Endgamerangedseason 4sorcerer

Chain Lightning Sorcerer Endgame Build Guide for Diablo 4 (Season 4)

Shock foes with endless bolts of Chain Lightning!

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Lexyu

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Chain LightningTeleportFrost NovaIce ArmorFlame ShieldUnstable Currents


Build Introduction

The Chain LightningChain Lightning Sorcerer build releases shockingly powerful electricity that bounces through the battlefield. It is designed to inflict substantial damage by hitting a single target repeatedly, or by chaining through enemies in a group. Storm through endgame activities with an endless barrage of Chain Lightning!

If you used our Chain Lightning Sorcerer Leveling Guide, this is the perfect build to transition into the endgame. This article adds the best-in-slot aspects and stats on gear, as well as the Paragon setup.

The major changes from the leveling build to this endgame build are:

Although the Chain Lightning Sorcerer is the best starter build within the class, it starts to fall off in clearing ability around Tier 70 Nightmare Dungeons due to the limited targeting. Make an easy transition to another Lightning build, the Charged Bolts Sorcerer, once you obtain Raiment of the InfiniteRaiment of the Infinite. Alternatively, switch to the Frozen Orb Sorcerer build for even more damage if you obtain Fractured Winterglass.

The only starting requirement for the Chain Lightning endgame build guide is a character around Level 50 in World Tier 3. Start a new Sorcerer character with the Chain Lightning Leveling Guide and then switch to this endgame guide when ready.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths
  • High burst damage
  • Endless Mana generation without a Basic Attack
  • Fast movement and dungeon clearing
  • Multiple Defensive Skills for survivability
Weaknesses
  • Damage partially reliant on Crowd Controlled enemies or Staggered bosses
  • Requires proper Mana and Cooldown management
  • Lacks survivability when Defensive Skills or Crowd Controls are inactive

To see how this build compares to the other builds on our site, you can check out our build tier lists.

Skill Tree Points and Skill Bar

Skill Bar Setup for the Chain Lightning Sorcerer (order does not matter)
Chain Lightning Chain Lightning Frost Nova Frost Nova Teleport Teleport Ice Armor Ice Armor Flame Shield Flame Shield Unstable Currents Unstable Currents

The Skill Tree above shows the full allocation of 58 Skill Points for the Chain Lightning Sorceress build. Make sure you obtain the 10 Skill Points available from Renown.

Alternative Skills

If you are using Tal Rasha's Iridescent LoopTal Rasha’s Iridescent Loop, a third buff stack can be obtained for a 1.45x damage multiplier. Follow the steps below for this maximum damage setup.

  1. Remove all Skill Points from Frost NovaFrost Nova, PermafrostPermafrost, and HoarfrostHoarfrost.
  2. Allocate Ice BladesIce Blades, Enhanced Ice BladesEnhanced Ice Blades, and Summoned Ice BladesSummoned Ice Blades. Equip Ice Blades on your Skill Bar instead of Frost Nova.
  3. Allocate Conjuration MasteryConjuration Mastery Rank 3, which is activated by Lightning SpearLightning Spear automatically casted from Unstable CurrentsUnstable Currents and Ice BladesIce Blades casted from the Skill Bar.
  4. Allocate the last remaining Skill Point into Icy VeilIcy Veil.

Enchantment Slots

Non-Ultimate Skills can be equipped in two available Enchantment Slots. 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.

Slot FireballFireball in the first Enchantment Slot to to supplement Area of Effect Damage into the build, since Chain LightningChain Lightning has limited targeting. Do not equip Fireball on the Skill Bar. Alternatively, slot TeleportTeleport for the Telestomp build variant.

Slot Fire BoltFire Bolt in the second Enchantment Slot. This applies Burning to enemies for Devouring Blaze and Burning Effects from Paragon. Do not equip Fire Bolt on the Skill Bar. Alternatively, slot MeteorMeteor for the Meteorstomp build variant.

Paragon

Paragon unlocks after reaching Level 50, and the progression system offers a considerable boost to character power. The images below provide a visual of each Paragon Board setup for the Chain Lightning Sorcerer.

