Build notes: |
January 21, 2022 |
Build Overview
Fire Druid is one of the strongest builds for Mapping in PD2's Season 4, but it requires a very specific approach if you want to unlock its full potential. To make the most out of it, we've combined the Molten Boulder with high amounts of bonus Fire Damage, minuses to Enemy Fire Resistance, Amplify Damage Buff from the Mercenary, all Synergies, and as many Fire Facets as possible. The results are simply astonishing - the following Fire Druid build offers very high mobility, great survivability, and amazing fire+physical damage output.
The featured version of Fire Druid is fully capable of clearing high-density Tier 2 and 3 Maps at very high speeds, thanks to its amazing AoE Damage output. To ensure that things go smoothly, you should avoid maps with high numbers of fire absorbs, however.
You can also check our other Best Project Diablo 2 Builds
Pros | Cons |
Great AoE Damage | Mana-Hungry - you will run out of mana unless you equip items that boost regen |
Combines Fire and Physical Damage | Fire Immunes can still cause some problems |
Great Mobility | Single-Target Damage is not the highest when compared to some other popular builds |
Good Utility and Survivability |
Skills
ATTRIBUTES |
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ELEMENTAL SKILLS |
This is the core Skill Tree for this build. From it, we'll get three devastating offensive Skills that combine Fire and Physical damage (Molten Boulder, Volcano, and Armageddon). With them, we'll be able to smash and scorch our enemies at the same time. Skills:
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SUMMONING SKILLS |
Druid's Summoning Skills offer a lot of defensive utility in the form of tanky summons and hefty life increases. We will take full advantage of this by picking up Grizzly and Oak Sage. Skills:
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SHAPE SHIFTING SKILLS |
This skill tree is not the focus of this build. Skills:
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Items
As per usual with PD2 Builds, you want to get as many Skill Levels (Druid/Elemental Skills in this case) as possible to increase the build's overall power level. Also, any bonuses to Fire Damage, minuses to Enemy Fire Resistance, and Sockets (that can be filled with Fire Facets that boost Fire Damage) are very welcome as well. Resistances are extremely important, so you should have them capped and maybe even increased, depending on where you want to go with the build. A faster cast rate is also the main stat (the higher the breakpoint, you can achieve, the better - within a reason of course). Defensive stats, like faster hit recovery and absorbs, are a nice addition but you should not choose gear for them specifically. |
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HELMETS |
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Harlequin Crest (Shako) - You can't go wrong with Shako (and chances are, you already have one). This helmet will give you damage, sustain, and MF, all of which are great for mapping. |
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Ravenlore (Sky Spirit) - This is a top offensive choice for Fire Druid. It will not only give you +3 to Elemental Skills and lower enemy Fire Resistance by up to 20%, but it will also improve your own Resistances and boost your Energy by a lot. |
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Kira's Guardian (Tiara) - A very interesting Helmet that supplements the build's Fire Damage by lowering enemy fire resistance. Also, it gives you the Cannot be Frozen effect, which is very handy to have. |
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WEAPONS |
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Earthshaker (Battle Hammer) - This is an amazing weapon for a Fire Druid as it gives up to +4 to Elemental Skills and boosts Cast Rate by 20%. If you can get one with Sockets, you should fill them with Fire Facets. |
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Heart of the Oak (Runeword) - A solid alternative to the Earthshaker. HotO provides +3 to all Skills and a 30% Faster Cast Rate. You can't go wrong with this one either. |
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Mang Song's Lesson (Archon Staff) - An all-out offensive choice that will work the best in group play where someone always watches your back. By picking it up, you take care of your FCR and Fire pierce needs with a single item, basically. However, your defenses suffer greatly as you can't use a shield with it. |
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SHIELDS | |
Stormshield (Monarch) - a BiS defensive option that will allow you to achieve Resistance caps rather easily. This is the best Shield you can pick for pure defense. |
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Phoenix (Runeword) - A definitive top choice for raw damage output, thanks to its -28% to Enemy Fire Resistance. Also, it provides some great elemental resistances boost and high Fire Absorb. |
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Gerke's Sanctuary (Pavise) - This shield offers a solid mix of offensive and defensive bonuses. With it, you'll be able to achieve Max Block while also boosting your damage output by quite a bit. You should try to get one with 2 open sockets and fill them with Fire Facets. |
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WEAPON SWAP | |
Call to Arms (Rune Word) - This powerful Runeword will allow you to pre-buff yourself up with Warcries (buffs persist through weapon swap).
