levelingleveling guideShockmeleeSeason 6

Arc Lash – Sorcerer Leveling Build for Diablo 4

Shockingly fast and easy leveling as a melee Sorcerer!

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Neviriah

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Updated: Posted:

Arc LashCharged BoltsIce ArmorTeleportFamiliarUnstable Currents


To find out more general information about leveling as a Sorcerer in Diablo 4, you can check out our main Leveling Guide.

Leveling Guide

Build Introduction

This Shock Sorceress build is highly effective for leveling up a new, alt, or seasonal character. It excels in dealing significant frontal area-of-effect (AoE) damage through the use of Arc LashArc Lash, while also providing solid single-target damage with Charged BoltsCharged Bolts to take down bosses in melee range, and has improved mobility thanks to Flickering Arc LashFlickering Arc Lash. The new FamiliarFamiliar conjuration skill will also support the build providing additional range damage.

Once your character reaches Level 60 or is ready for Torment 1 difficulty, pick one of our Endgame Builds to continue your Sorcerer journey.

For information on Season 6: Season of Hatred, you can check out our Season Hub. Furthermore, the Season 6 Journey will reward you with a set of gear intended to help with your leveling journey. You can check out our endgame build for it here.

Skill Bar and Skill Tree Points

Suggested Skill Bar
Unstable CurrentsUnstable CurrentsIce ArmorIce ArmorTeleportTeleportFamiliarFamiliarArc LashArc LashCharged BoltsCharged Bolts

The table presented below outlines the recommended order for allocating your Skill Points. At Level 60, you will have a total of 71 points available, if you have completed the respective Renown stages in each zone.