Important Notes:

  • Make sure you select the correct Legendary Boards and rotate them into the correct orientation.
  • Attach Legendary Boards in the correct order, as bonus requirements of Rare Nodes increase with their placement order.
  • Additional bonus requirements on Rare Glyphs may not be obtainable until they gain increased radius range at Level 15.

1. Starting Board (Destruction)

Socket DestructionDestruction for increased Critical Strike Damage and a separate damage multiplier.

2. Elemental Summoner (Territorial)

Attach the Elemental SummonerElemental Summoner board without any rotations. Socket TerritorialTerritorial for some valuable Damage Reduction. Prioritize leveling Territorial to 15, as the increased radius is needed to obtain the additional bonus. The Legendary Node on this board is not utilized.

3. Burning Instinct (Reinforced)

Rotate the Burning InstinctBurning Instinct board 3 times before attachment. Socket ReinforcedReinforced to boost the Damage Reduction stat on Smoldering EmbersSmoldering Embers. Prioritize leveling Reinforced to 15 to gain increased radius, as it is needed to obtain the Damage Reduction in the additional bonus. The Legendary Node on this board is not utilized.

4. Static Surge (Control)

Attach the Static SurgeStatic Surge board without any rotations. Immediately obtain the Legendary Node for a consistent source of Vulnerable application and Mana generation. Socket ControlControl and prioritize leveling it to 15 for the increased radius to gain the additional bonus.

5. Ceaseless Conduit (Flamefeeder)

Rotate the Ceaseless ConduitCeaseless Conduit board 2 times before attachment. Socket FlamefeederFlamefeeder and prioritize leveling it to 15 for the increased radius to gain the additional bonus. The Legendary Node on this board is not utilized.

6. Enchantment Master (Exploit)

Rotate the Enchantment MasterEnchantment Master board 3 times before attachment. Socket ExploitExploit and prioritize leveling it to 15 for the increased radius to gain the additional bonus. The Legendary Node on this board is not utilized.

Paragon Board images courtesy of d4builds.gg. Click this link for the Paragon planner.

Gear, Gems, Elixirs, and Stats

Season 4 brings an incredible shift in character progression systems. The major rework to itemization and crafting in Patch 1.4.0 changes the core mechanics of Diablo 4, and the changes will remain in effect beyond Season 4. For further details, read the overview in the Tempering and Masterworking section.

Legendary Aspects

Listed below are all the best-in-slot Aspects for the Chain Lightning Sorcerer build. Salvage Legendary Items with higher Aspect values to unlock them in the Codex of Power, and then imprint them onto Legendary Items with the preferred affixes.

Accelerating AspectAccelerating Aspect provides Attack Speed for more DPS, but the increase becomes diminished with other sources of stacking Attack Speed from Gear, Paragon, and Elixir. Mana is also drained faster with Attack Speed. Use Offensive Aspects with separate damage multipliers instead, such as Conceited AspectConceited Aspect and Storm Swell AspectStorm Swell Aspect.

