Stormclaw Druid Endgame Build Guide for Diablo 4 (Season 3)

Build Introduction

The Stormclaw Druid is a fast, simple, and tanky Basic Skill build with a melee playstyle, using Greatstaff of the Crone to deliver a high volume of Claw and Storm Strike. Speed between enemies, grouping packs with Airidah’s Inexorable Will and Godslayer Crown, and cleave them down.

This guide covers everything necessary to get started on your Stormclaw adventure, including Skill Tree points, Paragon, Gearing, and Seasonal updates. The guide will primarily cover Endgame pushing, but will also cover alternative options as well as Gauntlet considerations.

Strengths and Weaknesses

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

Build Requirements

Required Uniques

Greatstaff of the Crone

This build requires Greatstaff of the Crone to function well.

This build does not require, but recommends the following Unique Items:

• Godslayer Crown
• Tibault’s Will
• Airidah’s Inexorable Will

This build does not require, but will benefit from the following Uber Unique Items:

• Harlequin Crest

Variants

A build variant is a modified version of an existing build that changes some aspects of it, such as the damage type, specific skills or passives, and even certain items like different Uniques or Legendary Aspects.

Below, you will find any variant that relates to the Stormclaw Druid.

The Storm Wolf Druid is a defensive and Storm-themed Basic Skill build that face-tanks enemies, leveraging Tempest Roar, Paingorger’s Gauntlets, and Melted Heart of Selig to sweep through the battlefield with larger cleaves and area of effect abilities.

Season of the Construct

Season 3 patch updates

The following list details the changes in the Season 3 Patch Updates that are specific to this build. For general Season 3 information, check out our Season 3 Hub.

Patch 1.3

NEW – Aspect of Adaptability

• When cast below 50% Maximum Resource, Basic Skills generate 3 of your Primary Resource, once per cast.
• When cast at or above 50% Maximum Resource, Basic Skills deal 40–80% increased damage.

New – Juggernaut’s Aspect – Gain 0.75 –1.25 Armor, but your Evade has 100% increased Cooldown.

Boon- Avian Wrath

• Critical Strike Damage bonus is now Multiplicative instead of Additive.

Patch 1.3.3

New – Hectic Aspect – For every 5 Basic Skills you cast, one of your active Cooldowns is reduced by 2-4 seconds.

New – Aspect of the Moonrise – Damaging 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 40-80% Basic Skill damage and 15% Movement Speed for 10 seconds.

Claw

• Damage increased by 15%.
• Spirit Generation increased from 12 to 15.

Quickshift – Damage bonus increased from 5/10/15% to 7/14/21%.

Bestial Rampage – Damage bonus while in Werebear form increased from 30% to 50%.

Ursine Strength – Damage and Overpower damage bonuses increased from 25% to 30%.

Seneschal Construct

The seasonal theme adds a Seneschal Construct companion to aid your character throughout their adventures in Sanctuary. The Construct’s playstyle and support is modified by Governing Stones that grant the construct abilities, with up to three Tuning Stones per Governing Stone to supplement that ability. Stones can be obtained through Vaults, Arcane Tremors, Journey rewards, or crafting.

The Uber Unique Seneschal Tuning Stones Evernight and Genesis are powerful Tuning Stones that drop from the new boss, Malphas. If obtained, they replace non-uber options.

• Evernight: The supported Skill grants you +4 to all Skills when used for 2.0s.
• Genesis: Increase the effectiveness of the supported Skill by 150%

For the Stormclaw Druid, use Flash of Adrenaline for a strong personal damage buff, and a Ranged Governing Stone for strong Damage Reduction and Spirit Generation.

Flash of Adrenaline

• Duration Support
• Tactical Support
• Fortify Support (Replace with Genesis)

Tempest

• Safeguard Support
• Efficiency Support
• Arcing Support (Replace with Evernight)

