Season 11 shakes up Diablo 4's endgame in a big way. The Pit gets rebalanced, boss health drops by 60%, and the Chaos Armor powers that defined Season 10 are gone. This tier list ranks builds based on damage output, clear speed, survivability, how easy they are to play, and what gear they need. We're covering everything from leveling to endgame pushing so you can find the right build for how you want to play.
What's Changed in Season 11
Understanding the major mechanical shifts helps you make smarter build choices:
The Pit Gets Easier
The developers buffed all Pit content by about 8-10 tiers. Builds that cleared Pit 95 during testing now perform around Pit 103-105. Add the 60% boss health reduction on top of that, and you're looking at pushing 5-10 tiers higher than your Season 10 runs with similar gear.
Resource Caps Are Gone
Several aspects and items that maxed out at 500 resources got completely uncapped:
- Aspect of Adaptability (no cap)
- Serpentine Aspect (no cap)
- Ramaladni's Magnum Opus (no cap on Barbarian)
- Kepeleke Ring (vigor cap removed)
- Melted Heart of Selig (no resource cap after rework)
This opens up builds that stack maximum resources. You can push exponentially higher damage through sanctification and smart gearing. Barbarians get a huge boost here with six equipment slots for sanctification scaling.
More Cooldown Reduction Sources
Cooldown reduction now appears on rings (two slots) and gloves. That's three more places to stack it compared to before. This helps builds that depend on cooldowns like Pulverize Druid's Grizzly Rage, Crackling Energy Sorcerer's teleports, and various Spiritborn abilities.
Barbarians Got Buffed Hard
Barbarians got baseline improvements across the board: better main stat scaling, passive tree reworks (especially the barrier nodes in Carnage), and direct buffs to Hammer of the Ancients, Leap, and Kick. The class stays strong despite losing Chaos Armor because those seasonal bonuses hit Barbarian less hard than other classes.
Support Builds Are Meta Now
Support builds (zero DPS characters that buff teammates, debuff enemies, and control crowds) become viable through the Fields of Crimson Barbarian rework and existing Druid support tools. These will dominate high-end Tower leaderboards when that launches in January. Competitive four-player teams will run one or two supports.
Which Class Should You Play?
Here's how the classes stack up for Season 11:
Season 11 Class Rankings
S Tier: Spiritborn
Spiritborn takes the top spot with the best leveling build (Evade), smooth Torment 1-4 progression, multiple endgame options, and crazy sanctification scaling. The class offers both the safest start and competitive endgame pushing.
A Tier: Necromancer, Barbarian, Sorcerer
These three sit roughly equal with multiple S-tier builds each. Necromancers bring new summoner builds and consistent damage. Barbarians pack five S-tier options with insane late-game scaling through sanctification. Sorcerers have the single strongest build overall (Crackling Energy) but limited variety beyond that.
B Tier: Druid
Druids work fine but they're way weaker than their Season 10 glory days. Pulverize stays competitive, but the class lacks the raw power and build diversity of the top tiers.
C Tier: Rogue
Rogues sit at the bottom with few competitive options. Death Trap performs great with proper gear, but the class struggles with core skill viability and needs serious gearing before it competes.
S-Tier Builds (Pit 105-110+)
Crackling Energy Sorcerer
Crackling Energy Sorcerer is probably the strongest build in Season 11, period. It clears fast, melts bosses in seconds, and stays beginner-friendly the whole way through. The build uses Isodora's Overflowing Cameo and a new unique weapon to create a lightning shotgun effect that shreds everything.
What Makes It Strong:
- Permanent teleport through a mix of bar teleport and evade teleports with multiple charges
- Clear Pit 100+ in about 70 seconds
- Kill bosses in 2-3 minutes on high-tier content (tested before the health reduction, so it's even faster now)
- No defensive skills needed, just pure offense
- Easy to play with straightforward mechanics
Gear Requirements: You need Isodora's Overflowing Cameo (unique amulet) and the new unique weapon from Season 11. Grab The Oculus ring for teleport consistency. The Baleful eyes auto-activate, so there's less button management.
The Downside: Sorcerer build variety sucks this season. Hydra is next best but sits way below Crackling Energy. If you want variety, this class will disappoint you. But if you just want power, this is it.