OrderSkill / PassiveCluster
1Arc LashArc LashBasic SkillBasic Skill
2Enhanced Arc LashEnhanced Arc LashBasic SkillBasic Skill
3Charged BoltsCharged BoltsCore SkillCore Skill
4Flickering Arc LashFlickering Arc LashBasic SkillBasic Skill
5Enhanced Charged BoltsEnhanced Charged BoltsCore SkillCore Skill
6Greater Charged BoltsGreater Charged BoltsCore SkillCore Skill
7TeleportTeleportDefensive SkillDefensive Skill
8Ice ArmorIce ArmorDefensive SkillDefensive Skill
9Arc LashArc Lash Rank 2Basic SkillBasic Skill
10Arc LashArc Lash Rank 3Basic SkillBasic Skill
11Arc LashArc Lash Rank 4Basic SkillBasic Skill
12Arc LashArc Lash Rank 5Basic SkillBasic Skill
13FamiliarFamiliarConjuration SkillConjuration Skill
14Enhanced FamiliarEnhanced FamiliarConjuration SkillConjuration Skill
15FireballFireball Rank 1 for Enchantment Slot 1Core SkillCore Skill
16Invoked FamiliarInvoked FamiliarConjuration SkillConjuration Skill
17Enhanced TeleportEnhanced TeleportDefensive SkillDefensive Skill
18Shimmering TeleportShimmering TeleportDefensive SkillDefensive Skill
19Enhanced Ice ArmorEnhanced Ice ArmorDefensive SkillDefensive Skill
20Shimmering Ice ArmorShimmering Ice ArmorDefensive SkillDefensive Skill
21Charged BoltsCharged Bolts Rank 2Core SkillCore Skill
22Charged BoltsCharged Bolts Rank 3Core SkillCore Skill
23Charged BoltsCharged Bolts Rank 4Core SkillCore Skill
24Charged BoltsCharged Bolts Rank 5Core SkillCore Skill
25Unstable CurrentsUnstable CurrentsUltimate SkillUltimate Skill
26Prime Unstable CurrentsPrime Unstable CurrentsUltimate SkillUltimate Skill
27Supreme Unstable CurrentsSupreme Unstable CurrentsUltimate SkillUltimate Skill
28FamiliarFamiliar Rank 2Conjuration SkillConjuration Skill
29FamiliarFamiliar Rank 3Conjuration SkillConjuration Skill
30FamiliarFamiliar Rank 4 (Add Arc LashArc Lash in 2nd enchantment slot)Conjuration SkillConjuration Skill
31FamiliarFamiliar Rank 5Conjuration SkillConjuration Skill
32Glass CannonGlass CannonDefensive SkillDefensive Skill
33Glass CannonGlass Cannon Rank 2Defensive SkillDefensive Skill
34Glass CannonGlass Cannon Rank 3Defensive SkillDefensive Skill
35Vyr's MasteryVyr’s MasteryCapstone SkillCapstone Skill
36Elemental DominanceElemental Dominance Core SkillCore Skill
37Static DischargeStatic DischargeMastery SkillMastery Skill
38Shocking ImpactShocking ImpactMastery SkillMastery Skill
39Shocking ImpactShocking Impact Rank 2Mastery SkillMastery Skill
40Shocking ImpactShocking Impact Rank 3Mastery SkillMastery Skill
41Elemental SynergiesElemental SynergiesUltimate SkillUltimate Skill
42Elemental SynergiesElemental Synergies Rank 2Ultimate SkillUltimate Skill
43Elemental SynergiesElemental Synergies Rank 3Ultimate SkillUltimate Skill
44EvocationEvocationUltimate SkillUltimate Skill
45EvocationEvocation Rank 2Ultimate SkillUltimate Skill
46EvocationEvocation Rank 3Ultimate SkillUltimate Skill
47Coursing CurrentsCoursing CurrentsUltimate SkillUltimate Skill
48Coursing CurrentsCoursing Currents Rank 2Ultimate SkillUltimate Skill
49Coursing CurrentsCoursing Currents Rank 3 Ultimate SkillUltimate Skill
50ElectrocutionElectrocutionUltimate SkillUltimate Skill
51ElectrocutionElectrocution Rank 2Ultimate SkillUltimate Skill
52ElectrocutionElectrocution Rank 3Ultimate SkillUltimate Skill
53ConductionConductionUltimate SkillUltimate Skill
54ConductionConduction Rank 2Ultimate SkillUltimate Skill
55ConductionConduction Rank 3Ultimate SkillUltimate Skill
56ConvulsionsConvulsionsUltimate SkillUltimate Skill
57ConvulsionsConvulsions Rank 2Ultimate SkillUltimate Skill
58ConvulsionsConvulsions Rank 3Ultimate SkillUltimate Skill
59Icy VeilIcy VeilMastery SkillMastery Skill
60Inner FlamesInner FlamesMastery SkillMastery Skill
61Devouring BlazeDevouring BlazeMastery SkillMastery Skill
62Conjuration MasteryConjuration MasteryConjuration SkillConjuration Skill
63Conjuration MasteryConjuration Mastery Rank 2Conjuration SkillConjuration Skill
64Conjuration MasteryConjuration Mastery Rank 3Conjuration SkillConjuration Skill
65Align the ElementsAlign the ElementsConjuration SkillConjuration Skill
66ProtectionProtectionConjuration SkillConjuration Skill
67ProtectionProtection Rank 2Conjuration SkillConjuration Skill
68ProtectionProtection Rank 3Conjuration SkillConjuration Skill
69Elemental AttunementElemental AttunementDefensive SkillDefensive Skill
70Unstable CurrentsUnstable Currents Rank 2Ultimate SkillUltimate Skill
71Unstable CurrentsUnstable Currents Rank 3Ultimate SkillUltimate Skill

Enchantment Slots

The Specialization of the Sorceress Class becomes available at Level 15. It is recommended to complete the Legacy of The Magi questline, within the Fractured Peaks, as soon as possible to unlock the first Enhancement Slot. The second slot will become available upon reaching Level 30.

Each Non-Ultimate Skill is associated with an Enchantment effect, and any Non-Ultimate Skill can be equipped in an Enchantment Slot. However, a skill must have at least one skill point allocated to it in order to be used in the Enchantment Slot. Skill points that have been granted through gear work as well.

  • FireballFireball is slotted in the first Enchantment Slot once you unlock it at Level 15. It helps clear groups of enemies early on.
  • Arc LashArc Lash is slotted in the second Enchantment Slot once you unlock it at Level 30. It simply provides more Crowd Control for surrounding enemies.

