A lightning-fast mobile Werewolf build that tears through enemies with deadly efficiency!
LastUpdated: May 20, 2025
Build Tier: A-Tier
Build Overview
The Werewolf Frenzy build harnesses the raw power of the Shred skill to quickly dash between enemies while delivering devastating attacks. This agile build excels at rapidly clearing farm content through its exceptional mobility and burst damage potential. By combining lightning attacks from Stormclaw's Aspect with the ferocity of werewolf form, you'll become a whirlwind of destruction across Sanctuary.
Just beginning your druid journey? Consider starting with our Shred Leveling Build before transitioning to this complete endgame version at level 60.
Advantages and Disadvantages
- Exceptional mobility and clearing speed
- Powerful single-target and burst damage
- Satisfying aggressive playstyle
- Requires high actions-per-minute (APM) gameplay
- Area damage limited to melee range
- Demands active resource management
Essential Requirements
To successfully implement this build, you'll need these key legendary aspects and unique items:
Additional unique items and recommendations can be found in the Unique Items section.
Guide Navigation
This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to master the Shred Druid build. Use these links to navigate directly to specific sections:
- Skill Selection and Allocation
- Gear Recommendations and Stat Priorities
- Paragon Board Strategy
- Gameplay Mechanics and Rotation
- Season 8 Enhancements
Skill Configuration and Allocation
Key Skill Variants
- Primal Shred: Excellent for speed-clearing content
- Raging Shred: Better for challenging content where enemies survive longer, allowing poison damage to accumulate. Also benefits from Ashava's Poison Breath seasonal power.
Druid's Spirit Boons System
Druids gain powerful passive abilities through Spirit Boons by making offerings to animal spirits. Once fully unlocked, Spirit Bonding allows you to select two passives from a single animal spirit.
| Recommended Boons | Effect |
|---|---|
| Wariness (Deer) | 15% reduced damage from Elite enemies |
| Avian Wrath (Eagle) | 40% increased Critical Strike Damage |
| Swooping Attacks (Eagle) | 20% Attack Speed bonus |
| Bolster (Wolf) | Gain Fortify equal to 50% of Maximum Life when using Defensive Skills |
| Calm Before the Storm (Snake) | Lucky Hit chance for Nature Magic Skills to reduce Ultimate Skill cooldown by 2 seconds |
Alternative Options
- While leveling or gearing up, consider using Gift of the Stag, Energize, and Scythe Talons for better Spirit management
- For pushing more difficult content, Masochistic and Iron Feather can replace Calm Before the Storm and Swooping Attacks for improved survivability
Equipment, Statistics, Gems and Runewords
Legendary Aspects by Slot
The following recommendations list optimal equipment configurations. Where multiple options exist, they are listed in priority order. For slots with Unique or Mythic Unique options, alternative legendary powers are provided for use during leveling and early gearing.
| Slot | Gem | Aspect/Item | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weapon | Grand Emerald | Waxing Gibbous (Recommended Unique) | Killing an enemy with Shred grants 2 seconds of Stealth. Breaking Stealth with an attack guarantees Critical Strikes for 1-4 seconds. |
| Totem | Grand Emerald | Aspect of the Blurred Beast | Shred deals 55-75% more damage, and Shred's first dash lands up to 4 additional strikes based on distance traveled. |
| Helm | Moni + Xan | Heir of Perdition (Recommended Mythic) or Godslayer Crown (Recommended Unique) or Vigorous Aspect | Embrace Lilith's hatred to increase damage by 60%. Slaughtering enemies temporarily steals Lilith's Favor from nearby allies. |
| Chest | Igni + Yom | Shroud of False Death (Recommended Mythic) or Mad Wolf's Glee (Recommended Unique) or Juggernaut's Aspect | Gain Stealth and 40% Movement Speed if you haven't attacked in the last 2 seconds. |
| Gloves | -- | Stormclaw's Aspect | Critical Strikes with Shred deal 60-80% of the damage as Lightning to the target and surrounding enemies. |
