Diablo 4 Best Builds for Fighting Ashava & Leveling to 20 | D4 Server Slam Leveling Build Guide

5/12/2023 5:05:41 PM

If you're looking for the best Diablo 4 builds to get you through the early game, level up fast, and kill world boss Ashava easily during the Server Slam, you're in the right place! Early on you're given a bit of freedom to choose skills and refund them, so your investments might differ to how you play at the end game or even when you've collected a few valuable legendary items. These builds will get you up to level 20 the fastest and give you the best shot at taking down the world boss Ashava even when under leveled. 

Related Read: Top 2 Best Rogue Builds in Diablo 4


Diablo 4 Best Builds for Fighting Ashava & Leveling to 20 - D4 Server Slam Leveling Build Guide

Check out the guide below if you're looking for help for a specific class, the builds we’re about to outline are up to level 20, don't include items and are based around leveling fast and killing the world boss Ashava, legendary items if they drop may encourage you to modify these builds to add some powerful effects. 

We have to mention that there are some of the changes in the Server Slam and release, it seems like a lot of skills like upheaval, chain lightning, hydro and bone splinters received a nerf that just brings them closer to the other skills. These builds are still top of the range, but it's a lot closer now. If you receive any legendary effects that focus around a core skill, be sure to switch to that and you'll have more power.


#1. D4 Server Slam Sorcerer Leveling Build & Skills 

Along with Necromancer, the Sorcerer has a very easy leveling experience, being ranged has a lot to do with that, but overall it puts out so much damage that you rarely find yourself in positions where you can be punished. There's a very clear winner when it comes to leveling and killing world boss Ashava.

Basic Skills

In terms of basic skills, you can pick up Arc Lash for a decent melee mob clear option. However though many seem to dislike black spark, it is very effective at keeping range and adding damage while your mana regenerates. Chill doesn't apply to the world boss and doesn't seem very effective against dungeon bosses, so Frost Bolt isn't as definitive a choice as many people think. Whereas Spark will do increased damage if the target is alone with enhanced spark or AOE, if not, it also gives you up to 10% increased crit chance thanks to Glinting Spark and crit is important to this build. Though any basic skill will do, you can't really go wrong with the Sorcerer.

Core Skills

When it comes to core skills, even though it was nerfed, Chain Lightning is still the king. Max it out as it will do a high amount of damage to waves of enemies as well as single targets with Greater Chain Lightning. It also gets an increased crit chance with every bounce with enhanced lightning. To reiterate, greater chain lightning lets it bounce off you hitting single enemies multiple times which is great for groups and bosses. This will be your primary damage dealer until Hydra. 

Defensive Skills

Next, pick up Teleport, it's the ultimate movement ability, it's perfect for the world boss and for moving around the map, one point is all you need. Then we have Frost Nova, it will give you some breathing room by freezing mobs around you, one point is all you need. Then another defensive spell to offset your fragile body - Ice Armor. It gives you another way to avoid damage as it gives you 6 seconds of barrier, between Teleport, Ice Armor and Frost Nova, you should be able to get through any problem. Then max out Hydra, because if you can't stand and kill something, Hydras will get it done while you kite the enemy. Hydras are unkillable for the duration and constantly spit out damage. With your high critical strike chance, Invoked Hydra will give your hydras an increased rate too. While healthy, they'll have an extra head with Enhanced Hydra. And with your 3 defensive skills, that won't be a problem. Especially with Align the Elements, it gives you damage reduction against Elites which means Elite mobs bosses including the world boss and PVP including player characters. You'll have up to a 50% flat damage reduction if you don't take damage for 20 seconds slowly recharging back up to 50% at a 5% a second rate. This is huge for 1 point and that's the build. 


#2. D4 Server Slam Barbarian Leveling Build & Skills

The Barbarian has a rough start, besides the Druid, this is the hardest leveling experience. This Barbarian Build is focused on the Thorns mechanic which basically automatically damages enemies when they hit you in Diablo 4. The build has a very high area of effect damage and also deals great single-target damage.

