Chain Lightning Sorcerer Leveling Guide for Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred (Season 6)
Last updated on 06/10/2024
DIablo 4 Builds
General Notes
General Notes for the Chain Lightning Sorcerer in Vessel of Hatred
Note: This leveling guide is optimized for Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred (Season 6).
Chain Lightning is the perfect skill for leveling and it is already very effective even without any Unique Items or Legendary Aspects.
A unique feature of Chain Lightning in Diablo 4 is the mechanic that the lightning can also bounce back to you. This also makes the ability very effective against individual opponents and bosses in particular. Against large groups of monsters, you are also dependent on the explosions of your Fireball Enchantment, as your Chain Lightning alone won't be enough.
Until when is this leveling build playable? You can play this and all my other leveling guides on Vitablo.com for as long as you like. Some of them still perform well at Torment difficulty 4, others have their limit at Torment difficulty 3. As soon as your build no longer feels strong enough, you can switch to one of my endgame builds.
Playstyle
Playstyle for the Chain Lightning Sorcerer Leveling Guide
- Use Teleport to move around.
- Use Hydra and Chain Lightning against small groups of enemies, as they should die very quickly.
- For elite monsters and bosses, you should also use Lightning Spear and Unstable Currents.
- You can save Ice Armor for emergencies to create a Barrier.
- Mana problems are solved by your passive skill Invigorating Conduit, by absorbing Crackling Energy and by using Ice Armor or Summoning skills. You can also solve your mana problems with the Recharging Aspect, although this is very rare.
Skills
Skills for the Chain Lightning Sorcerer Leveling Guide
Note: Level up all your active skills first and work your way down to your Key Passive as quickly as possible. If you are missing skill points to progress on your way through the skill tree, you can invest them in some passive skills. As soon as you have leveled up all active abilities and your Key Passive Ability, continue with the missing passive skills.
Skill tree notes:
- Fireball is only required for your Enchantment slot and is not used as an active skill.
Specialization
Specialization for the Chain Lightning Sorcerer Leveling Guide
Chain Lightning Enchantment
Unleash a stream of lightning that deals X% damage and chains between Nearby enemies and you up to X times, prioritizing enemies.
Fireball Enchantment
Hurl an exploding ball of fire, dealing X% damage to surrounding enemies.
Aspects
Aspects for the Chain Lightning Sorcerer Leveling Guide
Aspect of the Unbroken Tether
Chain Lightning has a X% chance to chain X additional times.
Very important.
Snowveiled Aspect
Casting Ice Armor makes you Unstoppable and grants X% Damage Reduction for X seconds.
Aspect of the Orange Herald
Lucky Hit: Up to a X% chance to reduce the Cooldown of your Ultimate Skill by X seconds. Can only happen once per Skill cast.
Storm Swell Aspect
You deal X% increased damage while Ice Armor is active. This amount is increased by another X% against Frozen enemies.
Aspect of Concentration
Casting a Conjuration Skill grants you X% Damage Reduction for X seconds.
Aspect of the Bounding Conduit
Teleport's Cooldown is reduced by X seconds. After Teleporting, Crackling Energy hits X additional enemies for X seconds.
Lightning Rod Aspect
Chain Lightning has a X% chance to deal X% increased damage. This chance is doubled against Bosses or Crowd Controlled enemies and prefers them as targets.
Aspect of Shredding Blades
Ice Blades' chance to apply Vulnerable is increased by X% and the Vulnerable duration is increased by X seconds. You gain X% Vulnerable Damage.
It's all about the bonus damage against Vulnerable enemies. Enemies become vulnerable to Lightning Spear and the Paragon node Static Surge.
Recharging Aspect
Each time Chain Lightning bounces, gain X Mana.
Edgemaster's Aspect
Skills deal up to X% increased damage based on your available Primary Resource when cast, receiving the maximum benefit while you have full Primary Resource.
OPTIONAL: If you have not yet found the Recharging Aspect.
Items & Affixes
Items & Affixes for the Chain Lightning Sorcerer Leveling Guide
General tips about your Gear
- Armor: You need a maximum of 1,000 armor. Anything above that is useless and has no effect. If you haven't reached your armor cap yet, adjust your equipment, gems and paragon talents accordingly.
- Resistances: You need at least 70% to all resistances. If you have not yet reached these values, adjust your equipment, gems and paragon talents accordingly.
