Diablo 3: Expert Leviathan names the 3 top classes and builds for Season 23

Which 3 classes will lead Season 23 in Diablo 3? We spoke with expert Leviathan about how the top ranks of the leaderboard will shape up.

What is happening right now in Diablo 3? A major patch 2.6.7 is on the way for Diablo 3, completely overhauling the companions. For this occasion, we spoke with a true Diablo expert. Streamer and YouTuber Leviathan has logged over 10,000 hours on his Diablo clock and can assess what the patch means for the future of the game.

We introduced him in the first part of the interview and talked about how your solo farming will improve in Season 23 in Diablo 3.

Leviathan is an exceptional Demon Hunter player and repeatedly showcases in his streams just how high this class can be pushed and how the limits can be stretched even further.

In the interview, we wanted to know how he assesses the Demon Hunter in Season 23 and which top classes and builds will emerge in the new season.

The Demon Hunter will not be a top class in Season 23

MeinMMO: In the community, you are considered one of the best, if not the best Demon Hunter player. In patch 2.7.0, there are only minor changes to this class. Do you believe that Demon Hunters will be able to compete in the rankings of Season 23 against buffed classes like the Firebird Wizard?

Leviathan: Oh man! I think that the Demon Hunter will not reach as high in this new patch, and that is the sad truth. The affix “Protection against projectiles” has caused the build “Gears of Dreadlands” to perform some truly crazy feats with “Hungry Arrow – Devouring Arrow”. It’s unfortunate that Blizzard decided to fix the functionality in a way that ultimately lowers the build’s maximum potential.

I was quite happy that the Demon Hunter had a reliable “GR145+” build with the introduction of “Gears of Dreadlands”, but now the class will likely peak only in the low 140s. And this will likely remain the case while other classes like the Wizard and Crusader keep their builds that will probably bring them close to or into the 150s. But there is not just bad news.

One side effect of the nerf is that the build actually feels a bit more consistent and may make speedfarming more enjoyable. Additionally, abilities will be improved against single targets. It will still be the best build for Demon Hunters, but if you were previously a high-end player, you’ll notice the losses. That said, since you specifically mentioned the Firebird Wizard, I’m not surprised that the set had to lose some of its strength in the official patch notes. But I AM surprised that it was toned down this much.

However, with the latest blue post from FilthieRich and the outcry from the community, I wouldn’t be too shocked if they restored some of its performance. Not as dramatically as it was on the PTR, but definitely more than it is now. [Update: Blizzard buffed the Wizard set after our interview]

It’s a significant achievement for Blizzard that they have finally found a clear playstyle identity for this set that players enjoy, but it also needs to feel enticing from a damage perspective. If they manage that, I think we’ll see a LOT of Wizards in the group meta. And that usually means that many players will also be playing this class solo.

So to answer your question, will the Demon Hunter be able to compete with the Wizard? They might actually be closer together than it seems. It really depends on the final numbers for the Firebird, but you could run Demon Hunters in groups either as support or as GoD-speed. With the current speed we have, rat runs seem to still have the upper hand, so in the end, the Necromancer wins again.

MeinMMO: Have you already decided which class you want to play as your main in Season 23? Which is it and why?

Leviathan: I’m starting with the Demon Hunter. Surprise! Despite the nerf, I’m still excited to focus on DH, especially in Season 23 due to the leaderboard change.

Now that you can compete with all sets for your class, and since “Shadow” is my favorite set, you can bet that I will try to maintain rank 1 for this set for as long as possible!

Which classes have good chances in Season 23?

MeinMMO: As of now [March 13]: What will be the 3 strongest classes (+ builds) in Season 23?

Leviathan: Initially, based on the PTR, it looked like the Firebird Wizard would be an S-tier choice for Season 23. But that is now somewhat up in the air until we see if the set gets more love before the patch is released.

I also think that the Rathma Necromancer stuff now, where they specifically focus on Army of the Dead, has a better direction, but I can’t imagine it outpacing Bone Spear. Honestly, the set probably just needs a bit more work, but the Necromancer always finds a way to remain relevant.

Last but not least, a build that Blizzard seems to have attempted to nerf constantly and that still works insanely well is the “Aegis of Valor” Crusader. So I think it will continue to be a strong choice for reliable high-tier clears.

* Shortly after our interview, Blizzard released buffs for the Firebird Wizard. Thus, it will replace Energy Twister in the top 3. How strong the set will be due to the changes will be revealed in Season 23.

MeinMMO: What can we expect from your streams in Season 23?

Leviathan: I plan to stream regularly again from the start of Season 23 and play Hardcore and 100% solo. If you want to follow the action, check out https://www.twitch.tv/leviathan111. I also usually post my highlights, interesting finds, build guides, and similar things as videos on my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/LeviathanD3.

What do you think? How do you like the interview with Leviathan, and have you already decided which class you want to play in Season 23 based on these statements? Let us know here on MeinMMO in the comments and discuss with other players.

Which class performs best at the end of Season 22 in Diablo 3, you can see in our overview. It showed that the monk was the weakest link.