any other questions you have about the game and the Builds page if you are looking for more Diablo IV Builds, as well as our Ultimate Beginner Guide and All Classes Overview if you are looking for more Diablo 4 content!

The post Diablo 4 Druid Build – Howlstorm appeared first on Fextralife.

Diablo 4 Rogue Build – Flurry Trapper: In this Diablo 4 Endgame Rogue Build Guide, I’m going to show you my Trapper Build which specializes in the use of Poison and Traps with a little bit of Frost mixed in. If you’re looking for a Diablo 4 Endgame Rogue Build that is aimed at World Tier 3, and one that inflicts multiple impairments to kill enemies quickly, then this Diablo 4 Build Guide is for you!

Diablo 4 Rogue Build – Flurry Trapper

Before I begin, it’s worth noting that the Frost part for this Diablo IV Endgame Build is optional so it would depend on the Equipment and Legendary Aspects you have. But I will show you how to use it while making suggestions if you don’t have it at the moment. 

So let’s first talk about Flurry, which is an Imbuement Cutthroat Skill that rapidly hits in front of you 4x. This is also going to heal you for 1% of your Maximum Life the moment you attack crowd-controlled or Vulnerable enemies. Additionally, you’ll take the Improved Flurry upgrade so that if you hit a Vulnerable target, any other enemies that Flurry hits will become Vulnerable as well. So right from the get-go, there’s already a big focus on Vulnerability in this Trapper Diablo 4 Rogue Build. As such, you want to spread this status effect around to make them take more damage from you.

In relation to this, you’re going to take advantage of the Vengeful Aspect. This constitutes a Lucky Hit so making a target Vulnerable has up to a 48% chance to increase your Critical Strike Chance for 3 seconds up to 9%. This percentage can go as high as 50% and you’re going to get the improved crit chance from this very, very easily to help boost your damage. What’s more, is that you’ll want to equip the Grasp of Shadow Unique Gloves. This makes it so that Lucky Hit damaging a Vulnerable enemy with a Marksman or Cutthroat Skill has up to a 30% chance to summon a Shadow Clone that mimics your attack. As a result, you’re going to get regular extra Flurries here, drastically enhancing your damage.

And finally, you have the Aspect of Encircling Blades that’ll convert Flurry such that it no longer hits in front of you but hits all around you at a 360-degree angle while increasing the damage you deal. So this is extremely good for your D4 Rogue Build because that means you can attack everyone near you.

Skill Distribution

Each Diablo 4 Rogue Build comprises the 6 Active Skills they have equipped and changing these Skills can drastically alter the way the Rogue Class in Diablo IV plays. In this section, we’ll take a look at what Skills you should slot for the Trapper Rogue Diablo 4 Endgame Build. By the time you reach Level 50, you’ll approximately have 59 points, assuming that you’ve accumulated enough Renown from different regions to gain 10 extra points. So your Skill distribution should look something like this:

The above list gives you the general order to invest in Skills, but keep in mind that you should prioritize picking up new Active Skills over investing in passives, so pick up passives later if you can get new Active Skills when you level up.

Diablo 4 Trapper Endgame Rogue Build – Skills

In this section, I’ll discuss how the Skills work for the current Trapper Endgame Build of the Rogue Class. The strategies will change depending on the type of foe you’re facing whether they’re comprised of a large group of enemies or Elites and Bosses.

Malice

For this Trapper Diablo IV Rogue Build, you’re going to invest in the Malice passive to further boost your damage against Vulnerable enemies. This is fantastic since you spread damage very, very quickly with Poison in your attacks. There are also a lot of nodes in this tree that increase your damage to Vulnerable enemies while reducing the damage you take from them. 

Puncture, Concealment & Flurry

At the start, you’ll be leading with Puncture to be able to apply Vulnerable when hitting with 2 blades thanks to the Fundamental Puncture upgrade. Afterward, you’re going to town with Flurry to spread it around. A big part of this Diablo 4 Rogue Build involves positioning yourself into the middle of enemies to use Flurry and hit everything around them. The best way to do this is by getting their attention and then activating the Concealment Skill.

Concealment makes you go into Stealth for 4 seconds and it’ll make you Unstoppable on top of having you move much quicker. So you’ll get a lot of Movement Speed to move around and go into position quickly to spam everything with Flurry and drop Poison Traps all over the place. 