Gear SlotAspect NameLegendary Aspect Power
Amulet (+50% bonus effect)Elementalist's AspectElementalist’s AspectCore or Mastery Skills cast at or above 100 Mana gain a [20.0 – 40.0%] increased Critical Strike Chance.
Ring Slot #1 (replaced by Ring of Starless SkiesRing of Starless Skies)Recharging AspectRecharging AspectEach time Chain Lightning bounces off you, gain [1.5 – 3.0] Mana.
Ring Slot #2 (replaced by Tal Rasha's Iridescent LoopTal Rasha’s Iridescent Loop)Conceited AspectConceited AspectDeal [15 – 25%] increased damage while you have a Barrier active.
Wand, Focus or GlovesAspect of the Unbroken TetherAspect of the Unbroken TetherChain Lightning has a [30 – 40%] chance to chain 4 additional times.
Wand, Focus or GlovesStorm Swell AspectStorm Swell AspectYou deal x [21 – 30%] increased damage to Vulnerable enemies while you have a Barrier.
Wand, Focus or GlovesAspect of Shredding BladesAspect of Shredding BladesIce Blades’ chance to apply Vulnerable is increased by +20% and the Vulnerable duration is increased by 4 seconds. You gain x [15 – 25%] Vulnerable Damage.
Note: Use only for the Vulnerable Damage.
Helm (replaced by Starfall CoronetStarfall Coronet or Harlequin CrestHarlequin Crest)Snowveiled AspectSnowveiled AspectCasting Ice Armor makes you Unstoppable and grants 30% bonus Armor for [3.0 – 5.0] seconds.
Chest (replaced by Raiment of the InfiniteRaiment of the Infinite)Everliving AspectEverliving AspectYou take [20 – 25%] less damage from Crowd Controlled or Vulnerable enemies.
Pants (replaced by Tibault's WillTibault’s Will)Aspect of DisobedienceAspect of DisobedienceYou gain [0.6 – 1.1%] increased Armor for 4 seconds when you deal any form of damage, stacking up to [36 – 66%].
Boots (optional replacement with FlickerstepFlickerstep)Aspect of the Bounding ConduitAspect of the Bounding ConduitGain [25 – 30%] Movement Speed for 3 seconds after Teleporting.

Gems

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

SlotGems
WeaponRoyal SapphireRoyal Sapphire for increased Vulnerable Damage.
ArmorRoyal RubyRoyal Ruby for increased Maximum Life.
JewelryAny Resistance Gems needed or Royal SkullRoyal Skull for Armor.

Elixirs

Visit the Alchemist in any main town to craft helpful Elixirs that increase stats and experience gain for 30 minutes. Make sure to forage plants and pick up the necessary crafting materials during your adventures; they randomly spawn around the world. Elixirs can also drop randomly from enemies and chests during many activities in Diablo 4. Listed below are the best Elixirs to consume, ranked by importance.

  1. Elixir of PrecisionElixir of Precision provides the highest damage output increase, if not already capped at 100% Critical Strike Chance.
  2. Elixir of AdvantageElixir of Advantage increases damage output, if not already capped at 100% Attack Speed bonus from gear and Paragon.
  3. Elixir of ResourceElixir of Resource helps with Mana issues, if you do not already have the appropriate Mana gear. This elixir is highly recommended for starting characters to maintain constant casts of Chain LightningChain Lightning.
  4. Elixir of FortitudeElixir of Fortitude is the best general purpose option for survivability. Increased Maximum Life grants larger Barriers from ProtectionProtection and Ice ArmorIce Armor.
  5.  Elixir of Iron Barbs Elixir of Iron Barbs can provide a high amount of Physical Damage Reduction. Armor becomes more effective as you approach the Armor cap (9,320 against monster level 100 and above).
  6. Specific Resistance Elixirs can be utilized to survive against Uber Bosses with elemental attacks.

Return to the Alchemist again when you reach Level 20, 30, 45, 60, 70, 80 and 90, to upgrade your potion. The extra healing is essential to survival.

Stat Priority and Tempering Affixes

Listed below are the affixes to prioritize on gear for Chain Lightning Sorcerers. Each line of affixes are listed in order of importance. Affixes on the same line are considered to be equally important, but their benefits may vary depending on how much is stacked or other character stats. Bolded affixes are the most important targets for Masterworking upgrades.

A Dagger and Focus setup is preferred over a Staff for the extra Cooldown Reduction rolls. A Focus has a Cooldown Reduction implicit, as well as a possible affix mod. This build does not need Lucky Hit Chance from the Wand implicit, so equip a Dagger for the Increased Damage to Close Enemies.

The priority order of Resistances is Lightning > Poison > Fire > Cold > Shadow. Maximum Resistance is 70% by default for each element. Lightning and Fire Resistances are capped with ElectroElectro in Paragon and Keeper of FlamesKeeper of Flames in the Paragon setup. Poison, Cold and Shadow Resistances need to be capped through affixes on gear or gems in jewelry.

If you are using a speed setup with Teleport Enchantment, temper the Evade Cooldown Reduction affix from the Natural Motion Manual onto your Boots and Amulet. Otherwise, temper the Movement Speed or Teleport Cooldown Reduction affixes.

