Sorcerer Overview

This is an overview of the Sorcerer class in Diablo 4 to help get you started. We outline the strengths, weaknesses, equipment, stats, and some skill build ideas for the beginning of the game.

Introduction

Strengths 

• Lots of AoE: The Sorcerer’s skill tree is mainly centered around dealing AoE damage with skill such as Chain Lightning, Blizzard and Fireball
• Great Mobility: Blink is a great mobility spell with a low cooldown allowing players to quickly move around the map and ignore terrain.
• Solid Defensive Skills: The Sorcerer has a variety of useful Defensive options such as Teleport, Ice Armor and Flame Shield.
• Can deal damage while moving: Summons from Conjuration skills allow players to focus on kiting the enemy while doing damage.

Weakness

• Lack of team utility: Most of the Sorcerers skill tree is centered around dealing damage and has minimal team utility.
• Resource Dependent (Mana): Mana is the main resource used to cast skills, the player is unable to cast skill when it reaches zero. 
• Crowd Control Immunity: Some enemies such as World bosses are immune to Crowd Control effects.

Equipment

The Sorcerer can use a 2 Handed Weapon that gives a 100% Aspect bonus when imprinted or a 1 Handed Weapon + Focus that allows both items to have two different Aspects.

The choice of whether to use a 2 Handed Weapon or 1 Handed Weapon + Focus Aspect will depend on the player’s choice of build, as a 1 Handed Weapon + Focus allows for more flexibility if more Legendary Aspects are required in the build.

Sorcerer Equipment Slots:

• Helm
• Chest
• Gloves
• Pants
• Boots
• Amulet
• Ring x2 
• 2 Handed Weapon
• 1 Handed Weapon + Focus

Stats

Intelligence is the primary choice of a core stat for the Sorcerer as it provides a boost to skill damage multiplier and resistance to all elements. Both Willpower and Dexterity are a good secondary core stat to focus on as Willpower increases resource generations (Mana), improves healing received, and overpower damage, while Dexterity increases critical strike chance and dodge chance. We do not recommend investing any affixes/stat lines into Strength as it only provides a minor boost to armor.

Core stats summary and priority:

• Strength (Low Priority): Armor 
• Intelligence (High Priority): Skill Damage, Resistance to All Element
• Willpower (Medium Priority): Resource Generation, Healing Received, Overpower Damage
• Dexterity (Medium Priority): Critical Strike Chance, Dodge Chance

Skills

Basic Skills

Arc Lash: Unleash arcing lightning that deals damage to enemies in front of you. Every 10 times Arc Lash swipes, it Stuns all enemies hit for 2 seconds.

• Enhanced Arc Lash: If Arc Lash's initial swipe Critically Strikes, it swipes an additional time.
• Flickering Arc Lash: Gain 6% Movement Speed for 5 seconds per enemy hit with Arc Lash, up to 18%.
• Glinting Arc Lash: Hitting a Stunned enemy with Arc Lash reduces your Cooldowns by 0.25 seconds.

Fire Bolt: Hurl an exploding ball of fire, dealing damage to surrounding enemies.

• Enhanced Fireball: Fireball's radius is increased based on distance traveled, up to 50%.
• Destructive Fireball: Fireball's explosion's Critical Strike Damage is increased by 10%. Each enemy it hits increases this bonus by 5%, up to 25% total.
• Greater Fireball: Fireball deals 10% of the Burning damage you've applied to enemies as additional direct damage.

Frost Bolt: Throw a bolt of frost at an enemy, dealing damage and Chilling them for 15%.

• Enhanced Frost Bolt: Frost Bolt has a 15% chance to explode on Chilled enemies, hitting surrounding enemies. Chance increased to 100% against Frozen enemies.
• Flickering Frost Bolt: Frost Bolt makes Frozen enemies Vulnerable for 3 seconds.
• Glinting Frost Bolt: Frost Bolt generates 4 Mana when hitting Chilled or Frozen enemies.

Spark: Launch a bolt of lightning that shocks an enemy 4 times, dealing damage each hit.

• Enhanced Spark: Each time Spark hits its primary target, it has a 20% chance to hit up to 3 additional enemies, dealing 6 damage. If there are no other enemies to hit, Spark instead deals 20% increased damage to its primary target.
• Flickering Spark: Each time Spark hits an enemy it has a 3% chance to form a Crackling Energy.
• Glinting Spark: Spark grants 2% increased Critical Strike Chance per cast for 3 seconds, up to 10%.

Core Skills

Incinerate: Channel a beam of fire, Burning enemies for damage per second. Damage per second increases over 4 seconds, up to 49%.

