by theygamesIf you’re after the best Diablo 4 Rogue build, you’re in the right place. The Rogue class in Diablo 4 is one that excels in both melee and ranged combat, with an emphasis on agility. The Rogue can output a lot of physical damage while staying nimble enough in a battle so as to not take damage – perfect for taking on Lilith’s hordes.
We’ve perfected a Diablo 4 Rogue build that focuses on Cold Imbuement; utilising the Rogue’s core skills in tandem with the freezing power of Cold means that whatever doesn’t die immediately will be frozen in place. Check out this build ahead of the Diablo 4 Server Slam start time, and prepare yourself for what could be one of the best PC games released this year.
Diablo 4 Cold Rogue
The Cold Rogue build, as the name implies, revolves around the Cold Imbuement, utilising its crowd control effects to keep enemies in place, and ultimately amplifying your own damage against them. Keeping your enemies slowed allows you to kite around the battlefield, eliminating them from a safe distance. Unlike some of the other classes in Diablo 4, this Cold Rogue build was largely unaffected by the balance changes in the Server Slam beta.
Applying Cold stacks is much more reliable with a ranged weapon, and in this instance, a bow is the most useful offensive tool you have available due to the rate at which it fires projectiles. If the enemies get too close for comfort, this build also includes two dashes and two charges of freezing Caltrops.
The Cold Rogue build excels at eliminating large groups of enemies, with the slowing effects of Cold and the Rogue’s innate agility allowing a lot of creative freedom in how you fight. While the single-target damage may seem lacking at first, there are several abilities we include that amplify your damage against larger opponents.
Best Cold Rogue skills
There are several active, and passive skills needed to ensure the best Cold Rogue build functions correctly, with a specific focus on Cold Imbuement. Check out our Diablo 4 Rogue class guide if you aren’t sure how the new Imbuement system works.
The active skills needed for the Cold Rogue build are:
- Forceful Arrow (3/5)
- Rapid Fire (5/5)
- Dash (1/5)
- Cold Imbuement (2/5)
- Enhanced Cold Imbuement (1/1)
- Mixed Cold Imbuement (1/1)
- Caltrops (2/5)
- Enhanced Caltrops (1/1)
- Methodical Caltrops (1/1)
- Rain of Arrows (1/5)
- Prime Rain of Arrows (1/1)
Once you activate the Cold Imbuement ability, the next two applicable skills you use apply 25% Cold to the enemy hit. Once the enemy gets to 100% Cold, they freeze and are unable to move for a short period.
Depending on the combat scenario you find yourself in, the order in which you use your active abilities will change. If it is a large horde of enemies, you can activate Cold Imbuement and cast Rain of Arrows, sending two waves of damaging arrows in a large area in front of you, dealing damage, and applying 25% Cold.
For smaller groups of enemies, Cold Imbuement plus Rapid Fire can free targets with a single cast, as each of the five arrows from Rapid Fire applies 25% Cold. Couple this with Methodical Caltrops and you can freeze enemies in a small area in an instant.
The passive skills needed for the Cold Rogue build are:
- Weapon Mastery (2/3)
- Frigid Finesse (1/1)
- Chilling Weight (1/1)
- Exploit (1/1)
Each of these passive skills is in place to amplify the effects of Cold on your enemies. Chilling Weight increases the slow effect caused by Cold, and Frigid Finesse ups the damage to vulnerable foes. These passives are essential when targeting a single enemy, like an elite, or a Diablo 4 boss, as they cannot be frozen, so maximising your damage is essential.
Cold Rogue equipment
When searching for equipment for the Cold Rogue, there is one aspect you should be prioritising over all others: Exploitative. The Exploitative Aspect increases the crowd control duration from your abilities and the damage you deal to unstoppable foes. While you may not be able to freeze bosses and large enemies in place, with Exploitative gear equipped, you can be assured that the damage you deal will be devastating.
Another aspect that increases your survivability is the Cheat’s Aspect. When you have a piece of gear with Cheat’s Aspect equipped, you take less damage from any enemy that is crowd controlled, and if you are hit by an enemy, you instantly gain movement speed.
Now that you know the best Diablo 4 Rogue build, you’re ready to take on Lilith once the Diablo 4 release date rolls by. If freezing your enemies to death isn’t your bag, and you fancy a slightly different flavour of destruction, we also have the best Barbarian build, and the best Sorcerer build so you can dominate anything that the RPG game might throw your way.