Skill Tree Points and Skill Bar

Recommended

Skill Bar for Stormclaw Druid

Earthen Bulwark Blood Howl Trample Petrify Claw Poison Creeper

Priority Skills	Cluster
Claw rank 5, Enhanced Claw, Wild Claw, Storm Strike rank 5, Enhanced Storm Strike, Fierce Storm Strike	Basic Skill
Shred rank 1, Enhanced Shred, Primal Shred, Predatory Instinct rank 3, Digitigrade Gait rank 3	Core Skill
Earthen Bulwark rank 1, Enhanced Earthen Bulwark, Preserving Earthen Bulwark, Blood Howl rank 1, Enhanced Blood Howl, Preserving Blood Howl, Ancestral Fortitude rank 3, Vigilance rank 3	Defensive Skill
Poison Creeper rank 1, Enhanced Poison Creeper, Brutal Poison Creeper	Companion Skill
Trample rank 1, Enhanced Trample, Natural Trample, Neurotoxin rank 1, Envenom rank 3, Toxic Claws rank 1	Wrath Skill
Petrify, Prime Petrify, Quickshift rank 1, Heightened Senses rank 3, Defiance rank 3, Natural Disaster rank 2, Resonance rank 3	Ultimate Skill
Bestial Rampage	Key Passives

Ursine Strength Key Passive can also be used over Bestial Rampage, as a more defensive or passive choice.

Spirit Boons – The Druid Class Specialization

Druids unlock powerful Spirit Boon passives, giving offerings to the animal spirits to receive their Blessing. Once fully unlocked, activate the final Boon by Spirit Bonding with one of the four animal spirits to take two passives from that row.

Alternative Boons

In hard-hitting push content where more health is necessary, change the Eagle’s Scythe Talons for the Eagle’s Iron Feather.

If healing is sufficient, swap the Snake’s Masochistic for the Snake’s Calm Before the Storm for more casts of Petrify and Airidah’s Inexorable Will.

If the Fortify generation is sufficient, change Wolf’s Bolster to the Wolf’s Packleader for more coverage of Brutal Poison Creeper.

Paragon

The Paragon Board is a progression system unlocked at Level 50, giving player power through Common stat Nodes, Magic affix Nodes, Rare leveled Glyphs, and Legendary board-exclusive Nodes. Below you will find the preferred Glyphs, Boards, and pathing recommended for making the most of the Stormclaw Druid. All Glyphs are placed as if they are max radius (Level 15+).

Name	Effect
Territorial	For every 5 Dexterity purchased within range, you deal + [9.6%] increased damage to Close targets. Bonus (25 Dexterity): You gain 15% Damage Reduction against Close Enemies.
Inner Beast	After Shapeshifting, your Spirit costs are reduced by 10% for 5 seconds, up to 30% (Legendary Node not taken.)
Werewolf	For every 5 Willpower purchased within range, you deal + [6.24%] increased damage while in Werewolf form. Bonus (40 Willpower): You gain 10% Damage Reduction while in Werewolf form.
Thunderstruck	Storm Skills deal increased damage equal to 20%[x] of your Damage vs Close and Damage vs Distant bonuses.
Undaunted	For every 5 Intelligence purchased within range, you deal + [7.7%] increased damage while Fortified. Bonus (25 Intelligence): You gain up to 10% Damage Reduction the more Fortify you have.
Ancestral Guidance	After spending 75 Spirit, you deal 30%[x] increased damage for 5 seconds (Legendary Node not taken.)
Fang and Claw	Grants +50.0% bonus to all Magic Nodes within range. Bonus (40 Willpower): While in Werewolf or Werebear form, Close Enemies take x12% increased damage from you.
Heightened Malice	While there are 3 or more Poisoned enemies Nearby, you deal 45%[x] increased damage (Legendary Node not taken).
Spirit	For every 5 Dexterity purchased within range, you deal +4.0% increased Critical Strike Damage. Bonus (25 Dexterity): Critical Strikes increase the damage an enemy takes from you by 2%[x] for 20 seconds, up to 12%[x].
Constricting Tendrils	Lucky Hit: Nature Magic Skills have up to a 15% chance to entangle the enemy with vines, Immobilizing them for 2 seconds and Poisoning them for 120% of the Base damage dealt over 4 seconds (Legendary Node not taken)
Exploit	For every 5 Dexterity purchased within range, you deal + [3.85%] increased damage to Vulnerable targets. Bonus (25 Dexterity): When an enemy is damaged by you, they become Vulnerable for 3 seconds. This cannot happen more than once every 20 seconds per enemy.

CLICK THIS LINK TO SEE THE PARAGON BOARD IN ITS ENTIRETY! Paragon Board images are courtesy of d4builds.gg.