• Enhanced Incinerate: While channeling Incinerate, you Burn enemies around you for 15% of the damage per second.
• Destructive Incinerate: Enemies deal 20% less damage while Burning from Incinerate.
• Greater Incinerate: Every 4 seconds an enemy has been hit by Incinerate, they are Immobilized for 1 second.

Fireball: Hurl an exploding ball of fire, dealing damage to surrounding enemies.

• Enhanced Fireball: Fireball's radius is increased based on distance traveled, up to 50%.
• Destructive Fireball: Fireball's explosion's Critical Strike Damage is increased by 10%. Each enemy it hits increases this bonus by 5%, up to 25% total.
• Greater Fireball: Fireball deals 10% of the Burning damage you've applied to enemies as additional direct damage.

Frozen Orb: Unleash an orb that Chills for 34% and expels piercing shards, dealing damage. Upon expiration, Frozen Orb explodes, dealing x damage and Chilling enemies for 9%.

• Enhanced Frozen Orb: When cast above 50 Mana, Frozen Orb's explosion damage is increased by x30%.
• Destructive Frozen Orb: Frozen Orb's explosion restores 5 Mana when hitting a Frozen enemy.
• Greater Frozen Orb: Frozen Orb's explosion has a 25% chance to make all enemies hit Vulnerable for 2 seconds. Frozen Orb always makes Frozen enemies

Ice Shards: Launch 5 shards that deal x damage each. Deals 25% increased damage to Frozen enemies.

• Enhanced Ice Shards: Ice Shards have a 15% chance to ricochet to another enemy. Ice Shards always ricochet off of Frozen enemies.
• Destructive Ice Shards: Hitting an enemy with 5 Ice Shards in a single cast makes them Vulnerable for 2 seconds.
• Greater Ice Shards: While you have a Barrier active, casts of Ice Shards treat enemies as if they were Frozen.

Chain Lightning: Unleash a stream of lightning that deals x damage and chains between Nearby enemies and you up to 6 times, prioritizing enemies.

• Enhanced Chain Lightning: Chain Lightning gains a 3% increased Critical Strike Chance per bounce.
• Destructive Chain Lightning: When Chain Lightning Critically Strikes, it has a 25% chance to form a Crackling Energy.
• Greater Chain Lightning: If Chain Lightning bounces off of you, its next hit deals 25% increased damage.

Charged Bolt: Release 5 bolts of lightning that course along the ground in an erratic pattern, dealing x damage each.

• Enhanced Charged Bolts: Hitting an enemy at least 3 times with same cast of Charged Bolts releases a lightning nova, dealing 15% damage to enemies around them.
• Destructive Charged Bolts: Hitting an enemy with Charged Bolts reduces their damage dealt by 20% for 3 seconds.
• Greater Charged Bolts: Charged Bolts deals x25% increased damage to Stunned enemies.

Defensive Skills

Frost Nova: Unleash a torrent of frost, Freezing enemies around you for 2 seconds.

• Enhanced Frost Nova: Killing enemies Frozen by Frost Nova reduces its Cooldown by 2 seconds, up to 6 seconds per cast.
• Mystical Frost Nova: Frost Nova makes enemies Vulnerable for 4 seconds, increased to 8 seconds against Bosses.
• Shimmering Frost Nova: Frost Nova generates 4 Mana per enemy hit.

Teleport: Transform into lightning, becoming Unstoppable and surging to the target location, dealing x damage around you upon arrival.

• Enhanced Teleport: Teleport’s Cooldown is decreased by 0.5 seconds per enemy hit, up to 3 seconds.
• Mystical Teleport: For 4 seconds after Teleporting, Crackling Energy hits 2 additional enemies.
• Shimmering Teleport: After Teleporting, you gain 30% Damage Reduction for 5 seconds.

Ice Armor: A Barrier of ice forms around you for 6 seconds, absorbing 5% of your Base Life  in damage. While Ice Armor is active, 10% of your damage dealt is added to its Barrier.

• Enhanced Ice Armor: While Ice Armor is active, your Mana Regeneration is increased by x25%.
• Mystical Ice Armor: Damage against Vulnerable enemies contributes 100% more to Ice Armor's Barrier.
• Shimmering Ice Armor: Enemies that hit you while Ice Armor is active have a 15% chance to become Frozen for 3 seconds.

Flame Shield: Engulf yourself in flames for 2 seconds, Burning surrounding enemies for x damage per second. While Flame Shield is active, you are Immune.