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Lidless Wall (Grim Shield) - A very powerful Shield that grants up to +2 Skills and high FCR. |
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AMULETS |
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The Rising Sun - The best choice for the build. Rising Sun will boost your Molten Boulder, Fissure, Volcano, and Armageddon by +2, and lower your enemies' Fire Resistance. |
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Mara's Kaleidoscope - In a build that wants +All Skills, this amulet is a top choice for the end game. It provides a great combination of offensive (+2 to all skills) and defensive (+20-30 to all resistances) properties. |
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[Alternative] Rare/Magic Amulets with + Druid/Elemental Skills are great budget choices and solid fillers before you are able to get Mara's Kaleidoscope. Magic Amulet with +3 to Elemental Skills is actually a better offensive choice than Mara's.
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ARMORS |
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Skin of the Vipermagi (Serpentskin Armor) - A solid and rather cheap Chest Armor that gives you +1 to all skills, increases your Cast Rate by quite a bit, and provides some nice resistances. If you get this with 2 sockets, it will serve you extremely well with 2 Fire Facets. |
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Enigma (Runeword) - You can't go wrong with Enigma, especially if you want to boost your MF stat. If you pick this up, you can save up some SKill Points you would otherwise have to spend on Gust. |
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Ormus' Robes (Dusk Shroud) - This Armor works very well with the Fire portion of your Damage, as it boosts elemental Damage dealt. It also gives some FCR and boosts mana regen. |
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RINGS |
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Raven Frost - This ring provides Freeze Immunity which is extremely important to have on every build. If you decide to use Kira's Guardian, you can use +1 Skills Ring instead. |
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Wisp Projector - The BiS Ring for raw damage and Magic Finding. Also, the Lightning Absorb is a great addition to your defenses. If you have Kira's Guardian or another source of Cannot be Frozen, use two of these. |
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GLOVES |
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Magefist (Light Gauntlets) - These gloves give +1 to Fire Skills which automatically makes them extremely powerful. Moreover, they increase your Cast Rate, add Fire Damage, and improve your mana regen. Remember to pick up the Fire version.
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Frostburn (Gauntlets) - These gloves can give you up to -10% to Enemy Fire Resistance and a healthy boost to your mana pool. |
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BOOTS |
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Waterwalk (Sharkskin Boots) - You can't go wrong with these boots - they are an extremely solid all-around choice; They make you move much faster, increase your Life by quite a bit, and improve your block rate. |
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Aldur's Advance (Battle Boots) - This pair of Boots offers a very high bonus to Movement Speed and Life, which is great for survivability. Also, you can run infinitely with them, thanks to high Stamina and Stamina Regen bonuses. |
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Itherael's Path (Mirrored Boots) - These versatile boots will not only boost your attributes, defense, and hit recovery, but also increase your running speed and casting rate. A solid option for the build. |
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BELTS |
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Arachnid Mesh (Spiderweb Sash) - This amazing belt grants extra Skills and FCR which makes it the best DPS-wise belt for a lot of builds. It also allows you to slow down enemies, which is useful in terms of survivability. The downside is it's an extremely high price - buy it only if you can afford everything else you might need. |
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Verdungo's Hearty Cord (Mithril Coil) - A very solid defensive option that offers a Faster Hit Recovery bonus, an insanely high boost to maximum stamina, and up to 40 (!) Vitality. But most importantly, it Reduces your Damage Taken by up to 15%! |
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String of Ears (Demonhide Sash) - Another great option if you're after some additional survivability. The String of Ears also provides up to a 15% damage reduction bonus which is almost mandatory for this build's intended purpose. |
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CHARMS |
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MERCENARY |
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We recommend picking up Act 1 Meditation Mercenary for extra Mana Regen and the ability to use bows with Amp Damage Procs. She should be equipped with:
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END NOTE This is our premiere Project Diablo 2 build where we tried to include all of the important information on how to set up this character while keeping the guide as compact as possible. If we've missed something of importance, please let us know! If you have any Build requests, please post them in the Comments section below. We will be happy to cover your most requested builds in the future! Also, we hope that you have found this guide useful and informative. Also, we will be happy to receive constructive criticism that will help us improve our future work, so don't hesitate to give us your feedback. |