The PTR for Season 5 is live on Diablo 4, let's take a preview of the best classes and builds for 1.5.0 Patch! We will go over the significant changes, buffs, nerfs, and new items for each class we've discovered in the Season 5 PTR. Stay tuned to find out which class stands out in next Season and what builds you should consider trying.
With the Season 5 PTR rolled out in Diablo 4, significant class reworks and gameplay changes coming to the 1.5.0 patch are leaked! These updates include new Legendary Aspects and Unique Items for all classes, adjustments to skill functionalities, and improvements in passive abilities. Barbarians see enhancements in skills like Bash and Whirlwind, Druids benefit from increased damage for skills such as Landslide and Shred, Necromancers receive more aggressive minions and improved abilities like Sever, Rogues get buffs to skills including Blade Shift and Penetrating Shot, and Sorcerers gain increased damage and utility for abilities like Ice Armor and Chain Lightning. Additionally, quality-of-life updates streamline the endgame boss fights and dungeon navigation, while new accessibility features aid in questing. For a preview of how these changes will impact class performance, check out our Diablo 4 Season 5 Class & Build Tier List for 1.5.0 PTR.
1. Druid
Druids receive some of the most substantial buffs in Season 5, with significant improvements to key skills like Landslide and Cataclysm. The new unique items, such as Bjorn's Fang Tusk and the Bassist Staff, dramatically enhance the Druid's power. Bjorn's Fang Tusk guarantees critical strikes and provides unlimited Spirit during Cataclysm, while the Bassist Staff offers increased attack speed and a critical chance for Earth skills. These changes make the Landslide Druid build particularly formidable, combining high damage output with excellent crowd control.In Diablo Season 5 PTR, the Druid, specifically the Companion Druid, is broken due to a combination of bugs and overpowered mechanics. The issue primarily lies in the Poison Creeper ability, which is currently dealing an insanely high amount of damage, reaching up to 13 trillion damage per tick under certain conditions.Additionally, the Companion Druid build benefits from new aspects that provide significant damage reduction and make companions invincible, further enhancing their effectiveness. These factors together make the Companion Druid exceptionally powerful, but also clearly indicate that this build will likely be nerfed or fixed before the final release of Season 5. Anyway,Druids can expect to dominate the battlefield with their enhanced abilities and powerful new gear, making them a top-tier class choice for the season.
Key Changes
Landslide: Damage doubled, larger area of effect.
Cataclysm: Guarantees critical strikes within its range, unlimited Spirit while active.
New Unique - Bjorn's Fang Tusk: Increases Cataclysm's damage and guarantees crits.
New Unique - Bassist Staff: Increases Earth skill attack speed and crit chance against stunned enemies.
Diablo 4 Season 5 Best Druid Build Tier List for 1.4.0 PTR:
Landslide Druid
CompanionDruid
Wind Shear Druid
Pulverize Druid
Werenado Druid
Hurricane Druid
Boulder Druid
Lightning Storm Druid
Wolf Companion Druid
2. Barbarian
Barbarians are set to receive impressive buffs and exciting new unique items in Season 5, notably the "Third Blade" unique, which converts weapon masteries into core skills, allowing for powerful new build options. This change opens up the potential for builds like the "Rupture Barbarian," which can now spam Rupture and Death Blow for massive damage. The class also benefits from bug fixes and improvements to Whirlwind, making hybrid builds more viable. With these updates, Barbarians can expect to see an increase in their damage output and versatility, solidifying their place as a top-tier choice for players looking to dominate the battlefield.
Key Changes
New Unique - Third Blade: Converts weapon masteries into core skills.
Hemorrhage: Cap introduced but still viable.
Whirlwind: Bug fixes and potential for hybrid builds.
