Dual Core Penetrating Shot Rapid Fire – Rogue Build for Diablo 4

Build Introduction

The Penetrating Shot and Rapid Fire Rogue equip two Core Skills to overcome any situation on the battlefield. This is the second version of the original Dual Core build, focusing on a more ranged playstyle. Rapid Fire deals high single-target damage to snipe elite and bosses, while Penetrating Shot excels at clearing large groups of enemies due to the additional arrows from Trickshot Aspect.

Dual Core Skills are utilized in different situations to either snipe tough targets or clear groups of enemies. The addition of Scoundrel’s Kiss in the game enables Rapid Fire to cover single-target and area-of-effect damage, removing the need for a 2nd Core Skill. The Pure Rapid Fire Rogue build is recommended once you obtain Scoundrel’s Kiss, which can be target-farmed from Lord Zir.

The only starting requirement for this endgame build guide is a Level 60 character. Check the Rogue Leveling Guide if you need help getting there.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Check the build tier lists to see how this build compares to others on Icy Veins.

Skill Tree Points and Skill Bar

Skill Bar Setup for Dual Core Penetrating Shot Rapid Fire Rogue (order does not matter)

Rapid FirePenetrating ShotHeartseekerCold ImbuementDashShadow Step

The Skill Tree above shows the full allocation of 71 Skill Points for the Ranged Dual Core Rogue build. Make sure you obtain the 12 Skill Points available from Renown.

Dark Shroud is not equipped on the Skill Bar. It is instead automatically activated by Umbrous Aspect.

Penetrating Shot Rapid Fire Rogue Specialization

Combo Points is the preferred Rogue Specialization for general farming due to the burst damage playstyle of Rapid Fire Rogue. Build Combo Points with Heartseeker to unleash additional damage and arrows for Rapid Fire. Combo Points can also be used to gain additional damage and Lucky Hit Chance with Penetrating Shot.

Paragon

After Character Level 60, experience gains are applied to Paragon up to Level 300. A maximum of 228 Paragon Points can be obtained through Paragon Levels, Renown, and Altars of Lilith. Follow the Paragon setup designed for the Dual Core Penetrating Shot Rapid Fire Rogue to gain a considerable amount of progression for your character.

Glyphs are inserted into sockets on each Paragon board and can be found during various activities in Diablo 4. Level up the Glyphs included in the Paragon setup by completing The Pit. Clearing higher tiers of The Pit allows Glyphs to reach higher levels.

Important Notes:

• Make sure you select the correct Legendary Boards and rotate them into the proper orientation.
• Attach Legendary Boards in the order shown, as bonus requirements of Rare Nodes increase with their placement order.
• Prioritize leveling each of your equipped Glyphs to 15 to gain the increased radius, which can be required to meet additional bonus requirements. Afterward, level each Glyph to 46 to unlock its Legendary Bonus and gain another radius increase.

The Paragon setup displayed above focuses on quickly unlocking the essential Glyph sockets and Legendary Nodes at a moderate Paragon Level. Once the base setup is complete, allocate the remaining Paragon points in the following order.

1. Obtain any remaining nodes providing a damage increase within the radius of Glyph sockets.
2. Path to the remaining Rare and Magic nodes. Prioritize obtaining damage reduction, any needed Resistances/Armor, and damage increases.
3. Any remaining points can be spent on Dexterity nodes within the radius of Headhunter.

Gear, Gems, Elixirs, and Stats

The following sections cover the important systems that are essential to improving the power of your character in the endgame of Diablo 4.

Legendary Aspects

Listed below are all the best-in-slot Aspects for the Ranged Dual Core Rogue build. Salvage Legendary Items with higher Aspect values to unlock them in the Codex of Power, and then imprint them onto Legendary Items with the preferred affixes.