Check the Tempering and Masterworking section for more details on Blacksmith upgrading.

SlotGear AffixesTempering Affixes
Wand1. Maximum Life
2. Intelligence, Critical Strike Damage, Vulnerable Damage
Shock AugmentsShock Augments (Weapon): Chance for Chain Lightning Projectiles to Cast Twice
Shock FinesseShock Finesse (Offensive): Shock Critical Strike Damage
Focus1. Critical Strike Chance, Cooldown Reduction
2. Resource Cost Reduction, Lucky Hit Chance to Restore Primary Resource
3. Maximum Life, Intelligence
Shock AugmentsShock Augments (Weapon): Chance for Chain Lightning Projectiles to Cast Twice
Shock FinesseShock Finesse (Offensive): Shock Critical Strike Damage
Helm1. Mana per Second, Cooldown Reduction
2. Intelligence, Lucky Hit Chance
3. Maximum Life, Resistances, Armor
Natural SchemesNatural Schemes (Utility): Crowd Control Duration
Worldly EnduranceWorldly Endurance (Defensive): Maximum Life
Chest1. Mana per Second, Ranks to Defensive Skills, Ranks to Teleport
2. Resistances, Armor
3. Maximum Life, Intelligence
Natural SchemesNatural Schemes (Utility): Crowd Control Duration
Worldly EnduranceWorldly Endurance (Defensive): Maximum Life
Gloves1. Ranks to Chain Lightning, Critical Strike Chance, Attack Speed
2. Resource Cost Reduction
3. Lucky Hit Chance, Intelligence, Critical Strike Damage, Vulnerable Damage
Natural FinesseNatural Finesse (Offensive): Damage to Close Enemies
Natural SchemesNatural Schemes (Utility): Crowd Control Duration
Pants1. Resistances, Armor
2. Maximum Life, Intelligence
Natural SchemesNatural Schemes (Utility): Crowd Control Duration
Worldly EnduranceWorldly Endurance (Defensive): Maximum Life
BootsImplicit Stat: Attacks Reduce Evade’s Cooldown
1. Mana per Second, Movement Speed
2. Resistances, Armor
3. Maximum Life, Intelligence
Natural MotionNatural Motion (Mobility): Evade Cooldown Reduction
Natural SchemesNatural Schemes (Utility): Crowd Control Duration
Amulet1. Ranks to Devouring Blaze, Critical Strike Chance, Cooldown Reduction
2. Attack Speed, Resource Cost Reduction
Natural MotionNatural Motion (Mobility): Evade Cooldown Reduction
Worldly StabilityWorldly Stability (Resource): Resource Generation or Resource Cost Reduction
Rings1. Critical Strike Chance, Attack Speed, Resource Cost Reduction
2. Lucky Hit Chance, Intelligence, Critical Strike Damage, Vulnerable Damage
Worldly StabilityWorldly Stability (Resource): Resource Generation or Resource Cost Reduction
Shock FinesseShock Finesse (Offensive): Shock Critical Strike Damage

Unique Items

Listed below are the recommended and optional Unique Items for the Chain Lightning Sorcerer build. Each item description includes the most important affix to target for Masterworking upgrades.