Diablo 4 Season 5 Best Barbarian Build Tier List for 1.4.0 PTR:
Rupture Barbarian
Flay Bleed Barb
Bleed Bash Barb
Direct Bash Barb
Bleed WW Barb
Deathblow Barb
Thorns Barb
Dust Devil Barb Leap Barb
HotA Barb
Charge Barb
Leapquake Kick Barb
Deathblow Barb
Rend Barb
Upheaval Barb
3. Rogue (A Tier)
Rogues in Diablo 4 Season 5 face substantial changes, with a major nerf to the "Victimize" ability, effectively halting its double-dipping damage multiplier. This necessitates a shift in focus for Rogue players, who might now consider the "Heartseeker Andariel" build, which benefits from buffs and new unique items like the Shroud of Condas. This unique chest armor grants immunity and enhances evasion, adding survivability to the Rogue's toolkit. The build emphasizes critical damage with Heartseeker, alongside the defensive utility of Dark Shroud. Rogues will need to adapt to these changes, leveraging new aspects and items to maintain their effectiveness despite the nerfs.
Key Changes
Victimize: Major nerf, no longer double dips damage multiplier.
New Unique - Shroud of Condas: Enhances Dark Shroud.
Heartseeker: Builds shift focus due to nerfs.
Diablo 4 Season 5 Best Rogue Build Tier List for 1.4.0 PTR:
Pen Shot Rogue
Heartseeker Andariel Rogue
Rapid Fire Rogue
Andariel Flurry/Puncture Rogue
Bone Spear Rogue
Twisting Blade Rogue
Grenade Rogue
4. Necromancer (B Tier)
Necromancers experience a combination of buffs and significant nerfs in Season 5. New unique items like the Path of Trag Boots, which enhance Bone Prison, offer new build opportunities. Bone Spirit gets bug fixes that improve its reliability and damage potential. However, shadow-based builds see substantial nerfs, particularly with the Shadow Blight adjustments. The class also gains the Mortar Crux dagger, which provides a chance to summon decaying skeletal simulacrums for additional damage. Despite the nerfs, Necromancers can still find powerful combinations, particularly by focusing on bone skills and leveraging new gear to enhance their effectiveness.
Key Changes
New Unique - Path of Trag Boots: Enhances Bone Prison.
Bone Spirit: Bug fixes and prioritization improvements.
Shadow Blight: Buffed but with reduced effectiveness.
Diablo 4 Season 5 Best Necro Build Tier List for 1.4.0 PTR:
Shadow Minion Necromancer
Bone Spirit Necromancer
Blood Lance Build
5. Sorcerer (B Tier)
Sorcerers in Season 5 get a mix of buffs and nerfs, but the introduction of two new unique items, like the Vox Anum Staff, adds intriguing possibilities. This staff allows for additional Firebolt, Frostbolt, or Spark projectiles, enhancing the sorcerer's core skill damage. Chain Lightning sees improvements but also gains a cooldown on its enchantment, balancing its power. The Hydra skill's burn damage is significantly increased, providing more options for fire-based builds. Overall, these changes encourage Sorcerers to explore new strategies and builds, particularly focusing on lightning and fire elements to maximize their damage potential.
Key Changes
New Unique - Vox Anum Staff: Adds Firebolt/Frostbolt/Spark to core skill casts.
Chain Lightning: Buffed but with a cooldown on enchantment.
Hydra: Burn damage significantly increased.
Diablo 4 Season 5 Best Sorc Build Tier List for 1.4.0 PTR:
Lightning Sorcerer
Fire Bolt Shatter Sorc
Blizzard Sorc
Frozen Orb Sorc
Ball Sorc
Frosty Strides Sorc
Meteor Sorc
Nova Ice Shard Sorc
Fireball Sorc
Arc Lash Sorc
Incinerate Sorc
It's important to note that this Diablo 4 S5 PTR Tier list is highly contextual and can be subjective based on the criteria used to evaluate them. Factors like ease of playing solo content, group utility, and performance in high-end activities like the Pit or boss fights can all influence a class's standing. Stay tuned for more updates and detailed guides as Season 5 progresses!