Gear Slot	Aspect Name	Aspect Power
Ranged Weapon (replaced by Skyhunter)	Accelerating Aspect	Critical Strikes with Core Skills increase your Attack Speed by [15 – 25%] for 3 seconds.
Amulet	Coldclip Aspect	Your Basic Skills are always Cold Imbued. You deal x [5 – 20%] increased damage to enemies who are Chilled or Frozen.
Dual-Wielded Weapon Slot #1 (replaced by Condemnation)	Rapid Aspect	Basic Skills gain [15 – 30%] Attack Speed.
Gloves (optional replacement with Fists of Fate)	Aspect of Retribution	Distant enemies have a 10% chance to be Stunned for 2 seconds when they hit you. You deal x [15 – 30%] increased damage to Stunned and Knocked Down enemies.
Ring Slot #1 (replaced by Ring of Starless Skies)	Edgemaster’s Aspect	Skills deal up to [10 – 20%] increased damage based on your available Primary Resource when cast, receiving the maximum benefit while you have full Primary Resource.
Dual-Wielded Weapon Slot #2 or Ring Slot #2	Aspect of the Expectant	Attacking enemies with a Basic Skill increases the damage of your next Core Skill cast by [5 – 10%], up to 30%.
Dual-Wielded Weapon Slot #2 or Ring Slot #2	Trickshot Aspect	Whenever Penetrating Shot damages an enemy, 2 additional arrows split off to either side. These side arrows deal [10 – 25%] of Penetrating Shot’s Base damage and do not split.
Helm (replaced by Harlequin Crest)	Aspect of Might	Basic Skills grant 20% Damage Reduction for [2 – 6] seconds
Chest (replaced by Tyrael’s Might or Shroud of False Death)	Frostbitten Aspect	Enemies hit by your Grenade Skills have a chance equal to your Critical Strike Chance to be Frozen for 2 seconds. You deal x [10 – 25%] increased Critical Strike Damage against Frozen or Stunned enemies. (only used for the damage multiplier, not the Grenade Skills effect)
Pants	Umbrous Aspect	Lucky Hit: Critical Strikes have up to a [45 – 60%] chance to grant a free Dark Shroud shadow.
Boots	Aspect of Concussive Strikes	Lucky Hit: Damaging an enemy has up to a 20% chance to Daze them for 2 seconds. You deal x [5 – 20%] increased damage to Dazed enemies.

Gems and Runewords

Listed below are the best Gems to socket into gear for each item type.

Weapon Gems	Armor Gems	Jewelry Gems
Grand Emerald for increased Critical Strike Damage.	Grand Emerald for Dexterity.	Any Resistance Gems needed or Grand Skull for Armor (up to the 1,000 Armor cap).

Insert one of the following Runewords, consisting of a Rune of Offering and a Rune of Invocation, into your equipped Ranged Weapon. The other Runeword can be inserted into any equipped Helm, Chest, or Pants item. Add sockets to your equipment at the Jeweler if necessary.

Runewords	Effects
Xol Ohm	Gain: 150 Offering — Evoke power from another Class. Requires: 600 Offering, Cooldown: 2 Seconds — Evoke the Barbarian’s Enhanced War Cry, increasing your Movement Speed and damage dealt.
Lith Wat	Gain: 25 Offering — Stand still for 0.3 seconds. Requires: 100 Offering, Cooldown: 1 Second — Evoke the Necromancer’s Horrid Decrepify, Slowing enemies, reducing their damage, and letting you Execute them.

If you prefer to stutter-step (move in between attacks), replace Lith with Moni.

Elixirs

Visit the Alchemist in any main town to craft helpful Elixirs, or find Elixirs by killing enemies or opening chests during various activities in Diablo 4. Listed below are the best Elixirs to consume for the Dual Core Penetrating Shot Rapid Fire Rogue, ranked by importance.

