Build Introduction
The 
Chain Lightning Sorcerer leveling build unleashes a barrage of lightning that automatically jumps to each enemy, enabling an easy playstyle that anyone can enjoy. This is the best starter build to level a new Sorcerer character, with the maximum Skill Point allocation at Level 50. Let us go over the build mechanics, character progression, and playstyle!
Chain Lightning is the most Mana efficient Core Skill for a new Sorcerer in Season 4, and it can be spammed continuously for high damage output early-on with little investment. 
Fireball Enchantment is quickly acquired after completing the class quest at Level 15 to provide the build with much needed Area of Effect damage to clear groups of enemies.
Once your Sorcerer character reaches Level 50 or enters World Tier 3, switch to the Chain Lightning Endgame Guide to continue this build.
To find out more general information about leveling as a Sorcerer in Diablo 4, check out our main Leveling Guide.
Video Overview and Gameplay Footage
Skill Tree Points and Skill Bar
Chain Lightning 
Arc Lash 
Teleport 
Unstable Currents 
Frost Nova 
Ice Armor The following table shows the order in which to allocate your Skill Points for Chain Lightning Sorcerer leveling. You gain 48 points at Level 50 and 2 points from completing Renown in each Act zone, for a total of 58.
Enchantment Slots
The Specialization of the Sorcerer can be unlocked at Level 15. Complete the Legacy of the Magi questline as soon as possible to gain access to your first Enchantment Slot, and then assign 
Fireball for group clearing. Once you unlock the second slot at Level 30, assign Chain Lightning to it.
Build Mechanics and Playstyle
The Chain Lightning Sorcerer leveling build is fairly simple to play due to the Core Skill doing the majority of the damage for both density clearing and single target fights. With five chains, each cast hits the same target three times if there are no other enemies around. Once Chain Lightning reaches level 5, its damage is further increased with 
Elemental Dominance and 
Glass Cannon.
Critical Strike Chance
Prioritize equipping items with Critical Strike Chance, as it synergies well with 
Conduction and 
Electrocution. Enhanced Chain Lightning and 
Coursing Currents provide additional Critical Strike Chance. A highly ranked 
Elementalist’s Aspect is extremely valuable if it drops on a Legendary Item during the early leveling phase.
If you obtain enough Critical Strike Chance, switch to an Crackling Energy setup with Destructive Chain Lightning and 
Invigorating Conduit for improved Mana generation. Take a look at the Endgame Chain Lightning Guide for an example of the setup.
Damage Rotation
Engage battles at range with the following rotation.
- Cast Frost Nova near enemies to apply Vulnerable from Mystical Frost Nova
- (Optional) Activate Unstable Currents against tough elites and bosses.
- Use Chain Lightning while above 50 Mana to utilize Elemental Dominance for optimal DPS.
- Activate Ice Armor for 25% Mana Regeneration.
- Spam Arc Lash while below 50 Mana or to finish off enemies.
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. The following sections cover the important systems that are essential to improving the power of your character during the leveling process.
Legendary Aspects
Recharging Aspect greatly helps with Mana management and is a core part of the Chain Lightning Sorcerer build. Unlock the Aspect in the Codex of Power by completing the Zenith dungeon in Fractured Peaks. This dungeon is near the first main town of Kyovashad and it has a minimum monster level of 1, so clear it as soon as possible. Afterwards, visit the Occultist to imprint Recharging Aspect onto a Rare Amulet for a +50% bonus effect.
Higher Tier Aspects with stronger effects can be found on dropped Legendary Items. Salvage unwanted Legendary Items at the Blacksmith to unlock these Aspects in the Codex of Power, and the imprint them onto well-rolled Rare Items. Check the in-depth Aspect and Codex of Power guide for more information.
Listed below are the Aspects found on Legendary Items that are important for the Chain Lightning Sorcerer leveling build. They are listed in order of priority.
| Aspect Name | Legendary Aspect Power | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Recharging Aspect | Each time Chain Lightning bounces off you, gain [1.5 – 3.0] Mana. | Zenith, Fractured Peaks |
| Aspect of the Unbroken Tether | Chain Lightning has a [30 – 40%] chance to chain 4 additional times. | Random Drop Only |
| Elementalist’s Aspect | Core or Mastery Skills cast at or above 100 Mana gain a [20.0 – 40.0%] increased Critical Strike Chance. | Pallid Delve, Dry Steppes |
| Aspect of the Expectant | Attacking enemies with a Basic Skill increases the damage of your next Core Skill cast by [5 – 10%], up to 30%. | Underroot, Scosglen |
| Edgemaster’s Aspect | Skills deal up to [10 – 20%] increased damage based on your available Primary Resource when cast, receiving the maximum benefit while you have full Primary Resource. | Oldstones, Scosglen |
| Aspect of Control | You deal [20 – 35%] more damage to Immobilized, Stunned, or Frozen enemies. | Sunken Library, Kehjistan |
| Accelerating Aspect | Critical Strikes with Core Skills increase your Attack Speed by [15 – 25%] for 5 seconds. | Random Drop Only |
| Rapid Aspect | Basic Skills gain [15 – 30%] Attack Speed. | Buried Halls, Dry Steppes |
| Conceited Aspect | Deal [15 – 25%] increased damage while you have a Barrier active. | Random Drop Only |
| Storm Swell Aspect | You deal [15 – 30%] increased damage to Vulnerable enemies while you have a Barrier. | Onyx Hold, Dry Steppes |
 Aspect of Might | Basic Skills grant 20% Damage Reduction for [2.0 – 6.0] seconds. | Dark Ravine, Dry Steppes |
 Aspect of the Bounding Conduit | Gain [25 – 30%] Movement Speed for 3 seconds after Teleporting. | Komdor Temple, Dry Steppes |
Gems
Listed below are the best Gems to socket into gear for each item type.
| Slot | Gems |
|---|---|
| Weapon |  Royal Sapphire for increased Vulnerable Damage. |
| Armor |  Royal Ruby for increased Maximum Life. |
| Jewelry | Any Resistance Gems needed or  Royal 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.
