diablo 4 druid shapeshifting
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ByArzyeL

Diablo 4 Druid Shapeshifting Build

Shapeshifter is a Druid Shapeshifting Build in Diablo 4! The Build is focusing on switching between the Werebear and Werewolf forms in order to deal damage and clear content. The Druid is the Class of Nature Magic and Shapeshifting in Diablo 4! This Shapeshifting Build is the evolution of my Diablo 4 Druid Beginner Build for higher World Tier difficulties. For more Druid Builds, you can take a look at my Diablo 4 Druid Builds page.

Table of Contents

Skills for Druid Shapeshifting Build in Diablo 4

The following skills are the core of our Build! The goal of the Build is to switch between Werebear and Werewolf in order to benefit from their unique abilities and deal massive damage! Shapeshifter also relies on its strong Poison damage to weaken enemies and kill them faster!

Skills
Skill 1Innate Blood Howl
Skill 2Brutal Poison Creeper
Skill 3Natural Rabies
Skill 4Preserving Earthen Bulwark
BasicWild Maul
CoreRaging Pulverize
  • Wild Maul(Maul,1/5): Transform into a powerful Werebear, deal massive damage, fortify and knock down enemies.
  • Raging Pulverize(Pulverize,5/5): Transform into a powerful Werebear to deal massive AOE damage.
  • Innate Blood Howl(Blood Howl,1/5): Transform into a Werewolf to heal yourself and generate resources.
  • Brutal Poison Creeper(Poison Creeper,1/5): Immobilize and poison enemies.
  • Natural Rabies(Rabies,2/5): Transform into a Werewolf to poison enemies.
  • Preserving Earthen Bulwark(Earthen Bulwark,1/5): Barrier that grants you Unstoppable and Fortifies you.

Spirit Boons for Druid Shapeshifting Build in Diablo 4

Spirit Boons is the special mechanic of the Druid in Diablo 4! Spirit Boons offer various upgrades based on animal spirits. To unlock this mechanic you will have to complete the Class quest “Spirits of the Lost Grove” at level 15. In total there are four Spirits, Deer, Eagle, Wolf and Snake that offer four upgrades each. You can pick an upgrade from each spirit and an extra one from the spirit of your choice. When you pick two upgrades from one spirit, you are “bonded” with that spirit. The Spirit Boons for this Druid Shapeshifting Build are:

  • Deer Spirit: Wariness, reduced damage from elite enemies
  • Eagle Spirit: Swooping Attacks, extra Attack Speed and Avian Wrath, extra Critical Strike Damage
  • Wolf Spirit: Bolster, Fortify when using a defensive skill
  • Snake Spirit: Masochistic, Critical Strikes heal you

Passive Skills for Druid Shapeshifting Build in Diablo 4

The Passive Skills we choose are also quite important for the Build and can help us become stronger. These are the Passive Skills for the Druid Shapeshifting Build!

Core Skills:

  • Heart of the Wild, 3/3
  • Predatory Instinct, 3/3
  • Iron Fur, 3/3

Defensive Skills:

  • Ancestral Fortitude, 1/3
  • Vigilance, 3/3

Companion Skills:

  • Call of the Wild, 2/3

Wrath Skills:

  • Neurotoxin, 2/3
  • Envenom, 3/3

Ultimate Skills:

  • Quickshift, 3/3
  • Natural Fortitude, 3/3
  • Heightened Senses, 3/3
  • Defensive Posture, 3/3
  • Thick Hide, 2/3

Key Passive: Bestial Rampage

You can find more about the Druid Skills by reading my Diablo 4 Druid Skills Guide!

diablo 4 druid shapeshifting
Shapeshifter

Legendary Aspects for Druid Shapeshifting Build in Diablo 4

Legendary Aspects are important and define our Druid Shapeshifting Build! You can get them as a reward from completing Dungeons(Codex of Power Aspects) or as a drop while defeating enemies! Some of the best Legendary Aspects can only be found as drops while defeating enemies in Diablo 4! You can extract them from items you do not want to use and imprint them to your favorite piece of gear with the help of the Occultist vendor! These are the best Aspects for our Druid Shapeshifting Build!

