Dance of Knives Rogue 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 Dance of Knives Rogue Leveling Build in Season 6
Note: This leveling guide is optimized for Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred (Season 6).
Dance of Knives is the Rogue's new active skill, that is added in Vessel of Hatred. It's a channeling ability, but you can move around while casting. It doesn't cost any Energy, so you won't have any Resource problems right from the start.
This build uses Inner Sight to increase the duration of Dance of Knives. While Inner Sight is filled, Dance of Knives does not consume charges.
Activating an infusion before using Dance of Knives means that the infusion remains active for the entire duration. So you will be able to play with two different infusions in this leveling build: Shadow and Poison. Shadow Imbuement is useful for creating explosions when fighting groups of monsters. Before fighting bosses, switch to Poison Imbuement to poison them constantly.
Dance of Knives is the fastest level build in season 6 across all classes and does not require any Legendary Aspects to be playable.
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 Dance of Knives Rogue Leveling Build
- If there are no enemies in the area, use Dash to get around. As soon as the first enemies come into view, activate Shadow Imbuement and Dark Shroud, and then use Dance of Knives. As long as more enemies come into range, you won't stop whirling.
- Dark Shroud can also be activated during twirling without interrupting it.
- Use Poison Imbuement instead of Shadow Imbuement against bosses and always keep moving to increase the duration of Dance of Knives.
- You save Shadow Step for when you're stunned, as it makes you Unstoppable.
- You should consume a Healing Potion every 10 seconds to get the damage buff from Unstable Elixirs. With the Aspect of Siphoned Victuals, you can consume potions even more often, as they are permanently dropped, even against bosses. You can stun enemies with potions and thus make bosses stagger faster.
Skills
Skills for the Dance of Knives Rogue Leveling Build
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.
Specialization
Specialization for the Dance of Knives Rogue Level Build
Inner Sight
Attack enemies to fill your Inner Sight gauge. Marked enemies fill it faster. When full, gain unlimited Energy and X% Critical Strike Chance for X seconds.
This build is centered around Inner Sight, which allows you to increase the duration of Dance of Knives.
Aspects
Aspects for the Dance of Knives Rogue Leveling Build
Aspect of Siphoned Victuals
Lucky Hit: Damaging a Vulnerable enemy with a Non-Basic Skill has a X% chance to drop a Healing Potion.
In combination with the Aspect of Accursed Touch, bosses also become permanently vulnerable. You should use Healing Potions permanently for Unstable Elixirs.
Enshrouding Aspect
Using a Healing Potion makes a free Dark Shroud shadow. Each shadow grants X% increased Damage Reduction. You may now drink your Healing Potion while at full Life.
Aspect of Star Shards
Knives from Dance of Knives have a X% chance to shatter into X shards of metal on hit, dealing X% Physical damage. Dance of Knives now spends Combo Points, granting up to X additional Charges that can exceed the Maximum.
Wildbolt Aspect
Every X seconds, Distant enemies are Pulled In to you and take X% increased damage for X seconds.
Aspect of Concussive Strikes
Lucky Hit: Damaging an enemy has up to a X% chance to Daze them for X seconds. You deal X% increased damage to Dazed enemies.
Aspect of Synergy
Using an Agility Skill reduces the Cooldown of your next Subterfuge Skill by X%. Using a Subterfuge Skill increases the damage of your next Agility Skill by X%.
Aspect of Accursed Touch
Lucky Hit: Up to a X% chance for your Skills to inflict Vampiric Curse on enemies. Enemies afflicted with Vampiric Curse are also Vulnerable. Vampiric Curse's stored souls deal X% increased damage.
Aspect of True Sight
You deal X% Critical Strike Damage to enemies marked by Inner Sight. While Inner Sight is full, you gain X% increased damage.
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.
Aspect of Elements
Gain X% increased damage to a set of damage types for X seconds. This effect alternates between 2 sets: Fire, Lightning, and Physical. Cold, Poison, and Shadow.
Aspect of Stolen Vigor
While at maximum stacks of the Momentum Key Passive, your Cutthroat Skills deal X% increased damage and you become Unstoppable for X seconds every X seconds.
