Diablo 4 — the new installment in the legendary RPG series from Blizzard. As before, among the available characters are not only warriors but also pure mages. In this guide, we will tell you everything you need to know about leveling a sorceress.
Mages in Diablo 4 possess high damage and the ability to affect groups of enemies at once — slowing, freezing, or attacking them all at once. However, wizards do not wear heavy armor, and their health bar is significantly lower than other classes. You can increase protection with spells. It is also worth noting that mage abilities depend on mana, which gradually regenerates. This process can be sped up with specific abilities, but it is advisable to have a stock of potions on hand.
Tip: Not all skills need to be maxed out. In some cases, it is enough to invest one or two points in a skill to get the desired effect in battle.
If you focus exclusively on frost spells, you can not only deal damage but also freeze demons. Additionally, you can weaken enemies, allowing you to break through their defenses. You can dodge enemy attacks using teleportation or reduce incoming damage with an ice shield.
Frost Bolt (1 point out of 5). The Enhanced Frost Bolt modifier will allow you to deal damage to a group of enemies, and the Glinting Frost Bolt will restore mana during combat. As a result, this spell will be an auxiliary way to deal damage and restore your magic power.
Ice Shards (5 points out of 5). This spell will be your main way to deal damage to single targets, especially strong mobs and bosses. The Enhanced Ice Shards modifier will allow you to deal damage to multiple targets, and the Greater Ice Shards will give additional bonuses when attacking enemies while the Ice Armor is active. We will talk about it below.
Frozen Orb (5 points out of 5). It has two properties: freezing a group of enemies and applying the vulnerability status with the Mystical Frozen Orb modifier. The latter property will be extremely useful in battles with strong single targets. The Enhanced Frozen Orb ability will allow you to restore the ability to use this skill after each killed enemy.
Deep Freeze (1 point out of 1). The ultimate skill of the Frost Sorceress. Allows you to become immune to enemy attacks for 4 seconds, deal damage to enemies, and freeze them. The Prime Deep Freeze gives you a barrier that will be strengthened by each killed monster. The Supreme Deep Freeze will allow you to accelerate the recovery of other skills after the ability ends.
Teleportation (5 points out of 5). Allows you to quickly evade enemy attacks and deal minor damage to enemies. The Enhanced Teleportation modifier reduces the skill's cooldown after each killed enemy, and the Shimmering Teleportation reduces the damage you take for a few seconds after using the skill.
Ice Armor (1 point out of 5). The primary way of protection for a mage. For a certain time, you will significantly reduce incoming damage and gain a barrier effect. The Enhanced Ice Armor modifier provides a mana regeneration bonus, and the Mystical Ice Armor increases damage to vulnerable enemies. You can apply this status to enemies using the Mystical Ice Ring mentioned above.
Devastation (3 points out of 3). Increases the maximum mana pool.
Precise Magic (3 points out of 3). Increases the chance of successful (critical) hits.
Elemental Unity (1 point out of 3). Successful (critical) attacks have a chance to recharge your defensive skills. This skill works well with Precise Magic and Ice Armor.
Protection (1 point out of 3). Each use of one of your skills creates a barrier that reduces incoming damage for a few seconds.
Frostbite (3 points out of 3). You will deal more damage to chilled and frozen enemies. You can achieve this effect using the Ice Ring.
Icy Touch (3 points out of 3). Increases damage to vulnerable enemies. You can apply this status using the Ice Ring.
Chilling Wind (3 points out of 3). Another skill that activates when attacking vulnerable enemies. It allows you to regenerate mana after each hit.
Avalanche (1 point out of 1). When using Ice Shards, Blizzard, and Frost Orb, there is a chance to deal more damage and not consume mana. This chance increases when attacking vulnerable enemies.
Elemental Balance (1 point out of 3). Reduces damage from special enemies. The less they hit you, the weaker their attacks will be. This skill is effective during battles with elite mobs and bosses.
Mastery of the Elements (3 points out of 3). Your skills will deal more damage if your mana pool exceeds a certain value. This skill is extremely useful in the late stages of the game.
Permafrost (3 points out of 3). Increases the damage of ice skills against special enemies. The skills are effective during battles with bosses and elite monsters.
Mana Shield (2 points out of 3). If you spend a certain amount of mana, incoming damage is reduced. This skill is especially relevant at high difficulty levels.