When you take the Subverting Concealment upgrade, any Skill that you use to break Stealth will apply Vulnerable to anything it hits. So when you hit with Flurry, you’ll make them all Vulnerable, which means taking increased damage from you, restoring Health from attacking them, and triggering damage reduction. 

Victimize Key Passive

One of the things you’re going to trigger as you go about your Skill rotations is the Victimize Key Passive that says Lucky Hit dealing direct damage to a Vulnerable enemy has a 30% chance to cause an explosion dealing 23% original damage to them and surrounding enemies. As such, you’re going to spread damage like crazy because everything around you is Vulnerable and they’ll stay this way as long as you keep attacking with Flurry. 

With the Aspect of Cruel Sustenance, explosions from Victimize will heal you for each damaged enemy up to a maximum of your Health. Since these will constantly go off, you’ll always heal yourself, thereby drastically improving survivability. Between this and the healing from Flurry, you’re going to be very hard to kill, allowing you to stay within the pack of enemies to spam Flurry. 

Poison Trap, Poison Imbuement & Shadow Clone

This leads me to the next part of this Trapper Diablo 4 Rogue Build. Here, you’ll need the Infiltrator’s Aspect so that Poison Trap no longer breaks Stealth and triggers no cooldown or arm time while you’re in Stealth. As such, you’ll be able to instantly activate all 4 Poison Traps upon triggering Concealment. It’ll have a longer cooldown but that doesn’t matter since you’ll end up dealing greater damage. 

So be sure to hit Concealment, drop 4 traps, activate Poison Imbuement over and over again, and then hit with Flurry so that everything around you goes down with those traps as they’re Poisoned like crazy and you’re pummeling them with one explosion after the next. You’ll also be able to knock them down and they can’t do anything about it. Not only are these enemies crowd-controlled but they’re also Vulnerable so they get absolutely demolished. 

If you’ve already pre-buffed your Weapons with Poison Imbuement, which I recommend doing, and if there are still survivors, you’re going to use Shadow Clone to summon a clone that’ll mimic your attacks to deal extra damage and wipe out anything on the screen.

For instance, if you’re using Flurry, it’s going to hit everything with Flurry as well. But what’s great about this Ultimate Skill is it refreshes your cooldown, allowing you to pop Concealment again to drop 4 more Poison Traps. It’s important to remember that Concealment can break you out of crowd control if you get in a really bad situation. Or you can activate your Ultimate, followed by Concealment.

Diablo 4 Trapper Endgame Rogue Build – Equipment, Gems & Aspects

At World Tier 3, you’ll gain access to many items together with their bonuses. It can be challenging to determine the right ones to keep for your Diablo IV Rogue Endgame Build without the proper direction. So in this section, I’ll discuss the best gear bonuses you should chase after together with the Gems and aspects to place in them. Remember that you can replace unwanted affixes at The Occultist and upgrade your gear at The Blacksmith for the best results.

Weapon

For the Weapon, the bonuses you’ll want include the following:

• Vulnerable Damage Bonus
• Critical Strike Damage
• Damage to Chilled Enemies
• Damage to Frozen Enemies
• Damage to Injured Enemies
• Basic Skill Damage

For the gem, you’ll want to place the Amethysts to deal more DoT.

Armor

For Armor, you have the Helm, Chest Armor, Gloves, Pants, and Boots. The major bonuses you’ll want here include the following:

• Life On Kill
• Cooldown Reduction
• Ranks of Poison Imbuement and Concealment
• Poison Damage
• Damage Reduction from Distant Enemies
• Damage Reduction from Close Enemies
• Damage
• Imbuement Skill Damage

Another way to CC enemies is by equipping the Penitent Greaves Unique Boots, which is the Frost portion of this Trapper Diablo 4 Rogue Build. But do note that it’s optional. If you happen to acquire these Boots, it’s best to max out the Frigid Finesse passive to increase your damage against Chilled and Frozen enemies. 

Now what Penitent Greaves does is it leaves a trail of Frost around you as you move so you’re going to Chill targets, letting you gain Energy back. What’s also really great about this is you deal extra damage against them due to the crowd control. 

And since you’re using Poison Imbuement and you now have a reliable way of Chilling enemies, you’ll want the Noxious Ice Aspect. This makes it so that when you deal Poison Damage with Poison Imbuement to Chilled enemies, they quickly become Frozen. In effect, you end up dealing greater damage on top of the extra Poison Damage, and you remain safe since they can’t retaliate. 

