The Rogue in Diablo 4 offers players plenty of versatility to suit their playstyle, though can be overlooked by newer players due to survivability issues.

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What a Rogue lacks in health they make up for elsewhere, however, with high-damage output and the ability to inflict status effects upon enemies. 

Playing Rogue can be more tactical than other classes in the game but, for those willing to be patient and strategize, the rewards are massive.

How to play Rogue in Diablo 4

While a Rogue is capable of dealing massive damage, the class does not offer a lot of survivability in tricky situations and can serve as a tough challenge for anyone new to Diablo 4.

The key to playing Rogue is issuing high damage and remaining mobile. Players will want to get into the thick of the action, use their most powerful abilities, then dart back away from danger while waiting on Cooldowns. 

Rogue builds also offer range, allowing you to chip away at enemies from a safe distance, but the best approach I have found with this class is focusing on the traps at my disposal to inflict damage and Crowd Control, particularly on grouped enemies.

For tougher enemies, like bosses, rotation is even more important. For this, I often have enemies chase me and drop my traps, then turn to inflict damage, before repeating the process again. This allows me to capitalize on my high-damage output, while also remaining at a safe distance.

Related: Diablo 4 Rogue: True Potential quest: How to start and complete it

Best Diablo 4 Rogue build

Basic Node

• Puncture
• Enhanced Puncture
• Fundamental Puncture

Puncture provides a short-range option for Rogue while inflicting slow effects upon enemies with either the third hit in a row or when hit with a Critical Strike. Upgrading to Enhanced Puncture provides two energy when the ability damages a Crowd Controlled enemy, with a final upgrade to Fundamental Puncture changing the ability to a three-blade spread, inflicting enemies Vulnerable for two seconds if they are hit with more than two blades at once.

Core

• Flurry
• Sturdy
• Siphoning Strikes

Like Puncture, Flurry allows me to hit multiple enemies at once from a short range. Enhanced Flurry then provides health when a Crowd Controlled or Vulnerable enemy is hit, with Improved Flurry making all enemies hit by the cast Vulnerable if the ability hits a previously Vulnerable enemy.

Sturdy provides a valuable defensive boost, gaining 12 percent Close Damage Reduction at maximum rank, while Siphoning Strikes heals for three percent of Maximum Life when close enemies are hit by a Critical Strike.

Agility

• Dash
• Enhanced Dash
• Weapon Mastery

Dash is a fundamental part of this build as it allows me to quickly move away from groups of enemies, while damaging them, having dropped the traps and abilities I need from close range, and Enhanced Dash provides a nice boost to Critical Strike Damage for five seconds.

Weapon Mastery provides a bonus when attacking based on weapon type which, for Daggers in this build, deals 15 percent increased damage to Healthy enemies at maximum rank.

Subterfuge

• Poison Trap
• Enhanced Poison Trap

Traps are the core part of my build and my strategy, allowing me to deal heavy damage to groups of enemies and apply poison damage. Being able to have four traps armed at once allows me to fill an area when I know a big fight is coming, though usually I just use this ability as soon as ready. 

Enhanced Poison Trap provides the additional boost of knocking down enemies when activating, giving me time to move to a safer distance without using a dash ability.

Imbuement

• Shadow Embuement
• Enhanced Shadow Imbuement
• Blended Shadow Imbuement
• Shadow Crash
• Precision Imbuement

Shadow Imbuement provides a further boost to my tactic of damaging as many enemies in a group as possible, as it infects enemies for six seconds. On death, those enemies explode to deal damage to all surrounding enemies, or to themselves if they are not killed.

With Enhanced Shadow Imbuement, a 15 percent Critical Strike Chance against injured enemies infected furthers my damage output and Blended Shadow Imbuement makes enemies Vulnerable.

Ultimate Node

• Death Trap
• Prime Death Trap
• Supreme Death Trap
• Trap Mastery

Using Death Trap is the cherry on top of the cake in this build, inflicting significant Shadow Damage to groups of enemies. The big boosts are from the additional nodes, however, with Prime Death Trap pulling enemies in when activated and Supreme Death Trap reducing the moves cooldown by 10 seconds if the ultimate kills an enemy.