Projected Performance: Pit 110+ with average gear, potentially 115-120 with perfect sanctification
Lunging Strike Barbarian
Lunging Strike Barbarian probably deals the most DPS of any build in Season 11. It uses uncapped resource scaling to hit absurd numbers. The build got a 64% damage buff and can now equip Hammer of the Ancients just for the +100 max fury without even using it. Stack that with Melted Heart of Selig's fury doubling and Ramaladni's Magnum Opus.
How Resource Stacking Works:
- Base fury from gear and passives
- Hammer of the Ancients adds +100 fury when equipped
- Melted Heart of Selig doubles your max fury
- Ramaladni's Magnum Opus adds another multiplier
- Aspect of Adaptability (now uncapped) adds more resources
- Sanctification can add Adaptability to your amulet for even more stacking
With perfect sanctification putting max resource rolls on multiple pieces, you reach fury pools that translate directly into insane damage through Barbarian's resource-to-damage scaling.
The Boss Problem: Despite great clear speed and pack damage, Lunging Strike struggles a bit against single-target bosses compared to Crackling Energy Sorcerer. But it probably pushes the highest Pit tiers anyway because of how fast it clears trash, where you spend most of your time.
Projected Performance: Pit 110+ baseline, potentially 115-125 with optimal sanctification
Golem Necromancer
Golem Necromancer brings a totally new summoner playstyle that focuses only on golems after you sacrifice your skeleton warriors and mages. The build cleared Pit 100+ during testing before getting the 10-tier Pit buff and extra Hellbent Commander passive improvements.
How It Works: The updated Hellbent Commander passive removed the seven minion requirement, so you can sacrifice all your skeletons. This creates a focused golem build where you command your golems to attack with crazy short cooldowns. You just keep resetting their assault commands to pump out maximum damage.
Projected Performance: Pit 110+ with standard gearing
Shadowblight Necromancer
Shadowblight Necromancer stays strong from previous seasons as an incredibly durable build that clears high-tier content safely. It cleared Pit 103 during testing and gains about 8 tiers from Pit rebalancing, putting it firmly in S-tier.
- Incredible survivability for Hardcore
- High burst damage with Blood Wave
- Consistent performance across content types
- Safe for pushing high tiers
- Slower than Golem for pure speed farming
- Requires good positioning for ultimate
- Less exciting playstyle than Golem
Projected Performance: Pit 110+ with reliable consistency
Kepeleke Ape Spiritborn (Crushing Hands/Payback)
Ape-focused Spiritborn builds using the uncapped Kepeleke ring show the class's ultimate endgame potential. These builds have crazy scaling with sanctification, potentially matching or beating Barbarian damage when optimized.
The Kepeleke Advantage: With the vigor cap completely removed, Ape builds get instant access to the +1,500 weapon damage bonus, Aspect of Moonrise compatibility (can roll on Kepeleke through sanctification), Adaptability sanctification on amulets, and Unyielding armor rework synergy for rapid damage stacking.
Build Paths:
- Crushing Hands Version: Combines Crushing Hands skill with Unrelenting Aspect for a powerful core skill build. This variant focuses on repeated hand strikes that build momentum and crush enemies through sustained damage.
- Payback Version: Uses Payback as the main damage dealer, focusing on counter-attack mechanics and damage reflection. Both variants hit similar power levels with slight playstyle differences.
Projected Performance: Pit 110+ baseline, 115-120+ with optimal sanctification
Quill Volley Spiritborn
Quill Volley Spiritborn stays extremely powerful after the Kepeleke uncapping. It offers reliable projectile-based gameplay with great crowd control and area coverage. The build lacks the pure single-target burst of Ape variants but makes up for it with better pack clearing consistency.
Where It Shines:
- Pit farming with consistent clear times
- Hordes content with excellent area coverage
- Group play providing ranged damage support
- Early endgame progression before you get perfect sanctification
Projected Performance: Pit 109+
Evade Spiritborn
Evade Spiritborn is hands down the best seasonal start and leveling build in Diablo 4. The build becomes crazy powerful at level 15 and stays relevant through Pit 100+ content, making it perfect for experienced players who want efficient progression.