If you don’t get Penitent Greaves, you can swap it out for things that boost your protection such as the Aspect of the Protector to raise a damage shield. Alternatively, there’s the Smiting Aspect, which raises your Critical Strike Chance against Injured enemies or those with below 35% HP. This happens a lot because you frequently Poison targets around to finish them off. It also increases your crowd control duration when you’re Healthy, which happens a lot with this Diablo 4 Trapper Rogue Build because you’ll rarely take a lot of damage. 

For the gem, you’ll want to slot the Ruby to raise your Maximum Life. 

Jewelry

For Jewelry, you have the Amulet and 2 Rings. The gear bonuses you’ll need include the following:

• Damage Over Time
• Poison Damage
• Critical Strike Chance
• Damage to Crowd Controlled Enemies
• Damage to Close Enemies
• Ranks of All Imbuement Skills
• Trap Skill Damage

For your Amulet, you have the Cheat’s Aspect, which makes it so that you take less damage from CCed enemies. When you get hit by them via direct damage, your Movement Speed increases. Since Rogues are squishy, this is a great way to mitigate damage. 

For this D4 Rogue Build, you’ll need to manage your Energy because of Flurry’s high Attack Speed and you don’t want to be stuck there not doing any damage. As such, you’ll need the Aspect of the Umbral, which makes it so that when you crowd control an enemy upon constantly using your traps, you’ll gain back a ton of energy. 

You should then slot any of the gems that will grant additional Elemental Resistances based on what you currently lack. 

Diablo 4 Trapper Endgame Rogue Build – Paragon

At Level 50, you unlock the basic Paragon board to further enhance your Diablo 4 Trapper Endgame Rogue Build. I’m using the Control Glyph to increase your damage against crowd-controlled targets. In this particular case, it makes a lot of sense because you have the Chilled effect but you could easily change it to another one. 

For instance, the Tracker Glyph is really good. This increases your damage against Poisoned enemies and also makes it so your Poison Damage effects last 33% longer. 

Additionally, you’ll take the Exploit Weakness Rogue Paragon Board to further increase the damage Vulnerable enemies take from you for 6 seconds up to 15%. Remember to also heavily invest in nodes to raise your Vulnerable damage. 

Final Tips

The other Legendary Aspects you’ll want to keep a lookout for are the Aspect of Bursting Venoms and the Aspect of Corruption. The Aspect of Bursting Venoms makes it so that Lucky Hit Critical Strikes with Poison Imbued Skills have a chance to create toxic pools to deal additional Poison damage over time (DoT) and while standing in this pool, it has no cooldown nor charge limit so you can keep spamming this. 

Next is the Aspect of Corruption, which makes it so Imbuement Skills have up to 40% increased potency against Vulnerable enemies. Again, all of them are Vulnerable so this is very good to have. 

Meanwhile, the gear bonuses you want to focus on are Vulnerable Damage, particularly on your Weapon. You’ll also need the Damage to Crowd Controlled, Closed, and Injured Enemies to finish off enemies really, really quickly. And then finally, there’s DoT with Poison Damage. 

So that wraps up my Trapper Diablo IV Rogue Build. As you can see, certain Uniques are changing the way Builds in Diablo 4 are shaping. But you can definitely play this one without those Uniques. And when we get to World Tier 4, we’re going to have a lot more specialized Builds with specific pieces of Equipment to consider. Stay tuned for more Diablo 4 Build articles and videos. We’re going to have a few more World Tier 3 Builds and then we’ll start moving on to Tier 4, probably next week.

Be sure to check out our Diablo 4 Wiki for any other questions you have about the game and the Builds page if you are looking for more Diablo IV Builds, as well as our Ultimate Beginner Guide and All Classes Overview if you are looking for more Diablo 4 content!

The post Diablo 4 Rogue Build – Flurry Trapper appeared first on Fextralife.

Best Diablo 4 Sorcerer Builds – In this Diablo 4 Sorcerer Builds Guide, I’ll share the best Sorcerer Builds that we have so far. For now, these are comprised of Diablo 4 Builds ranging from Level 25-50 and Level 50-70. Note that I’ll be updating this list in the next coming days. Here, I’ll be explaining what makes the Sorcerer unique, how their playstyles change depending on the chosen Skills, and how this Class will transform later on in the game. If you’re searching for the Best Diablo 4 Sorcerer Builds to make the most of your time in the game, then this Guide is for you!

