Diablo 2: Resurrected: Best Beginner Builds For Each Class

Diablo 2: Resurrected is here and the gates of hell have opened once more. The revisited game is a near one-to-one remake of the original, updating some quality-of-life issues as well as the graphics. While longtime players will feel right at home, those who began their Diablo journey with the third installment or are new to the series may feel overwhelmed at first.

If you're not sure which character to pick or how to play the one you’ve chosen, we have just the guide for you. Here's how to build your character in Diablo 2: Resurrected for the beginning of the game.

The early game Amazon runs almost entirely off javelins and bows. Right off the bat, be sure to set your secondary attack to throw. You only have a limited number of javelins, but the game is generally good about giving you more as drops. You can also buy more from shopkeepers. Arrows tend to drop in larger quantities, so once you get your first bow, be sure to equip it in your second equipment set.

Go for the Critical Strike skill when first starting out as an Amazon. After just a few skill points banked in it you'll deal double damage around every third hit. When you reach level six, consider getting Poison Jab to up your damage over time as well.

The Druid has two main groups of skills: shape shifting and summoning. In the early game, players can choose to focus on either one and will see success. Choosing the Werewolf Lycanthropy as your first skill will lead you to being able to tank and deal a fair amount of damage. Picking Raven will give you a summonable Raven, with each successive skill point granting an additional one.

Summoning is particularly strong in Diablo 2, but later shape shifting skills like Feral Rage — available at level 12 — will help keep your player alive. Either route is viable. If you go the shape shifting route, dump your points into boosting the Lycanthropy skill to increase your shifting stats. For summoning, focus on increasing your Raven count by adding your points to that skill.

As previously mentioned, summoning is exceptionally strong in Diablo 2. This is most plainly seen with the Necromancer. The Necromancer relies on corpses in the early game to summon a single skeleton warrior. You're going to want to put all your first skill points into the Skeleton skill to increase the number of undead who fight for you. The Necromancer is also one of the weaker, fleshier characters in the game, so you'll need to be cautious while playing them. The Bone Armor skill can help keep you alive, and is worth investing in as well in the early game.

The Paladin is one of the stronger characters in the game and can be a formidable force if you set them up well. At level six, Paladins can get access to Holy Fire, which produces an aura that periodically does fire damage to surrounding enemies. Aura skills are particularly overpowered in the beginning of the game, and these random bursts of damage can wipe out entire groups of enemies with ease. As soon as you can, get Holy Fire set up.

All of the Sorceress' three skill trees are viable in the late game. Cold, Lightning, and Fire spells all have their ups and downs, but Cold spells especially help players out when they are first starting. The Frozen Armor skill, for example, can help players keep their low-health Sorceress alive. Offensive Ice moves like Ice Bolt and Ice Blast deal a solid amount of damage while freezing enemies and slowing them down. When you get to level 12, however, it is worth looking into Fire Ball, as its damage output and area of effect are both top notch.

The Barbarian is a classic tank: good at taking hits, attracting enemies, and controlling the fight. Early-game Barbarians should focus on the Bash skill, which knocks opponents back for a small time. This can save you from an untimely death while you are still working up your armor and tanking workflow. At level six, invest in both Shout and Taunt to boost your defense and keep the fight focused on you.

When it comes to the Assassin, traps are your best friends. They are typically summonable entities, though the first skill, Fire Blast, is more of a grenade. The first real trap will be the Shock Web skill at level six, which creates small points on the map that shoot electricity through them. They deal a fair amount of damage while enemies are in contact with them. Your main goal as an early-game Assassin should be to get the Wake of Fire skill at level 12. This produces a sentry that bellows out fire toward your enemies and can easily help carry you through to the late game.