If you want to go past Nightmare’s Duriel, you need some planning. Therefore, we’re sharing some of the best Diablo 2 builds for all seven classes, and we added the challenge level for each. The remaster debuted on September 23, 2021. If you’re a new player rather than a returning fan, you can start by checking the video below:
Best Diablo 2 Builds
Blizzard Sorceress
The easiest way to beat the game is with the Blizzard Sorceress build. It’s powerful, easy to build, and not gear-dependent. Nevertheless, your gear must cover resistances, defenses, and movement speed, mostly. You will focus on cold three and use Teleport and Energy Shield as your only defensive options. Luckily, cold spells can slow down and freeze enemies. You start putting points into Ice Bolt and then Ice Blast plus Frost Nova as your debuffing skill. Then, you continue building towards Blizzard, which should become your main active skill.
Frozen Orb Sorceress
Whereas the Fire is a tempting element, the truth is enemies with fire resistance become very common on Nightmare and Hell difficulties. So, we’re going for another cold Sorceress, this time using Frozen Orb. You’ll start the build with Ice Blast and Frozen Armor. Both are enough to carry you towards Glacial Spike, although Act II and Act III might become challenging. Then, you can build your way towards Frozen Orb, Ice Mastery, and either Chilling Armor or Shiver Armor. Also, put points on Teleport, Energy Shield, and Warmth for the extra mana regen. The gear is somewhat similar to the Sorceress above. You focus on +skill levels, resistances, faster cast rate, and extra life. The Lightning Javazon can build upon neat percent chances to avoid, dodge, and evade attacks and ailments. Also, add critical strikes, increased attack rating (hit chance), and pierce chance. You’ll build on these passives slowly but surely. Your offensive options are simple as they all work similarly. You’ll get Power Strike, Charged Strike, Lightning Strike, and Lighting Fury. It’s up to you to choose your primary active skill. To enhance your damage, you’re adding 20 points into Critical Strike. Your first levels should go into Magical arrow and Critical Strikes. Most importantly, you’ll unlock the mighty Valkyrie at level 30, and she will benefit from your defensive points on Dodge, Evade, and Avoid. The Strafe Bowazon needs powerful bows, though, with the highest DPS you can find. Other than that, search for extra attack speed, life stolen per hit, mana stolen per hit, faster run/walk, or faster hit recovery.
Blessed Hammer Paladin
Paladin’s are the most complex characters to use because you can only have one aura at a time. Because aura skills don’t synergize, wasting points on unnecessary skills is easier. Either way, the build goes for Blessed Hammer as the main active skill. Blessed Hammer synergizes with Vigor and Blessed aim, both auras included in the build. However, your main aura is Concentration, as it dramatically increases your attack damage. For defenses, use Holy Shield and Smite as utility skills. Also, search for Vitality, resistances, hit chance, extra skill points, and high armor on gear.
Fist of Heavens Paladin
Fist of Heavens build requires some heavy gear investment, but it can become one of the highest DPS builds in the game. Your gear needs to cover DPS, attack speed, defenses, resistances, and +skills. Thus, we’re focusing on Fist of Heavens as your primary skill. It’s a level 30 skill, though, and therefore you have no real skills other than Holy Bolt, which is not very strong. So, Normal difficulty is going to be very tough. Then, we’re picking Holy Shock as our aura. It synergizes with the main skill, and it’s pretty powerful. Lastly, we have two utility skills: Holy shield for defenses, and Conviction, an aura that lowers defenses and resistances.
Summoner Necromancer
The Summonancer can take a toll on your computer and your patience, but it’s the safest bet. Both in PvP and PvE, it has proven one of the best Diablo II builds of all time…if you take the time to raise the monsters. And the monsters are plenty, capable of overwhelming any area. You’ll work with Raise Skeleton, Skeleton Mastery, Rase Skeletal Mage, Fire Golem, and Revive. On top of that, Corpse Explosion is your utility option, plus the proper Masteries. Lastly, Life Tap is your curse, so your mobs can heal. We’re putting two points on Revive because the AI is not very good at handling revived monsters. Otherwise, be on the lookout for +skills on your gear, as it guarantees extra life, damage, and resistances for your summons.
Bone Spirit Necromancer
Your primary active skills are Bone Spear and Bone Spirit. You’d go for Bone Wall and Bone Prison as defensive options. We’re ditching Bone Armor because it absorbs a flat damage amount, which can become ineffective in the end-game. However, you may invest 20 points into Bone Armor by taking the points out of teeth. Lastly, we’re putting 5 points into the Decrepify curse. It slows down enemies and makes them take increased damage. Your gear should cover other areas like Vitality, extra skill points, and resistances.