Why Start Here:
- Full power unlocks at level 15 (when you get Evade)
- Smoothest Torment 1-4 transition of any build
- Farms Pit 100 comfortably in Torment 4
- Needs minimal gear
- Safe and fast through all content stages
Projected Performance: Pit 107+ for speed farming
Pulverize Druid
Pulverize Druid is the class's strongest option after taking big nerfs from Season 10's dominance. The build centers on transforming into a bear and repeatedly slamming the ground with powerful area attacks. It's satisfying to play and puts out consistent damage.
Cooldown Reduction Strategy: With cooldown reduction now on gloves, rings (two slots), amulet, chest, and helm, Druids can stack enough to maintain Grizzly Rage uptime at acceptable levels compared to testing, where these extra slots weren't available yet.
Reality Check: Pulverize stays competitive, but Druids overall lost a ton of power from Season 10. The build works well in all content but lacks the raw output of other S-tier options. If you love the Druid fantasy, you'll find it satisfying. But if you're chasing absolute top clears, you might want another class.
Projected Performance: Pit 108+
Death Trap Rogue
Death Trap Rogue sits at the bottom of S-tier but deserves inclusion because of how well it performs once properly geared. The build struggled during testing but benefits big time from boss health reduction, since single-target damage was its main weakness.
Gearing Requirements:
- Specific unique items with proper rolls
- Masterwork enhancements on key pieces
- Cooldown reduction optimization across multiple slots
- Aspect combos for cooldown resets
Projected Performance: Pit 106+ with proper gearing
A-Tier Builds (Pit 100-105)
A-tier builds comfortably clear Pit 100 and can push into 103-105 territory with good play and gearing. These represent solid choices for seasonal progression, though they lack the raw power or speed of S-tier options.
Hammer of the Ancients (HotA) Barbarian
HotA Barbarian delivers the classic Barbarian fantasy: spinning through enemies with Whirlwind while devastating them with Hammer of the Ancients slams. The build received substantial buffs and benefits from all the Barbarian baseline improvements, potentially moving to S-tier pending Melted Heart of Selig performance verification.
Resource Synergy: Like Lunging Strike, HotA benefits from uncapped resource scaling through Ramaladni's confirmation that it still functions with the skill. You can additionally equip Hammer of the Ancients on your bar (even for non-HotA builds) to gain +100 maximum fury, which then doubles through Melted Heart of Selig.
Projected Performance: Pit 104+ minimum, potentially 108+ if Melted Heart maintains defensive value
Bash Barbarian
Bash Barbarian enters A-tier through accumulated baseline Barbarian improvements rather than specific skill buffs. The build can now equip Hammer of the Ancients for +100 fury while using Bash as the primary damage dealer, benefiting from the same resource stacking as other Barbarian builds.
Projected Performance: Pit 104+, potentially higher with sanctification
Earthquake Barbarian
Earthquake Barbarian received massive improvements through Leap changes, making the build significantly faster and more enjoyable. You can trigger earthquakes through either Hammer of the Ancients or Whirlwind, creating build variety within the archetype.
Projected Performance: Pit 103+
Additional A-Tier Options
| Build | Class | Projected Pit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mighty Throw | Barbarian | 103+ | Rotation-based playstyle |
| Touch of Death | Spiritborn | 102+ | Crazy scaling with sanctification |
| Rake | Spiritborn | 102+ | Solid Kepeleke build |
| Heartseeker | Rogue | 100-103 | Pure pushing specialist |
| Hydra | Sorcerer | 100-102 | Resource cap removal buff |
| Cataclysm | Druid | 100-102 | Automatic targeting farmer |
| Boulder | Druid | 100-102 | Circling boulder mechanic |
| Blood Wave | Necromancer | 100-103 | Always strong, solid buffs |
| Mendeln Mage | Necromancer | 100-103 | 22% damage buff |
| Bone Spear | Necromancer | 100-103 | Very decent build |
B-Tier Builds (Pit 95-100)
B-tier builds can handle all Torment 4 content and clear Pit 100 with good play and gearing. These are viable options but need more investment or skill to match higher-tier performance.