Items & Affixes
Items & Affixes for the Dance of Knives Rogue Leveling Build
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
- Life
- Dexterity
- Armor as Required
- Resistances as Required
- Aspect of Siphoned Victuals
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
Freezing is even more important for Frigid Finesse.
Chest Armor
- Ranks to Dark Shroud
- Life
- Dexterity
- Armor as Required
- Resistances as Required
- Enshrouding 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
Freezing is even more important for Frigid Finesse.
Gloves
- Critical Hit Chance
- Attack Speed
- Dexterity
- Life
- Aspect of Star Shards
Subterfuge Expertise
- Damage per Dark Shroud Shadow
- Damage on Next Attack After Entering Stealth
- Smoke Grenade Size
Without Aspects, Cutthroat Finesse is more sensible.
Worldly Fortune
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Slow
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Immobilize
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Stun
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Freeze
Freezing is even more important for Frigid Finesse.
Pants
- Life
- Dexterity
- Armor as Required
- Resistances as Required
- Wildbolt 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
Freezing is even more important for Frigid Finesse.
Boots
- Movement Speed
- Ranks to Dance of Knives
- Dexterity
- Life
- Aspect of Concussive Strikes
Rogue Motion
- Movement Speed
- Movement Speed from Blade Shift
- Movement Speed per Dark Shroud Shadow
- Shadow Step Duration
- Ranks to Stutter Step
Worldly Fortune
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Slow
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Immobilize
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Stun
- Lucky Hit: Chance to Freeze
Freezing is even more important for Frigid Finesse.
Amulet
- Dexterity
- Ranks to Malice
- Ranks to Exploit
- Ranks to Weapon Mastery
- Ranks to Frigid Finesse
- Ranks to Unstable Elixirs
- Critical Hit Chance
- Attack Speed
- Aspect of Synergy
Subterfuge Expertise
- Damage per Dark Shroud Shadow
- Damage on Next Attack After Entering Stealth
- Smoke Grenade Size
Without Aspects, Cutthroat Finesse is more sensible.
Imbuement Abundance
- Shadow Imbue Lasts For +X Casts
- Poison Imbue Lasts For +X Casts
- Cold Imbue Lasts For +X Casts
Rings
- Critical Hit Chance
- Attack Speed
- Dexterity
- Life
- Aspect of Accursed Touch
- Aspect of True Sight
Subterfuge Expertise
- Damage per Dark Shroud Shadow
- Damage on Next Attack After Entering Stealth
- Smoke Grenade Size
Without Aspects, Cutthroat Finesse is more sensible.
Imbuement Abundance
- Shadow Imbue Lasts For +X Casts
- Poison Imbue Lasts For +X Casts
- Cold Imbue Lasts For +X Casts
Swords
- Dexterity
- Life
- Critcal Hit Damage
- Vulnerable Damage
- Edgemaster's Aspect
- Aspect of Elements
Agile Augments
- Chance for Flurry to Deal Double Damage
- Chance for Dance of Knives to Deal Double Damage
- Chance for Dash to Deal Double Damage
100% maximum
Subterfuge Expertise
- Damage per Dark Shroud Shadow
- Damage on Next Attack After Entering Stealth
- Smoke Grenade Size
Without Aspects, Cutthroat Finesse is more sensible.
Bow
- Dexterity
- Life
- Critical Hit Damage
- Vulnerable Damage
- Aspect of Stolen Vigor
Agile Augments
- Chance for Flurry to Deal Double Damage
- Chance for Dance of Knives to Deal Double Damage
- Chance for Dash to Deal Double Damage
100% maximum
Subterfuge Expertise
- Damage per Dark Shroud Shadow
- Damage on Next Attack After Entering Stealth
- Smoke Grenade Size
Without Aspects, Cutthroat Finesse is more sensible.
Asheara's Khanjar
Damage
Maximum Life
Critical Strike Chance
Lucky Hit Chance
Ranks to Weapon Mastery
Hits with this weapon increase your Attack Speed by X% for X seconds, up to X%.
Lord Zir
Rogue
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
Doombringer
Damage
All Stats
Maximum Life
Damage Reduction
Lucky Hit: Up to a X% Chance to Heal for X Life
Lucky Hit: Up to a X% chance to deal X Shadow damage to surrounding enemies and reduce their damage dealt by X% for X seconds.