  • Raiment of the InfiniteRaiment of the Infinite (highly recommended) enables the Telestomp playstyle to group and Stun enemies.
    • Masterworking Priority: Ranks of the Glass Cannon Passive
  • Starfall CoronetStarfall Coronet (recommended) enables a hybrid build setup with MeteorMeteor to supplement Chain LightningChain Lightning for much needed AoE damage. Check the Meteorstomp Variant section for more details.
    • Masterworking Priority: Ranks of Meteor or Cooldown Reduction
  • Tal Rasha's Iridescent LoopTal Rasha’s Iridescent Loop (recommended) can provide up to a 60% damage multiplier with 4 elemental stacks.
    • Masterworking Priority: Cooldown Reduction
  • Ring of Starless SkiesRing of Starless Skies (recommended) is the best Uber Unique Item for the Ball Lightning Sorcerer. The unique effect provides a 40% damage multiplier and solves any Mana issues.
    • Masterworking Priority: Critical Strike Chance
  • Harlequin CrestHarlequin Crest (optional) provides additional Ranks to Chain LightningChain Lightning and 20% Damage Reduction, if you are lucky enough to find this Uber Unique Item. Only equip Harlequin Crest if you do not intend on playing the MeteorMeteor setup.
    • Masterworking Priority: Cooldown Reduction
  • Tibault's WillTibault’s Will (recommended) provides a damage multiplier effect and a Damage Reduction from Close Enemies affix that is not usually obtainable in the Pants slot, in addition to Mana generation. Alternate activations of the damage buff with TeleportTeleport and Flame ShieldFlame Shield.
    • Masterworking Priority: Damage Reduction from Close Enemies
  • FlickerstepFlickerstep (optional) provides a Damage Reduction from Close Enemies affix that is not normally available in the Pants slot, and the unique effect is useful for more Unstable CurrentsUnstable Currents uptime.
    • Masterworking Priority: Damage Reduction from Close Enemies
  • Fists of FateFists of Fate (optional) increases overall damage by 50% with a perfect 300% value on the unique effect. Unfortunately, they are still a minor damage loss compared to well-rolled Legendary Gloves with +4 Ranks to Chain LightningChain Lightning, Attack Speed, Critical Strike Chance, and an Offensive Aspect.
    • Masterworking Priority: Lucky Hit Chance to Restore Primary Resource

Season 4: Loot Reborn

The following list details the changes in the Season 4 Update (Patch 1.4.0) that may pertain to Chain Lightning Sorcerers. Check the Changelog for all the other guide updates.

  • Mastery Skills are now also considered Core Skills.
  • Tal Rasha's Iridescent LoopTal Rasha’s Iridescent Loop
    • Maximum stacks now capped at four.
    • All Resistance variants increased from 8%/3% to 10%/4%.
  • Tibault's WillTibault’s Will
    • Damage increase while Unstoppable reduced from 20-40% to 10-20%.
    • Damage increase persists for 1 second longer after being Unstoppable.
  • Ice ArmorIce Armor
    • Enhanced Ice ArmorEnhanced Ice Armor
      • Mana Regeneration increased from 25% to 30%.
    • Shimmering Ice ArmorShimmering Ice Armor
      • Previous – Enemies that hit you while Ice Armor is active have a 15% chance to become Frozen for 3.23 seconds.
      • Now – While Ice Armor is active, you reduce its Cooldown by 1 second for every 50 Mana you spend.
    • Mystical Ice ArmorMystical Ice Armor
      • Previous – Damage against Vulnerable enemies contributes 50% more to Ice Armor’s Barrier.
      • Now – While Ice Armor is active, you periodically Chill Close enemies for 20% and deal 15% increased damage to Frozen enemies.
  • Shimmering Frost NovaShimmering Frost Nova
    • Previous – Frost Nova generates 4 Mana per enemy hit.
    • Now – Frost Nova grants 3% Dodge Chance per enemy hit, up to 15%. Hitting a Boss gives the maximum amount. For the next 8 seconds, you keep this effect, and successful Dodges generate 20 Mana.
  • Flame ShieldFlame Shield
    • Enhanced Flame ShieldEnhanced Flame Shield
      • Previous – Flame Shield grants 25% increased Movement Speed while active.
      • Now – Flame Shield has a 50% larger burn radius.
    • Mystical Flame ShieldMystical Flame Shield
      • Previous – You gain 25% Mana Cost Reduction while Flame Shield is active.
      • Now – After Flame Shield ends, surrounding enemies are Stunned for 3 seconds and your next Skill within 10 seconds is a guaranteed Critical Strike.
  • TeleportTeleport
    • Enhanced TeleportEnhanced Teleport
      • Previous – Teleport’s Cooldown is decreased by 0.5 seconds per enemy hit, up to 3 seconds.
      • Now – You gain 30% Movement Speed for 3 seconds after Teleporting.
    • Mystical TeleportMystical Teleport
      • Previous – For 4 seconds after Teleporting, Crackling Energy hits 2 additional enemies.
      • Now – Teleport deals 500% increased damage. It also forms a Crackling Energy for each enemy it hits, up to 3.
  • Lightning SpearLightning Spear
    • Damage increased by 8% (.15 to .16).
  • Elemental AttunementElemental Attunement
    • Cooldown reset chance increased from 5% to 7%.
  • Mana ShieldMana Shield
    • Damage Reduction increased from 7% to 8%.
  • Devouring BlazeDevouring Blaze
    • Crowd Controlled enemies now provide the damage bonus instead of Immobilized.
  • Conjuration MasteryConjuration Mastery
    • Previous – You gain 1% increased damage for each active conjuration.
    • Now – You gain 1% increased damage, 1% Movement Speed, and 2% Mana Generation for each active Conjuration.
  • Elemental DominanceElemental Dominance
    • Damage increased from 3% to 4%.
  • Aspect of Abundant EnergyAspect of Abundant Energy
    • Chance to chain to an additional enemy increased to 35-50%.
  • Hectic AspectHectic Aspect
    • Cooldown Reduction reduced from 2-4 seconds to 1-2 seconds.
  • Aspect of DisobedienceAspect of Disobedience
    • Armor stacks no longer fall off independently. They now refresh or reset at the same time.
    • Armor gain changed to 25-40%.
  • Aspect of the Bounding ConduitAspect of the Bounding Conduit
    • Previous – Gain 15-30% Movement Speed for 3 seconds after Teleporting.
    • Now – Teleport’s Cooldown is reduced by 1.0-2.5 seconds. After Teleporting, Crackling Energy hits 2 additional enemies for 5 seconds.
  • TacticianTactician
    • New Functionality: Now lasts 4 seconds longer for each Defensive Skill not on your Action Bar.