You will start receiving upgrade points at level 50. Choose Elements and Elemental Balance. The best sigils for the sorceress are:
Note that sigils have a limited range of action.
Your primary damage will come from the Ring of Ice and Ice Shards. The first skill not only allows you to attack and freeze groups of enemies but also applies the vulnerability status, significantly increasing your damage. While these skills are recharging, use Deep Freeze, which, among other things, speeds up the cooldown of passive skills. While waiting, you can shoot enemies with an ice arrow, which will replenish your mana. If that's not enough, use a potion.
It is better to teleport away from enemy attacks. This way, you will not only dodge the attack but also deal some damage. While the skill is recharging, cast an ice armor on your heroine.
With this approach, you will focus on fire and ice spells, as well as lightning strikes. You won't be able to rely on a shield or teleport, but you'll learn to summon allies who will deal damage and take enemy attacks on themselves.
Spark (5 points out of 5). The Enhanced Spark modifier will allow you to deal damage to multiple enemies at once, and the Glowing Spark will increase the chance of critical damage. In any case, this spell will be an auxiliary way to deal damage and restore your magical power. Additionally, Spark attacks will allow Hydras to perform critical attacks more often.
Hydra (5 points out of 5). Allows you to summon an ally who attacks enemies with flames. It can be enhanced with sparks to increase the chance of critical damage. Ideally, the hydra should be far from your hero. In this case, attacks on it will not affect you. The Enhanced Hydra modifier will allow you to summon monsters with an additional head while you have a high health level, and the Awakened Hydra will increase the chance of a critical attack. For this, you need to deal critical damage yourself. The Glowing Spark will help with this.
Chain Lightning (5 points out of 5). An excellent skill for dealing area damage. The discharges will jump from one enemy to another. With the Enhanced Chain Lightning modifier, the chance of a critical attack will increase with each new target for the electric strike.
Frost Nova (5 points out of 5). The only skill of the ice sorceress that fits this build. It allows you to freeze groups of enemies. Enhanced Frost Nova will allow you to use this skill more often, and Mystical Frost Nova will apply the vulnerability status.
Inferno (1 point out of 1). The ultimate skill of the elemental sorceress. Summons a fire serpent that attacks enemies with flames. The Prime Inferno modifier will pull enemies towards the elemental. At this point, you should place a Firewall. The Supreme Inferno will remove mana costs for pyromancy while the serpent remains on the battlefield.
Firewall (5 points out of 5). Deals fire damage over several seconds. Initially, try to trap enemies in a narrow space so they have no chance to escape. When you unlock Prime Inferno, as mentioned above, try to place the Firewall near the center of attraction. Enhanced Firewall will deal more damage, and Sorcerer's Firewall will increase the speed of magic recovery.
Precision Magic (3 points out of 3). Increases the chance of critical damage.
Flame Surge (2 points out of 3). Killing an enemy increases mana recovery speed.
Crippling Flames (3 points out of 3). All fire skills have a chance to immobilize the enemy for a few seconds. This chance doubles if the heroine has more than 50% health.
Devouring Blaze (3 points out of 3). Increases critical damage to burning or immobilized enemies. Extremely effective when combined with Crippling Flames.
Endless Pyre (3 points out of 3). The longer enemies remain burning, the more damage they will take from the burn.
Inner Flames (3 points out of 3). Increases damage from all fire spells.
Resilient Guards (3 points out of 3). Using any skill other than the basic one increases resistance to all elements. It is especially effective if the element of the enemy's attack matches your active skill.
Esu's Ferocity (1 point out of 1). Increases the chance of a critical attack if the enemy has less than 50% health, or the amount of damage from it if the enemy has more than 50% health. If a critical hit kills a mob or boss, both effects will be active for 3 seconds.
In the list of upgrades, you need Elements and Elemental Balance. Among the available symbols, choose:
Remember that all symbols have a limited range of effect.
Keep in mind that this build is a glass cannon. Your heroine will be weak and unprotected, but the lack of armor is compensated by enormous damage. In our build, the sorceress focuses on critical attacks.
Summon the hydra and fire snake and step aside. While your allies distract the enemies, freeze the opponents using Ice Ring, then attack them with Chain Lightning and cast Firewalls. Stay away from demons and always keep a set of health potions on hand just in case.