Diablo 4 (Diablo IV) has five playable classes: Barbarian, Druid, Sorcerer, Rogue, and Necromancer – Rogue being the ‘Assassin/Ninja’ class of the game. If you yearn for swift, agile gameplay and the thrill of silently taking down enemies from the shadows or taking precise long-range shots, the Rogue is the class for you!
In this in-depth Diablo 4 Class Guide, we will delve into the Rogue’s abilities, skills, and stat priorities and provide valuable tips to help you become a master of this agile class!
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Diablo 4 Rogue Class Overview: Skills, Abilities, and Effects
Before diving into the buildcrafting and gameplay aspects of the Rogue in Diablo IV, we must familiarize ourselves with the diverse and unique set of Skills and Abilities this class brings to the table. To quickly find specific abilities, you can use the Ctrl+F keyboard shortcut or the “Find in Page” option in your browser’s options. Without further ado, let’s delve into the Rogue’s core Skills, Abilities, and their impactful effects:
Rogue Basic Skills
| Skill | Description |
|---|---|
| Invigorating Strike | Perform a melee attack on an enemy, inflicting XX damage and granting a 20% increase in Energy Regeneration for 3 seconds. |
| Blade Shift | Swiftly stab your target, dealing XX damage, and enter a shifting state that allows you to move through enemies for 3 seconds. |
| Puncture | Hurl blades at a short range, dealing XX damage. Every 3rd cast applies a 20% Slow to enemies for 2 seconds. Critical Strikes always apply the Slow effect. |
| Heartseeker | Shoot an arrow that seeks out an enemy, dealing XX damage and increasing your Critical Strike Chance against them by 3% for 4 seconds, up to a maximum of 15%. |
| Forceful Arrow | Fire a potent arrow at an enemy, dealing XX damage. Every 3rd cast causes the enemy to become Vulnerable for 2 seconds. |
Rogue Core Skills
| Skill | Effect |
|---|---|
| Penetrating Shot | Fire an arrow that passes through all enemies in a straight line, dealing XX damage. The damage and Lucky Hit Chance are increased based on Combo Points. |
| Flurry | Unleash a rapid series of stabs and slashes, striking enemies in front of you four times for a total of XX damage per hit. The damage and Attack Speed bonus are increased based on Combo Points. |
| Sturdy | Gain XX% reduction in damage taken from close-range attacks. |
| Twisting Blades | Impale an enemy with your blades, dealing XX damage and causing them to take 8% increased damage from you while impaled. After 1.5 seconds, the blades return to you and pierce through enemies, dealing YY damage. |
| Barrage | Unleash a barrage of five arrows that spread outwards, each dealing XX damage. Each arrow has a 20% chance to bounce off an enemy once, dealing 40% of the arrow’s base damage. The number of arrows and damage are increased by Combo Points. |
| Rapid Fire | Rapidly fire five arrows, each dealing XX damage. The number of arrows and damage are increased based on Combo Points. |
| Stutter Step | Landing a critical strike on an enemy grants a XX% Movement Speed increase for 4 seconds. |
| Siphoning Strikes | Heal for XX% of your Maximum Life when you land a critical strike on nearby enemies. |
Rogue Agility Skills
| Skill | Effect |
|---|---|
| Weapon Mastery | Gain a bonus when attacking based on the weapon type: -Daggers: XX% increased damage to Healthy enemies. -Swords: YY% increased damage. -Bows: ZZ% increased damage to Vulnerable enemies. -Crossbows: XX% increased Critical Strike Damage. |
| Dash | Quickly dash forward and slash enemies, dealing XX damage. |
| Rapid Gambits | Reduces the cooldown of Evade by XX seconds when you Daze an enemy. |
| Caltrops | Leap backward and throw caltrops on the ground, dealing XX damage and Slowing enemies by 50% for 6 seconds. |
| Rugged | Gain XX% Damage Reduction against Damage Over Time effects. |
| Shadow Step | Become Unstoppable and swiftly move through the shadows to stab your target from behind, dealing XX damage. Gain a 50% Movement Speed increase for 2 seconds after the attack. |
| Concussive | After Knocking Back or Knocking Down an enemy, gain 5% increased Critical Strike Chance against them for 3 seconds. |
| Trick Attacks | When you critically strike a Dazed enemy, they are Knocked Down for XX seconds. |
| Reactive Defense | Gain XX% Damage Reduction while affected by Control Impairing Effects. |
Rogue Subterfuge Skills
