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Best Early Game Builds in Diablo 4

Here are the best early game builds in Diablo 4, listing all the most important early skills for each class.

Serhii Patskan

Published: Jun 6, 2023 02:28 pm

The first 15 levels are crucial in Diablo 4 for establishing the main direction of your character’s build. Each of the five classes has its own peculiarities to take into account, and some skills are better earlier than others. Our guide will showcase the best early game builds in Diablo 4, listing the most important skills to invest your points in.

Diablo 4: Best Early Game Leveling Builds

Diablo 4 Best Sorcerer Early Game Build

Sorcerer gains some incredible AoE skills from the very beginning, such as Chain Lightning, and that’s what your early build should be focused on. You can boost your damage with critical strikes, and push towards the defensive skills at about Level 10. Once you reach Level 15, you can invest in your first Enchantment, which should also be Chain Lightning.

Level 2: Arc Lash
Level 3: Enhanced Arc Lash
Level 4: Chain Lightning
Level 5: ‍Enhanced Chain Lightning
Level 6: Greater Chain Lightning
Level 7: Flickering Arc Lash
Level 8: Teleport
Level 9: Ice Armor
Level 10: Frost Nova
Level 11-14: Chain Lightning
Level 15 Enchantment: Chain Lightning

After that, I recommend picking up even more defensive skills, as your damage will be well established by that point. Once you reach Level 30 for your second Enchantment, pick up Fire Bolt to boost your damage. As you move even further, I suggest improving your Teleportation for higher mobility.

Diablo 4 Best Rogue Early Game Build

In the early game, Rogue requires as much Energy as possible. You can focus on the actual damage with Twisting Blades, which defines your first 15 levels. This skill requires high mobility, so you are able to quickly reposition yourself when needed. The final steps of your early game build should focus on defensive skills.

Level 2: Puncture
Level 3: Enhanced Puncture
Level 4: Twisting Blades
Level 5: ‍Enhanced Twisting Blades
Level 6: Advanced Twisting Blades
Level 7: Fundamental Puncture
Level 8: Dash
Level 9: Shadow Step
Level 10-12: Twisting Blades
Level 13: Dark Shroud
Level 14: Enhanced Dark Shroud
Level 15: Subverting Dark Shroud

In the further parts of the game, I’d primarily focus on building up more utility with Poison Trap. Then, go for more Energy recovery with Inner Sight ability. Soon enough, you’ll be dealing with bosses and elites like they’re nothing.

Diablo 4 Best Necromancer Early Game Build

I was surprised to learn that the infamous Necromancer is actually very vulnerable in the early game. That’s why I’d recommend focusing the early build around Bone Splinters basic skill, which summons a number of skeletons that can absorb all that early damage. You can build up your Scythe’s damage with Sever skill, and eventually tune into some crowd control.

Level 2: Bone Splinters
Level 3: Enhanced Bone Splinters
Level 4: Sever
Level 5: ‍Enhanced Sever
Level 6: Paranormal Sever
Level 7-10: Sever
Level 11: Unliving Energy
Level 12-14: Imperfectly Balanced
Level 15: Corpse Explosion

After Level 20, I see no harm in respecing your Bone Splinters basic skill to Reap for more damage. Once you reach mid to late game, focus on passives with the main one being Shadowblight. In the end, you’ll have high immunity to almost any type of damage.

Diablo 4 Best Druid Early Game Build

Druid players must find the way to generate Spirit as early as possible, so the basic skill of choice here is Storm Strike. The real damage comes in the shape of Tornado, and some passives that help absorb incoming damage. Here you’ll start summoning wolves that will serve as live shields akin to Necro’s skeletons.

Level 2: ‍Storm Strike
Level 3: Enhanced ‍Storm Strike
Level 4: Tornado
Level 5: ‍Enhanced Tornado
Level 6: Raging Tornado
Level 7: Fierce Storm Strike
Level 8-11: Tornado
Level 12: Earthen Bulwark
Level 13: Enhanced Earthen Bulwark
Level 14: Nature’s Reach
Level 15: Wolves

Once you’re fully engaged in the midgame, I strongly suggest developing Druid’s mobility and damage with Trample. You can start unlocking a whole slew of passive skills that generate more Spirit, and help you build up defenses.

Diablo 4 Best Barbarian Early Game Build

Barbarian is a slow class at first, which is why you need to invest into Lunging Strike basic skill to improve Barb’s speed of movement. Soon enough you can go for Rend skill, which builds up Bleed damage but has a short range. Eventually, you’ll be able to unlock Shouts and Death Blows to increase your damage output and range.

Level 2: ‍Lunging Strike
Level 3: Enhanced ‍Lunging Strike
Level 4: Rend
Level 5: ‍Enhanced Rend
Level 6: Furious Rend
Level 7: Battle Lunging Strike
Level 8: Rallying Cry
Level 9: Enhanced Rallying Cry
Level 10: Tactical Rallying Cry
Level 11-12: Rend
Level 13: War Cry
Level 14: Enhanced War Cry
Level 15: Power War Cry

As soon as you reach this point in your progress, I’d start using two-handed swords for boosting that Bleed damage. At level 20 you can go for the Death Blow skill, which is essential for Barbarian, and finalize your character with passives that improve your Shouts.

Those are the best early game builds in Diablo 4. Stay tuned for more Diablo 4 tips and tricks articles right here.

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Author

Serhii Patskan

Contributing Writer

Serhii is the Writer at GameSkinny. He's been writing for GameSkinny since 2015. Before that, he's been writing for various outlets and playing video games, which eventually turned into a passion. The video games that have contributed the most to his enthusiasm for writing about this industry are Magic: The Gathering, Dark Souls, and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.