- Affixes: Each item type has different properties (affixes) that are useful for this build. Some of these are mandatory, others are optional. Please pay attention to the following symbols:
Helmet
- Cooldown Reduction
- Live
- Intelligence
- Mana per Second
- Armor as required
- Snowveiled Aspect
Worldly Endurance
- Maximum Life
- Total Armor
- Dodge Chance
Until Torment 1 Life, after that Armor.
Worldly Fortune
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Slow
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Immobilize
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Stun
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Freeze
to stagger bosses
Chest Armor
- Life
- Intelligence
- Mana per Second
- Armor as required
- Resistances as required
- Aspect of the Orange Herald
Worldly Endurance
- Maximum Life
- Total Armor
- Dodge Chance
Until Torment 1 Life, after that Armor.
Worldly Fortune
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Slow
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Immobilize
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Stun
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Freeze
to stagger bosses
Gloves
- Ranks to Chain Lightning
- Ranks to Core Skills
- Intelligence
- Critical Hit Chance
- Attack Speed
- Storm Swell Aspect
Shock Finesse
- Lightning Damage
- Shock Critical Strike Chance
- Shock Critical Strike Damage
- Crackling Energy Damage
Worldly Fortune
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Slow
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Immobilize
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Stun
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Freeze
to stagger bosses
Pants
- Life
- Intelligence
- Armor as required
- Resistances as required
- Aspect of Concentration
Worldly Endurance
- Maximum Life
- Total Armor
- Dodge Chance
Until Torment 1 Life, after that Armor.
Worldly Fortune
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Slow
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Immobilize
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Stun
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Freeze
to stagger bosses
Boots
- Movement Speed
- Life
- Intelligence
- Armor as required
- Resistances as required
- Aspect of the Bounding Conduit
Sorcerer Motion
- Movement Speed
- Movement Speed for X Seconds After Killing an Elite
- Teleport Cooldown Reduction
- Ranks to Conduction
Worldly Fortune
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Slow
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Immobilize
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Stun
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Freeze
to stagger bosses
Amulet
- Intelligence
- Ranks to Elemental Dominance
- Ranks to Glass Cannon
- Cooldown Reduction
- Critical Hit Chance
- Attack Speed
- Lightning Rod Aspect
Shock Finesse
- Lightning Damage
- Shock Critical Strike Chance
- Shock Critical Strike Damage
- Crackling Energy Damage
Worldly Stability
- Resource Generation
- Resource Cost Reduction
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Restore X% Primary Resource
Note: If you already have the Recharging Aspect and no longer have mana problems, you can also imprint the Tempering Manual Ultimate Efficiency: Sorcerer with Cooldown Reduction for Unstable Currents on your amulet and rings.
Rings
- Critical Hit Chance
- Attack Speed
- Intelligence
- Life
- Resource Cost Reduction
- Aspect of Shredding Blades
- Recharging Aspect
Shock Finesse
- Lightning Damage
- Shock Critical Strike Chance
- Shock Critical Strike Damage
- Crackling Energy Damage
Worldly Stability
- Resource Generation
- Resource Cost Reduction
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Restore X% Primary Resource
2H Weapon
- Intelligence
- Life
- Vulnerable Damage
- Resource Cost Reduction
- Aspect of the Unbroken Tether
Shock Augments – Surge
- Chance for Spark Projectiles to Cast Twice
- Chance for Chain Lightning to Hit Twice
- Chance for Ball Lightning Projectiles to Cast Twice
Shock Finesse
- Lightning Damage
- Shock Critical Strike Chance
- Shock Critical Strike Damage
- Crackling Energy Damage
Note: For this build, you should play with a two-handed weapon so that the Aspect of the Unbroken Tether gets a 100% bonus.
Tal Rasha's Iridescent Loop
Resistance to All Elements
Lucky Hit Chance
Non-Physical Damage
Cooldown Reduction
Ranks to Potent Warding
Casting a Pyromancy, Shock, or Frost Skill increases your damage by X% for X seconds, stacking once per element. Casting again refreshes all bonuses if the previous skill was a different Element.
Varshan
Sorcerer
Axial Conduit
Chance for Chain Lightning to Hit Twice
Damage Reduction
Resource Generation
Ranks to Chain Lightning
Chain Lightning alternates between orbiting you and seeking up to X enemies. When it returns, it drains X Mana from you for each active Chain Lightning. After draining X total Mana, the bolt explodes for X Lightning Damage. Chain Lightning expires if you don't have enough Mana for it to drain.
