Diablo 4: Tier List of the Best Builds in Season 9

In particular, the assessments from Diablo expert and build theorycrafter Rob are important for our ranking. You can find his data in his Google Doc. The opinions from the experts at maxroll.gg as well as our own experience are also included.

The list is expected to change several times in the coming weeks, especially when it becomes clear how much the new Horadric spells in Season 9 truly affect the builds.

Our tier list includes all endgame activities for Diablo 4, with the Pit serving as a benchmark. For PvP, speed grinds, and level builds, the builds are not always the best fit. Keep in mind that the shown builds include runes from Vessel of Hatred.

What does “S” to “F” mean? In the tier list, the builds are categorized by letters. In this case, “S” represents the best builds, while “F” marks the worst ones.

About the Balazan builds: With Season 9, the new unique leg armor “Balazans Maxtlatl” is introduced. The strongest builds of the Spiritborn rely on this unique: Each attack inflicts thorn damage to your targets and additionally causes poison damage over time. With the skill “Harmful Resonance,” your critical strikes cause the poison on enemies to explode.

Shadowblight Necromancer: The build relies on the central passive skill “Shadowblight,” which infects enemies with shadow damage. You can play this build early in the endgame as it doesn’t require uniques to function. A unique that is worthwhile for the build is the amulet “Ebenstecher.” This amulet ensures that “Plague” additionally fires 4 smaller projectiles that pierce enemies and cause shadow damage over time.

Blood Wave Necromancer: Blood Wave received new uniques with Season 7 – one of them is Kessime’s Legacy. The leg armor ensures that two blood waves flow towards you from the sides and pull in enemies before exploding for high damage. This damage increases each time an enemy is hit by a wave. You play this build entirely without minions.

Hydra Sorcerer: Because the Sorcerers receive a new unique related to Hydras in Season 9, the build based on this skill is expected to be quite strong according to experts. The unique amulet “Ophidic Iris” makes the Hydra skill the core ability and always summons a three-headed Hydra whose attacks explode upon impact. The Hydra does not gain additional heads, but rather grows larger for each potential head, inflicting multiplicative damage.

Companion Druid: With the Companion build, you will tear apart your opponents as a Druid with an army of animal companions. The wolves are at the center of the build while the ravens impress with strong area damage early in the game. Eventually, you will have around 15 companions. The build is particularly suited against single targets and bosses, but is not suitable for speed farming due to cooldowns and a small radius for area damage.

Pulverize Druid: The Pulverize build is excellent for speed farming as it combines massive area damage with a simple playstyle. The combination of Pulverize and the legendary Shockwave aspect ensures that your damage explodes in a large, cone-shaped area in front of you. You receive and improve this aspect through drops from legendary items.

Meat Grinder Druid: The build is based on the unique 1H mace “Meat Grinder,” which inflicts damage on poisoned enemies nearby when you cast a defensive skill. For every 100 Willpower, damage increases.

Touch of Death Spiritborn: Do you want to poison enemies with a giant centipede and then let them explode? Then this build is perfect for you. Touch of Death focuses on high damage over time (“DoT”), which you can make detonate for multiple times of its damage at once with various skills and legendaries.

Penetrating Shot Rogue: The build was rather an off-meta build in previous seasons but is quite strong again now. You rely on the core ability “Penetrating Shot” and blow everything on your screen into the air with it. With the Trickshot aspect, the arrow splits into multiple ones, causing area damage. With the unique sword “Blue Wrath,” you make your enemies vulnerable and inflict cold damage.

Twisting Blades Rogue: Popular since Season 1: You stick the twisting blades into an enemy and then move away to guide them through as many foes as possible upon your return. Ideal for speed farming as you simply zip across the map at high speed, and everything behind you explodes.