Druid has always been known for having the most build variety between all classes in Sanctuary, and this remains true into Season 2, with even more variety and new builds coming up from Vampiric Powers and new Unique items! So here are the 5 best Druid Builds in Season of Blood!
5. Lightning Storm
This build excels in clearing thanks to its exceptional range and area of effect. It boasts impressive movement speed and solid defenses, making it suitable for a fast and smooth late-endgame experience. It can navigate the late game without a Spirit Generator, offering versatility.
Lightning Storm, with its sizable area and the ability to target anywhere on the screen, makes this one of the premier farming builds. The addition of Grizzly Rage and Aspect of the Rampaging Werebeast turbocharges the build by significantly reducing the resource cost, requiring the inclusion of Tempest Roar.
For defense, Grizzly Rage also provides a reliable form of Unstoppable, warding off crowd control. The Masochistic Boon pairs with Lightning Storm, offering an excellent source of healing further supplemented by Blood Howl. Additional Damage Reduction is provided by Hurricane and Cyclone Armor, enhancing the build's survivability.
This build heavily relies on Legendary Aspects and Unique items. While it can be played without Grizzly Rage, the Resource Cost Reduction it provides elevates the build to the next level. It is advisable to wait until acquiring Dire Wolf's Aspect, Aspect of the Rampaging Werebeast, and Tempest Roar before fully embracing this build.
What Lightning Storm Excels In:
- Fantastic Clearing.
- Easy to play (hold a button down.
- Fairly Tanky.
Pick Lightning Storm if you Like:
- Cosplaying as Thor, commanding storms.
- Instantly clear your screen with a button press.
- Be a big wolf with magical powers.
Vampiric Powers and Unique Items:
- Bathe in Blood (Major) - An excellent fit for this build with major offensive and defensive buffs. The only drawback is the 8-second cooldown.
- Anticipation (Minor) - This is a huge boost to our Grizzly Rage uptime, allowing us to spam Grizzly Rage even more.
- Metamorphosis (Major) - An incredible source of Unstoppable that also powers Tibault's Will in the Speedfarming Variant.
- Ravenous (Minor) - The amount of Attack Speed we get from this is incredible. This build is capable of reaching the Movement Speed cap, so the value here is maximized.
- Sanguine Brace (Minor) - The Fortify from this is nice, the Critical Strike Chance is better. We get extra value from Critical Strikes thanks to Envenom.
- Tempest Roar – Core component of the build, essentially mandatory.
- Mad Wolf's Glee (For Speed farming variant) – Body armor that makes it so you’re always in Werewolf Form, granting a ton of bonuses while doing so.
For more information, check here: https://maxroll.gg/d4/build-guides/lightning-storm-druid-guide
4. Boulder
This build is all about casting as many Boulders as possible, which rotate around your Hurricane and rip enemies apart in a vortex-style area of effect. In Diablo IV, the Boulder Druid closely resembles the classic Hammerdin from Diablo II, making it the closest equivalent in the game to that iconic character. It revolves around Dolmen Stone, which enables this unique play style, and Aspect of Metamorphic Stone which converts Boulder into a Core Skill.
Without Dolmen Stone, Symbiotic Aspect, and Aspect of Metamorphic Stone, the final build is not functional. Make sure to acquire them before transitioning to this build.
Once you acquire the core items, the gameplay is straightforward. Cast Hurricane then start spamming Boulder to deal Damage and reset the Cooldown of Hurricane thanks to Symbiotic Aspect and Nature's Fury. Use Blood Howl to gain Attack Speed and Heal yourself. Cast Petrify defensively against dangerous threats or offensively to gain a massive multiplier to your Critical Strikes. Aspect of the Umbral is amazing to refill your Spirit passively via the constant Knockbacks from Boulder and the Slow from Hurricane. Weave in Wind Shear at least every 4 seconds to keep all of your Buffs up and Trample as well for Spirit Generation or to rapidly move to another position.
What Boulder Excels In:
- Extremely Tanky
- Resource Free play style
- High Single-target damage
- Unique play style
Pick Boulder if you Like:
- Creating a circle of death around you
- Old Hammerdin builds from D2 or Spectral Helix in PoE
- Unique builds
Vampiric Powers and Unique Items:
- Ravenous - A massive Attack Speed multiplier. This build is able to get very close to the Movement Speed cap, making the Ravenous Power super valuable.
- Metamorphosis - This Power provides a consistent source of Unstoppable, deals moderate damage, and is your main source of applying the Vampiric Curse. It is an excellent way to keep Ghostwalker Aspect active.