Grigoire
Sorcerer
Esu's Heirloom
Evade Grants Movement Speed for X Seconds
Movement Speed
Movement Speed for X Seconds After Killing an Elite
Critical Strike Damage
Resistance to All Elements
Your Critical Strike Chance is increased by X% of your Movement Speed bonus.
Varshan
Sorcerer
Harlequin Crest
Maximum Life
Maximum Resource
Armor
Cooldown Reduction
Gain X% Damage Reduction. In addition, gain +X Ranks to all Skills.
Duriel, Andariel, Tormented Bosses
All Classes
Heir of Perdition
Damage to Angels and Demons
Critical Strike Chance
Lucky Hit Chance
Movement Speed
Ranks to Core Skills
Succumb to hatred and earn Mother’s Favor, increasing your damage dealt by X%. Briefly steal Mother’s Favor from Nearby allies by slaughtering enemies.
Duriel, Andariel, Tormented Bosses
All Classes
Tyrael's Might
Ignore Durability Loss
Movement Speed
Maximum Resistance to All Elements
Resistance to All Elements
Damage Reduction
While at full Life, your Skills unleash a divine barrage dealing X damage.
Duriel, Andariel, Tormented Bosses
All Classes
Ring of Starless Skies
Resistance to All Elements
Attack Speed
Critical Strike Chance
Lucky Hit Chance
Ranks to Core Skills
Spending your Primary Resource reduces the Resource cost of your Skills and increases your damage by X% for X seconds, up to X%.
Duriel, Andariel, Tormented Bosses
All Classes
Runewords
Runewords for the Chain Lightning Sorcerer Leveling Guide
Note: If you are missing the required Runes, you can use Gemstones in the meantime.
1st Runeword: Yul + Gar (Chest Armor)
Yul
Gain: 50 Offering
Cast a Skill with a Cooldown.
Gar
Required: 25 Offering
Cooldown: 1 Second
Gain X% Critical Strike Chance for X seconds, up to X%. (Overflow: Gain Multiple Stacks)
2nd Runeword: Tam + Ohm (2H Weapon)
Tam
Gain: 25 Offering
Cast a non-Channeled Core Skill.
Ohm
Required: 600 Offering
Cooldown: 2 Seconds
Evoke the Barbarian's War Cry, increasing your damage dealt. (Overflow: Increased Duration)
Gemstones
Gemstones for the Chain Lightning Sorcerer Leveling Guide
WeaponSapphire
Weapons: Vulnerable Damage
Armor: Willpower
Jewelry: Cold Resistance
ArmorTopaz
Weapons: Basic Damage
Armor: Intelligence
Jewelry: Lightning Resistance
JewelrySkull
Weapons: Life On Kill
Armor: Healing Received
Jewelry: Armor
Paragon Board
Paragon Board for the Chain Lightning Sorcerer Leveling Guide
General tips about the Paragon-Board
- Glyph Radius: To increase the radius of your Glyphs, you have to level them in the Pit. The starting radius is 3 boxes. At level 15, it increases to 4 boxes and its Additional Bonus is unlocked. At level 45, the radius is 5 boxes and the Glyph receives its Legendary Bonus.
- Skill Order: The Essential Layout shows you the most important Glyphs and Nodes that you should skill first. As soon as you're finished, you can switch to the Final Layout and fill in any missing Paragon Nodes or adjust the board layout and Glyphs as required.
Tactician
Rare Glyph "Tactician"
Grants X% bonus to all Rare nodes within range.
Additional Bonus: You deal X% increased damage for X seconds after casting a Defensive Skill. This duration is increased by X seconds for each Defensive Skill not on your Action Bar.
Legendary Bonus: You deal X% increased damage to Close enemies.
Legendary Node "Static Surge"
After spending X Mana, your next cast of Chain Lightning or Charged Bolts makes enemies Vulnerable for X seconds and restores X% of your Mana. This Mana cost requirement is reduced by Mana Cost Reduction bonuses.
Rare Glyph "Unleash"
Grants X% bonus to all Magic nodes within range.
Additional Bonus: After spending X Mana, you deal X% increased damage and gain X% increased Mana Regeneration for X seconds.
Legendary Bonus: Increase damage by X%.
Legendary Node "Frigid Fate"
You deal bonus damage to Vulnerable enemies equal to X% of the total amount of your Bonus Damage with Cold, up to a maximum of X%.
Rare Glyph "Charged"
For every 5 Intelligence purchased within range, Crackling Energy deals X% increased damage.
Additional Bonus: Picking up Crackling Energy grants you X% increased damage for X seconds, up to X%.