| Skill | Effect |
|---|---|
| Agile | When using a Cooldown, increase your Dodge Chance by XX% for 2 seconds. |
| Concealment | Vanish from sight, entering an advanced form of Stealth for 4 seconds. This Stealth will not be removed by taking damage. During Concealment, you are also Unstoppable, gain 25% Movement Speed, and can freely move through enemies. Using an attack skill will break Concealment. |
| Smoke Grenade | Throw a smoky concoction at enemies, causing them to be Dazed for XX seconds. |
| Poison Trap | Place a trap that activates after 1.25 seconds when an enemy moves within range. It applies XX Poisoning damage over 9 seconds to enemies in the area. You can have up to 4 armed traps at once. |
| Exploit | Deal XX% increased damage to Healthy and Injured enemies. |
| Dark Shroud | Surround yourself with up to 5 protective shadows. Gain XX% Damage Reduction per active shadow. Each time you take direct damage, the damage is reduced, and a shadow is consumed. |
| Malice | Deal XX% increased damage to Vulnerable enemies. |
| Mending Obscurity | While Stealthed, Heal for XX% of your Maximum Life per second. |
Rogue Imbuement Skills
| Skill | Effect |
|---|---|
| Shadow Crash | Lucky Hit: Shadow damage has a chance up to 10% to Stun enemies for XX seconds. |
| Shadow Imbuement | Imbue your weapons with festering shadows. Your next 2 Imbueable Skills deal Shadow damage and infect enemies for 6 seconds. Infected enemies explode on death, dealing XX damage to surrounding enemies. If the infection expires before the enemy dies, it deals XX damage to that enemy only. |
| Poison Imbuement | Imbue your weapons with lethal poison. Your next 2 Imbueable Skills deal Poison damage and apply XX% of their Base damage as additional Poisoning damage over 5 seconds. |
| Deadly Venom | Deal XX% increased Poisoning damage. |
| Cold Imbuement | Imbue your weapons with frigid energies. Your next 2 Imbueable Skills deal Cold damage and Chill enemies for XX% per hit. |
| Frigid Finesse | Deal XX% increased damage to Chilled enemies. This bonus increases to YY% against Frozen enemies. |
| Alchemical Advantage | Gain XX% increased Attack Speed for each enemy you’ve Poisoned, up to 15%. |
| Chilling Weight | Chilled enemies have their Movement Speed further reduced by up to XX%. |
| Consuming Shadows | Generate XX Energy each time you kill an enemy with Shadow Damage. |
| Debilitating Toxins | Poisoned enemies deal XX% less damage. |
| Precision Imbuement | Imbued Skills gain XX% increased Critical Strike Chance. |
Rogue Ultimate Skills
| Skill | Effect |
|---|---|
| Shadow Clone | Your shadow mimics your actions for 15 seconds, dealing 60% of your damage. |
| Innervation | Lucky Hit: Up to a XX% chance to gain 8 Energy. |
| Trap Mastery | When Poison Trap or Death Trap activates, you gain XX% increased Critical Strike Chance against Vulnerable and Crowd Controlled enemies for 4 seconds. |
| Death Trap | Place a trap that arms after 1.25 seconds. It activates when an enemy moves within range, dealing a total of XX damage to each enemy in the area. |
| Aftermath | After using an Ultimate Skill, restore XX Energy. |
| Adrenaline Rush | While moving, you gain XX% increased Energy Regeneration. |
| Rain of Arrows | Arrows rain down over a large area 2 times, with each wave dealing XX damage. |
| Alchemist’s Fortune | Non-Physical damage you deal has a XX% increased Lucky Hit Chance. |
| Haste | While at or above 50% maximum Energy, gain XX% increased Movement Speed. While below 50% maximum Energy, gain XX% increased Attack Speed. |
| Impetus | After moving 15 meters, your next attack deals XX% increased damage. |
| Second Wind | Every 100 Energy you spend grants you XX% increased Lucky Hit Chance for 5 seconds. |
Rogue Key Passives
| Skill | Effect |
|---|---|
| Momentum | Cutthroat Skills grant Momentum for 8 seconds when hitting a Stunned, Dazed, or Frozen enemy, or any enemy from behind. At 3 stacks of Momentum, gain 20% Damage Reduction, 30% Energy Regeneration, and 15% Movement Speed. |
| Close Quarters Combat | Cutthroat Skills grant Momentum for 8 seconds when hitting a Stunned, Dazed, or Frozen enemy or any enemy from behind. At 3 stacks of Momentum, gain 20% Damage Reduction, 30% Energy Regeneration, and 15% Movement Speed. |
| Precision | Critical Strikes with Marksman Skills grant Precision. Each stack increases Critical Strike Damage by 4% (up to 20%). Reach maximum Precision for a guaranteed Critical Strike dealing 40% increased damage, consuming all stacks. |