Mercenaries

During the Vessel of Hatred campaign, you will unlock different NPC Mercenaries who join you on your travels. As you level up, you can generally pick any mercenary you like, as they will not play an essential role until you optimize your build in the endgame. However, if you would prefer to get a recommendation, we would advise selecting Raheir as your main companion, for the added survivability he provides, and Varyana as Reinforcement.

Raheir Skill Tree choices:

Varyana Reinforcement choices:

Mechanics and Playstyle

The core damage-dealing abilities in this build are Arc LashArc Lash and Charged BoltsCharged Bolts. Arc Lash delivers impressive frontal area-of-effect damage and can Stun enemies it touches. The Charged Bolts Skill, on the other hand, excels in single target damage and is particularly effective against elites and bosses when used at melee range. 

Additionally, the Unstable CurrentsUnstable Currents ultimate skill enhances damage output by randomly casting an additional shock spell whenever a shock skill is used. This synergizes well with Arc LashArc Lash, as you can spam the skill during Unstable Currents, and use Charged BoltsCharged Bolts when sufficient Mana has been accumulated.

The Shock Sorceress excels at controlling crowds. With increased movement speed through Flickering Arc LashFlickering Arc Lash, as well as TeleportTeleport, you can easily move around or even through enemies, while Stunning or Freezing them through Frost NovaFrost Nova. This provides control and mobility during the fight.

When combined with a fully upgraded FamiliarFamiliar, enemies will remain Stunned indefinitely, allowing your Arc Lash to deal much more damage. The Familiar also assists with Crowd Control and does a significant amount of damage. Even if you are Stunned or Frozen, the Familiar will be able to help you by defeating the enemies around you.

Damage Rotation

Please note that this build will be especially fun for players who prefer melee combat, featuring a rotation that emphasizes melee-focused Skills:

  1. (Optional) Activate Unstable CurrentsUnstable Currents against tough elites and bosses.
  2. Cast FamiliarFamiliar to stun the surrounding enemies.
  3. Cast Charged BoltsCharged Bolts up close against tougher enemies to shotgun them with multiple bolt projectiles.
  4. Use Ice ArmorIce Armor to protect against incoming damage and regenerate Mana.
  5. Spam Arc LashArc Lash to finish off weaker groups of enemies.

Repeat the above steps until all enemies are defeated.

Gear, Gems, Elixirs, and Stats

When picking your gear, higher Item Power generally indicates stronger gear, but you should also consider the affixes and effects that are relevant to your class and build. When making gear decisions, keep an eye on both Item Power and the specific attributes that complement the build.

Legendary Aspects

For general information on how to unlock the Codex of Power, head to our dedicated Aspects and Codex of Power guide. You can imprint Apsects onto items by visiting the Occultist.

Listed below are all the Aspects that are important for the Ice Sorceress leveling build. Equip any aspect from this list in the slot it drops for, as they are all useful while leveling with this build.

Listed below are all the Aspects that are important for the Arc LashArc Lash leveling build. Equip any aspect from this list in the slot it drops for, as they are all useful while leveling an Arc Lash Sorceress. However, if you need a specific pointer as to which aspect to get first, the Rapid AspectRapid Aspect would be the most beneficial as you level with Arc Lash. You can unlock this aspect by completing the Burried Halls dungeon within the Dry Steppes.