• Enhanced Flame Shield: Flame Shield grants +25% Movement Speed while active.
• Mystical Flame Shield: You gain 25% Mana Cost Reduction while Flame Shield is active.
• Shimmering Flame Shield: Flame Shield Heals you for 50% of your missing Life.

Conjuration Skills

Hydra: Summon a 3-headed hydra for 12 seconds. Each head spits fire at enemies, dealing x damage.

• Enhanced Hydra: While Healthy, your casts of Hydra gain 1 additional head.
• Summoned Hydra: Hydra also Burns enemies for an additional 12% of its Base damage dealt over 6 seconds.
• Invoked Hydra: After you Critically Strike, your Hydras gain 30% Critical Strike Chance for 3 seconds.

Ice Blades: Conjure a pair of ice blades for 6 seconds that rapidly slash enemies for x damage and have a 30% chance to make them Vulnerable for 2 seconds.

• Enhanced Ice Blades: Ice Blades's Cooldown is reduced by 1 second each time it hits a Vulnerable enemy.
• Summoned Ice Blades: 50% of Enhanced Ice Blades's Cooldown reduction is applied to your other Skills.
• Invoked Ice Blades: Your Ice Blades gain 10% increased Attack Speed per active Ice Blades.

Lightning Spear: Conjure a spear of lightning that seeks out enemies for 6 seconds, dealing x damage per hit.

• Enhanced Lightning Spear: After Critically Striking, Lightning Spear gains a 5% increased stacking Critical Strike Chance for its duration.
• Summoned Lightning Spear: Collecting Crackling Energy increases the damage of your next Lightning Spear cast by 20%, up to 100%.
• Invoked Lightning Spear: Lightning Spear Stuns enemies for 2 seconds when Critically Striking.

Mastery Skills

Blizzard: Summon a frigid blizzard that deals x damage and continually Chills enemies for 18% over 8 seconds.

• Enhanced Blizzard: Blizzard deals 25% increased damage to Frozen enemies.
• Mage's Blizzard: When cast above 50 Mana, Blizzard's duration is increased by 4 seconds.
• Wizard's Blizzard: While you have an active Blizzard, your Core Skills cost 10% less Mana.

Meteor: Summon a meteor that strikes the target location, dealing x damage and Burning the ground for x damage over 3 seconds.

• Enhanced Meteor: If a cast of Meteor hits 3 or more enemies, there is a 30% chance an additional Meteor falls on the same location.
• Mage's Meteor: Meteor falls 30% faster.
• Wizard's Meteor: Meteor’s impact Immobilizes enemies for 2 seconds.

Firewall: Create a wall of flames that Burns enemies for x damage over 8 seconds.

• Enhanced Firewall: Enemies take 25% increased Burning damage from you while standing in Firewall.
• Mage's Firewall: Enemies continue Burning for 3 seconds after leaving Firewall.
• Wizard's Firewall: You gain 5% increased Mana Regeneration per active Firewall, up to 25%.

Ball Lightning: Discharge a ball of lightning that slowly moves forward, continually zapping enemies for x damage.

• Enhanced Ball Lightning: Ball Lightning's damage rate is increased by 200% of your Attack Speed Bonus.
• Mage's Ball Lightning: After hitting Close enemies 50 times with Ball Lightning, your next cast of it Stuns enemies hit for x second.
• Wizard's Ball Lightning: If an enemy is hit at least 4 times by a cast of Ball Lightning, a Crackling Energy is formed. Can only happen once per cast.

Ultimate Skills

Deep Freeze: Encase yourself in ice, becoming Immune for 4 seconds, continually dealing 13% damage, and Chilling enemies for 20%. When Deep Freeze expires, it deals an additional 100% damage.
Casting Deep Freeze again ends the effect early.

• Prime Deep Freeze: When Deep Freeze ends, gain 10% of your Base Life as a Barrier for 6 seconds for each enemy you Froze while it was active.
• Supreme Deep Freeze: When Deep Freeze ends, your Non-Ultimate Cooldowns are reduced by 50%.

Inferno: Summon a fiery serpent that continually constricts the target area, Burning enemies for 295% damage over 8 seconds.

• Prime Inferno: Inferno repeatedly Pulls enemies to its center.
• Supreme Inferno: While Inferno is active, your Pyromancy Skills cost no Mana.

Unstable Current: Lightning surges within you for 10 seconds. Whenever you cast a Shock Skill, a random Core, Conjuration, or Mastery Shock Skill is also cast.

• Prime Unstable Currents: Unstable Currents increases your Attack Speed by +25% while active.
• Supreme Unstable Currents: While Unstable Currents is active, Crackling Energy continually pulses and consumes no charges.

Skill Build Ideas

Sorcerer Open Beta Build