1. Elixir of Advantage increases damage output, if not already capped at 100% Attack Speed bonus from gear and Paragon.
2. Elixir of Resource greatly helps with Energy issues, if you do not already have the appropriate Energy gear. This elixir is highly recommended for starting characters to maintain the casting of Core Skills.
3. Elixir of Fortitude is the best general-purpose option for survivability.
4. Elixir of Iron Barbs can provide a high amount of Physical Damage Reduction. Armor becomes more effective as you approach the Armor cap (9,320 against monster level 100 and above).
5. Specific Resistance Elixirs can be utilized to survive against Uber Bosses with elemental attacks.

Stat Priority and Tempering Affixes

Listed below are the affixes to prioritize on gear for Ranged Dual Core Rogues. Each line of affixes are listed in order of importance. Affixes on the same line are considered to be equally important, but their benefits may vary depending on how much is stacked or other character stats. Attempt to obtain all affixes in each line before moving to the next line. Bolded affixes are the most important targets for Masterworking upgrades.

When comparing Legendary weapons with similar item levels, Crossbows are preferred over Bows for the higher Damage per Hit for both Core Skills. Daggers are selected for the fastest weapon speed to generate Combo Points.

Precision increases the priority of Critical Strike Damage to scale the bonus multiplier, while reducing the need for Critical Strike Chance.

Prioritize Boots with the implicit effect, attacks reduce Evade’s cooldown, for constant Evades to activate Advanced Rapid Fire.

The priority order of Resistances is Lightning > Poison > Fire > Cold > Shadow. Maximum Resistance is 70% by default for each element and can be increased to 85% by various sources.

Armor is only needed until capped at 1,000.

Check out our Tempering Guide for more details on Blacksmith upgrading.

Slot	Gear Affixes	Tempering Affixes
Weapons	1. Maximum Life, Critical Strike Damage 2. Dexterity, Vulnerable Damage	Marksman Augments — Core (Weapon): Chance for Rapid Fire or Penetrating Shot Projectiles to Cast Twice Subterfuge Expertise (Offensive): Damage per Dark Shroud
Helm	1. Cooldown Reduction 2. Any uncapped Resistances or Armor 3. Maximum Life, Dexterity, Lucky Hit Chance	Worldly Fortune (Utility): Lucky Hit Chance to Freeze Worldly Endurance (Defensive): Armor up to 1,000 cap, otherwise Dodge Chance
Chest	1. Ranks to Dark Shroud 2. Any uncapped Resistances or Armor 3. Maximum Life, Dexterity	Worldly Fortune (Utility): Lucky Hit Chance to Freeze Worldly Endurance (Defensive): Armor up to 1,000 cap, otherwise Dodge Chance
Gloves	1. Ranks to Core Skills, Critical Strike Damage, Attack Speed 2. Any uncapped Resistances or Armor 3. Maximum Life, Dexterity, Lucky Hit Chance	Subterfuge Expertise (Offensive): Damage per Dark Shroud Worldly Fortune (Utility): Lucky Hit Chance to Freeze
Pants	1. Dexterity, Maximum Life 2. Any uncapped Resistances or Armor	Worldly Fortune (Utility): Lucky Hit Chance to Freeze Worldly Endurance (Defensive): Armor up to 1,000 cap, otherwise Dodge Chance
Boots	Implicit Stat: Attacks Reduce Evade’s Cooldown 1. Movement Speed 2. Any uncapped Resistances or Armor 3. Ranks to Dash, Maximum Life, Dexterity	Natural Motion (Mobility): Movement Speed Worldly Fortune (Utility): Lucky Hit Chance to Freeze
Amulet	1. Ranks to Weapon Mastery, Unstable Elixirs, and Frigid Finesse 2. Cooldown Reduction, Attack Speed	Imbuement Abundance (Resource): Cold Imbue Additional Casts Subterfuge Expertise (Offensive): Damage per Dark Shroud
Rings	1. Attack Speed, Critical Strike Damage 2. Maximum Life, Dexterity, Lucky Hit Chance	Imbuement Abundance (Resource): Cold Imbue Additional Casts Subterfuge Expertise (Offensive): Damage per Dark Shroud

Unique and Mythic Items

Listed below are the recommended and optional Unique Items for the Penetrating Shot and Rapid Fire Rogue build. Each item description includes the most important affix to target for Masterworking upgrades.