1. Elementalist Sorcerer (Beginner Build)
2. Fire & Ice Sorcerer (Beginner Build)
3. Ice Barrage Sorceress (Beginner Build)
4. Battlemage Sorcerer (Level 50-70 Build)
5. Pyromancer Sorcerer (Level 50-70 Build)
6. Permafrost Sorceress (Level 50-70 Build)
7. Lightning Speed Sorceress (Level 50-70 Build)

Best Diablo 4 Sorcerer Builds

The Diablo 4 Sorcerer Class excels in crowd control by utilizing Elemental Spells at their disposal. Players who enjoy Freezing, Burning, and Stunning enemies will definitely enjoy building this Class. What’s more, is that they’re able to cast Stationary Spells to deal AoE damage while triggering another Skill that’s suitable for single-target damage, thereby providing a diverse and engaging playstyle.

While the Sorceress has low Health, they compensate for this with the help of Barriers and Defensive Spells. Now in terms of Stats, you’ll be focusing on investing in Intelligence the most to improve Skill Damage, Dexterity to enhance Mana Regeneration, and Willpower to increase the chances of landing crits.

The Sorcerer’s Unique Class Mechanic is the Enchantment System that adds a layer of variety to further improve the effects of certain Skills even when they’re not being actively cast. This flexibility enables you to try out several Spells more fluidly without any limitations. 

If you aspire to wield potent magic to deal substantial damage and employ crowd control techniques from afar or up close, then the Diablo 4 Sorcerer is an ideal choice! They’re not only versatile but also destructive due to their formidable spellcasting abilities.

Best Diablo 4 Sorcerer Builds – Elementalist (Beginner Build)

• Active Skills: Arc Lash, Fireball, Flame Shield (From Gear), Frost Nova, Hydra, Blizzard, Fire Bolt (Must Have After Fiery Surge)
• Passive Skills: Glass Cannon, Fiery Surge
• Enchantment Slots: Fire Bolt & Frost Nova

The Elementalist Diablo 4 Sorcerer Build for World Tier 1 and World Tier 2 uses a wide range of Skills at their disposal such as Fireball to deal burst DPS and Hydra for some passive damage together with Frost Nova and Blizzard to Chill and Freeze enemies in place. 

The general strategy here is to summon the Hydra, activate Blizzard, and then pop in Frost Nova for the instant Freeze, and finally finish off groups of enemies with Fireball for the explosive damage. Flame Shield will be beneficial here to enhance your Burning Damage. Additionally, you’ll use Arc Lash to be able to regenerate Mana. On the other hand, if you’re only facing a handful of enemies, Hydra and Fireball are already sufficient. 

Against Elites and Bosses, you’ll employ a similar Skill rotation but you’ll need to be more strategic with your attacks to time them properly for maximum impact. You’ll cast Frost Nova the moment ads surround you. Remember to utilize cooldowns to first target them. 

Due to the Mana-intensive design of this D4 Sorc Build and the Offensive Skills being cast, you’ll need to prioritize gear. The Staff that will help the most is the Staff of Elemental Command because of the added damage bonus it provides for every type of element. Otherwise, equip one that grants Willpower and Intelligence buffs. Now for the Enchantment Slots, it’s important to use Fire Bolt to automatically add the Burning effect to Skills that deal direct damage such as Arc Lash. You’ll then slot Frost Nova, later on, to automatically trigger this Spell for free every time you cast Hydra.

If you want to play a versatile Diablo IV Sorceress Build that lets you smoothly transition to other Diablo 4 Sorcerer Builds at higher levels, then the Elementalist Sorcerer is a great starting point! Not only will you thrive in this dynamic and engaging Build but you’ll also get to wield powerful elemental magic to deal significant damage while impairing enemies left and right.

Best Diablo 4 Sorcerer Builds – Fire & Ice (Beginner Build)

• Active Skills: Frost Bolt, Frozen Orb, Teleport, Hydra, Blizzard, Inferno
• Passive Skills: Glass Cannon
• Enchantment Slots: Frozen Orb & Blizzard

The Fire & Ice Diablo 4 Sorcerer Build for World Tier 1 and World Tier 2, as the name implies, utilizes Fire and Ice Spells to deal the most amount of damage possible while employing crowd control techniques. The main strategy is to initiate combat by summoning the Hydra, which will independently attack enemies by launching fireballs.

