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Drew has been a fan of games since he could hold a GameCube controller. Nowadays, he plays everything from mobile and PC games, to PS5 and Switch.
Reviewed by Benjamin Barr
Diablo 4 is Blizzard’s latest entry in its long-running ARPG series that features co-op play for up to four players. However, co-op play is not required, and many players find themselves playing through the game’s campaign and endgame content solo. With a total of five classes to choose from, solo Diablo 4 players will want to choose the best class for their character that can stand on its own. Today, we’re breaking down the best Diablo 4 solo classes and diving into how to make them work as a solo player.
Best Diablo 4 Solo Class: Ranked Worst to Best
Let’s jump right into our ranking of the best Diablo 4 solo classes, ranked by how easy the are for solo players to utilize without the help of a party.
Barbarian
While any Diablo 4 class can technically be played solo, some are definitely designed for co-op play. The Barbarian class can work as a solo class, but it is the worst-suited for the job among the bunch.
How to Play Barbarian Solo in Diablo 4
Barbarians suffer from a slight drawback compared to other classes in that they are not as versatile in their build diversity. Most Barbarian builds are either geared towards targeting solo enemies and bosses or dealing with hordes of foes, but not both. As such, Barbarians work better in a supporting role among a party of players rather than a class for solo players.
If you’re going to play Barbarian as a solo player, the ideal build for you is the Whirlwind Barbarian build. The Basic Skill for this build is Lunging Strike to give the Barbarian decent mobility. The real power of this skill is the Core Skill Whirlwind, which will help in dealing with groups of enemies. The combination of these two skills will form the bread and butter of a solo Barbarian build.
The Barbarian will also want to utilize Shouts like Rallying Cry, War Cry, and Challenging Shout to help buff your character and keep them alive in combat. While these skills typically work better when playing in a party, as they can provide buffs to allies as well, they can be helpful for solo players as well. For the Barbarian’s Ultimate Skill, Wrath of the Berserker is the best choice for this build, since it synergizes quite with Whirlwind gaining Berserking and Unstoppable while active.
Rogue
The Rogue is a solid pick for solo players due to its high damage output potential. However, despite having high mobility and evasion, the Rogue is lacking in defense and really benefits from having a tank who can take hits for them.
How to Play Rogue Solo in Diablo 4
Unlike Barbarians, Rogues in Diablo 4 have some options when it comes to build variety. With both ranged and melee options available, solo Rogues will likely want to opt for a ranged or hybrid build in order to keep enemies at a distance with their poor defenses and lack of a co-op tank. The best type of build for this situation takes advantage of the Rogue’s Penetrating Shot skill and will be built around optimizing it.
To utilize this ability, Rogues will want to make sure a bow is equipped and invest in Puncture as their Basic Skill. The Core Skill is going to be Penetrating Shot, since it will be the focal point of this build. Players are also going to want some skills that give them the mobility to escape dangerous situations, such as Dash and Smoke Grenade. Both of these skills can give the Rogue some breathing room to reset and resume firing arrows at enemies.
Solo Rogues will also want to make good use of Poison damage to help their damage output to groups of enemies. As such, Poison Trap and Poison Imbuement are essential skills. Players will also want to ensure they invest in the Exposure Key Passive as it will help reduce the cooldown for Poison Trap while also dropping Stun Grenades that deal physical damage and stun enemies. If you’re having trouble leveling up your Rogue as a solo player, one of Diablo 4’s best farming spots is Champion’s Demise in the Dry Steppes region, and it’s perfect for Rogues.
Sorcerer
The Sorcerer has a lot of strengths going for it that make it a great option for solo players, but it also faces similar issues as the Rogue that make it less than ideal. While the class has the potential for some of the highest damage output in the game, it is also quite frail and works best with a party that can back it up.
How to Play Sorcerer Solo in Diablo 4
With the Sorcerer excelling in crowd control as well as dealing high damage to single targets, solo players will want to take advantage of both of these strengths with an Ice Shard build. Utilizing the Sorcerer’s Ice skills can help inflict Freeze on enemies and render them immobile. These Ice skills also have some of the best damage output potential in the game.