Starting Board

Inner Beast

Thunderstruck

Ancestral Guidance

Heightened Malice

Constricting Tendrils

Legendary Aspects and Gearing Affixes

Below are the recommended Legendary Aspects and Gear Affixes for each gear slot. Gear Affixes in Bold are the ideal Affixes, but alternatives are added.

Slot	Aspect	Stats
Weapon	Greatstaff of the Crone	Required Unique Item
Helm	Juggernaut’s Aspect OR Godslayer Crown	Basic Skill Attack Speed Willpower Max Life Total Armor Cooldown Reduction
Chest	Hectic Aspect	Max Life Damage Reduction from Poisoned Enemies Damage Reduction from Close Enemies Damage Reduction Damage Reduction while Fortified
Gloves	Rapid Aspect	Critical Strike Chance Attack Speed Willpower All Stats Critical Strike Damage
Pants	Tibault’s Will OR Aspect of Might	Damage Reduction from Poisoned Enemies Damage Reduction from Close enemies Damage Reduction while Injured Total Armor Max Life
Boots	Ghostwalker Aspect	Inherent – Attacks Reduce Evade’s Cooldown by X Seconds Movement Speed Total Armor while in Werewolf Form All Stats Willpower Dodge Chance
Amulet	Aspect of the Moonrise	Movement Speed Ranks to Envenom Total Armor while in Werewolf Form Cooldown Reduction Willpower
Ring 1	Airidah’s Inexorable Will	Critical Strike Chance Max Life Damage to Close Enemies Damage to Distant Enemies Critical Strike Damage Fortify Generation
Ring 2	Aspect of Adaptability	Critical Strike Chance Max Life Damage to Close Enemies Damage to Distant Enemies Critical Strike Damage Fortify Generation

Although a melee build, Damage to Distant Enemies is for Thunderstruck multiplier.

Alternative Aspects

For a more defensive setup that may be necessary when gearing and leveling, or pushing the highest content, use Defense aspects like Juggernaut’s Aspect for Armor, or Aspect of Might and Vigorous Aspect for better Damage Reduction. Use Pants or Chest for these.

For a bit more cleave, try out Overcharged Aspect over Aspect of Adaptability.

Unique Items

The following Unique Items are recommended for the Stormclaw Druid:

• Greatstaff of the Crone is necessary for the build to function well, making Claw and Storm ability, boosting Claw damage, and doubling the amount of Basic Attacks you are able to cast at once.
• Tibault’s Will is a strong damage multiplier, with high coverage of the buff from casts of Earthen Bulwark and Blood Howl.
• Airidah’s Inexorable Will is a powerful screenwide damage and grouping tool, triggered from casts of Petrify. Hectic Aspect allows for more casts of Petrify to trigger this Unique’s effect.
• Godslayer Crown is another strong multiplier and grouping tool, triggered when Elite enemies are stunned, frozen, or immobilized, or when dealing any damage to a Boss. This build uses both Petrify and the active cast of Poison Creeper to trigger this effect.

If acquired, the following Uber Unique Items are recommended for the build:

• Harlequin Crest is better defensively over Godslayer Crown, with strong Gear Affixes. This can allow the build to push higher while staying safer.

The following Unique Items are situational additions for the build.

• Mad Wolf’s Glee is an excellent offensive Unique Item that gives movement speed and Skill points to Werewolf Abilities including Claw. The downside is it is significantly weaker defensive to a non-Unique chest’s Armor, Max Life, Damage Reductions, and potential Defensive Aspect. This is usable in open world and speed-farming content, or in the Gauntlet.

Mechanics and Playstyle

The Stormclaw Druid has simple gameplay. Use Claw to kill your enemies. Greatstaff of the Crone boosts Claw damage, makes it a Storm skill so it can benefit from Nature damage passives and effects, and casts Storm Strike with every Claw cast. Since Storm Strike is a triggered effect from Claw, it does not need to be on the Skill Bar.

Supporting Abilities and Effects

Trample and Earthen Bulwark provide defensive benefits and give Unstoppable, which allows Tibault’s Will‘s damage multiplier to activate.

Blood Howl is a strong attack speed addition, and with Earthen Bulwark activate defensive passives like the Bolster Spirit Boon and Vigilance.

Poison Creeper poisons enemies, applies Immobilize in a large area, and increase Critical Strike Change against them with Brutal Poison Creeper. This Immobilize can trigger effects for Godslayer Crown and activate multipliers like Natural Disaster.

