Diablo 4 Druid best build, skills, aspects, gear and gems
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With Diablo 4 arriving on Game Pass, even more players will be able to get to grips with the Druid class, and see for themselves the diverse array of best Druid build options available to them.
Figuring out which class to play in Diablo 4 is one of the first questions you'll have to answer, and each class has their own distinct kits that make them unique to play and customise. For example, Barbarians are much more offensive-heavy and close-quarters-combat oriented, whereas Sorcerers utilise magic to attack and support from range.
For the Druid in particular, to make the most of which the class has to offer, we've put together this guide to run through the best Druid build in Diablo 4, as well as how to play the Druid, and what you'll want to keep an eye out for when it comes to the best skills, aspects, gear, and gems.
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How to play as the Druid in Diablo 4
When compared to the other classes you can play with in Diablo 4, the Druid stands out because of how balanced the class’s kit is. It not only gives you quite good tools that improve survivability, but the Druid also has some solid skills to cause damage, although you won’t reach expressive numbers. In addition to all of that, the Druid is one of the easiest classes to play with. One important downside of this class that you should keep in mind is that Spirit, its resource to cast core skills, is not automatically replenished and the class has very few tools to improve this aspect.
This build makes the most out of these qualities involves utilizing the class Werebear form and some passives you have access to. The concept behind it is to start attacking enemies with your Basic Skill Maul as well as your Wolves to lure enemies, generate Spirit points, and Fortify you. Try to cast Hurricane and Debilitating Roar whenever they’re available to maximize your passives.
Once you have enough Spirit points, you can then start using your Core Skill Pulverize. This simple combination is quite potent with this build mostly because of the Overpower effect. In Diablo 4, Overpower is bonus damage you can cause based on your current life plus Fortify. So, considering you’re going to be consistently fortified in addition to the fact that, due to the enhanced version of Pulverize, this skill is always going to be Overpowered from time to time, your Druid will hit hard.
While building up Fortify to attack enemies your focus, this build also has tools to mitigate damage, lowering the chances of you getting killed or running out of potions. In any case, you always have the Ultimate Skill Grizzly Rage to help you clear a room full of enemies or kill a boss quickly.
Current meta and community picks for best Druid builds in Diablo 4
When looking overall at the game's recent patches, as well as what Diablo 4's playerbase has been saying, there are various options of items and skills that are strong for the Druid right now.
Going by website Wowhead, they're recommending right now the Pulverize Druid and Lightning Storm Druid as two of the best builds you can put together for endgame content in the game's current season, Season of the Construct.
The Lightning Storm build in particular has most likely risen in popularity due to the new Unique item Unsung Ascetic's Wraps released in Season of the Construct that can be obtained to enhance that ability. Specifically, it grants an additional strike to Lightning Storm each time it grows, and makes it so that Critical Strikes cause lightning to strike twice and deal 10-20% additional damage.
This is all without mentioning the possible synergies or builds that could be put together alongside the spider-like companion you'll have in Season of the Construct. Not just that, but who even knows how this build - or others - may play out in the future considering Diablo 4's ever-evolving sandbox.
As always though, we recommend experimenting with various abilities yourself to see what combinations you're able to come up with yourself, and what builds and gear may be best for a particular activity or encounter.
Diablo 4 Druid best skills
Here you can find all the skills you must unlock and maximize first to make this Druid build work properly in Diablo 4. There are a few nodes in the Skill Tree where there is room for more flexibility, but in general, it's important to follow the list. As explained, this is a build based on Shapeshifting, using the Werebear form to convert fortitude into damage.
Basic Node
- Maul: This is your basic attack which transforms you into a bear for some time while you slash enemies. With the Enhanced Maul, you receive Fortify based on your Base Life every time an enemy is hit by Maul. Be sure to also pick the Wild Maul upgrade which gives you a good chance of Knocking enemies Down.
Core Node
- Heart of the Wild: You need to spend at least one Skill Point on this passive to unlock another one, but this is not a bad ability, considering it increases your Maximum Spirit.
- Abundance: This is a passive you have access to through Heart of the Wild and it will increase the amount of Spirit your Basic Skills generate. Since there aren’t as many tools as we would like in Druid’s kit to help generate resources, having this passive up is extremely helpful.
- Pulverize: One of your main damage sources in this build, Pulverize shapeshifts you into a Werebear to slam the ground, hitting all surrounding enemies. Initially, it doesn’t deal as much damage, but once you have access to Enhanced Pulverize which grants you a Pulverize buffed by Overpower from time to time, and the Raging Pulveriza upgrade which stuns enemies hit by the Overpowered Pulverize, you will start seeing the numbers going up.
Defensive Node
When it comes to which skill you should pick in the Defensive Node, while Debilitating Roar is your best option since it synergizes pretty well with all the other bear skills, you should know the Blood Howl is an option you can consider in case you feel a lack of Spirits.
- Blood Howl: The first tier of this skill heals you based on your Maximum Life whenever you cast it. Because it has a considerably low Cooldown, it gives Druids a good sustain. With the Enhanced Blood Howl you get a cooldown reduction when enemies are killed, and by upgrading it to Innate Blood Howl you receive Spirit points when casting the skill.
- Debilitating Roar: By using this skill, the damage dealt by enemies is reduced for a period of time. After unlocking Enhanced Debilitating Roar, this skill Fortifies you based on your Base Life. Now, for the upgrade you should pick for this skill, Preserving Debilitating Roar is a more solid option since it heals you for the duration of the skill.