Duriel, Andariel, Tormented Bosses
All Classes
Runewords
Runewords for the Dance of Knives Rogue Leveling Build
Note: If you are missing the required Runes, you can use Gemstones in the meantime.
1st Runeword: Yax + Yom (Chest Armor)
Yax
Gain: 200 Offering
Drink a Healing Potion.
Yom
Required: 500 Offering
Cooldown: 5 Seconds
Evoke the Druid's Petrify, Stunning enemies and gain Resource.
Note: Once you use the Aspect of Siphoned Victuals, you can permanently use Healing Potions and trigger the runeword very often.
2nd Runeword: Bac + Ohm (2H Weapon)
Bac
Gain: 10 Offering
Travel X meters.
Ohm
Required: 600 Offering
Cooldown: 2 Seconds
Evoke the Barbarian's War Cry, increasing your damage dealt. (Overflow: Increased Duration)
Note: If you don't yet have an Ohm Rune or a Yom Rune, you can use the Gar Rune.
Gar
Required: 25 Offering
Cooldown: 1 Second
Gain X% Critical Strike Chance for X seconds, up to X%. (Overflow: Gain Multiple Stacks)
Gemstones
Gemstones for the Dance of Knives Rogue Level Build
WeaponEmerald
Weapons: Critical Strike Damage
Armor: Dexterity
Jewelry: Poison Resistance
As long as you don't have the required Runes yet.
ArmorEmerald
Weapons: Critical Strike Damage
Armor: Dexterity
Jewelry: Poison Resistance
JewelryGems and Skulls
You'll need at least 70% to all resistances. If you haven't reached those numbers yet, change your gems accordingly. If you have too many resistances on your items, you can also use skulls, but you shouldn't exceed the armor cap of 1,000.
Paragon Board
Paragon Board for the Dance of Knives Rogue Leveling Build
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.
Exploit
Rare Glyph "Exploit"
For every 5 Strength purchased within range, you deal X% increased damage to Vulnerable targets.
Additional Bonus: When an enemy is damaged by you, they become Vulnerable for X seconds. This cannot happen more than once every X seconds per enemy.
Legendary Bonus: Increase damage to Vulnerable targets by X%.
Legendary Node "Danse Macabre"
Casting a Mobility or Subterfuge Skill increases the damage of your next Skill by X%.
Rare Glyph "Canny"
For every 5 Intelligence purchased within range, you deal X% increased Non-physical damage.
Additional Bonus: Non-Physical damage increases all the Non-Physical damage an enemy takes from you by X%, up to X%, for X seconds.
Legendary Bonus: Increase Non-Physical damage by X%.
Legendary Node "Eldritch Bounty"
When you attack with an Imbued Skill you gain X% Maximum Resistance and X% increased damage for that Imbuement’s element for X seconds.
Rare Glyph "Efficacy"
Grants X% bonus to all Rare nodes within range.
Additional Bonus: Imbuement Skill effects have X% increased potency.
Legendary Bonus: Increase Non-Physical damage by X%.
Legendary Node "Exploit Weakness"
Lucky Hit: Hitting a Vulnerable enemy has up to a X% chance to increase your damage by X% for X seconds, up to X%. At X stacks, this bonus remains for X seconds before expiring.
Rare Glyph "Versatility"
Grants X% bonus to all Magic nodes within range.
Additional Bonus: Non-Basic and Non-Core Skills deal X% increased damage.
Legendary Bonus: Increase damage by X%.
Legendary Node "Cheap Shot"
You deal X% increased damage for each Nearby enemy that is Crowd Controlled, up to X%. A Nearby Staggered Boss provides the maximum bonus.
Rare Glyph "Headhunter"
Grants X% bonus to all Normal nodes within range.
Additional Bonus: You deal X% increased damage to Elites.
Legendary Bonus: Increase damage by X%.
Noch in Arbeit.
Mercenaries
Mercenaries for the Dance of Knives Rogue Leveling Build
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:
Dark Shroud
Video Showcase
Video Showcase for the Dance of Knives Rogue Leveling Build
Changelog
- 10/02/24 – Optimized for Vessel of Hatred (Season 6)