Petrify is our Ultimate ability, Stunning and applying a heavy Critical Strike Damage multiplier to our enemies. This also activates the effects of Godslayer Crown and Airidah’s Inexorable Will to group enemies to be cleaved down. Hectic Aspect will help reduce Petrify’s cooldown.

The Key Passive Bestial Rampage has been buffed several times to give both a high damage multiplier and a strong Attack Speed bonus, and both buffs are well worth maintaining. we will naturally keep up the Werewolf buff, and we maintain the Werebear buff by using Trample and waiting two seconds until the buff shows up.

We benefit from several layered Attack Speed buffs, including Paragon nodes, Bestial Rampage, Aspect of Moonrise, Rapid Aspect, and Blood Howl.

Put together, we engage enemies with Basic Attacks. Get buffs, Unstoppable, and damage with your supporting abilities Earthen Bulwark, Blood Howl, and Trample. Apply Poison Creeper and Petrify to crowd control and group enemies, then cleave them down.

Other Considerations

Hectic Aspect’s Cooldown Reduction effect can be triggered without hitting a target. Cast your Basic Skill while moving between packs for some extra Cooldown off your abilities!

Controller vs Keyboard and Mouse

Stormclaw can play smoother on a controller. Controllers default to allowing movement while holding Basic Attacks. Keyboard and mouse users will find some restrictions in movement while casting and may have to click a lot to retarget. Some ways to improve quality of life on keyboard and mouse can include any of the following in combination:

• Change Keybind settings to deselect ‘Combine Move / Interact / Basic Skill slot’ along with rebinding their Basic Skill to not be left clicked.
• Use Claw on another keybind.
• Change Preset movement setting to WASD.

Gauntlet Optimization

The Gauntlet is a Trial event dungeon that changes weekly. The format is a point score system over 8 minutes, and players will compete in weekly Leaderboards for fame and prize.

The enemies are level 124, which is the equivalent to Tier 70 nightmare dungeons. Compared to a Tier 100 Nightmare dungeon, the enemies will hurt less, but speed counts even more!

Stormclaw is a fast and competitive build that can speed through content. However, it lacks in the multitarget and AoE map clearing that may show up in the Gauntlet.

The Gearing and Paragon setups for Gauntlet will take less Armor, Max Life, Damage Reductions, and top-end multipliers, and instead tune for speed, uptime, and efficiency. The following recommendations are for generic Gauntlet play, and considerations may change week to week as new maps are shown.

Gearing and Legendary Affixes for Gauntlet

Use the same Legendary Aspects and Unique Items for the Gauntlet.

For gearing affixes:

• Use Shrine Buff Duration on Amulets and Gloves

Gauntlet Skills

To make the most of the Stomclaw Druid inside the Gauntlet, a few changes are made to the build for more output and mobility.

• For active abilities, swap Poison Creeper for Shred, Enhanced Shred and Primal Shred. Shred will be used as a gap closer and mobility tool to keep you moving through the Gauntlet.
• Since the content needs less defense, remove the following Skills
  • Quickshift and Heightened Senses
  • Vigilance
  • Enhanced Trample and Natural Trample
• Take the following Skills
  • Elemental Exposure rank 1, Charged Atmosphere rank 1, Electric Shock rank 3, Bad Omen rank 3
  • Natural Disaster rank 3

Gauntlet Paragon Board

The Paragon Board has a similar layout, but gives up some Armor and Max Life nodes to take some more damage nodes. CLICK THIS LINK to see the Paragon Board in its entirety. Paragon Board is courtesy of d4builds.gg.

Gems

See below for the best Gems to socket into your gear for each category.

• Weapon: Royal Topaz
• Armor: Royal Ruby
• Jewelry: Royal Diamond

Elixirs, Incense and Health Potions

The Alchemist offers helpful consumables at the cost of foraged materials found throughout Sanctuary.

• Craft the highest Assault Elixir available for Attack Speed bonuses.
• If mats are available, craft Chorus of War.
• Upgrade your potion as you level, increasing the instant healing of the potion.

Changelog

9 March 2024: Guide Created, fully replacing previous guide.

• Ownership transferred.
• Adjusted Gear, Skills, and Paragon sections to hit defensive stats targets and improve overall damage output.
• Improved readability, explanations, and options.