You’ll then make use of Blizzard and Frozen Orb to control enemies by Chilling and eventually Freezing them momentarily. In all this chaos, you’ll be factoring in an amazing mobility Skill, specifically Teleport, which when activated, immediately grants Unstoppable to remove any conditions you may have had prior to using it.

When facing Elites and Bosses, this Diablo IV Sorc Build will incorporate the Inferno Skill. Doing so allows you to summon a Serpent that will then pull in targets while dealing huge Fire DoT. The goal here is to cast Inferno in areas where there is a high volume of enemies to incapacitate them with the pull, and then subsequently Freezing them with Blizzard and Frozen Orb. With the latter Skill, you’ll be able to make them explode. Additionally, you’ll need a Barrier against these tough foes through the Aspect of the Protector.

If you want to master the art of controlling the battlefield with your spells, then the Fire & Ice Diablo IV Sorcerer Build should be perfect for you. This Build offers a combination of DoT, crowd control, and survivability, making it a great choice for players seeking a dynamic gameplay experience.

Best Diablo 4 Sorcerer Builds – Ice Barrage (Beginner Build)

• Active Skills: Frost Bolt, Ice Shards, Teleport, Frost Nova, Ice Armor, Blizzard
• Passive Skills: Glass Cannon
• Enchantment Slots: Ice Shards & Frost Bolt

The Ice Barrage Diablo 4 Sorcerer Build for World Tier 1 and World Tier 2 predominantly makes use of Frost Skills to control the battlefield. The usual first step is to unleash Frost Nova to instantly deal huge damage, often killing weak enemies, while applying Vulnerability. When this Skill is on cooldown, you’ll want to continually cast Blizzard to Chill and then Freeze them later. And then, you’ll turn into a machine gun and unleash a barrage of Ice Shards.

One of the advantages of this D4 Sorceress Build is its excellent Mana management. Even when using Ice Shards and Blizzard, which consumes this resource, you rarely run out of it thanks to the Aspect of the Umbral and Aspect of Efficiency.

Against Elites and Bosses, there are a couple of things you should remember. First is to activate Ice Armor to not only activate a Barrier for added protection but also to restore more Mana. Furthermore, the Barrier’s strength further increases the more damage you inflict.

Every now and then when this Frost Spell isn’t available, you can jump in and cast Frost Bolt instead for the same purpose. Next, this Ice Barrage Diablo IV Build will use Frost Nova to make Bosses Vulnerable since they can’t be Frozen instantly. It will then be interchangeably triggered with Blizzard until you fill up their stagger bar. Doing so will finally result in being Frozen, which is the perfect time to continuously bombard them with Ice Shards.

If you wish to play a Diablo IV Sorcerer Build that dominates fights with frost-based techniques and powerful burst damage, then the Ice Barrage is the right one for you. With efficient Mana regeneration coupled with the ability to stagger enemies effectively, this Build offers an engaging and effective playstyle for those seeking to command the forces of ice in Diablo 4!

Best Diablo 4 Sorcerer Builds – Battlemage (Level 50-70 Build)

• Active Skills: Arc Lash, Fire Bolt, Fireball, Flame Shield, Frost Nova, Ice Armor, Hydra, Blizzard
• Passive Skills: Glass Cannon, Potent Warding, Align the Elements, Mana Shield, Protection, Elemental Attunement, Permafrost, Hoarfrost, Fiery Surge, Endless Pyre, Warmth, Vyr’s Mastery
• Enchantment Slots: Fire Bolt & Blizzard
• Paragon Board Glyphs: Tactician or Elementalist

This Level 50-70 version of the Elementalist Diablo 4 Sorcerer Build for World Tier 3 can be built from any Sorceress D4 Beginner Build due to the flexibility it provides. The important thing to consider is to focus on prioritizing Resistances, Barriers, and Cooldowns. 

The general strategy here is to first gather enemies and then immediately summon the Hydra, casting Frost Nova, and finally unleashing a barrage of Fireballs until your Mana runs out. You’ll then replenish this resource and stun enemies with Arc Lash. To enhance survivability and deal damage, you’ll utilize Flame Shield and Ice Armor, both of which will serve as your protective Barriers.