- Prey on the Weak - The damage bonus is solid, but when used in conjunction with other Vampiric Powers that can inflict a Curse, this Power provides a steady and reliable source of Vulnerable.
- Moonrise - This Power scales both your Attack Speed and Movement Speed. A single cast of Wind Shear is often enough to hit 5 targets, giving us full benefits easily.
- Undying - This Power is your most reliable source of healing. It makes face-tanking most content a breeze.
- Dolmen Stone – Build Enabling amulet and what makes Boulder spin around you.
- Tempest Roar - An insanely strong helmet that will grant you the power needed for rushing through the game.
- Tibault's Will - Fantastic pair of pants that grants you 50 Resource and up to 40%x damage multiplier upon getting Unstoppable.
For more information, check here: https://maxroll.gg/d4/build-guides/boulder-druid-guide
3. Werewolf Tornado
Do you remember the days of the Tornado Druids in Diablo 2, where it often felt like not a single tornado hit its mark due to the seemingly erratic pathing?
In Diablo 4, this issue is largely resolved thanks to Stormchaser's Aspect. It simplifies the process as Tornados tear through Open World Content and Nightmare Dungeons of any Tier!
Before transitioning to this build, it's essential to secure Tempest Roar and the Dire Wolf's Offensive Aspect. Without these, the final build won't function AT ALL. We strongly recommend obtaining these components and more.
Once you have everything in place, the gameplay is remarkably beginner-friendly. It's almost as if you can sum it up as "Close your eyes and keep the Tornado hotkey pressed." However, you'll still need to utilize other skills, so no shortcuts there.
To get started, cast a couple of Wind Shears to generate some Spirit, then transition to casting Tornado. With Grizzly Rage active via the Dire Wolf's Aspect, Spirit generation from your Paragon Board, and the Lucky Hit procs from Tempest Roar, you'll have the ability to unleash a barrage of your Core skill.
Given the recent changes to Critical Strikes and Rampaging Werebeast, Perfect Storm takes the spotlight as our preferred Key Passive.
What Werewolf Tornado Excels in:
- High Single-target damage.
- Amazing Clearing.
- Fun play style
- Can be played as a ranged-ish druid.
Pick Werewolf Tornado Druid if you Like:
- Throwing Tornadoes that hunt down your enemies
- Becoming The Storm
- Breezing through Nightmare Dungeons
Vampiric Powers and Unique Items:
- Ravenous - For endgame werewolf builds, where movement speed often nears the 200% cap, this Power is a clear choice, granting a substantial 80% boost to Attack Speed when activated!
- Anticipation - Given our reliance on the combination of Grizzly Rage and Dire Wolf's Aspect to supply substantial Spirit Cost Reduction and Movement Speed, maintaining uptime on our Ultimate skill is crucial.
- Prey on the Weak - While it offers a commendable damage boost, its true strength emerges when used alongside other Vampiric Powers capable of inflicting a Curse. This Power ensures a consistent and dependable source of Vulnerable.
- Metamorphosis - This Power serves as a dependable source of Unstoppable, delivers moderate damage, and stands as the primary means of applying Vampiric Curses.
- Sanguine Brace - This Power comes to the rescue in addressing our otherwise inconsistent Fortify generation, and the bonus to Critical Strike Chance provides a significant damage boost.
- Tempest Roar – Core component of the build, essentially mandatory.
- Mad Wolf's Glee (For Speed farming variant) – Body armor that makes it so you’re always in Werewolf Form, granting a ton of bonuses while doing so.
Build details: https://maxroll.gg/d4/build-guides/tornado-druid-guide
2. Stormclaw
In this Stormclaw Druid build, we harness the power of the Greatstaff of the Crone to simultaneously unleash our Claw and Storm Strike abilities. This configuration embraces a genuine melee approach, bolstered by formidable resilience, enabling it to remain a formidable contender even within the challenging realms of high-level Nightmare Dungeons. Beyond that, this configuration stands as an impenetrable bastion of durability, practically impervious to harm, while paradoxically maintaining an impressive degree of agility and offensive potency. Remember, the Greatstaff of the Crone is the linchpin of this build's functionality; without it, the build simply cannot work!
This build is a breeze to handle. It primarily relies on two basic skills for its damage output, making Spirit management a non-issue. The trickiest part is making sure you keep your Petrify active, but even that's not a big deal unless you're pushing through Nightmare Dungeons.