The Core Skill this build revolves around is Ice Shards, which launches multiple projectiles that inflict increased damage on Frozen enemies. To help ensure nearby enemies are Frozen, Sorcerers will want to invest in the Frost Nova Defensive Skill. Additional Defensive Skills like Ice Armor and Flame Shield can be helpful in mitigating damage to this frail class.
In order to maximize damage output, players will want to invest in the Glass Cannon Passive as well. The Ultimate Skill for this build should be Deep Freeze, since it can grant you immunity for four seconds while dealing 100% damage and 14% Chilling to enemies. Although this build can output high amounts of damage, the Sorcerer still runs the risk of being overwhelmed by enemies. As such, inflicting crowd control statuses like Freeze are necessary to stay alive.
Druid
Druid is perhaps the most versatile class in Diablo 4. It has great survivability, access to both ranged and melee combat options, and can deal magic as well as physical damage. With all of these tricks up their sleeves, solo Druid players in Diablo 4 can essentially be a one-man army.
How to Play Druid Solo in Diablo 4
The optimal build for solo Druid players should include both melee and ranged skill options. A combination of Storm Magic and Werewolf shape-shifting skills will get the job done in this case. Druids also have the benefit of having animal companions that they can summon to fight by their side, giving them additional support as they slay demons.
For this build, players will want to invest in Wind Shear as a Basic Skill along with Lightning Storm as their Core Skill. In order to support their Werewolf form, Druids should put some points into Blood Howl in order to heal while shape-shifted. Cyclone Armor is a great Defensive Skill to have, as it can help keep enemies at a distance while reducing incoming damage when needed. Druids can also deal some fantastic AOE damage with the Wrath Skill Hurricane, which can shred enemies caught in its gales.
For their Ultimate Skill, solo Druids will want to pick up Grizzly Rage, as it can be a fantastic melee companion to Hurricane. This skill allows the player to shape-shift into a Werebear for 10 seconds while dealing increased damage and reducing incoming damage. It also can be extended by one second per kill up to five seconds. Finally, players will want to invest in Earthen Might as a Key Passive in order to ensure their Spirit remains topped up while casting these skills.
Necromancer
Easily the best of the solo classes in Diablo 4 players is the Necromancer. A core component of the Necromancer’s play style is their ability to summon undead minions from the corpses of slain foes. This means Necromancers can essentially summon their own party to fight for them, even while playing solo.
How to Play Necromancer Solo in Diablo 4
On top of being able to summon minions to fight by their side, Necromancers can also enhance their survivability through the use of vampiric skills, draining the health of enemies in order to restore their own. The ideal build for this type of play style takes advantage of both of these elements to make a powerful solo class for tackling Diablo 4’s many challenges.
The Basic Skill Necromancers will want to pick up first is Decompose, followed by the Core Skill Blight. Both of these skills are necessary for creating corpses that can become summonable minions. Additionally, the Hewed Flesh Passive will be useful for increasing the amount of corpses available to the Necromancer. Players will also want to get the Blood Mist skill as soon as possible as it will be the primary method for healing as a solo Necromancer.
Corpse Explosion, Bone Prison, and Decrepify are also must-have skills for dealing with large groups of enemies, as they can serve as great AOE damage and debuff dealers. These skills will also make it easier for your minions to make quick work of enemies. Bone Storm is the Ultimate Skill solo Necromancers will want to invest in, since it can deal high amounts of damage to a wide area for a fairly long duration. The combination of these skills and the Necromancer’s use of minions means players will have all the tools they need to survive Diablo 4 without the need for co-op play.
Join the High Ground!
Do you agree with our ranking of the best Diablo 4 solo classes? Are you mainly playing solo, or with a party? Which class did you choose? Let us know in the comments down below. While you’re there, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter so you don’t miss any of our upcoming Diablo 4 guides.
Happy gaming!
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