Diablo 4 is a big game with big ambitions and an investment of many hours before you'll reach the end game content which so many players are looking forward to. With respect to this, many players will want to level as fast as they can. Today we're presenting a D4 leveling build tier list to show you the top builds (Rogue, Druid, Necromancer, Sorceress, Barbarian) for leveling fast based on their effectiveness and power. These builds are all viable builds for making your way through the campaign.

Related Read: What to do after Beating the Campaign in Diablo IV

Diablo 4 Leveling Builds Tier List & Rankings 2023 -  Best Leveling Builds for Maximizing your Progression in Diablo 4

A leveling build is Diablo 4 is a massive game with a level cap at 100. That might not sound like a lot but the main campaign story only takes you up to about level 45 to 50 and that takes approximately 35 hours of gameplay to reach which is a long time. A leveling build is a build that focuses on the principles of killing enemies quickly and moving you through the map at a good pace, usually with a focus on ease of play. There may be better builds for your style of player and Diablo 4 has a decent balance between your different options, meaning that there's really something for everyone. These builds in particular will see you speeding through the content by virtue of their specific strengths. They'll take you all the way to level 50 before you even need to consider respecting to progress further. In order to keep this digestible, we're describing the builds only as far as the basic and core skills go. Without future ado, let’s dive into the Diablo 4 leveling builds tier list 2023!

1. Twisting Blades Rogue (S-Tier)

2. Bone Spear Necro (S-Tier)

3. Chain Lightning Sorc (S-Tier)

4. Firewall Sorc (S-Tier)

5. Tornado Druid (S-Tier)

6. Flurry Rogue (A-Tier)

7. Ice Shards Sorc (A-Tier)

8. Rend Barb (A-Tier)

9. Penetrating Shot Rogue (B-Tier)

10. HotA Barb (B-Tier)

11. Corpse Explosion Necro (B-Tier)

12. Pulverize Druid (C-Tier)

13. Summoner Server Necro (C-Tier)

14. Whirlwind Barb (C-Tier)

15. Shred Druid (D-Tier)

D4 Sorceress Leveling Builds

• Chain Lightning Sorceress (S-Tier)

This is a build that focuses on maximizing the strength of your chain lightning to clear the map. Your basic skill in this build can be spark or Arc Lash depending on your playstyle. But we recommend Arc Lash for the fantastic stunning power, double hits on crits and the speed bonus from flickering arc lash. Your core skills will be Chain Lightning upgraded into greater chain lightning and you'll basically just be using a combination of this with your basic attack to clear most of the content. Your defensive skills will be teleport into Shimmering Teleport, Ice Armor into Enhanced Ice Armor and Frost Nova into Mystical Frost Nova. A combination of these three skills will keep your Mana topped up get you out of tricky situations and ensure you always have a means of dealing with close crowds. For both this and other 2 Sorcerer builds, just take the highest DPS weapon you can get. But you want to end up with a one-hand weapon and a focus for cooldown reduction and Mana cost reduction roles for end game.

• Firewall Sorceress (S-Tier)

You'll focus on controlling the battlefield with great big walls of fire and moving through enemies as they're burned up. We'll start with Arc Lash again as a basic skill moving into greater Fireball and Shimmering Teleport. You'll take enhanced ice armor and mystical frost nova again to help with defense and the only one of those skills your maxing is mystical frost nova. Finally you're moving into Summoned Hydra and then Mage’s Firewall. Because you're likely to only get your firewall as early as level 18, your fireballs frost nova and hydras will need to get you there first. So feel free to overspec them and then respect when you can afford firewall.

• Ice Shards Sorc (A-Tier)

The final Sorcerer build then dropping down into A tier is the Ice Shard Sorcerer. While the damage isn't as high as the other two, it's worth noting this is possibly the most fun to play of all 3, so if that takes priority over faster leveling, this is a strong contender. Ice Shard Sorcerer is a fast-paced ice machine gunner with a lot of AOE toward the later levels of the build. You'll start off with enhanced Arc Lash grabbing greater ice shards as soon as you can. And then a level in Fireball to help with smaller hordes. Shimmering Teleport, Enhanced Iced Armor and Mystical Frost Nova will once again form your defensive skill set.

D4 Rogue Leveling Builds

• Twisting Blades Rogue (S-Tier)

This build is one of the fastest leveling builds in Diablo 4 but requires a lot of proactive work. Twisting Blade's attack results in a bunch of blades that you shoot out that return to you and the trick with this build is running away from them such that enemies are in the off they take to return to you. It's a tricky build but a rewarding one to pull off. You'll start with a level into Fundamental Puncture, then max out Advanced Twisting Blades, Siphoning Strikes, Stutter Step and a point in sturdy. A point in Methodical Shadow Step and 3 interdisciplined dash will help you keep ahead of your daggers while maxing weapon mastery and concussive will keep your damage high. You'll only need 1 point in Subverting Dark Shroud and Enhanced Poison Trap to round off your subterfuge skills thereafter.

• Flurry Rogue (A-Tier)

This build is a bit easy to play and it's a bit more your standard traditional staddy build using flurry. To start with, throw a point into fundamental puncture, then max out improved flurry, siphoning strikes, stutter step and a point in sturdy. A point in methodical shadow step and 3 into both weapon Mastery and concussive will be your next move. You'll only need 1 point to subverting dark shroud and enhance poison trap to round off your subterfuge skills afterwards.

