While the metagame is slowly reaching a pretty stable state in Diablo 4, people still want to know how to best level up each class.
Part of our complete Diablo 4 class guide.
The Rogue class is a new addition to the world of Diablo, even though it takes bits and pieces from other older classes. It is a combo of Amazon bow-based skills with a few of the Assassin skills and traps. But today we’re going to be talking about Rogue build for leveling that is exclusively melee, allowing you to reach level 50 ASAP. After you’ve reached this point, check out our best Diablo 4 Rogue Endgame Build to prepare yourself for the horrors to come.
Main Skills
Puncture
This will be your basic skill that should be freely used whenever you need to generate combo points or Energy. Puncture works on a short distance with a slow effect that is inflicted every third cast. Three skill points will be needed here with two for the Enhanced and Fundamental upgrades.
Flurry
Our main AOE skill, Flurry will require five skill points for itself with two more for the Enhanced and Improved upgrades. Flurry will throw four projectiles in front of you with increased damage the more combo points you have. If you manage to get your hands on the Encircling Blades Aspect as fast as possible, you will be dealing damage 360 degrees around you.
Shadowstep
This skill will make us Unstoppable while also increasing our Movement Speed for two seconds. The skill itself will relocate us behind our target and deal a single instance of damage. Three points should be enough here, with two for the Enhanced and Methodical upgrades.
Dark Shroud
Dark Shroud will surround your character with five protective shadows, each giving you 8% Damage Reduction. Taking an instance of damage will consume one of your Shadows. A total of three skill points will be added here, with the Enhanced and Subverting upgrades being used.
Poison Trap
The best trap for this build, Poison trap will arm after one second and will deal a lot of damage to enemies over nine seconds. Up to four armed traps can be out at once. Three skill points should be enough here, with two relegated for the Enhanced and Countering upgrades.
Poison Imbuement
Both your melee weapons will be imbued with poison and will deal additional damage over six seconds. Seven points will be added here and we will be taking the Enhanced and Blended upgrades.
Passive Skills
Key Passive – Momentum
Each of your Cutthroat skills will give you a Momentum stack for 8 seconds whenever you hit a Stunned, Frozen, or Dazed enemy or you hit an enemy from behind. Three Momentum stacks will give you 20% Damage Reduction, 30% increased Energy Regeneration, and an increase of 15% to our Movement Speed.
Sturdy
A single point in this passive will give you 4% Damage Reduction from Close enemies, which is great since we’re a melee build.
Siphoning Strikes
Every time you deal Critical Strikes to Close enemies you will heal 3% of your Max Life. This Passive is a great tanking tool and will require three skill points.
Stutter Step
Three skill points added here will give you a 15% Movement Speed increase whenever you land a Critical Strike. This is a very important passive, allowing us to position ourselves better when in combat.
Weapon Mastery
Since our build is focused on using Daggers, three points in this passive will give us a 15% damage increase when attacking Healthy enemies.
Concussive
Whenever you Knock Back or Knock Down an enemy you will get 12% more Critical Strike Chance against them for three seconds. Three skill points will be added to this passive.
Exploit
Three skill points added here will net you an 18% increased damage when attacking Healthy or Injured enemies.
Malice
Vulnerable enemies will receive 9% more damage from any of your skills after you place three skill points here.
Deadly Venom
A single point is enough here, which will net you 3% more Poison damage.
Debilitating Toxins
If we place three skill points here, this will decrease the damage that poisoned enemies deal by 15%. And since we can place up to four traps at a time, it will be active on most enemies that we are engaging.
Alchemical Advantage
This passive will require a single skill point. We will get a 1% increase in our Attack Speed for every enemy that is currently Poisoned. This bonus is capped at a maximum of 15%.
Trap Mastery
Whenever one of our traps is activated, we will get a 12% Critical Strike Chance increase when dealing with Vulnerable or Crowd Controlled enemies for the next four seconds. Three skill points should definitely go here.
Adrenaline Rush
A single skill point will go here and will give us a 5% Energy Regeneration increase when you are on the move.
Haste
When you are above 50% of your max Energy, you will get a 15% increase to your Movement Speed. When you’re below 50% of your Energy, you will gain 15% increased Attack Speed. Three skill points will go here to ensure that we get the most out of it.
Playstyle
This is a very straightforward Rogue melee build that will make leveling to 50 pass by in no time. You have decent mobility and great AoE that will help you blast large packs while stacking Poison on beefier opponents. Obviously, Flurry is the main Core skill that you will be using, with Shadow Step helping you get into the middle of a pack. Depending on the situation, dark Shroud also helps us get in or out of fights.
Traps should be used whenever available, especially against packs of Elites. Taking them down can prove challenging depending on your gear, which is where your Poison Trap comes in. Place them continuously as you backpedal away from the fight, and enemies will get a ton of Poison stacks while they chase you around. You can even use Puncture a bit for that Slow effect that will ensure your safety. Overall, this is a great melee leveling build that emphasizes speed in taking down any enemies you might encounter.