Barbarian Speed Builds
Several Barbarian builds focus on speed over raw damage:
- Charge Barbarian: Good speed for farming
- Leap Barbarian: Attack speed scaling got reduced but stays excellent for moving around
- Kick Barbarian: Now has doubled size, improving area coverage
Spiritborn Variety Builds
- Rushing Claw Spiritborn: Got cooldown reduction buffs, creating a cool speed farmer, but Evade exists and performs better
- Thorns Balazan Spiritborn: Mediocre performance overall
- Jaguar Hallborn: New build but relatively mediocre
- Poison Centipede Hallborn: Uses Noxious Resonance with Quill's 8 attacks at 100% poison burst chance
Sorcerer Core Skills
- Frozen Orb Sorcerer: Got big buffs plus the new legendary weapon
- Meteor Sorcerer: Cool visuals but medium damage
- Ball Lightning Sorcerer: Viable but outclassed
- Chain Lightning Sorcerer: Functions adequately
Rogue Options
- Rain of Arrows Rogue: Potentially viable for farming similar to Evade
- Flurry Rogue: Solid overall performance
- Poison Twisting Blades Rogue: Decent aspect buffs
- Dance of Knives Rogue: Works with Poison Trap
Druid Additional Builds
- Fleshrender Druid: Moderate performance
- Shred Druid: Fast but damage output stays mediocre
- Companion Druid: Wolf version now available
- Earth Spike Druid: Functional option
Best Builds By Content Type
Speed Farming Rankings
Speed farming prioritizes clear speed and mobility over raw pushing power. The best speed farmers rip through Pit runs quickly while staying consistent.
Top Speed Farming Builds
Pushing Rankings
Pushing prioritizes raw power and scaling for high Pit tiers and Tower content.
Top Pushing Builds:
- Support Barbarian (zDPS): Must-have for group Tower leaderboards
- Support Druid (zDPS): Must-have for group Tower leaderboards
- Lunging Strike Barbarian: Likely highest solo Pit clear potential
- Payback Spiritborn: Can compete with top Barbarian builds with sanctification
- Crackling Energy Sorcerer: Crazy boss damage for timed content
Bossing Rankings
Once fully geared, the bossing rankings become mostly irrelevant since most builds one-shot Torment 4 bosses. This list mainly matters during early progression when you're farming for first uniques and mythic items.
Top Bossing Builds:
- Crackling Energy Sorcerer: Insane single-target damage, possibly the best boss killer in the game
- Blood Wave Necromancer: One button press can explode bosses
- Shadowblight Necromancer: High burst damage windows
- Pulverize Druid: Very easy progression build; gamble maces at level 60 to get the unique and jump to Torment 3 immediately
Leveling Rankings
Leveling rankings rarely change much between seasons since most updates target endgame content.
Top Leveling Builds:
- Evade Spiritborn: Best leveling in the game, overpowered at level 15
- Minion Necromancer: Chill and easy, skeleton mages give safe ranged damage
- Sorcerer Burn Builds: Incinerate or burn-focused builds level efficiently
- Shocking Impact Sorcerer: Alternative strong leveling path
Strong Leveling Options:
- Flurry Rogue: Fast with easy progression into endgame
- Dance of Knives Rogue: Good for season start, decent endgame capability
- Quill Volley Spiritborn: Strong throughout progression
Build Deep Dives
Barbarian Builds Explained
Barbarians emerge as one of Season 11's strongest classes with five S-tier builds and crazy sanctification scaling through six equipment slots. All Barbarian builds benefit from baseline improvements including main stat scaling improvements, passive tree reworks (especially Carnage barrier nodes), Hammer of the Ancients, Leap, and Kick individual skill buffs, and better post-Chaos Armor retention.
Resource Stacking Strategy: Multiple Barbarian builds use max fury stacking through equipping Hammer of the Ancients on bar for +100 fury (even if not using HotA as main skill), Melted Heart of Selig doubling max fury, Ramaladni's Magnum Opus giving multipliers, Aspect of Adaptability (now uncapped) adding resources, and sanctification potentially adding Adaptability to amulet or max resources to rings.
Necromancer Builds Explained
Necromancers have crazy strong Season 11 performance across multiple build types. The class offers both the best new build (Golem) and continued strength from previous seasons (Shadowblight, Blood Wave).