• Penetrating Shot Rogue (B-Tier)

This one can dish out as much damage through powerful ranged attacks. Start with a level into fundamental forceful arrow, then max out advanced penetrating shot and stutter step. Next, you'll want a level in disciplined caltrops for cc and extra damage and 3 into both weapon mastery and concussive. Next throw 5 Points into subverting dark shroud and max out both malice and exploit.

Related Read: Top 2 Best Diablo 4 Rogue Starter Builds for Early & Mid-End Game

D4 Druid Leveling Builds

• Tornado Druid (S-Tier)

This build relies on the awesome power of tornadoes to wipe the screen clean. You'll start out with wind shear or storm strike as your basic skill attack the former if you want some awesome melee power and damage resist and the latter if you prefer a ranged play style. Technically, tornadoes emanate from your character and so you have much more damage potential if you run melee both for enemy grouping and tornado aiming. But it didn't make too much difference. If you do run wind shear, go wild wind shear as you'll need that extra spirit generation. Next grab raging tornado and max the tornado as fast as possible. You'll then grab preserving other than Bulwark as your primary defensive skill and max out abundance wild impulses and predatory instinct. The way forward is clear from here, but with this alone you'll dodge your way effortlessly through the early levels, just be sure to take Nature's Reach when you get the chance later.

• Pulverize Druid (C-Tier)

You'll be smashing through enemies as a Werebear, but there's little more to it than that unfortunately. You'll go straight for Fierce Maul and then Primal Pulverize, maxing it out as fast as possible before grabbing Preserving Earthen Bulwark for defense and maxing out that too. You'll also need a max abundance, wild impulses, predatory instinct and iron fur. 

• Shred Druid (D-Tier)

This is not bad, the other builds are just better, they might not necessarily be more fun and this is the only one where you get to be a Werewolf. You'll want to grab Fierce Storm Strike as your basic skill and look towards raging shred for your Werewolf energy, maxing it out as soon as possible. You'll be grabbing Preserving Earthen Bulwark and Preserving Blood Howl to keep your defense and health up and then maxing Ferocious Poison Creeper. You'll also need max Abundance, Wild Impulses and Predatory Instinct. 

D4 Barbarian Leveling Builds

• Rend Barb (A-Tier)

The playstyle involves leaping straight at the nearest moving creature and immediately ended its existence with little effort. This would go into  tier if the clear potential was as good, but you're not without options here. It is important to make sure you have a two-handed slashing weapon for the spill to work. Start with Battle Lunging Strike and a maxed out Furious Rend as soon as possible, maxing up pressure point as you go. Tactical Rallying Cry will be your defensive bread and butter, so max that as soon as possible too. When you get your shouts later, grab Power War Cry and later stall just max Fighter's Death Blow and the rest is up to you, this build will crush anything in your way. 

• Hammer of the Ancients Barbarian (B-Tier)

This one is a greater AOE focused build, but more importantly, It's Hammer based and we all need a good hammer in our lives. Start with the Battle Lunging Strike and into a maxed out Furious Hammer of the Ancients as soon as possible. You'll rely on Tactical Rallying Cry for defense and grab Mighty War Cry and Power Leap as you’re brawling skills. Finally, you want to max Booming Voice, Guttural Yell, Raid Leader, Prolific Fury and throw pointing to aggressive resistance.

• Whirlwind Barbarian (C-Tier)

Then we have the Whirlwind Barbarian for those of you who like spin to win. You start with a point in Battle Lunging Strike, immediately max out Furious Whirlwind and pressure point and then Tactical Rallying Cry. It really is that simple.

D4 Necromancer Leveling Builds

• Bone Spear Necro (S-Tier)

Bones spear not only pierces all enemies it hits, it also shrapnels on collision for AOE damage. To start out, simply grab one level of enhanced Bone Splinters, then max out Supernatural Bone Spear along with unliving energy imperfectly balanced and huge flesh in your core skills. In your corpse and Macabre tree, you'll want a level in Blood Mist and then max out Plagued Corpse Explosion, Grim Harvest and Fueled by Death. 

• Blight Corpse Explosion Necromancer (B-Tier)

This is more a summon centric build making use of a small Reaper Army to start a chain reaction of exploding corpses. To start out, you want a level in Acolyte’s Reap, followed by maxed out Supernatural Blight, a level in unliving energy and then maxing out imperfectly balanced and hewed flesh. Then you'll want to max out Blighted Corpse Explosion with Skeletal Warrior Mastery, Grim Harvest and Fueled by Death. Finally, max out Skeletal Mage Mastery as well, you'll grab Supreme Army of the Dead later to round it all off, but the build itself is very safe one to play and super effective at automating itself.

• Summoner Server Necro (C-Tier) 

The supernatural sever skill scales based on how many minions you've summoned. This is in C tier because it does play a little bit awkwardly, but it is effective at clearing rooms and it leaves you the minimal work of slashing down crowds where your summons do most of the dirty work. You'll start out with Acolyte’s Reap, followed by maxed out Supernatural Sever, a level in unliving energy and then maxing out in perfectly balanced and Hewed Flesh. You'll then want to max out blighted corpse explosion with skeletal Warrior Mastery, Grim Harvest and fueled by death and finally max out skeletal Mage Mastery too. If this sounds like the corpse explosion build, it is, but it branches out into plague corpse tendrils instead of Supreme Army of the Dead.