GearAspectLocation
HelmSkinwalker’s AspectDrop, Fading Echo(Kehjistan)
ChestAspect of the ProtectorDrop, Lost Archives(Fractured Peaks)
GlovesNighthowler’s AspectDrop, Forbidden City(Fractured Peaks)
PantsAspect of DisobedienceDrop, Halls of the Damned(Kehjistan)
BootsWind Striker AspectDrop, Shivta Ruins(Kehjistan)
WeaponAspect of the Ursine HorrorDrop, Belfry Zakara(Hawezar)
AmuletAspect of RetaliationDrop, Seaside Descent(Dry Steppes)
RingAspect of the Changeling’s DebtDrop, Conclave(Kehjistan)
RingAspect of the UmbralDrop, Champion’s Demise(Dry Steppes)
Offhand(Optional)Accelerating AspectDrop

Gear Stats for Druid Shapeshifting Build in Diablo 4

Legendary Aspects are defining for the Druid Shapeshifting Build but the stats you get on the gear are important as well! Gear Stats can make or break your Build and will enhance your capabilities when pursuing a specific type of gameplay! Our desired Stats for the Druid Shapeshifting Build are:

  • Damage
  • Damage While Shapeshifted
  • Physical Damage
  • Core Skill Damage
  • Critical Strike Chance
  • Critical Strike Damage
  • Companion Skill Damage
  • Boost to Stats
  • Spirit Cost Reduction
  • Extra Spirit
  • Maximum Life
  • Damage Reduction
  • Cooldown Reduction
  • Fortify Generation
  • Extra Ranks to our Skills
  • Armor While in Werebear/Werewolf Form

There are several more gear stats that can be helpful but these are the most important for the Build!

Gems for Druid Shapeshifting Build in Diablo 4

Gems are quite important as well, since they can boost our capabilities when dealing with enemies! For a Druid Shapeshifting Build, these are the best Gem Options:

  • Weapon: Amethyst(Extra Damage over Time) or Sapphire(Extra Critical Strike Damage to Crowd Controlled Enemies)
  • Armor: Sapphire(Damage Reduction while Fortified) or Topaz(Damage Reduction while Control Impaired)
  • Jewelry: Skull(Extra Armor)

Unique Items for Druid Shapeshifting Build in Diablo 4

Unique Items offer powerful effects that can further enhance your Build! Some Unique Items you can use with the Druid Shapeshifting Build are:

  • Fists of Fate(Gloves): Your Attacks randomly deal an additional % of their normal damage.
  • Mother’s Embrace(Ring): Can refund resources.
  • Penitent Greaves(Boots): Chills enemies and deals more damage to Chilled enemies.
  • Fleshrender(1-Handed Mace): Debilitating Roar and Blood Howl deal X damage to Nearby Poisoned enemies.
  • Hunter’s Zenith(Ring): Gain a bonus when you kill with a Shapeshifting Skill.
    Werewolf: Your next Non-Ultimate Werebear Skill costs no Resource and has no Cooldown.
    Werebear: Your next Werewolf Skill will Heal you for X when damage is first dealt.

Paragon Points for Druid Shapeshifting Build in Diablo 4

Paragon Points can further enhance your Build and make you powerful. You can start earning Paragon Points after you reach level 50. Allocating them properly will help you become stronger and clear harder content! To learn more about Paragon Points and Boards, you can read my Paragon Board Guide.

Our goal with the Paragon Boards is to unlock several Powerful Glyphs and Nodes, suitable for our Build! This is the Paragon Board path you should follow for the Druid Shapeshifting Build!