Golem Build Mechanics: The updated Hellbent Commander passive removed the seven-minion requirement, so you can fully sacrifice skeletons. This focuses all minion damage bonuses onto golems while giving sacrifice benefits. The new legendary weapon gives massive golem-specific damage multipliers.
Shadowblight vs. Golem: Shadowblight offers better tankiness for Hardcore players or anyone wanting safer progression. The build hit Pit 103 clears during testing without getting buffs, while Golem got big improvements. For Softcore pushing, Golem probably performs better. For Hardcore or safe progression, Shadowblight wins.
Sorcerer Builds Explained
Sorcerers have a diversity problem where one build dominates while others struggle to compete. Crackling Energy Sorcerer is probably the best overall build in Season 11 across all classes, but players wanting to try other Sorcerer builds face big power gaps.
Spiritborn Builds Explained
Spiritborn keeps its position as the strongest overall class with the best leveling build (Evade), smoothest progression curve, and multiple competitive endgame options.
Evade Build Path: Evade becomes crazy powerful at level 15 when the skill unlocks. From that point, it face-rolls content through Torment 4 and farms Pit 100+ efficiently. The build gives the safest, fastest seasonal start for experienced players while staying viable as a permanent endgame option.
Kepeleke Uncapping Impact: The complete removal of Kepeleke's vigor cap dramatically strengthens all Spiritborn builds using the ring. Ape builds especially benefit from instant +1,500 weapon damage bonus, Unyielding armor rework synergy, sanctification potential (Moonrise on Kepeleke, Adaptability on amulet), and steep scaling curve with gear investment.
Druid Builds Explained
Druids lost a ton of power from Season 10's dominance but stay viable through Pulverize and Companion builds. The class got cooldown reduction improvements that help maintain Grizzly Rage uptime, which became harder after Season 11 changes.
Cooldown Reduction Management: With cooldown reduction now on rings (two slots) and gloves (one slot) plus previous sources, Druids can stack enough to maintain reasonable Grizzly Rage uptime. This is about three more cooldown reduction sources compared to testing, making the build feel way better.
Rogue Builds Explained
Rogues sit at the bottom of class rankings with few competitive options. Death Trap performs great with proper gearing, but the class struggles with core skill viability and needs big investment before it competes.
Death Trap Gearing Path: Don't start the season with Death Trap. Level with another Rogue build (Flurry or Dance of Knives recommended) and transition once you get specific unique items with proper rolls, masterwork enhancements on key pieces, cooldown reduction optimization, and proper aspect combos.
Core Skill Problems: Rogue core skills, especially ranged options like Barrage, Rapid Fire, and Penetrating Shot, sit way down tier lists. The class concentrates power in ultimate builds (Death Trap, Rain of Arrows) and melee skills (Flurry, Twisting Blades), creating limited build diversity.
Gear and Sanctification Strategies
Understanding Sanctification
Sanctification lets legendary aspects roll on extra gear slots beyond their normal placement. This creates chase items that dramatically boost build power but take serious farming investment.
Sanctification Examples:
- Aspect of Adaptability normally appears on gloves/rings but can sanctify onto amulets
- Aspect of Moonrise can sanctify onto Kepeleke ring for Spiritborn builds
- Maximum resource aspects can appear on additional slots
Resource Stacking Builds
Multiple builds benefit from max resource stacking through uncapped mechanics:
| Class | Key Items | Stacking Method |
|---|---|---|
| Barbarian | Melted Heart, Ramaladni's, HotA | Equip HotA for +100 fury, double with Melted Heart, multiply with Ramaladni's |
| Sorcerer | Melted Heart, Adaptability, Serpentine | Double max mana with Melted Heart (no 500 cap), stack Adaptability (uncapped) |
| Spiritborn | Kepeleke Ring, Adaptability | Completely uncapped vigor on Kepeleke, sanctify Moonrise and Adaptability |
Cooldown Reduction Priority
Cooldown reduction gained three more potential sources: rings (2 slots, new) and gloves (1 slot, new). This helps builds dependent on cooldown uptime including Pulverize Druid (Grizzly Rage), Crackling Energy Sorcerer (teleports), Spiritborn builds (various skills), and Death Trap Rogue (cooldown resets).
