Invoker is the only set in Diablo 3 that revolves around the Thorns mechanics. Unlike all the other builds, Thorns require an entirely different set of attributes on the items. Thorns damage cannot critically hit, which means the stats you were after in any other build are redundant here. Thorns Invoker Crusader is a very powerful build, which has a Greater Rifts 100 and above solo capability. It is however not suitable for party play.
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Table of contents
General information
The entire build is based on the Thorns of the Invoker set which provides the following bonuses:
Thorns Invoker Crusader build is all about dealing increased thorns damage with Punish or Slash attacks. Because thorns' damage cannot crit, and each hit deals fixed the amount of Thorns damage, this build relies on very high attack speed and cooldown reduction. This build has extremely high single target damage but lacks area attacks, which makes it more suitable for high Greater Rifting, rather than Bounty farming.
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Recommended items
Equipment | |
Head - Crown of the Invoker Stat priorities: 1) Socket 2) Strength 3) Vitality 4) All Elemental Resistances Socket: NOTE: We do not include Thorns on the set parts since Invoker items always roll Thorns as the secondary affix |
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Chest - Heart of Iron Stat priorities: 1) Strength 2) Vitality 3) Thorns 4) All Elemental Resistances Sockets: Special power: Gain Thorns equal to 250–300% of current Vitality |
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Pants - Renewal of the Invoker Stat priorities: 1) Strength 2) Vitality 3) All Elemental Resistances Sockets: |
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Gloves - Pride of the Invoker Stat priorities: 1) Strength 2) Attack Speed 3) Cooldown Reduction 4) Area damage 5) Secondary res. |
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Boots - Zeal of the Invoker Stat priorities: 1) Strength 2) Vitality 3) Armor 4) All Elemental Resistances |
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Pauldrons - Burden of the Invoker Stat priorities: 1) Strength 2) Vitality 3) Cooldown Reduction 4) Area damage 5) All Elemental Resistances |
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Bracers - Shackles of the Invoker Stat priorities: 1) Physical damage% 2) Strength 3) Vitality 4) Thorns 5) All Elemental Resistances |
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Amulet - Traveller's Pledge Stat priorities: 1) Socket 2) Physical damage% 3) Strength 4) Vitality 5) Thorns (Part of the Endless Walk set) Set bonuses:
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Ring - Compass Rose Stat priorities: 1) Socket 2) Cooldown Reduction 3) Attack Speed 4) Area damage 5) Strength 6) Vitality 7) Thorns (Part of the Endless Walk set) |
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Ring - Justice Lantern Stat priorities: 1) Socket 2) Cooldown Reduction 3) Attack Speed 4) Area damage 5) Strength 6) Thorns Special power: Gain damage reduction equal to 45–55% of current Block Chance |
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Belt - Belt of the Trove Stat priorities: 1) Strength 2) Vitality 3) Thorns 4) All Elemental Resistances 5) Life% Special power: Every 6–8 seconds, call down Bombardment on a random nearby enemy |
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Weapon - Pig Sticker Stat priorities: 1) Socket 2) Cooldown Reduction 3) Attack Speed 4) Area damage 5) Strength 6) Vitality Sockets: Unique affixes: +15–30% Damage to Beasts +15–30% Damage to Humans |
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Off-hand - Akarat's Awakening 1) Thorns 2) Strength 3) Cooldown Reduction 4) Area damage 5) Vitality Special power: Every successful block has a 20–25% chance to reduce all cooldowns by 1 second |
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Kanai Cube powers | |
Blood Brother Grants a 15-20% chance to block attacks. Blocked attacks inflict 30% less damage. After blocking an attack, your next attack inflicts 30% additional damage |
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Aquila Cuirass While above 90–95% of the primary resource, all damage taken is reduced by 50% |
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Convention of Elements Gain 150–200% increased damage to a single element for 4 seconds. This effect rotates through the elements available to your class in the following order: Arcane, Cold, Fire, Holy, Lightning, Physical, Poison |
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Legendary Gems | |
Bane of the Trapped
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Bane of the Stricken
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Boyarsky's Chip
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Buy Crusader Multibox services |
Recommended skills
Active Skills | |
Punish Strikes the enemy for 335% damage as Physical and gain Hardened Senses, increasing Block Chance by 15% for 5 seconds Celerity Blocking an attack will increase your attack speed by 15% for 5 seconds Your main skill. Punish provides very high attack speed which makes it the best choice for optimizing your DPS |
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Steed Charge Mount a celestial war horse that allows the Crusader to ride through enemies unhindered for 2 seconds Draw and Quarter You drag up to 5 enemies within 15 yards when charging Your main mobility skill. It also helps you group up enemies |
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Laws of Valor Passive: Recite the Law, granting the Crusader and their allies 8% increased Attack Speed Active: Empower the Law, granting the Crusader and their allies 15% increased Attack Speed for 5 seconds Invincible Also increases your Life per Hit by up to 21457 at level 70 Since this build relies on Attack Speed this is the best Law available |
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Provoke Taunts all nearby enemies and instantly generates additional 5 Wrath for every enemy taunted. Taunted enemies will focus their attention on the Crusader for 4 seconds Hit Me Increases your current block chance by 50% Great defensive buff, which increases your block chance and grants increased damage reduction from Justice Lantern |
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Iron Skin The Crusader's skin turns to iron, absorbing 50% of all incoming damage for 4 seconds Reflective Skin Also increases your Thorns by +300% Mandatory skill for this build. Provides amazing damage reduction and thorns bonus. With high block chance and Akarat's Awakening shield, it is possible to have nearly 100% uptime on this buff |
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Akarat's Champion The Crusader explodes with the power of their order, increasing damage dealt by 35% and increasing their Wrath regeneration by 5 per second for 20 seconds Prophet Gain 150% additional armor while under the effect of Akarat's Champion. Also when taking fatal damage instead of dying you are healed to full Life. May happen only once per activation Core Crusader skill that boosts up all your main attributes (damage and toughness) |
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Passive Skills | |
Finery Gain 1.5% increases maximum Strength by every gem socketed in your gear |
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Fervor While wielding a one-handed weapon, you gain 15% increased Attack Speed, and all your cooldowns are reduced by 15% |
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Fanaticism
Increases the Attack Speed of all your primary abilities by 15% |
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Iron Maiden Increases your Thorns damage by 50% |
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We hope you will enjoy this build as much as we did. And see you soon in the world of Sanctuary.
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