Legendary Bonus: Increase Lightning damage by X%.
Legendary Node "Enchantment Master"
Your Enchantments are X% stronger.
Rare Glyph "Exploit"
For every 5 Dexterity purchased within range, you deal X% increased damage to Vulnerable targets.
Additional Bonus: Dealing damage to a Vulnerable enemy increases your damage by X% for X seconds, up to X%.
Legendary Bonus: Increase damage to Vulnerable targets by X%.
Legendary Node "Fundamental Release"
Each time you apply Vulnerable, Burning, or Critically Strike an enemy, they take X% increased damage from you, up to X%.
Rare Glyph "Destruction"
For every 5 Dexterity purchased within range, you deal X% increased Critical Strike Damage.
Additional Bonus: Critical Strikes increase all damage the enemy takes from you by X% for X seconds, up to X%.
Legendary Bonus: Increase Critical Strike Damage by X%.
Noch in Arbeit.
Mercenaries
Mercenaries for the Chain Lightning Sorcerer Leveling Guide
Primary Mercenary: Varyana
Massacre
You and Varyana stack Massacre together on kills. Certain stack thresholds grant Movement Speed. Massacre resets after X seconds of not killing an enemy.
Cleave
Varyana swings two axes in an arc in front of her, dealing X% Physical damage and X% Bleeding damage over X seconds.
Selecting a Mercenary Core Skill alters their wielded Weapon and Basic Attack.
Weapon: Dual Axes
Basic Attack: Double Strike
Varyana slashes enemies with dual axes, dealing X% Physical damage. She has a X% chance to also deal X% Bleeding damage over X seconds.
Hysteria
You gain X% Attack Speed for X seconds whenever Varyana damages an enemy, up to X%.
Recklessness
Varyana's Cleave inflicts Vulnerable on enemies for X seconds.
Shockwave
Varyana slams the ground for a brutal shockwave in front of her, dealing X% Physical damage and Knocking Down enemies for X seconds.
Selecting a Mercenary Core Skill alters their wielded Weapon and Basic Attack.
Weapon: Two-Handed Mace
Basic Attack: Heavy Strike
Varyana batters enemies with a mace, dealing X% Physical damage with X% increased Critical Strike Chance.
Crushing Force
When Varyana deals damage to an enemy, she has a X% chance to Knock them Down for X seconds.
Reprisal
If you become Crowd Controlled, Varyana leaps towards the enemy that inflicted it, dealing X% Physical damage and Knocking Down surrounding enemies for X seconds on impact. This can only occur once every X seconds.
Bloodthirst
Varyana enters Bloodthirst, gaining X% Attack Speed, X% Movement Speed, and Unstoppable for X seconds. Varyana's Bloodthirst grants X% Attack Speed to you for the same duration.
Intimidated
While Varyana has Bloodthirst, enemies around her deal X% reduced damage.
Bloodlust
Varyana's Bloodthirst further increases your Attack Speed by X%.
Whirlwind
Varyana spins violently in a line, repeatedly dealing X% Physical damage and X% Bleeding damage over X seconds.
No Escape
Varyana's Whirlwind Pulls In enemies every X seconds and gains X% Size.
Taste of Flesh
When you or Varyana deal direct damage to an enemy inflicted with any of her Bleeding effects, you Heal for X% of your Maximum Life.
Earth Breaker
Varyana crushes the ground with her mace, leaving a tremor that deals X% Physical damage over X seconds and Knocks enemies Down repeatedly.
Rampage
You deal X% increased damage to enemies afflicted by any of Varyana's Crowd Control effects.
Dismembering
Enemies damaged by Varyana's Earth Breaker are left exposed, causing your next hit against them within X seconds to be a guaranteed Overpower. This may only occur on the same target once every X seconds.
Ancient Harpoons
Varyana launches three harpoons ahead of her, piercing enemies for X% Physical damage. She then rips them back, Pulling In and Stunning enemies for X seconds.
Annihilator
Varyana's Ancient Harpoons additionally Slow enemies by X% for X seconds. During this time, you gain X% Lucky Hit Chance against those targets.
Iron Grip
Varyana's Ancient Harpoons travel X% farther and reduce enemies' Impairment Resistance by X% for X seconds.
Reinforcement: Raheir
Supports you with:
Crater
Is triggered by:
Chain Lightning
Video Showcase
Video Showcase for the Chain Lightning Sorcerer Leveling Guide
Changelog
- 10/02/24 – Optimized for Vessel of Hatred (Season 6)