Basic Skills

The basic skill you want to pick up is Frenzy, you're not going to have the best gear early on, so your basic skill choice may come down to what your best weapon is. If you have high crit and a strong two-handed blunt weapon, get combat bash for that guaranteed overpower. Though most of the time either Flay or Frenzy will do, opt for Frenzy as you'll get Fury faster this way thanks to Enhanced Fury and most of your damage will be coming through your thorns and your upheavals. The latter requiring Fury and it deals more damage the more you hit with your basics. 

Core Skills

So pick up upheaval next. You could opt for Hammer of the Ancients for single target, but in the current state of the game, upheaval is superior in more situations since it has a bit of range and against the world boss and dungeons, this is valuable. It has a chance to stand with enhanced upheaval, but with Furious Upheaval dealing direct damage with the skill causes your next upheaval to deal increased damage up to 80% at 10 stacks, which is why Frenzy works well with this build. 

Defensive Skills

Then we want all the shouts because they give a lot of value for single points. The first being Challenging Shout as it forces enemies to attack you with reduced damage, gives you extra life which gives you a huge amount of thorns which clears mobs like nobody's business. Rallying Cry gives you a way to break CC, move fast and generate more fury. It also works well with challenging shout as dealing or taking direct damage gives you base life as fortify making you quite tanky. I

Brawling Skills

War Cry increases your base damage, gives you more base damage and movement speed with the berserk status and gives you a huge amount of fortified life which further increases your thorns damage. Pick up Booming Voice to increase your shouts duration and Raid Leader, it will give you and your allies a heal for every shout you have active on them, and your shout affects your allies as well for a reduced duration, making you amazing in groups and especially in world boss encounters. Then pick up Leap which will help you get in and out of combat, useful in most situations considering your melee. It also lets you traverse the world faster even letting you jump over obstacles.


#3. D4 Necromancer Leveling Build & Skills for Server Slam

The Necromancer in Diablo IV will feel both familiar and new to those who have played this class in prior Diablo franchise games. You can summon a platoon of undead minions and golems to accompany you across the Fractured Peaks and beyond once the full game releases while hurling curses, dealing out spell damage through Darkness, Corruption, Bone, and Blood, and summoning Bone Spears and Walls to further inconvenience and indeed destroy those who dare oppose you. The following section provides an overview of all Necromancer skills, enhancements and upgrades.

Basic Skills

The basic skill you want to pick up is Bone Splinters. This is potentially the best basic skill in the game and while leveling, you only need one point in it. It functions like a shotgun, the closer you are to the target, the more splinters will hit, and the more damage you'll do. With enhanced bone splinters, this gives you a chance to file additional projectiles when you have 50% or more essence, and with Acolyte's Bone Splinters, you'll get more crit chance for using it like a shotgun. This build will focus around crit, so keep this in mind. 

Core Skills

Max out bone spear, it does extremely high damage, dealing even more damage with enhanced bone spear and getting an extra 5% crit chance with paranormal bone spear. Critical striking now has an additional benefit of giving the spear additional shards when destroyed, meaning that once it hits a wall or reaches its max range, it will break, sending shards back towards its casting point, making bone spear exceedingly effective at clearing out groups. 

Macabre Skills

Put points into the core tree until you can get Blood Mist and put 1 point into it. When you think you're going to take a bit too much damage or a crowd controlled, hit it to go fully immune and heal a small amount. This is useful against a world boss as she will no doubt be one shotting you if you get at a position. 

Passive Skills

We put 1 point into Unliving Energy in order to get to imperfectly balanced which makes it so your bone spear costs 15% more essence, but deals 30% more damage. A big boost and when considering bone splinters does decent damage, you won't mind switching between the two of them. Bone splinters and Spears is all you need, grab Serration for a 1.5 Critical Strike chance for each 10 essence you have upon cast. So if you're not casting bone splinters, they'll not consume essence and have a 15% extra crit chance at 100 essence. Then with compound fracture, you'll do a little extra damage after quitting 10 times, max this out after 20 for a big bonus.


#4. Server Slam D4 Druid Leveling Build & Skills for Killing Ashava

Like the Sorcerer, any basic skill will do with the Druid, not because they do the job though, but because they all kind of suck. The Druid is quite frankly the most underpowered early game class, just by looking at the damage numbers of their skills you can see why. However, they have the most synergies and combinations between their skills, gear and paragon points.