Companion Node
- Wolves: The wolves might not look but they are a great source of damage and a good one for Druid when dealing with single targets as bosses. Once you unlock it, two wolves start following you and attacking nearby enemies. Although they start attacking automatically, you can use the Wolves skill to order them to attack a specific target, dealing a lot more damage. Enhanced Wolf Pack increases the damage the wolves deal to enemies that are Immobilized, Stunned, Slowed, or Poisoned. This skill gets even better with the Ferocious Wolf Pack upgrade, which gives your Wolves’ attacks a chance to Fortify you for a certain amount of your Base Life.
- Clarity: One of the passive skills in this node, Clarity works as another tool you have to generate Spirit, since you gain a little bit when transforming into Human form with this ability.
Wrath Node
- Hurricane: Since this build forces you to be surrounded by enemies, Hurricane is a good area-of-effect attack to damage the enemies around you. Besides that, with the Enhanced Hurricane, enemies damaged by this skill are Slowed for a period, and with the Savage Hurricane upgrade, these enemies deal less damage.
- Mending: In case you feel that you are getting too close to dying and lacking healing, you can pick this passive which increases the Healing received.
Ultimate Node
- Grizzly Rage: Now, for your Ultimate, Grizzly Rage basically buffs you while in the form of the Werebear, giving you bonus damage and damage reduction. The damage bonus gets higher as you keep the form up. You can also extend the duration of this form by killing enemies. Unlock Prime Grizzly Rage to become Unstoppable in this form and Supreme Grizzly Rage to gain a percentage of your Base Life as Fortify.
Key Passives Node
- Ursine Strength: Considering the other skills we use in this build, this passive is by far the best option. It gives you additional Maximum Life while in Werebear form as well as after leaving the form. When Healthy, it also increases your damage.
Diablo 4 Druid best aspects
When it comes for the best aspects for Druids in Diablo 4, we begin with the Shockwave Aspect, the best aspect for this build. It adds to Pulverize the effect of creating a shockwave that deals a percentage of damage to enemies. This aspect is incredibly powerful and it must be your priority.
Right after, we have the Alpha aspect. It transforms your wolves into Werewolves, increases their damage, and they can now inflict Rabies that leaves a damage-over-time stack on enemies. Another solid option to run with this build is the Aspect of Retaliation increases the damage you deal with your Core Skill based on your Fortify.
Druid has access to some pretty interesting aspects that can massively improve this build. It’s important to keep in mind that this build is not tied to aspects, so it still works if you don’t have them.
Diablo 4 Druid best gear
When running this Druid build in Diablo 4, you want to equip pieces of gear that raise your most important attributes, such as Overpower damage and Maximum Life. It’s important to know that, in case your gear comes with any of the four main attributes, you should prioritize Willpower, Dexterity, and Intelligence. These are responsible for increasing Overpower and Skill damage, Critical Strike, and Resource Regeneration.
Diablo 4 Druid best gems
As explained already, one of your main sources of damage with this Diablo 4 Druid build is the Overpower effect. Considering this, Ruby is one of the most important gems for you. When used in a weapon, it increases your Overpower Damage. In addition to that, when put into an armor piece, rubies increase your Maximum Life as well.
Alongside rubies, Topaz is a solid option because it increases your Basic Skill damage. This will improve Maul which is a skill that you cast consistently when running this build.
How Seasons affect Druid builds in Diablo 4
Much like other live service games, Diablo 4 features a seasonal structure where it introduces new content and rewards to the game over the course of a few months, along with various balance changes and season-specific systems that support those individual releases.
Whilst the balance changes and various new items are permanent, available to earn and keep in both the Eternal and Seasonal Realms, various aspects of a seasonal release are only temporary, supported only for the duration of that season.
When a Season in Diablo 4 ends, all of its season-specific content will be removed from the game, and your character is transferred from the Seasonal Realm to the Eternal Realm with all non-season-specific progress kept intact.
This means that ultimately the meta can shift pretty consistently in Diablo 4, and what might be the best items or builds at one point in the game's life may no longer be possible - if using season-specific aspects - or rebalanced entirely just months later.
As an example with Diablo 4's Season of the Construct, you'll be able to upgrade and customise a small spider-like Construct machine companion that accompanies you on your adventures in Sanctuary. This particular element will then leave the game before a new season and set of features takes its place.
This type of seasonal rotation does result in much more customisation and experimentation with such a constantly-changing meta, especially when you'll be needing to create a new character whenever you're jumping into the latest seasonal content for the first time.
Whilst all of the above is true, it is worth pointing out however, that a couple of aspects from previous seasons have slowly returned in a new form beyond their initial release.
For example, a select few Malignant Hearts from Season of the Malignant returned at a later date as new Rings that repurposed abilities available in that release. Additionally, some of the Vampiric powers from Diablo 4's second season have also been reprised as a permanent addition in the form of Legendary Aspects that'll remain in the game forever.
This is all to say, there's a ton of options for how you can build your character in Diablo 4, and there's constantly a large amount of experimentation to be had, and a variety of ways to take on all the game's challenges.
For more on Diablo 4, be sure to head on over to our tips and guides page for a full rundown of all the essentials you need to know about, as well as our guides on how to level up fast, how Gems work after their rework in season 2, and our Sorcerer build guide.