| Pants | Grand Sapphire | Aspect of the Agile Wolf | Shred gains a 4th Dash attack hitting all surrounding enemies, deals 20-60% increased damage, and Knocks Down enemies for 2 seconds. |
| Boots | -- | Wildheart Hunger (Recommended) or Stormshifter's Aspect | Shapeshifting into a new form increases Bestial Rampage bonuses by 2-5%, up to 20-50%. Bonus decays by 0.5% per second. |
| Amulet | Grand Diamond | Aspect of the Unsatiated | After Critically Striking with Shred, gain 15 Spirit. At 100 Spirit, Werewolf Skills deal 20-40% increased damage until Spirit drops below 30. |
| Ring 1 | Grand Diamond | Hunter's Zenith (Push) or Airidah's Inexorable Will (Farm) or Aspect of Retaliation | Every 30 seconds in animal form, your next Core Skill is guaranteed to Overpower and Critically Strike with 30-60% increased damage. Shapeshifting reduces this timer. |
| Ring 2 | Grand Diamond | Ring of Starless Skies (Recommended Mythic) or Starlight Aspect | Spending Primary Resource reduces Resource cost and increases damage by 10% for 3 seconds, stacking up to 50%. |
Stat Priorities and Tempering
Each equipment slot has optimal affixes listed in order of importance. Bold affixes are priority targets for Masterworking upgrades. Unique items cannot be Tempered but can be Masterworked. For detailed information on these systems, consult our Tempering and Masterworking guides.
Both configurations are comparable in power and can be selected based on personal preference:
- The Waxing Gibbous setup offers faster casting and superior speed farming potential with less Critical Strike Chance investment.
- If you struggle to maintain the Critical Strike buff from Waxing Gibbous due to enemies surviving too long, consider switching to a 2-Handed Weapon setup.
For the 2-Handed configuration:
- Apply Aspect of the Blurred Beast to your 2-handed weapon
- Prioritize Max Life, Willpower, and Chance to Restore Resource affixes
- Temper for Chance for Shred to Deal Double Damage (Mastercrafted) and Critical Strike Damage
- Compensate for the loss of guaranteed Critical Strikes by adding Critical Strike Chance to armor pieces
- Include at least one Hurricane duration Utility Temper
Remember that the Armor cap is 1000, providing up to 85% Physical Damage Reduction. This can typically be achieved with either one Armor affix plus one Total Armor% Temper, or by using Juggernaut's Aspect.
Unique and Mythic Items
Several unique and mythic items complement the Shred Druid build:
Recommended Unique Items:
- Waxing Gibbous provides guaranteed Critical Strike Chance, allowing you to prioritize other affixes
- Godslayer Crown effectively groups enemies and provides a powerful damage multiplier (enhanced by stun/immobilize triggers)
- Mad Wolf's Glee offers excellent offensive bonuses with high ranks to Werewolf skills
- Wildheart Hunger delivers stacking bonuses to Bestial Rampage as you shift between forms
- Hunter's Zenith combines strong gear affixes with periodic Critical Overpowers
- Airidah's Inexorable Will (Farm alternative) sacrifices some damage for quality-of-life improvements through constant Petrify triggers
Recommended Mythic Uniques:
- Ring of Starless Skies provides Resource Cost Reduction and a damage multiplier for smoother gameplay
- Heir of Perdition features strong affixes and a consistent damage boost that can temporarily increase when stolen from allies
- Shroud of False Death grants +1 rank to all skill passives plus Stealth benefits that synergize with Waxing Gibbous
Gems and Runewords
Optimize your build with these gem and runeword combinations:
Recommended Gems:
- Weapons: Grand Emerald (Critical Strike Damage)
- Armor: Grand Sapphire (Willpower)
- Jewelry: Grand Diamond (All Resistance)
Optimal Runeword Pairings:
-
Moni + Xan
- Moni: Gain 100 Offering after casting 2 Mobility Skills
- Xan: With 300 Offering, your next attack guarantees Critical Strikes and Overpower for 0.35 seconds (Overflow increases duration)
- Igni + Yom
Runewords operate through a Rune of Ritual (generating Offering) and a Rune of Invocation (consuming Offering for effects). They replace gems in dual-socket gear, with a maximum of two runeword pairs simultaneously.