| Victimize | Damaging a Close enemy with Marksman or Cutthroat Skills grants a 10% Attack Speed bonus for 8 seconds. With both bonuses active, deal 20% increased damage against Crowd Controlled enemies. |
| Exposure | Lucky Hit: Dealing direct damage to a Trap-affected enemy has up to 25% chance to either reduce Trap Cooldowns by 20% or drop exploding Stun Grenades that deal XX Physical Damage and Stun enemies for 0.50 seconds. |
Diablo 4: How to Play Rogue – Tips & Tricks
The Rogue class in Diablo 4 offers unparalleled mobility, potent Shadow Imbuement and Poison Imbuement abilities, and swift, devastating combos. However, it also presents unique challenges you must acknowledge and adapt accordingly. Playing as a Rogue demands exceptional positioning awareness, as it is the most mechanically demanding class in the game. Moreover, Rogues are inherently squishy, with no Defense Skills like the other four classes – and instead relying on Agility Skills. One wrong move, and the Rogue may have to pay with their life!
So, to excel as a Rogue in Diablo 4, here are some tips to keep in mind:
1 | Master the Art of Kiting
Given the Rogue’s low HP pool and absence of Defense Skills, your approach in battle must be strategic and agile. Instead of charging head-on, rely on your Mobility Skills to dance around your targets. When facing stronger enemies and bosses, practice the art of Dashing in and out, quickly tagging them with an Imbuement Skill before retreating to your original position. Utilize the downtime to regenerate Energy while ensuring you always have at least one Dash in reserve!
2 | Invest in Concealment or Dark Shroud
Given the Rogue’s vulnerability, Concealment is a compulsory ability for those opting for a melee-focused Ninja Rogue build. This skill serves as your escape plan when you find yourself in unfavorable situations – which will be the case quite frequently! On the other hand, if you prefer a long-range playstyle and prioritize dealing damage from a distance, Countering Dark Shroud is an excellent alternative to Concealment. This skill not only maintains your Critical Strike Chance but also offers a proactive defensive measure.
3 | Focus on Core Skill Ranks and Critical Strike Stats
When aiming to optimize your gear or reroll specific stats, focus on obtaining stats that increase the ranks of your Core Skills, such as Penetrating Shot or Barrage. Additionally, prioritize equipment with Critical Strike Chance or Critical Strike Damage. Keep in mind that Critical Strike Damage can also be found on various Imbuement types like Shadow or Poison, which can significantly enhance your power when combined with the appropriate build.
Stats to Focus on for Rogue in Diablo 4
Here is the recommended stat priority for Rogue in Diablo IV:
| Priority | Stat | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Dexterity | This is the highest priority stat for Rogues. Increasing Dexterity directly raises your Skill Damage and improves your Dodge Chance. By focusing on Dexterity, you can deal more damage and avoid incoming attacks more frequently and effectively. |
| 2nd | Intelligence | Intelligence boosts your Critical Strike Chance, a valuable stat for enhancing your DPS. Additionally, Intelligence provides a boost to Resistance to All Elements, enhancing your overall survivability. |
| 3rd | Strength | While not as critical as Dexterity or Intelligence, Strength holds moderate importance for Rogues. It enhances Resource Regeneration, allowing you to sustain your abilities in combat, and provides additional Armor for increased durability. |
| 4th | Willpower | Willpower only increases your Healing Received and Overpowered damage, two largely unnecessary benefits for any Rogue build. Allocate your resources towards Dexterity, Intelligence, and Strength for the best performance! |
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There you have it! Now you’re equipped with everything you need to master the Rogue class in Diablo 4. You are familiar with the skills and abilities available to the class, understand how to effectively play as a Ninja/Assassin Rogue, and know which stats to prioritize for maximum DPS and survivability. But remember, practice makes perfect – and becoming a true master of the shadows demands dedication and patience!
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