To go with this and the Poison Traps, it is definitely worth picking up Trap Mastery, as you gain increased Critical Strike Chance against Vulnerable and Crowd Controlled enemies for four seconds when either trap is activated.

Key Passives Node

Pairing perfectly with the trap skills, dealing direct damage to an enemy affected by a trap gives a 25 percent chance to reduce cooldowns of Trap Skills by 20 percent or drop a cluster of Stun Grenades that deal 40 percent total physical damage and stun enemies.

Related: Diablo 4 Butcher: How to find the Butcher and all loot drops

Best Rogue build level one to 50 skill point assignment

At each level, you’ll gain skill points you can assign to enhance, modify or unlock a skill. The “Key Passives” at the end of the skill tree are important, providing Exposure, but grabbing the Ultimate ability as soon as possible is crucial.

Below is a table you can follow that showcases which skill you need to unlock or enhance at each level.

Best Gear for Rogue in Diablo 4

When searching for the ideal Legendary gear for Rogue, look for ones that improve the efficiency of your skills. Critical Strike Damage and Critical Strike Chance should be your first point of call, then Ultimate Damage or Life Regeneration, given the glass-cannon nature of a Rogue.

With gear that has basic attributes, Dexterity should be the focus as it increases Skill Damage, with Intelligence the second-best choice to provide a further boost to Critical Strike Chance.

If you feel too fragile, anything that boosts defense is also a solid option.

Best Aspects for Rogue in Diablo 4

Aspect Of Corruption

This Aspect provides Imbuement Skills with 20 to 40 percent increased damage against vulnerable enemies, providing the perfect damage boost when facing off against a large group of enemies of a tough boss.

Where to find: Renegade Retreat Dungeon

Blast-Trapper’s Aspect

Pairing perfectly with the Trap Skills in this build, this Aspect gives a 30 to 50 percent chance of making an enemy Vulnerable for three seconds. Given the other abilities and Aspects in this build, it is another perfect boost to damage output.

Where to find: Kor Valar Ramparts Dungeon

Aspect Of Unstable Imbuements

When casting an Imbuement Skill, this aspect triggers an Imbued explosion around you and applies the same Imbuement effects, and dealing damage to provide a welcome secondary effect to your skills.

Where to find: Whispering Vault Dungeon

Cheat’s Aspect

A defensive Aspect that provides a boost to the glass-cannon rogue, it results in taking 15 to 25 percent less damage from Crowd Controlled enemies, which you should have plenty of with this build, and provides a 15 percent Movement Speed buff for two seconds whenever a Crowd Controlled enemy deals direct damage to you.

Where to find: Luban’s Rest Dungeon

Related: How to unlock more skill slots in Diablo 4

Best Gems for Rogue in Diablo 4

Similarly to equipment, look for gems that impact Critical Strike. Emerald is the best choice for weapons, as it increases Critical Strike Damage to Vulnerable enemies, but Sapphire is an alternative that increases Critical Strike Damage to Crowd Controlled enemies.

Diamonds are also an option, providing an increase to Ultimate Damage, and Topaz can be considered if you want a Lucky Hit Chance Increase.

For Armor, the Skull gem provides a boost to survivability by increasing Healing Received, while Ruby increases Max Life.

Best Paragon Boards for Rogue in Diablo 4

Cheap Shot: You deal five percent increased damage for each nearby enemy that is Crowd Controlled, up to 25 percent.

Deadly Ambush: You deal 22.5 percent increased Critical Strike Damage to enemies affected by your Trap Skills.

Eldritch Bounty: When you attack with an Imbued Skill you gain 20 percent resistance and 20 percent increased damage for that Imbuement’s element for six seconds.

Exploit Weakness: Whenever you deal damage to a vulnerable enemy, they take one percent increased damage from you for six seconds, up to 15 percent.

No Witnesses: Your Ultimate Skills deal 30 percent increased damage and grant you 10 percent increased damage for 20 seconds when cast.

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