Furthermore, you’ll want to use your Fire Bolt in the first Enchantment Slot to ensure that all direct damage caused by the rest of your spells inflicts Burning. As a result, your AoE Arc Lash will not only deal Lightning Damage but Burning Damage as well when striking nearby enemies. When you reach Level 30, you can fill in the second Enchantment Slot. Here’s it’s best to place Blizzard to cast it for free every now and then as it continues to follow you. This allows you to eliminate the need to cast it in a specific location that targets may have already moved away from. 

The comprehensive control of your Ice and Fire Spells lets you halt incoming attacks while bombarding foes with Fireballs and thinning their ranks. Always prioritize targeting the purple-glowing enemies that grant Elemental Resistances to others in order to efficiently destroy their group.

If you’ve been looking for a tanky Diablo IV Sorceress Build that combines survivability, crowd control, and Elemental Damage, then you’re not going to go wrong with the Battlemage Sorcerer. With a solid mix of Freezing, Burning, and Stunning effects, this Build empowers players to impair enemies while dealing considerable damage!

D4 Sorcerer Builds – Pyromancer (Level 50-70 Build)

• Active Skills: Fire Bolt, Fireball, Flame Shield, Hydra, Meteor, Inferno
• Passive Skills: Elemental Attunement, Glass Cannon, Align the Elements, Mana Shield, Protection, Inner Flames, Devouring Blaze, Fiery Surge, Endless Pyre, Warmth, Soulfire, Esu’s Ferocity
• Enchantment Slots: Fireball & Firewall
• Paragon Board Glyphs: Tactician or Unleash

This Level 50-70 of the Pyromancer Diablo 4 Sorcerer Build for World Tier 3 prioritizes burst DPS over survivability, unlike the Battlemage D4 Sorc Build from before. But it does offer healing abilities as well as regeneration to help you overcome challenging situations. 

The standout feature of this Diablo IV Sorcerer Build lies in its remarkable burst damage, achieved by maximizing your Fire Skills, gear, and the Paragon System. With two Hydras to summon, frequent Flame Shields, and an Ultimate Ability that allows you to conjure multiple Meteors, you’ll have the power to swiftly obliterate Elites and even Dungeon Bosses alike. 

So your primary strategy involves summoning Hydras at the beginning of encounters and strategically positioning yourself to gather enemies. Against smaller foes, you’ll slay them with Fireballs or Meteors. But in the presence of Elites, you’ll employ Inferno to pull them into an AoE. Now due to the Supreme Inferno upgrade, you’ll have enough time to call forth several Meteors! As such, this Best Diablo 4 Sorcerer Build excels in battling large groups of enemies due to the bonuses granted by your passives when facing Burning or Immobilized foes, thereby amplifying your damage output.

In terms of the Enchantments, you’ll first slot the Fireball to trigger explosions that deal 50% of the Skill’s damage to all enemies. Additionally, there’s Firewall to improve your AoE capabilities, providing your Burning Damage with more chances to spawn extra Firewalls. 

If you want to play the Best Diablo IV Sorcerer Build that deals exceptional burst damage with the satisfaction of watching enemies crumble under the force of your fiery arsenal, then look no further because the Pyromancer Sorceress is the right one for you! While survivability may be a concern, the ability to decimate enemies efficiently makes this Build an enticing choice for players seeking to dominate the battlefield with flames.

D4 Sorcerer Build – Permafrost (Level 50-70 Build)

• Active Skills: Frost Bolt, Frozen Orb, Ice Shards, Ice Armor, Frost Nova, Blizzard, Deep Freeze
• Passive Skills: Glass Cannon, Elemental Attunement, Align the Elements, Mana Shield, Protection, Icy Veil, Snap Freeze, Cold Front, Permafrost, Icy Touch, Frigid Freeze, Hoarfrost, Avalanche
• Enchantment Slots: Ice Shards & Frozen Orb
• Paragon Board Glyphs: Tactician or Unleash

This Level 50-70 of the Permafrost Diablo 4 Sorcerer Build for World Tier 3 can be adapted from the previous Ice Barrage Sorcerer Beginner Build. This one offers good durability but requires careful positioning. 

