Following a season that saw a very diverse line-up of S-Tier builds, Diablo 4 Season 11 is seeing some classes backslide in the meta. Although there will likely still be a solid mix of meta builds in Diablo 4 Season 11, some of the best Season 10 builds will be falling by the wayside without Chaos Armor and Perks to aid them. One of the best classes from Diablo 4 Season 11 gets insult added to injury with a new Unique that is unlikely to move the needle back toward its Season 10 dominance.
As it stands, classes like the Spiritborn and Rogue are likely to repeat their Season 10 performance in the upcoming Diablo 4 season. Both of these classes are getting fantastic new Uniques in the Path of the Emissary Boots and Death’s Pavane Pants, respectively, that should improve already powerful build options. On the other end of the spectrum is the Druid, which not only loses access to an overpowered build without Chaos Perks, but also gets what is arguably Season 11’s worst new Unique.
Diablo 4 Season 11 is a 180-Degree Turn for Druids
During Diablo 4 Season 10, Druids shot to the top of the meta thanks to the Kilt of Blackwing Unique and Chaos Perks that allowed the class to run an S-Tier Companion Druid build. Without Chaos Perks, this Companion Druid build essentially falls apart since Ravens is back to having a cooldown and can’t be spammed. While the Kilt of Blackwing Unique is still around, its viability is greatly diminished without the Savagery Chaos Perk turning Ravens into a Core Skill. The new Unique for Druids in Diablo 4 Season 11 isn’t doing the class any favors either, and likely won’t be worth using on any build this season.
The Druid’s New Khamsin Steppewalkers Unique is Basically Useless
Khamsin Steppewalkers
Attacks Reduce Evade’s Cooldown by 0.5 Seconds
+25% Movement Speed
+55.0% Crowd Control Duration
25% Nature Magic Cooldown Reduction
+3 to Bad Omen
Unique Affix: Damaging 200-100 Enemies with Storm Skills grants a charge. Casting any Defensive Skill will grant Max Movement Speed and Unhindered for 1 second for each charge used. While charged, enemies you run into are Immobilized for 1 second.
The best part of the Druid’s Khamsin Steppewalkers is the Unique’s increased cooldown reduction. However, its Unique Affix isn’t very strong, as damaging 200-100 enemies with a Storm Skill is a hefty ask for a single charge that grants 1 second of a buff when a Defensive Skill is used. There are far better options for Druid players to use in their Boots slot that can achieve similar, if not stronger, effects, such as Rakanoth’s Wake.
Not only does Rakanoth’s Wake grant increased movement speed and cooldown reduction, but its Unique Affix also allows the player to deal AoE Fire damage whenever they cast a skill with a cooldown.
Druids are Taking a Step Backward After Dominating Diablo 4 Season 10
Compared to the game-changing nature of the Kilt of Blackwing in Diablo 4 Season 10, the Khamsin Steppewalkers are a pretty disappointing addition. Other classes, like the Spiritborn and Rogue, are getting new tools in their kits to help make up for the lack of Chaos Armor and Chaos Perks this season. Meanwhile, the Druid is at risk of fading into obscurity in the Season 11 meta without a standout build option like Season 10’s Companion Druid.
The potential saving grace for Druids in Diablo 4 Season 11 is the new Divine Gift mechanic to empower builds without the need for a Unique to take up a slot. The Essence of Anguish, in particular, could be a great alternative to the Khamsin Steppewalkers, since its Purified ability increases the player’s movement speed by 30%. While the Khamsin Steppewalkers’ cooldown reduction is nice, it’s not worth trading a more powerful Unique Affix for in the absence of Chaos Armor.
Released
June 5, 2023
ESRB
Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
