Introduction

Armageddon Druids are elemental spellcasters who target the power of fire. With recent buffs for season 4, the Armageddon Druid has become an S-tier build, because of the removal of the No-hit-delay (NHD) that allows the Druid to simultaneously hit together with his myriad of fire spells. Before the update, the damage was restricted to one source, so casting spells together would lead to only the first spell hit applying damage. This buff, significant effects builds such as the Armageddon druid, Mosaic Assassin, and tick damage-based builds which previously have experienced little damage output when cycling with the full variety of spells.

This guide covers everything from skill allocation, stat distribution, gear recommendations, and leveling guidelines to help you get started, in addition to end-game optimizations for veterans.

Skills Allocation

Your definitive goal is to maximize the power from the Armageddon skill and it is synergies, which you'll now use effectively in your spell cycle for further damage. Allocate your skill points as follows:

Elemental Tree

-Armageddon (20 points): One of the primary damage-dealing skills with huge AoE. Comparable to a wider area -Hurricane that ought to be the backdrop of the damage output, pre-cast on enemies before cycling using your target-based damage spells.

-Volcano (20 points): Strong synergy for Armageddon, increasing its damage and offering a powerful focussed damage output spell, ideal for enemies with less mobility.

-Fissure (20 points): Pre-requisite for Armageddon and primary damage dealer with good AoE.

-Molten Boulder (Another powerful directed spell that is ideal for early leveling and cyclable now together with your other fire spells).

Shape-Shifting Tree: None

While hybrid Fire/Werewolf or Werebear builds aren't uncommon, the recent buffs have primarily empowered the Fire specialists given NHA has diminished utility in builds not focussed on maximizing your spell cycle damage. Therefore it is not advised.

Summoning Tree

Oak Sage (20 points): Provides a huge passive bonus for your and your party's life, similar to a Barbarian’s BO, and stackable, this can be a fantastic early ladder party skill, that ought to considerably raise the survivability of the entire party, particularly when paired with a BO Barb.

Grizzly bear and prerequisites (1 point): An additional damage soaker, with buffs by 50 percent.4 allowing all of your summonses to battle at once.

Stat Distribution

Allocate your stat points in the following manner:

Strength: Enough points to put on your desired gear. This ought to be none or low when utilizing Enigma however, you may require investment for early ladder or lower budget builds.

Dexterity: Invest enough points to attain max block (75%) together with your chosen shield or none if you're opting right into a vitality-based build. Spirit wielders should opt into vitality because of the poor block rate from the shield.

Vitality: All remaining points ought to be placed into vitality to improve your life pool which is further enhanced by Oak Sage.

Energy: No points are essential in energy, as the mana pool is not a priority and may be remedied with potions.

Breakpoints:

Faster Cast Rate (FCR) Breakpoints:

Faster Hit Recovery (FHR) Breakpoints:

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Gear Recommendations

The following gear suggestions try to balance survivability, damage output, and Druid Breakpoints. The Best in the slot is going to be listed combined with the best budget option. Remember, if you're trying different builds make use of the breakpoint tables presented to ensure you hit the specified breakpoints for FCR and FCR. Additionally, try to make sure you have maxed resistances in hell along with a good life pool.

Weapon:

Best in Slot: Heart from the Oak

The best and more balanced option given its Faster Cast Rate, + skills, and resistances. +3 skills are unmatched within this slot, and also the 40 FCR closely contests Suicide Branch and Wizspike’s 50. Up to 40 to any or all resistances is also ideal for the weapon slot.

Alternative: Suicide Branch

Suicide branch is a popular druid weapon because of it being the greatest in slot FCR item, and offering an immediate boost to life that is further boosted by Oak sage and battle orders. While lacking the raw resistances of wizspike, Suicide also grants +1 to any or all skills.

Budget: Wizard Spike

Wizard Spike is a cheap, and powerful dagger that grants 50FCR and 75 to any or all resistances. Most popular in hardcore mode, this can be a great budget placeholder.

Shield:

Best in Slot: Spirit Monarch (Runeword)

Effective caster shield which will boost your damage probably the most with +2 skills. Spirit also provides up to 35FCR (roll-dependent) resistances, along with a significant boost to faster hit recovery (55).

Alternative: Stormshield because of its high block rate, damage reduction, and resistance.

Helm:

Best in Slot: Ravenlore for + skills, resistances, and increased elemental damage. These can be produced in bases that have existing +skills for your fire skills (as much as 2 skills +3). Ravenlore is the greatest DPS option.

Alternative: Shako is a fantastic mid-game or MF option providing you with good general stats and +2 to any or all skills, in addition to life, mana, damage reduction, and pocketability.

Budget: Crown of Peasants is a budget alternative that may be found easily, or traded for perfect gems. Use this for the leveling.

Armor:

Best in Slot: Enigma is the best in the slot because of the versatility and mobility it provides with FCR, its huge boost to str, along with other useful mods including +2 skills. This is integral for ensuring your late-game run speed is maintained.

Alternative: Chains of Honour is a good runeword with generally strong caster buffs. The resistances are huge however the mobility you lose from Enigma and also the relatively very high cost of this armor means it's not widely used.

Budget: Any decent unique caster or defensive armor may serve as a suitable temp. Guardian Angel, Que-Hegan’s, and Vipermagi are valid options.

Gloves:

Magefist for Faster Cast Rate and +1 to Fire Skills. Use these in most instances.

Boots:

Best in Slot: Aldur's Advance for a lifetime boost, Fire Resist, and increased movement speed, offsetting fire Sunder. These can be also considered your budget option given how easily they're found.

Belt:

Best in Slot: Arachnid Mesh for +1 to any or all skills and Faster Cast Rate. This will make sure you can maintain high FCR while increasing your damage and utility spells.

Alternative: Verdungo’s is a good option that makes you tankier. You can use this if you're having difficulty surviving and wish for more Damage Reduction and life.

Amulet:

Best in Slot: Mara's Kaleidoscope for +2 to any or all skills and as much as resistances. This may be the best amulet for casters overall and sees wide use among all casters plus some non-caster builds.

Budget: Magic amulet with 2 druid skills can service like a temp before you find something better. A rare amulet with any useful mod, including resistances, life or mana, or FCR can be also valuable.

Rings:

Best in the slot: Stone of Jordan or Bul Kathos for that +1 to skills (choose from life or mana).

Budget: Rare ring with any useful mod can suffice like a temp. FCR rings will help you reach higher teleport and casting framerates.

Charms:

Annihilus and Hellfire Torch for + skills, attributes, and resistances.

Fire skill grand charms for increased damage.

Small charms with life, resistance, and Faster Hit Recovery.

Mercenary:

Hire an Act 2 Nightmare Defensive Mercenary for that Holy Freeze aura, that will slow enemies who are around you, enhancing your survivability. Prayer can also be a wise decision, particularly if you're opting into an insight merc instead of infinity. If so, also get a Cure runeword helmet which further synergizes with meditation and prayer. The build we'll provide is probably the most powerful variant, the Infinity Merc.

Infinity (Conviction, breaks immunities, and boosts your damage output)

Fortitude (greatest damage for merc and resists)

Andariels (Highest leech and strong merc mods for damage)

Conclusion

By after this guide, you'll have a solid foundation for the Armageddon Druid in Season 4. Remember that with one of these recent changes, there is really a lot left to become discovered, and maybe ways to further enhance this build, so make sure to experiment. With the elimination of NHD, it has undoubtedly reached the very best tier for PvP and PvM content.