The standout feature of this Build lies in its exception crowd control and AoE DPS, which involves pushing your Ice Skills to the limit on top of your gear selection and the Paragon System. With two Frozen Nova casts, the frequent activation of Ice Armor, powerful dual casts of Frozen Orb, and an Ultimate Ability that grants Immunity and deals massive AoE damage, you’ll be a force to be reckoned with.

So your strategy first involves initiating combat with Blizzard, followed by casting Frozen Orb in the direction of enemies. Strategically position yourself to gather them, unleash Frost Nova for the instant explosion and Freezing of targets, and then continue spamming Frozen Orb. When facing Elites, you can still freeze them, so it’s best to reserve Deep Freeze for situations where additional power, resources, or Health are needed.

This Diablo 4 Permafrost Build benefits from passives that stack bonuses against Chilled or Frozen enemies. However, it’s important to note that Bosses can be staggered the moment you fill up their meter, which is located under their Health bar. Doing so will subject them to the effects of Freeze, allowing you to deal more than 60% damage! 

To further enhance crowd control and DPS, you’ll first want to assign Ice Shards in the Enchantment Slot to target Frozen enemies. Next, remember to make use of Frozen Orb to automatically cast it as well and to amplify our AoE capabilities.

If you’re looking for the Best Diablo IV Sorceress Build that’s adept at crowd control and setting up powerful AoEs, then the Permafrost Sorcerer is great for you. While positioning and spatial awareness are crucial, the ability to Freeze and annihilate enemies quickly makes this Build a compelling choice for players seeking mastery over Ice Magic!

D4 Sorc Build – Lightning Speed (Level 50-70 Build)

• Active Skills: Arc Lash, Charged Bolts, Chain Lightning, Teleport, Ball Lightning, Unstable Currents
• Passive Skills: Glass Cannon, Elemental Attunement, Protection, Align the Elements, Static Discharge, Shocking Impact, Coursing Currents, Conduction, Convulsions, Vyr’s Mastery
• Enchantment Slots: Ball Lightning & Charged Bolts
• Paragon Board Glyphs: Tactician or Unleash with the Static Surge Sorceress Paragon Board

This Level 50-70 of the Lightning Speed Diablo 4 Sorcerer Build for World Tier 3 can be adapted from the Immortal Lightning Sorceress Build we made back in the Beta. Although it offers survivability, it also demands constant movement to maximize your damage potential.

The standout feature of this Lightning Speed Sorceress Diablo 4 Build lies in its remarkable speed, achieved through the use of Teleport as well as bonuses to Attack Speed and Movement Speed. By capitalizing on Shock Skills and enhancing them with gear and the Paragon System, you’ll unleash fantastic AoE damage while also excelling in single-target encounters. Moreover, your Ultimate Ability will be available every 60 seconds or less, allowing you to obliterate Nightmare Dungeon Bosses in under 30 seconds.

The general strategy for this D4 Sorc Build begins by casting Ball Lightning, followed by Teleporting yourself directly into the middle of enemies to inflict devastating damage right away. You also have Charged Bolts to swiftly eliminate remaining surrounding foes. If you’re facing large groups, I highly recommend using Unstable Currents to significantly boost your Attack Speed and to cast a random Lightning Skill for every other Lightning Skill you activate. Against Elites, be sure to stun them with Arc Lash and unleash Chain Lightning for great damage. 

In terms of Enchantment Slots of this Lightning Speed Diablo 4 Sorcerer Build, you’ll first assign Ball Lightning to grant Lucky Hits. Next is designating Charged Bolts, which provides you with a high chance to generate Charged Bolts every time you stun enemies. 

If you’re searching for the Best Diablo IV Sorcerer Build that excels in moving at an exhilarating pace, dealing immense AoE damage, and performing quick takedowns of even the most formidable foes, then this Lightning Speed Sorceress is for you! With your lightning-infused arsenal and lightning-fast movements, you’ll always win in combat.

That’s it for our Best Diablo 4 Sorcerer Builds! I hope you enjoyed our list and you learned something about D4 Sorc Builds! Be sure to check out our Diablo 4 Wiki for any other questions you have about the game and the Builds page if you are looking for more Diablo IV Builds, as well as our Ultimate Beginner Guide and All Classes Overview if you are looking for more Diablo 4 content!

The post Best Diablo 4 Sorcerer Builds appeared first on Fextralife.