Aspect NameLegendary Aspect PowerSource
Aspect of the MoonriseAspect of the MoonriseDamaging an enemy with a Basic Skill grants you 4% Attack Speed for 10 seconds, stacking up to 5 times. Upon reaching maximum stacks, you enter a Vampiric Bloodrage, gaining {#}% Basic Skill damage and 15% Movement Speed for 10 seconds.Random Drop / Obols Gambling
Aspect of Piercing StaticAspect of Piercing StaticCharged BoltsCharged Bolts pierce, but deal {#}% less damage to targets hit after the first.Wretched Delve, Scosglen
Jolting AspectJolting AspectEvery {#} seconds, a single arc of lightning zaps a nearby enemy for {#} damage. This damage counts as a Shock Skill.Random Drop
Aspect of ControlAspect of ControlYou deal % more damage to Immobilized, Stunned, or Frozen enemies.Sunken Library, Kehjistan
Rapid AspectRapid AspectBasic Skills gain {#}% Attack Speed.Buried Halls, Dry Steppes
Aspect of MightAspect of MightBasic Skills grant % Damage Reduction for 4.0 seconds.Dark Ravine, Dry Steppes
Aspect of Charged FlashAspect of Charged FlashAfter Charged BoltsCharged Bolts hits enemies 50 times, your next 3 casts of Charged Bolts becomes waves that pierce and deal (200-240% Weapon Damage) Critical Shock Damage.
Aspect of the Orange HeraldAspect of the Orange HeraldLucky Hit: Up to a [5 – 10%] Chance when you damage an enemy with a Skill to reduce the Cooldown of your Ultimate Skill by 2 seconds. Can only happen once per Skill cast.Random Drop
Aspect of DisobedienceAspect of DisobedienceYou gain {#}% increased Armor for 4 seconds when you deal any form of damage, stacking up to {#}%.Halls of the Damned, Kehjistan
Stable AspectStable AspectWhile Unstable CurrentsUnstable Currents is not active, your Shock Skills have a [6.5 – 114%] chance to trigger a free cast from it.Random Drop
Aspect of the Bounding ConduitAspect of the Bounding ConduitGain % Movement Speed for 3 seconds after using TeleportTeleport.Komdor Temple, Dry Stepps

Gems

Listed below are the best Gems to socket into gear for each item type.

Weapon GemsArmor GemsJewelry Gems
TopazTopaz
For Basic Damage
TopazTopaz
For Intelligence.
SkullSkull
For more Armor.

If you find one of the Runes listed below, you can equip them as a Runeword on your Chest or Pants.

Runeword CombinationRuneword Effects
Tam OhmTamTam – Gain: 25 Offering — ast a non-Channeled Core Skill.
OhmOhm – Requires: 500 Offering, Cooldown: 2 Seconds — Evoke the Barbarian’s War Cry, increasing your Movement Speed and damage dealt.
Lith WatLithLith – Gain: 25 Offering — Stand still for 0.3 seconds.
WatWat – Requires: 100 Offering, Cooldown: 1 second — Evoke the Necromancer’s Horrid Decrepify, Slowing enemies, reducing their damage, and letting you Execute them.

Which Elixirs Should You Use?

Head to the Alchemist in any main town and craft Elixirs to boost your stats and experience gain for 30 minutes! Remember to gather the necessary crafting materials by foraging plants (to get Bundled HerbsBundled Herbs)

Listed below are Elixirs that will be useful for you while leveling as a Centipede focused Spiritborn:

Return to the Alchemist again when you reach Level 5, 10, 15, 22, 30, 35, 40, and 50, to upgrade your potion. The extra healing is essential to survival!

Stat Priority and Tempering Affixes

During your leveling journey, you may stumble across items with very good affixes. Tempering these items can provide you with a significant boost in character power, so make sure you understand how it works

Tempering is only possible if you have already found a few Tempering Manuals while leveling!

Keep an eye out for the following stats and modifiers that are particularly beneficial for this build (listed in order of importance):