Furthermore, the build gains extra power from a bunch of other skills and passives. Cyclone Armor grants us solid damage reduction and a knockback for when things get dicey. Blood Howl offers a substantial heal and a boost to attack speed. Hurricane gives us damage reduction and slows down our foes. And Petrify serves as potent crowd control, packing a serious punch in the damage department, especially against bosses.
What Stormclaw Druid Excels in:
- No resource Management.
- Simple to play.
- Can be rather tanky.
- Deals a ton of damage.
Choose this build if you:
- Like slapping enemies around with your claws.
- Got the Build-enabling Greatstaff of the Crone.
- Loves never having to worry about Resource Generation.
For Vampiric Powers, you want to go with:
- Ravenous (Minor) - The Attack Speed bonus from this is off the charts. Although we don't quite hit the movement speed cap in this setup, we come awfully close, making this boost exceptionally valuable.
- Moonrise (Major) - It's almost as if this perk was custom-made for our build. The Attack Speed, Damage, and Movement Speed enhancements are substantial, and we can effortlessly maintain a 100% uptime on all these buffs.
- Hectic (Minor) - Since we primarily rely on three cooldowns, with two of them having short durations, this perk predominantly benefits Petrify, significantly increasing its uptime. It also simplifies the task of keeping Fortify consistently activated with Blood Howl.
- Undying (Minor) - This one dishes out an impressive amount of healing, and our sky-high Attack Speed ensures we reap even greater benefits from it compared to other builds. It could very well be the best healing option currently available in the game.
- Metamorphosis (Major) - While it might not be a must-have for lower-tier content, the constant Unstoppable effect it provides becomes a game-changer in the more challenging Nightmare Dungeons at higher tiers.
- The Greatstaff of the Crone – Core component of the build and mandatory.
Build details: https://maxroll.gg/d4/build-guides/stormclaw-druid-guide
1. Overpower Pulverize
This build excels in dishing out significant ranged AoE damage while maintaining exceptional defences. Its straightforward gameplay style dominates on-level content and can carry you deep into Nightmare Dungeons. However, its single-target capabilities might fall short in the most challenging dungeons.
The synergy between Pulverize and the Shockwave Aspect results in damage dealt in a cone-shaped area in front of you. To boost single-target damage, aim for the sweet spot that aligns with both its own radius and the shockwave created, allowing you to hit enemies twice with each cast. This build capitalizes on multiple guaranteed sources of Overpower and amplifies their damage through the Ursine Strength Key Passive.
With Grizzly Rage, Earthen Bulwark, and Trample at your disposal, you have three tools to grant yourself Unstoppable, rendering you nearly immune to Crowd Control. Moreover, you're fortified in almost all situations, ensuring you stay resilient.
One noteworthy aspect is that, except for Shockwave, all the Legendary Aspects for this build can be found in the Codex of Power, meaning you only need one item drop to kickstart your journey!
What Pulverize Druid Excels In:
- Simple Playstyle.
- Great clearing.
- Extremely Tanky.
- Near Permanent Unstoppable.
Pick Pulverize Druid if you Like:
- SMASH!
- Cosplay as a Big Ass Bear.
- Being a moving fortress.
Vampiric Powers and Unique Items:
- Ravenous - This power provides an incredible amount of attack speed at a relatively low opportunity cost and, as such, makes Movement Speed a top priority across our gear.
- Anticipation - This power drastically improves our Grizzly Rage uptime, a key source of additive damage and damage reduction for this build.
- Blood Boil - As this variant leans heavily into Overpower, Blood Boil is a natural fit.
- Prey on the Weak - The damage bonus is solid, but when used in conjunction with other Vampiric Powers that can inflict a Curse, this Power provides a steady and reliable source of Vulnerable, something that is otherwise lacking in this archetype.
- Accursed Touch - This is our main source of applying Vampiric Curse which, in turn, procs Vulnerable and its related bonuses. This also amps the damage of our stored Accursed Souls, which can be released at enemies by using either Earthen Bulwark or Debilitating Roar.
- Vasily's Prayer – Helmet that makes Earth Skills into Werebear and will grant you free Fortify!
- Insatiable Fury – Insanely strong Body Armour that grants a ton of Armor while in Werebear (which you are permanently with the body armor, and grants +3 Levels to them.
- Godslayer Crown – Insanely Powerful Helmet that has a massive range Pull and grants you up to 60%x damage multiplier.
- Tibault's Will – Fantastic pair of pants that grants 50 Resource and up to 40%x damage multiplier upon becoming Unstoppable.
- Tempest Roar - (used in the Shapeshifter variant)
For more information, check here: https://maxroll.gg/d4/build-guides/pulverize-druid-guide