• Scoundrel’s Kiss (optional build transition) shifts the focus to Rapid Fire as the main damaging skill in the build. The lobbing arrows transform Rapid Fire to deal Area of Effect damage, removing the need for a 2nd Core Skill. Switch to the Pure Rapid Fire Rogue build guide for a specialized setup dedicated to Scoundrel’s Kiss.
  • Masterworking Priority: Ranks to Rapid Fire
• Skyhunter (recommended) synergies well with Precision to guarantee Critical Strikes, increase damage, and restore Energy.
  • Masterworking Priority: Attack Speed, Critical Strike Damage, or Chance for Marksman Projectiles to Cast Twice
• Condemnation (recommended) provides a 1.4x multiplier that works well in this Combo Points build.
  • Masterworking Priority: Basic Skill Attack Speed
• Harlequin Crest (recommended) provides a good amount of offense and defense, if you are lucky enough to find this Mythic Unique Item.
  • Masterworking Priority: Cooldown Reduction
• Ring of Starless Skies (recommended) is a Mythic Unique Item that provides a highly valuable 1.5x multiplier. The downside is the unique effect requires some management to ramp up and maintain the buff stacks.
  • Masterworking Priority: Critical Strike Chance or Ranks to Core Skills
• Fists of Fate (optional) increases overall damage by 50% with a 300% value on the unique effect. They are comparable to well-rolled Legendary Gloves with Ranks to Core Skills, Attack Speed, Critical Strike Chance, and an Offensive Aspect. The downside is the drastic damage range of the unique effect can cause an inconsistency in the hits required to kill enemies.
  • Masterworking Priority: Attack Speed
• Cowl of the Nameless (optional) provides the highest damage output when properly Masterworked.
  • Masterworking Priority: Ranks to Unstable Elixirs or Trick Attacks
• Tyrael’s Might (optional) is the best defensive option for a Chest Armor. The divine barrage does not contribute a significant portion of the total damage in this build.
  • Masterworking Priority: Damage Reduction
• Shroud of False Death (optional) provides the highest damage increase in the slot due to the +1 Ranks to All Passives inherent affix.
  • Masterworking Priority: All Stats or Maximum Life

Mercenaries

Once the Den is unlocked during the main questline in the Vessel of Hatred expansion for Diablo 4, complete Mercenary key quests to acquire them. Hire a Mercenary and enlist a Reinforcement in the following setup.

• Hired Mercenary: Varyana
  • Skills: Cleave, Hysteria, Bloodthirst, Bloodlust
• Reinforcement: Raheir
  • Skill: Bastion
  • Opportunity: Cast when the player becomes Injured

Video Guide and Gameplay Footage

Advanced Information

Additional details are provided in the following sections for a more in-depth explanation of the Dual Core Penetrating Shot Rapid Fire Rogue. Read this advanced information after understanding the basic overview of the build in the previous sections.

Build Mechanics

Penetrating Shot excels at clearing high-density activities, such as Nightmare Dungeons. Line up enemies to hit them with the piercing arrow, while Trickshot Aspect splits off additional side arrows for more area coverage. The piercing effect of the main arrow also applies to the side arrows.

When fired at full energy, Advanced Penetrating Shot applies a slow to normal enemies to activate Cheat’s Aspect and knocks down Elites to help you survive. Penetrating Shot also has a high Lucky Hit Chance when fired with 3 Combo Points to activate Umbrous Aspect for Dark Shroud stacks. Dark Shroud is not equipped on the Skill Bar.

Penetrating Shot can lack single target damage against elites and bosses, so Rapid Fire is used to snipe individual enemies. Learn when to use either Penetrating Shot or Rapid Fire in every situation to master this Dual Core Build.

Fundamental Puncture easily applies Vulnerable to a target with a single Basic attack. Aim Puncture at the toughest enemies in a pack. In group play, apply this debuff to Elites and Bosses so your teammates deal more damage!