Gear SlotImportant Affixes (ranked by priority)Tempering Recipes and Affixes
Weapons1. Intelligence
2. Basic Skill Damage
3. Critical Strike Damage
Natural FinesseNatural Finesse (Offensive): Damage to Crowd Controlled Enemies
Shock Augments —  DischargeShock Augments —  Discharge (Weapon): Chance for Arc Lash to Swipe Twice
Focus1. Basic Skill Attack Speed, Attack Speed
2. Cooldown Reduction
3. Resource Generation
Natural FinesseNatural Finesse (Offensive): Damage to Close Enemies
Shock Augments —  DischargeShock Augments —  Discharge (Weapon): Chance for Arc Lash to Swipe Twice
Helm1. Cooldown Reduction
2. Maximum Life
3. Resistances
Natural SchemesNatural Schemes (Utility): Crowd Control Duration
Worldly EnduranceWorldly Endurance (Defensive): Maximum Life
Chest1. Intelligence, Ranks to All Defensive Skills
2. Resistances
3. Barrier Generation
Sorcerer ControlSorcerer Control (Utility): Stun Duration
Worldly EnduranceWorldly Endurance (Defensive): Total Armor
Gloves1. Attack Speed
2. Critical Strike Chance
3. Maximum Life
Natural FinesseNatural Finesse (Offensive): Damage to Close Enemies
Worldly FortuneWorldly Fortune (Utility): Chance to Stun
Pants1. Ranks of Arc Lash
2. Intelligence
3. Resistances
Natural ResistanceNatural Resistance (Defensive): Any Resistance
Sorcerer ControlSorcerer Control (Utility): Stun Duration
Boots1. Movement Speed
2. Intelligence
3. Maximum Life
Natural SchemesNatural Schemes (Utility): Crowd Control Duration
Sorcerer MotionSorcerer Motion (Mobility): Teleport Cooldown Reduction
Amulet1. Ranks to Glass Canon
2. Movement Speed
3. Resistances
Natural MotionNatural Motion (Mobility): Movement Speed
Shock FinesseShock Finesse (Offensive): Shock Critical Strike Damage
Rings1. Attack Speed
2. Intelligence
3. Crowd Control Damage
Ultimate Efficiency —  SorcererUltimate Efficiency —  Sorcerer (Resource): Unstable Currents Cooldown Reduction
Shock FinesseShock Finesse (Offensive): Shock Critical Strike Damage

Season 6 Changes

The following list details the changes in the Season 6 Patch Update that may pertain to leveling an Arc LashArc Lash Sorceress.

Skills and Passives

  • Charged BoltsCharged Bolts:
  • Flickering Arc LashFlickering Arc Lash:
    • Previous: Gain 6% Movement Speed for 5 seconds for each enemy hit with Arc Lash, up to 18%.
    • Now: Arc Lash grants 5 Mana if your swipe hits at least one enemy. When you hit 3 or more enemies or a Boss, your next swipe also deals 50% more damage.
  • Ice ArmorIce Armor:
    • Max Life Base Shield amount increased from 25% to 40%.
    • No longer gains increased Shield based on damage.
  • TeleportTeleport:
    • Cooldown increased from 11 to 14.
    • Base damage increased from 25% to 35%.
  • ConvulsionsConvulsions:
    • Stun chance increased from 5% to 7%.
  • Static DischargeStatic Discharge:
    • Chance to spawn Crackling Energy increased from 5% to 6%.
  • Vyr's MasteryVyr’s Mastery:
    • Previous: Close enemies take 15% increased damage from your Shock Skills and deal 20% less damage to you. Critical Strikes increase these bonuses to 20% and 25% respectively for 3 seconds.
    • Now: When you Critical Strike an enemy with a Shock Skill you become Charged and take 25% less damage for 5 seconds. While Charged, Critical Strikes have a 10% chance to causes the damage to arc as Lightning damage to another Nearby enemy, or if there are no other targets you hit the target again for 250% of the damage.
  • Align the ElementsAlign the Elements:
    • Damage Reduction from Elites cap increased from 40% to 60%.

Changelog

  • October 3rd, 2024: Guided updated for Vessel of Hatred and Season 6.
    • Switched out Frost Nova for Familiar.
    • Updated Passives.
    • Updated Legendary Aspects.
    • Updated Tempering Affixes.
    • Updated Season 6 change list.
  • August 2nd, 2024: Guide updated for Season 5.
    • Updated Tempering Affixes.
    • Updated recommended Legendary Aspects.
    • Added Season 5 change list.
  • May 10th, 2024: Guide updated for Season 4.
    • Skill points 57 + 58 were modified.
    • Added Tempering Affixes.
    • Updated Legendary Aspects.
    • Added three Paragon Boards with basic glyph recommendations.
    • Added Season 4 change list.
  • March 5th, 2024: Updated for Patch 1.3.3.
  • January 22nd, 2024: Guide updated for Season 3.
  • October 17th, 2023: Guide updated for Season 2.
  • August 7th, 2023: Moved this build to its own separate page.
  • August 4th, 2023: Updated for Patch 1.1.1.
  • July 18th, 2023: Updated for Season 1.
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