Basic Skills

Opt for Wind Shear for range, it deals a low amount of damage but frankly all Druid basics do, it generates spirit and with enhanced wind shear also has a chance to make your target vulnerable. So at least your friends and allies can take advantage because you won't unless you get some stellar extra vulnerability damage gear. Fierce Wind Shear then increases your movement speed which can help you stay out of trouble. 

Core Skills

Melee is a death sentence for the Druid against the world boss and some enemies, so we recommend against Pulverize. With the right legendaries, it can become insanely strong with its guaranteed overpower. However, banking on getting specific legendaries as you level is unwise. Instead, let's go with Landslide. It deals decent damage at range and has a chance to immobilize them with enhanced Landslide. Primal Landslide is also excellent against bosses as you have a flat chance of getting terror modes which guarantees a crit with 40% extra crit damage. Regular enemies simply needing to be hit while immobilized or stunned to grant a terramote. 

Defensive Skill

Then we get 1 point into Cyclone Armor as it gives us a way to knock back enemies. But most importantly gives us some resistance to non-physical damage passively while activated, requiring us to do nothing. 

Companion Skill

Next, we pick up Vine Creeper, it'll passively do damage every so often by poisoning enemies. Then when activated, it will immobilize everything, letting those landslides get a terrible charge, enhanced increases its immobilized duration and ferocious increases its poison duration, important for the passives coming up.

Then picking up Blood Howl for the heal and enhance it for a lower cooldown or opting for Earthen Bulwark for a barrier and enhance for Unstoppable which is better against bosses is the way to go.

Wrath Skill

Then pick up a point in Trample, it's a great movement skill to get you in and out of trouble best of all it makes you unstoppable, so it ignores all current and future CC for its duration. Finally, get 1 point into neurotoxin to slow poison enemies by a small amount, so you can pick up 3 points in the Envenom which gives you 30% additional crit damage against poisoned targets. 


#5. D4 Server Slam Rogue Build & Skills for Leveling Up Fast

This character is akin to the Assassin, Amazon, and Demon Hunter rolled into one agile combatant. Rogue has the easiest time getting around the map and maneuvering around enemies. Early game, that's an extreme benefit and particular types of players will very much enjoy their play style. 

Basic Skills

The basic skill is to generate combo points and wait until your energy recharges. Because of this, opt for a ranged attack Forceful Arrow. Though Blade Shift is good for melee focuses, with enhanced forceful arrow every third cast has a 15% crit chance.

Core Skill

For a core skill, Twisting Blade is the king, it deals a high amount of upright and damage as you lodge your blade into the target. But the kicker is that it deals damage again after a short time when the blade returns to you, hitting everything on the journey back. So naturally we need movement to make sure the blade hits as many targets as possible, as the enhanced and advanced versions give the return damage a boost and reduce the cooldown of your other skills for every enemy the blade passes through, giving your cooldown reliance movement and poison skills more uptime.

Agility Skill

Grab Shadow Step first for the ability to blink to an enemy. It makes you Unstoppable and teleport behind the target while increasing your movement speed for a short time. Enhancement makes the target has increased crit chance against it and disciplined reduces its cooldown when used on the target that hasn't been hit by it before. Overall, a great skill to use to spread that returning blade damage out or great for starting a fight. Next movement skill is Dash, it just moves you forward fast stealing damage in a line, enhancing it increases the crit damage you deal to the targets hit by it and you're starting to see a theme of crit chance and damage.

Imbuement Skills 

Put 2 points into exploit for a 12% increased damage against healthy and injured enemies. Enemies are healthy when they're above 80% life and injured when they are below 35% life. Then pick up poison imbuement for a lot of extra damage, activate it and your next two skills will poison targets. Its duration is increased with enhanced poison imbuement and with blended, your critical strikes with poison imbued skills deals 30% increased poisoning damage. So naturally put the rest of your points into precision imbuement. 


You want to open fights by imbuing your weapons with poison, dashing in twisting blade targets, then shadows stepping out and letting the blade kill stragglers on the way out. You need to learn how to position yourself correctly with this class and it has a higher skill cap than the others if you want to maximize your damage. As both Dash and Shadow Strike have charges, you'll be able to move around the battlefield as you see fit, weaving in forceful arrows and refreshing your poison in humans.

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