Starting Board

  1. Unlock the Prime Rare node on the right, along with all Magic Nodes around it.
  2. Continue North to unlock the Glyph Socket and place the Undaunted Glyph.
  3. Take the Impel Rare Node on the left with all its Magic Nodes and continue to the Gate.
  4. Attach the Inner Beast Board. Rotate the Board twice before attaching it.

Inner Beast Board(Second Board)

  1. Create a Path to the West to unlock the Havoc Rare Node(and all its Magic Nodes). From there continue North East to unlock the Inner Beast Legendary Node.
  2. From the Gate start another path to the East to Unlock the Slayer Rare Node. Continue North to get the Nimble Rare Node, the Shapeshifter Rare Node and unlock the Glyph Socket. Place the Territorial Glyph. Also unlock all Magic Nodes on your path.
  3. From the already created path head to the Eastern Gate to attach the Survival Instincts Board.

Survival Instincts Board(Third Board)

  1. Head East, unlock the Spearhead Rare Node North, Bulwark Rare Node South and the Survival Instinct Legendary Node. Also unlock their Magic Nodes.
  2. Continue East to unlock the Glyph Socket, the Grizzly and Batleworn Rare Nodes along with their Magic Nodes. Place the Fang and Claw Glyph.
  3. Now head to the Southern Gate but take first the Ursine Rare Node and all its Magic Nodes.
  4. Attach the Heightened Malice Board. Rotate twice before attaching it.

Heightened Malice Board(Fourth Board)

  1. Head East towards the Gate. First unlock the Nature-Born, Sinking Fangs Rare Nodes and their Magic Nodes, as well as the Glyph Socket. Place the Poise Glyph there.
  2. Attach the Ancestral Guidance Board. Rotate it three times first.

Ancestral Guidance(Fifth Board)

  1. Head South East to unlock the Harmony and Resolve Rare Nodes(with every Magic Node around them) along with the Glyph Socket. Place the Shapeshifter Glyph.
  2. Continue East for the Spiritual Power Rare Node and its Magic Nodes.
  3. From there Head North to unlock the Recuperate Rare Node and all the Magic Nodes around it.
  4. Continue heading North to unlock the Ancestral Guidance Legendary Node.

In total we are using five Rare Glyphs on our Paragon Boards. The Diablo 4 Druid Shapeshifting Build Glyphs are:

  • Undaunted
  • Territorial
  • Fang and Claw
  • Poise
  • Shapeshifter

Season Content for Druid Shapeshifting Build in Diablo 4

The Season of the Malignant adds Malignant Hearts to the game that transform your Build and offer new gameplay paths! Seasonal Builds can use these Hearts to further enhance their capabilities. In total there are 32 Hearts, divided in four categories:

  • Vicious Hearts(Offensive Power)
  • Brutal Hearts(Defensive Power)
  • Devious Hearts(Utility Power)
  • Wrathful Hearts(Super Power)

Each Heart category has its own color and can be socketed to corresponding colored sockets in gems. Vicious, Brutal and Devious Hearts can only be socketed to their corresponding sockets. You can socket Wrathful Hearts in any Socket. The Best Malignant Hearts for the Build are:

  1. The Moonrage(Vicious)
  2. Revenge(Brutal)
  3. The Barber(Wrathful)
  4. Determination(Devious)
  5. The Malignant Pact(Wrathful)
  6. Prudent Heart(Brutal)

Gameplay for Druid Shapeshifting Build in Diablo 4

The Build is focusing on switching often between your Werebear and Werewolf forms to benefit from their unique skills and deal massive damage! Your main attacking abilities Maul and Pulverize will turn your into a Werebear, which is going to be your deadliest form! Werewolf offers valuable support abilities like Blood Howl that can heal you and Rabies that can poison enemies. Finally your Poison Creeper will further poison enemies and Crowd Control them. Earthen Bulwark boosts your survivability with its barrier and Unstoppable buff!

More Diablo 4 Builds & Guides

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