Seasonal Start Recommendations
For Experienced Players
Start: Evade Spiritborn
Evade gives the fastest seasonal start with crazy leveling speed, smoothest Torment 1-4 transition, and viability through Pit 100+. Once geared, transition to Ape builds for ultimate endgame scaling.
Alternative: Crackling Energy Sorcerer
If you prefer Sorcerer or want the single strongest overall build, Crackling Energy offers beginner-friendly mechanics with great performance across all content types.
For Casual/New Players
Start: Crackling Energy Sorcerer
The most beginner-friendly S-tier build with straightforward mechanics, no complex rotations, and devastating performance. Sorcerers have always been beginner-friendly, and this build shows exactly why.
Alternative: Minion Necromancer → Golem
Start with skeleton mage summoner for safe, easy leveling. Transition to Golem Necromancer in endgame for competitive performance while keeping a pet-based playstyle.
For Hardcore Players
Start: Shadowblight Necromancer
The tankiest high-tier build with multiple defensive layers and consistent damage. Avoid glass cannon builds and prioritize survival.
For Push-Focused Players
Start: Barbarian (any S-tier build)
Barbarians probably hit the highest Pit clears through multiple build options. Start with Lunging Strike or HotA, stack max fury, farm sanctification, and push for leaderboards.
For Speed Farmers
Start: Evade Spiritborn
No build farms faster while keeping competitive power. Great for early-season Material farming and Torment 4 content clearing.
Common Questions
Why Do Tier Ratings Show Lower Pit Numbers Than Perfect Sanctification Can Hit?
Tier ratings show minimum expected performance with average gear. Perfect sanctification can add 10-20 Pit tiers but needs RNG luck that casual players won't get. Setting realistic expectations prevents frustration when you don't immediately hit theoretical maximums shown in testing.
Will Support Builds Work for Solo Play?
No. Support Barbarian and Support Druid have literally zero solo capability. They do no damage and are made exclusively for group content where buffing three damage dealers gives more value than a fourth damage dealer. These builds appear at the top of pushing rankings because they're must-haves for Tower group leaderboards starting in January, but they have no relevance for solo players.
Can I Start Death Trap Rogue?
Not recommended. Death Trap needs specific unique items, masterwork enhancements, and cooldown reduction optimization before it works smoothly. Level with Flurry or Dance of Knives, stack gear during early endgame, then transition once you have the necessary pieces.
How Important Is Sanctification?
Sanctification creates the difference between casual endgame clearing and absolute top-tier pushing. You can comfortably clear Pit 100 and finish all Torment 4 content with average gear and no perfect sanctification. Pushing 115-120+ needs optimal sanctification. Don't stress about perfect sanctification early in the season. Focus on baseline build functionality first, then chase sanctification as a long-term goal.
Should I Wait for Tower Before Pushing?
Tower launches in January as new endgame content with leaderboards. But The Pit stays relevant for character progression and solo pushing. Don't wait for Tower. Progress your character through Pit content now, since the power you build translates to Tower performance later.
Which Class Has the Most Build Variety?
Spiritborn and Barbarian offer the most competitive build variety with multiple S-tier and A-tier options. Sorcerer has the least variety with one dominant build (Crackling Energy) and big power gaps to alternatives.
Final Recommendations
Season 11 brings big balance improvements with narrower power gaps between classes and more viable build options across the board. Nearly every class has at least one S-tier build, making class preference a more valid choice than previous seasons.
| Category | Best Build | Why It Wins |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | Crackling Energy Sorcerer | Speed + power + beginner-friendly |
| Leveling | Evade Spiritborn | Dominant at level 15 |
| Highest Damage | Lunging Strike Barbarian | Resource stacking with sanctification |
| Safest | Shadowblight Necromancer | Tankiest high-tier option |
| Speed Farming | Evade Spiritborn | Unmatched speed with competitive power |
The Pit rebalancing and boss health reduction mean you'll push 5-10 tiers higher than Season 10 with the same effort, making progression feel rewarding. Sanctification gives long-term chase content for dedicated players without blocking casual players from Pit 100 completion.
Pick builds based on preferred playstyle rather than chasing absolute top tiers. The power differences mainly matter for leaderboard competition, not seasonal enjoyment. All S-tier and A-tier builds can finish all content and reach satisfying power levels with reasonable investment.