Shadow Step and Dash are Cutthroat Skills that can be used before Rapid Fire or Penetrating Shot to gain the damage bonus from Tricks of the Trade.

Resource Management

Skyhunter and Combat should provide enough Energy generation if you are taking the time to build 3 Combo Points before casting each Core Skill. Ring of Starless Skies is an option for additional resource management. You can also reallocate 3 Skill Points from Stutter Step into Innervation.

Cold Imbuement

Cold Imbuement is utilized for Crowd Control and multiple damage increases. The 25% chill applies to every hit from Rapid Fire or Penetrating Shot, meaning enemies can become Frozen after just one cast. These multi-hitting Core Skills easily activate the additional bonuses on Mixed Cold Imbuement and Frigid Finesse for some insane damage multipliers. Make sure you temper the additional casts of Cold Imbuement affix onto Rings.

Elites are easy to kill after being Frozen, but bosses are initially immune to Crowd Controls. Cold Imbuement and Shadow Step can be used against bosses to eventually Stagger them. After fully Staggering a Boss, they are considered affected by all Crowd Control types for the Staggered duration.

Animation Cancel Technique

An Evade can be used immediately after using Rapid Fire or Penetrating Shot to cancel their casting animations. This technique is important to quickly dodge incoming attacks while activating Advanced Rapid Fire. Boots with the implicit effect, Attacks Reduce Evade’s Cooldown, allow for an animation cancel after using 3 Basic Attacks and a Core Skill. Practice hitting Evade after every Core Skill to build muscle memory.

AoE Damage Rotation

Explode groups of mobs with the following rotation.

1. Cast Puncture 3 times at a distance to build up Combo Points.
2. Cast Shadow Step on tough elite enemies.
3. (Optional) Activate Cold Imbuement against tough opponents to increase damage and apply Chill/Freeze.
4. Use a Potion to activate the damage buff from Unstable Elixirs.
5. Cast Penetrating Shot into the group or aimed at the toughest Elites.
6. Immediately animation cancel Penetrating Shot with an Evade to avoid damage or gain some distance.
7. Restart the rotation.

You lose all Crowd Control damage bonuses against Unstoppable Elites, making them much harder to defeat. Quickly kill any Elites within a group of enemies with the Single Target Damage Rotation (section directly below) before they become Unstoppable. Attempt to single them out or get next to them for Rapid Fire to hit. Otherwise, clear out some enemies with the AoE Rotation to create a line of sight.

Single Target Damage Rotation

Use the following rotation against Elites and Bosses for high single-target.

1. Use Evade to activate Advanced Rapid Fire.
2. Build 3 Combo Points with Puncture. Make sure you are close enough for Fundamental Puncture to apply Vulnerable.
3. Cast Shadow Step on the toughest Elite to activate Tricks of the Trade for a damage bonus to your next Marksman Skill, Rapid Fire. Alternatively, Dash can be used through a Boss to apply Enhanced Dash.
4. Activate Cold Imbuement for damage increases from Mixed Cold Imbuement and Frigid Finesse.
5. Use a Potion to activate the damage buff from Unstable Elixirs.
6. Cast Rapid Fire at the target.
7. Immediately animation cancel Rapid Fire with an Evade to restart the rotation.

Obol Gambling

Obol gambling is a great way to potentially find item upgrades or items missing from your build. Use Obols on your target equipment for a chance to receive Greater Affixes. Check out the new tool from Icy Veins for gambling Obols in the link below.

Changelog

• October 16th, 2024: New Paragon tool added.
• October 4th, 2024: Guide updated for Season 6 (Patch 2.0.2).
• August 6th, 2024: Guide updated for Season 5 (Patch 1.5.0).
• May 14th, 2024: Guide updated for Season 4 (Patch 1.4.0).
• January 22nd, 2024: Guide updated for Season 3 (Patch 1.3.0).
• December 18th, 2023: Guide created.