Elixir 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 Lightning. 
Elixir of Precision provides the highest damage output increase, if not already capped at 100% Critical Strike Chance.
Elixir of Advantage increases damage output, if not already capped at 100% Attack Speed bonus from gear and Paragon.
Elixir of Fortitude is the best general purpose option for survivability. Increased Maximum Life grants larger Barriers from 
Protection and 
Ice Armor.
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 during the early leveling process. 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.
When comparing weapons with similar item levels, Two-Handed Staves are preferred over One-Handed Weapons for higher damage per hit while leveling.
Tempering Manuals are randomly dropped while leveling, and they need to be found to unlock their usage at the Blacksmith. Chance for Chain Lightning Projectiles to Cast Twice is the the most beneficial temper to prioritize while leveling. All other tempers may not be worthwhile during early levels if you are consistently replacing gear with new item upgrades.
| Slot | Gear Affixes | Tempering Affixes |
|---|---|---|
| Wand | 1. Maximum Life 2. Intelligence, Critical Strike Damage, Vulnerable Damage |  Shock Augments (Weapon): Chance for Chain Lightning Projectiles to Cast TwiceNatural Finesse (Offensive): Damage to Close Enemies |
| Focus | 1. Critical Strike Chance, Cooldown Reduction 2. Resource Cost Reduction, Lucky Hit Chance to Restore Primary Resource 3. Maximum Life, Intelligence | Shock Augments (Weapon): Chance for Chain Lightning Projectiles to Cast TwiceNatural Finesse (Offensive): Damage to Close Enemies |
| Helm | 1. Mana per Second, Cooldown Reduction 2. Resistances, Armor 3. Maximum Life, Intelligence | Natural Schemes (Utility): Crowd Control DurationWorldly Endurance (Defensive): Armor or Maximum Life |
| Chest | 1. Mana per Second, Ranks to Defensive Skills 2. Resistances, Armor 3. Maximum Life, Intelligence | Natural Schemes (Utility): Crowd Control DurationWorldly Endurance (Defensive): Armor or Maximum Life |
| Gloves | 1. Ranks to Chain Lightning, Critical Strike Chance, Attack Speed 2. Resource Cost Reduction, Resistances, Armor 3. Maximum Life, Intelligence, Critical Strike Damage, Vulnerable Damage | Natural Finesse (Offensive): Damage to Close EnemiesNatural Schemes (Utility): Crowd Control Duration |
| Pants | 1. Resistances, Armor 2. Maximum Life, Intelligence | Natural Schemes (Utility): Crowd Control DurationWorldly Endurance (Defensive): Armor or Maximum Life |
| Boots | 1. Mana per Second, Movement Speed 2. Resistances, Armor 3. Maximum Life, Intelligence | Natural Motion (Mobility): Evade Cooldown ReductionNatural Schemes (Utility): Crowd Control Duration |
| Amulet | 1. Ranks to  Glass Cannon and/or  Elemental Dominance, Critical Strike Chance, Cooldown Reduction2. Attack Speed, Resource Cost Reduction 3. Movement Speed, Resistances, Armor | Natural Motion (Mobility): Evade Cooldown ReductionShock Finesse (Offensive): Shock Critical Strike Damage |
| Rings | 1. Critical Strike Chance, Attack Speed, Resource Cost Reduction 2. Maximum Life, Intelligence, Critical Strike Damage, Vulnerable Damage | Worldly Stability (Resource): Resource Generation or Resource Cost ReductionNatural Finesse (Offensive): Damage to Close Enemies |
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 an early Paragon board setup for the Chain Lightning Sorcerer.
The Paragon boards in this leveling guide are designed as a temporary setup for characters that have recently reached Level 50. Continue your progress with the fully optimized Paragon setup in the Chain Lightning endgame guide.
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 
Destruction, Exploit or Flamefeeder in the starting board. If you socket Flamefeeder, Switch Chain Lightning to Fire Bolt in the Enchantment Slots to apply Burning.
2. Elemental Summoner (Territorial)
Attach the 
Elemental Summoner board without any rotations. Socket Territorial for some valuable Damage Reduction. Prioritize leveling Territorial to 15, as the increased radius is needed to obtain the additional bonus. Damage multiplier glyphs such as Exploit or Flamefeeder are also viable choices. The Legendary Node on this board is not utilized.
3. Burning Instinct (Reinforced)
Rotate the 
Burning Instinct board 3 times before attachment. Socket 
Reinforced for another valuable source of Damage Reduction. Tactician is another viable choice if you prefer a damage multiplier. Switch Chain Lightning to Fire Bolt in the Enchantment Slots to benefit from the Burning bonuses on this board.
Paragon Board images courtesy of d4builds.gg. Click this link for the Paragon planner.
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 22nd, 2024: Guide updated for Season 3 (Patch 1.3.0).
- October 17th, 2023: Guide updated for Season 2 (Patch 1.2.0).
- August 4th, 2023: Guide updated for Patch 1.1.1.
- July 18th, 2023: Guide updated for Season 1.
