[Top 5] Diablo 3 Best Crusader Builds Right Now

Updated:

30 Sep 2020

[Top 5] Diablo 3 Best Crusader Builds Right Now

Look good, play good when you have the best build equipped

I remember when the Crusader update was released for Diablo. Through several moves and trade-ins, I found myself not owning the game for a moment. While still in college, spending $60 on a brand new copy of the game was out of the question. So I found a used copy. I took every physical copy of a video game I owned to Gamestop and traded them in for a total of maybe $5. It was worth it. I bought Diablo 3 for the 3rd time in less than 3 years - all to play with the Crusader class.

There is something fantastical about playing with a heavy shield and oversized weapon. It feels like I am more grounded, more human. It feels like a Crusader might truly exist somewhere in the world. Their builds are defensively focused, but brilliant to play and combo with.

5. Leveling Build

Get used to Punish-ing people early on

The Crusader can be a dreadfully slow class. I love the power that they can distribute, and their armor makes them virtually indestructible. However, if you are looking to experience the Crusader to its fullest, use this build.

Using the Limitless rune on the Blessed Hammer skill, and pairing that with Steed Charge helps to speed up the Crusader, while also providing constant damage. Having those hammers swirl around while you hunt for more monsters to build kill multipliers is great fun.

With Laws of Valor, Condemn, and Provoke as your rotating damage boosters and enemy damage reducers, I don’t think you’ll have much trouble jumping right up to level 70. If you are a hardcore player, make sure your passive skills aid you in health and armor. There’s no reason to risk your character to level up faster if you are only to die in the end.

The passive skills originally used in this build are mainly focused on damage and speed increases. If you have enough armor for this to be useful, it can make the leveling process even easier.

What's good about this Build:

Passive skills are flexible
Great for kill multipliers
Constant damage being done
Speeds up leveling process

Full Build details: https://www.icy-veins.com/d3/crusader-leveling-and-fresh-70-guide

4. Aegis of Valor Fist of the Heavens Build

Heaven is with thee

Most of the popular builds in Diablo come with the added component of gear farming. It’s important to know, these armor sets are not necessary for the build themselves. They only add in the bonuses after you’ve assigned your active and passive skills. For this build, the damage boost you would receive for the Fist of Heavens skill - 20,000% increase - might be worth it.

This build is great for the Crusader. It’s as simple as that. Though it may be used most of the time for farming and Greater Rift progression, there is no reason that any high-level Crusader can’t use it. It is fun, powerful, and lets the player control the battlefield from afar. Something the Crusader isn’t especially known for.

For this build, you’ll equip one of the more valuable passive skills, I think, in the entire game. Finery gives you 1.5% more strength for each gem socketed in your equipped gear. Players are already searching for gear with sockets, and even transmogrifying gear to add more sockets. This passive skill only adds to their effectiveness. That being said, if you find yourself with a limited number of sockets, maybe pass on the skill for now.

What's good about this Build:

Upgradeable with armor set
Great for speed farming
Strong distance attacks
Can be used by any high-level Crusader

Full Build Details: https://www.icy-veins.com/d3/crusader-aegis-of-valor-heavens-fury-build

3. Invoker Thorns Build

Hammer Time!

This might as well be called the “Can’t Touch This” build. Though, there may be some copyright issues. The most important part of this build comes not with the skills, but with a legendary gem. Boyarsky’s Chip adds 16,000 Thorns damage. Start completing Greater Rifts right now to get this gem socketed in one of your rings or amulet. Without it, the build loses a lot of its potency.

Since you are inviting enemies to come and hit you, this is a slow-moving, up close and personal build. Punish, Akarat’s Champion, and Steed Charge are your forces of power, while the passive skill Iron Maiden grants you 50% more Thorns damage. Now you see why the gem is so important. The Finery passive skill makes a comeback, and maybe should be used in every build.

Your rotations will see you increasing attack speed, which grants the Crusader a little bit of velocity. However, other than the small speed boost you get from Steed Charge, you’ll find yourself creeping through the maps.

What’s good about this Build:

Massive thorns damage
Great for farming
Attack speed boosts are fun
Requires gem hunting (which means leveling up more)

Full Build Details: https://www.icy-veins.com/d3/crusader-invoker-thorns-build

2. Blessed Shield Build

You might as well team up with the Avengers after arming yourself with this build

I am team Iron Man, but turn up your Captain America with this build. Throwing your shield like a boomerang makes for countless hours of fun. Even better, there is no specific armor set that pairs with this build! Make sure you have as many legendary items as possible. But if you lack them, this is still one of the most fun builds.

Pair your Blessed Shield active skill with some familiar moves: Condemn, Provoke, Laws of Valor, Iron Skin, and Akarat’s Champion. These rotating skills are too reliable to not use. They are going to be where your main sources of power come from. However, play around with the runes in each skill. You may find a pairing that works better for the gear you have equipped.

What’s good about this Build:

Experimental
Fun
No armor set required
Good for Greater Rifts

Full Build Details: https://www.icy-veins.com/d3/crusader-blessed-shield-build-with-lod

1. Crusader Roland’s Sweep Attack and Shield Bash Build

My shield: weapon or armor?

Shield Bash is my favorite move to use as the Crusader. I think it speaks volumes about the character. It’s a weird metaphor for the character being defensively focused, yet having their main source of defense, also be their primary offense.

This build absolutely requires the Crusader Roland armor set. However, by equipping just 4 of the 6 items, you’ll receive a 13,000% damage boost for Sweep Attack and Shield Bash. The grind for the gear is worth it. Other than the two main power punches, use Iron Skin, Condemn, and Laws of Valor.

Since the damage buffs you are receiving are so high, there is a ton of versatility with this build. Feel free to experiment with the runes of both Sweep Attack and Shield Bash. This is the glory of Diablo. Though these builds use many of the same base skills, there are still freedoms within these skills. Don’t commit to any rune if you don’t feel comfortable or are not having a blast while using it.

What’s good about this Build:

Shield Bash ultimate power
Strong base skills
Armor Set bonuses are potent
Experimental

Full Build Details: https://www.icy-veins.com/d3/crusader-rolands-sweep-attack-build

Note: The build listed above does not use Shield Bash, which makes no sense to me, seeing as the bonuses received from the full armor set are so valuable.

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