Since Shred is tagged as a Mobility skill, Moni will trigger frequently, generating numerous Critical Overpowers. Regular Petrify casts provide stuns, Critical Strike Damage bonuses, and Spirit regeneration. Tempering for Petrify Duration extends these benefits.
Alternative Combinations:
- For gathering: Kry rune for Vortex improves quality of life
- During early gearing: Magic and Rare runewords like Gar (Critical Strike Chance) can be effective
Paragon Board Strategy
Follow these Glyph, Board, and pathing recommendations to maximize your Shred Druid potential:
The progression to maximum Paragon is extensive. The guide presents two key configurations:
- BASE SETUP: Uses 50 fewer points than the maximum 328, following strategic paths to acquire nearly all Legendary, Rare, and Magic Nodes while activating all Glyph Nodes with secondary effects.
- FULL SETUP: Completes the final Paragon configuration, filling remaining nodes for additional additive bonuses, particularly within Glyph areas.
Glyphs have two major breakpoints:
- Level 15: Expanded radius and special effect
- Level 46: Maximum radius and powerful conditional damage multiplier
Glyphs are positioned assuming at least level 15+ radius. The maximum board limit is 5 (starter board plus four class boards). Rotate boards as needed for optimal pathing.
Season 8 Boss Powers
Season 8: Belial's Return introduces Boss Powers, selectable from the character sheet. Choose one Main Power accompanied by three modifier powers.
Main Power:
- Ashava's Poison Breath
Secondary Modifiers:
- Belial's Eye Beams
- Lilith's Wind of Hate
- Wandering Death's Chest Beam
Many combinations work effectively and can be adjusted based on content. Consider these situational replacements:
- When fighting bosses: Replace Wandering Death's Chest Beam with Andariel's Flaming Skull
- For defensive options: Use Blackmailer's Sabotage (pairs well with Bolster Spirit Boon)
- If using a 2H Weapon setup: Select Hatred's Embrace's Haste for Critical Strike Chance
Mercenary System
Once unlocked, Mercenaries provide combat assistance. A main mercenary fights alongside you while a secondary mercenary periodically reinforces you under specific conditions.
| Recommended Mercenary Setup for Shred Druid | |
|---|---|
| Main Mercenary |
Varyana, the Berserker Skills: Cleave, Hysteria, Bloodthirst, Bloodlust |
| Reinforcement |
Raheir, the Shieldbearer Reinforcement Ability: Crater Opportunity: Shred |
Hysteria and Bloodlust provide substantial Attack Speed bonuses, enhancing your combat efficiency.
Combat Mechanics
Ability Rotation and Combat Flow
- Use Shred to approach enemy groups
- Cast Blood Howl to trigger Stealth, activating Critical Strike bonus from Waxing Gibbous
- Deploy Petrify to stun enemies, restore Spirit, and apply Critical Strike Damage debuff
- Maintain Hurricane for Damage Reduction and triggers for Calm Before the Storm
- Apply Debilitating Roar for damage bonuses and to maintain Werebear buffs (including Bestial Rampage)
- Unleash Shred attacks on enemies
- After clearing an area, use Shred dashes or movement abilities to reach the next group
- Deploy Earthen Bulwark when needed for Fortify and Unstoppable effects to break Crowd Control
Core Mechanics and Synergies
The Shred Druid excels at rapidly closing distances and delivering devastating attacks before quickly moving to the next threat.