Video Overview and Gameplay Footage

Advanced Information

Additional details are provided in the following sections for a more in-depth explanation of the Chain Lightning Sorcerer. Read this advanced information after understanding the basic overview of the build in the previous sections.

Build Mechanics

The Chain Lightning Sorcerer is highly mana efficient due to Recharging AspectRecharging Aspect and Crackling Energy utility. Destructive Chain LightningDestructive Chain Lightning form Crackling Energy to absorb for Mana gains with Shocking ImpactShocking Impact. Crackling Energy also reduces the cooldown of Unstable CurrentsUnstable Currents, TeleportTeleport with Overflowing EnergyOverflowing Energy.

Cast Frost NovaFrost Nova to freeze an entire pack of enemies and apply Vulnerable with Mystical Frost NovaMystical Frost Nova.

Damage Rotation

Use the following rotation to optimize damage.

  1. Cast TeleportTeleport (If you have Raiment of the InfiniteRaiment of the Infinite) to Stun enemies.
  2. Cast Frost NovaFrost Nova to Freeze enemies and apply Vulnerable with Mystical Frost NovaMystical Frost Nova.
  3. (Optional) Activate Unstable CurrentsUnstable Currents against tough Elites and Bosses. This Ultimate Skill can be used often due to Overflowing EnergyOverflowing Energy, but make sure it is available for Bosses at the end of dungeons.
  4. Spam Chain LightningChain Lightning.
  5. Cast Flame ShieldFlame Shield or Ice ArmorIce Armor for protection and Unstoppable when needed.
  6. Repeat the rotation, making sure to allow Mana to fill completely before using Frost NovaFrost Nova.

Telestomp with Raiment of the Infinite

Raiment of the InfiniteRaiment of the Infinite allows the Chain Lightning Sorcerer to use 2 sources of TeleportTeleport offensively. Teleporting on top of enemies to Stun and group them up is called “Telestomping”. This playstyle can quickly clear groups of enemies and keep them Crowd Controlled (CC) for safety, perfect for speed-farming Helltides, Nightmare Dungeons, and The Pit!

Use the following setup for the Telestomp Chain Lightning Sorcerer.