Whirlwind Barbarian
Sadly, the Barbarian is the least balanced class. Often, melee classes on Diablo are weaker and flimsier than ranged characters. You can ease the issue with the Battle Command warcry, which temporarily raises your skills by one level. That said, if you want to pick the Barbarian, you can go for a Whirlwind build. Aside from Whirlwind, you’ll pick Shout and Battle Orders as your cries, Increased Stamina, Increased Speed, Iron Skin, and Natural Resistances. Build upon these passives slowly but steadily. Lastly, put 20 points into a weapon mastery once you’ve chosen your preferred weapon. That said, your gear must cover damage, attack rating, high defenses, attack speed, and plenty of Vitality.
Double Throw Barbarian
Our next Barbarian build focuses on ranged combat. It’s fast, able to kite, and tough. However, the build lacks true AoE power, so frenetic clicking is required. Your main skills are Double Throw and Double Swing. Both benefit from dual-wielding weapons, so you’ll want to equip throwable weapons like throwing axes, throwing daggers, or javelins. Afterward, you’ll invest in your Throwing Mastery, as well as Battle Command, Battle Orders, and Shout. For defensive options, focus on Iron Skin, Increased Speed, and Natural Resistance.
Wind Elemental Druid
The Elemental Wind Druid is a quintessential build. It’s fun, balanced, and capable of steamrolling through the game. However, it has a tough start, as low-tier elemental skills are not very powerful. That said, you’ll focus on Hurricane and Tornado as your primary active skills. You’ll level up with ten levels on Arctic Blast until you unlock Twister. You’ll want to focus on Oak Sage as well, which raises you and your party’s HP. Lastly, search for unique gear pieces that add points to Elemental Skills (like the Earthshaker). Other crucial gear mods are faster cast rate and resistances.
Summoner Druid
The summoner druid is not a top-tier character by any means. Nevertheless, it’s a fun class, handy for party-based playtime. Solo PvE is okay, flimsy at first, but it can hold its ground after Act I. Also, the Druid is the only class that gets synergy bonuses from +skill points on gear. Early on, you’ll level up with the Poison Creeper and the Werewolf. The Poison Creeper is very strong early on. After that, you’ll pick Werebear for extra survival, and start leveling your Spirit Wolf, Dire Wolf, and finally, the Grizzly Bear. Lastly, your Oak Sage is your defensive option, alongside the Carrion vine, to replenish life. Lastly, the Shockwave skill is paramount as it’s an easy AoE stun. So, the idea is you turn into a Werewolf for a ton more of HP and summon your beasts. Then, you simply spam Shockwave all over while your wolfs, and your bear bite your way through the game.
Trapper Assassin
The Assassin is the most complex class in Diablo II. In particular, the Martial Arts three thrives on charge mechanics that are hard to utilize during combat. That’s why we’re going for a trapper build instead. It’s a challenging build to get going, but it’s unique, fun, and distinct from any other class and builds. The build uses Wake of Inferno, Death Sentry, and Lighting Sentry as the primary attack skills. The high point investment on the trapper three leaves you with Fade as your only defensive option. Fade can raise your resistance and make you more resistant to curses as well. Your gear should cover defensive stats like resistance, mana, life, and hit recovery. Additionally, extra skill points are a good option for the Trapper Assassin.
Phoenix Strike Assassin
The Martial Arts Assassin relies on charging up skills by repetition, which means standing still to attack. That’s a dangerous mechanic, and thus you have to protect your hero with Weapon Block and Fade. The Shadow Warrior will mimic your abilities. Speaking of which, your main skill is Phoenix Strike, and you must build upon some of its synergies as leveling skills. That includes Fist of Fire, Claws of Thunder, and Blades of Ice. On top of that, you must choose a finishing move to get the extra charge bonus: we went for Dragon Talon. Lastly, put 20 points on Venom for the sweat DoTs: it’s a boss killer. Your gear should make you faster. Your best bets are mods like faster hit recovery, faster attack speed, and faster run/walk speed. Additionally, every defensive bonus you find works wonders for the Phoenix Strike Assassin.
Where Do You Put the Attribute Points?
You gain five attribute points per level, and the idea is to put most of them on Vitality for most classes. You’d need 100 to 120 points in Strength for the best end-game gear, and you can get plenty of points with charms and gear itself. Similarly, you’d need about 100 to 120 dexterity points for most ranged weapons. Putting extra points on Strength or Dexterity for defensive/offensive purposes won’t yield significant results. Lastly, you don’t want to put points on Energy unless strictly necessary. A Sorceress using Energy Shield could benefit from 20 to 25 points into the stat, though.