- Stormclaw's Aspect creates secondary Lightning damage when Shred critically strikes
- Waxing Gibbous provides guaranteed Critical Strike chance, ensuring Stormclaw's Aspect activates consistently
- Primal Shred offers additional dash mobility and a Critical Strike Damage bonus for all Shred attacks (preferred for farming/speed content)
- Raging Shred potentially provides higher damage against enemies that survive long enough for poison to take full effect
Support Abilities:
- Blood Howl grants attack speed, healing, and Stealth (synergizing with Waxing Gibbous and Shroud of False Death)
- Debilitating Roar acts as a damage amplifier, enemy debuff, Fortify source, and maintains Werebear bonuses
- Hurricane provides Damage Reduction and damage events to trigger Calm Before the Storm
- Earthen Bulwark delivers Unstoppable status, Fortify, and Barrier effects
Ultimate and Key Passives:
- Petrify (Ultimate) stuns enemies, generates Spirit, and applies a Critical Strike Damage debuff
- Bestial Rampage (Key Passive) provides a damage multiplier from Werebear form and Attack Speed from Werewolf form (maintain with Debilitating Roar for Werebear and Shred for Werewolf)
Spirit Resource Management
Instead of using a Basic Attack Spirit generator, this build relies on alternative sources:
- Petrify casts
- Lust for Carnage (Spirit from Critical Strikes)
- Ancestral Guidance Paragon nodes (Spirit on Kill and Max Spirit)
- Aspect of the Unsatiated (Spirit on Critical Strike)
- Use Gift of the Stag (increased Max Spirit and Spirit Per Second)
- Equip Gar rune for Critical Strike Chance to trigger Aspect of the Unsatiated
- Select the Wolf's Energize Spirit Boon
- Apply Starlight Aspect or Aspect of the Umbral on rings
- Adjust gear affixes: Chance to restore resource (Weapon), Resource Generation (Rings), Resource Temper (Jewelry), or Spirit Per Second (Helm/Chest/Boots)
- During early leveling, consider using Maul as a temporary Basic Attack builder by replacing Debilitating Roar or Hurricane
Control Scheme Considerations
The Shred Druid performs well with both control schemes:
- Greater precision in target selection for dashes
- Better control over positioning
Both options are viable. Keyboard and Mouse users can access auto-aim functionality by changing Skill Toggle Behavior to "Toggle All" in the Options menu (ESC > Options > Gameplay).
Consumables
The Alchemist provides valuable consumables crafted from materials gathered throughout Sanctuary:
Elixirs:
- Craft highest available Elixir of Fortitude for Maximum Life% (crucial for Overpower)
Incense (one from each category):
- Defensive: Reddamine Buzz (Max Life) or Song of the Mountain (if armor needed, up to 1000 cap)
- Core Stat: Blessed Guide (Willpower)
- Resistance: Soothing Spices (All Resist, All Resist Maximum, and Armor)
Health Potions:
- Regularly upgrade as you level to increase instant healing
Season 8 Enhancements
The Shred Druid received several improvements in Season 8. Xan's changes provide more consistent Overpower attacks, with Shred as a mobility skill triggering Moni regularly. Enhanced Blood Howl now works effectively against bosses, maintaining Waxing Gibbous viability. Wildheart Hunger's reduced stack decay improves gameplay fluidity, and fixes to Aspect of the Blurred Beast address previous damage inconsistencies.
Itemization Updates:
- Xan Rune:
- Effect changed from "Your next skill critically overpowers" to "Your next attack will cause your hits to be a guaranteed Critical Strike and Overpower for 0.35 seconds"
- Duration increased from 0.25 to 0.35 seconds
- Offering requirement reduced from 700 to 300
- Lum Rune: Offering gained increased from 2.5% to 3.5%
- Worldly Fortune:
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Apply Crowd Control affixes removed
- New Affixes: Lucky Hit Chance, Impairment Reduction, Crowd Control Duration
- Wildheart Hunger: Decay rate reduced from 2% per second to 0.5% per second
Skill Improvements:
- Enhanced Blood Howl:
- Previous: Kills reduce Blood Howl cooldown by 1 second
- New: Killing enemies reduce cooldown by 1 second AND hitting a Boss reduces cooldown by 0.3 seconds
- Gift of the Stag Spirit Boon: Maximum Spirit reduced from 40 to 30, Spirit generation increased from 5 to 10
Bug Fixes:
- Fixed Hurricane damage display not increasing with duration bonuses
- Fixed Stormshifter's Aspect not granting expected Shapeshifting skill ranks in certain scenarios
- Fixed Aspect of the Blurred Beast not applying damage increase consistently to all instances of Shred
"The wolf does not fear the storm - it becomes one with it."