  • Equip Raiment of the InfiniteRaiment of the Infinite to enable Telestomps. Target-farm Raiment of the Infinite from Varshan or Lord Zir for the best chances of it dropping.
  • Replace FireballFireball with TeleportTeleport in the Enchantment Slots.
  • Equip Boots with the implicit effect, Attacks Reduce Evade’s Cooldown, which work with the Evade Teleport. Prioritize the Ranks of TeleportTeleport affix.

Meteorstomp with Starfall Coronet

Meteorstomp is a variant build that supplements the Telestomp setup. A hybrid MeteorMeteor setup with Starfall CoronetStarfall Coronet supplements the Chain Lightning Sorcerer with additional Area of Effect damage, which is greatly needed due to the the limited targeting of Chain LightningChain Lightning. The Meteorstomp Chain Lightning build variant is highly recommended for activities with high enemy density, such as Nightmare Dunegons and The Pit.

Make the following changes to the default setup in this build guide to play the Meteorstomp Chain Lightning Sorcerer.

Tempering and Masterworking

The Season 4 update (Patch 1.4.0) introduces a rework for itemization. Tempering and Masterworking brings the biggest change to itemization since the release of Diablo 4, so make sure you understand the new systems explained in this section.

The amount of affixes on items has been changed to reflect its rarity: Normal Items have no affixes, Magic Items have 1 affix, Rare Items have 2 affixes, Legendary Items have 3 affixes, and Unique Items have 4 affixes. Upgrading a Rare Item to a Legendary Item by imprinting a Legendary Aspect from the Codex of Power will not add a third affix. Therefore, Legendary Items are superior to lower rarity items for a min-maxed character.

Greater Affixes are a newly added mechanic that increases the value of an affix by 50%. Ancestral Legendary Items and Unique Items can now drop with up to 4 Greater Affixes! Search for items with your preferred Greater Affixes to upgrade with Tempering and Masterworking.

Tempering and Masterworking is an important system, even mandatory in the endgame, for character progression. You are able to add 2 additional affixes on any Rare Item or Legendary Item, exclusive to the Tempering System. An Ancestral Legendary Item can have up to 5 total affixes! Unfortunately, Unique Items cannot be tempered to add affixes.

Masterworking uses new crafting materials found in The Pit to further enhance the stats of an item. These upgrades can be applied on an Ancestral Legendary Item that has its Tempering Slots filled out. Unique Items can be upgraded with Masterworking right away, as tempering does not apply to them. Each item has 12 upgrade slots. On upgrade Ranks 4, 8, and 12, a random affix is increased in value by 25%. Every other upgrade Rank applies a 5% increase to all affixes on an item. Attempt to apply the bonus 25% upgrade to your preferred affix multiple times by resetting the Masterworking Ranks to repeat the process.

Obol Gambling

Obol gambling is a great way to potentially find item upgrades or items missing from your build. Use Obols on your target equipment for a chance to receive Greater Affixes. Check out the new tool from Icy Veins for gambling Obols in the link below.

Obol Gambling Optimization Tool

Changelog

  • May 15th, 2024: Priority Affixes updated with game changes made since the Season 4 PTR.
  • May 14th, 2024: Guide updated for Season 4 (Patch 1.4.0)
  • January 26th, 2024
    • Fireball Enchantment added for AoE damage.
    • Meteorstomp Chain Lightning Sorcerer Build Variant section added.
    • Seneschal Construct Companion Powers section updated.
    • New video guide added.
  • January 22nd, 2024: Guide updated for Season 3 (Patch 1.3.0).
    • Seneschal Construct Companion Powers section added.
    • Barrier Generation updated in the Stat Priority List due to the ProtectionProtection passive bug fix.
  • November 15th, 2023: Paragon Board images added.
  • November 9th, 2023: Tal Rasha's Iridescent LoopTal Rasha’s Iridescent Loop added to Unique Item section.
  • November 1st, 2023: Resistances added to Stat Priority List and Gem sections.
  • October 29th, 2023: Paragon video added.
  • October 26th, 2023
  • October 17th, 2023: Guide updated for Season 2 (Patch 1.2.0).
  • August 4th, 2023: Guide released for Patch 1.1.1.
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