Heartseeker Rogue Endgame Build Guide for Diablo 4 (Season 5)

Build Introduction

The Heartseeker Rogue is the easiest-to-play build within the class, mainly focused on repeatedly casting a Basic Skill to deal damage. Heartseeker deals devasting single-target damage, and Paingorger’s Gauntlets echos the damage to clear activities with high monster density, such as Inferno Hordes and The Pit.

The final version of the Heartseeker Rogue utilizes Shard of Verathiel for maximum damage output. Heartseeker is transformed to consume Energy, so the setup has strict requirements to function properly. Check the Shard of Verathiel section for the full details.

The only starting requirement for this endgame build guide is a character around Level 50 in World Tier 3. Check our Rogue Leveling Guide if you need help getting there.

Season 5 Update (Patch 1.5.0): The Heartseeker Rogue no longer utilizes Victimize due to a new bug reducing damage. This build has been reworked for Close Quarters Combat and Paingorger’s Gauntlets.

Strengths and Weaknesses

To see how this build compares to the other builds on our site, you can check out our build tier lists.

Skill Tree Points and Skill Bar

Skill Bar Setup for the Heartseeker Rogue (order does not matter)

Heartseeker Dash Shadow Step Caltrops Smoke Grenade Death Trap

The Skill Tree above shows the full allocation of 58 Skill Points for the Heartseeker Rogue build. Make sure you obtain the 10 Skill Points available from Renown.

Dark Shroud is not equipped on the Skill Bar. Dark Shroud shadows are granted through Umbrous Aspect.

Cold Imbuement is not equipped on the Skill Bar. Coldclip Aspect automatically applies the effects of Enhanced Cold Imbuement and Mixed Cold Imbuement to Heartseeker.

Heartseeker Rogue Specialization

Preperation is the preferred Rogue Specialization for the Heartseeker Rogue mainly to reduce the Cooldown of Death Trap for more uptime on the damage multiplier on No Witnesses. Casting Death Trap also resets other Skill Cooldowns and grants 15% Damage Reduction from Preperation.

Paragon

Paragon unlocks after reaching Level 50, and the progression system offers a considerable boost to character power. The images below provide a visual of each Paragon Board setup for the Heartseeker Rogue.

Important Notes:

• Make sure you select the correct Legendary Boards and rotate them into the correct orientation.
• Attach Legendary Boards in the correct order, as bonus requirements of Rare Nodes increase with their placement order.
• Additional bonus requirements on Rare Glyphs may not be obtainable until they gain increased radius range at Level 15.

1. Starting Board (Control)

Socket Control in the starting board for a 1.2x damage multiplier against Frozen or Stunned Enemies, activated by Lucky Hit Chance tempers or Disciplined Shadow Step. The bonus also applies to Staggered Bosses.

2. No Witnesses (Ranger)

Attach the No Witnesses board without any rotations. Socket Ranger for increased damage and damage reduction. Prioritize leveling Tracker to 15 for increased radius, as it is needed to gain the additional bonus. Obtain the Legendary Node for a damage bonus after casting Death Trap. Path to the Board Attachment Gate on the left side to continue.

3. Exploit Weakness

Attach the Exploit Weakness board without any rotations. Immediately obtain the Legendary Node for a 1.25x times damage multiplier. The Glyph Socket on this board is not utilized.

4. Cheap Shot (Fluidity)

Path back to the Board Attachment Gate at the top of the No Witnesses board, and then rotate the Cheap Shot board twice before attachment. Immediately obtain the Legendary Node for a 1.25x times damage multiplier. Socket Fluidity to boost the nearby Magic Nodes with Damage Reduction from Slowed Enemies and Damage to Crowd Controlled Enemies. The additional bonus provides useful damage and Energy Regeneration for The Umbracrux.

5. Tricks of the Trade (Canny)

Attach the Tricks of the Trade board without any rotations. Immediately obtain the Legendary Node to increase Heartseeker damage after casting Dash or Shadow Step. Socket Canny to increase damage.

6. Deadly Ambush (Ambush)

Attach the Deadly Ambush board without any rotations. Socket Ambush and obtain the Legendary Node for increased damage against enemies affected by Death Trap or Caltrops.

Paragon Board images courtesy of d4builds.gg. Click this link for the Paragon planner.

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 Heartseeker 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	Aspect of the Moonrise	Damaging an enemy with a Basic Skill grants you 4% Attack Speed for 10 seconds, stacking up to 5 times. Upon reaching maximum stacks, you enter a Vampiric Bloodrage, gaining x [40 – 80%] Basic Skill damage and 15% Movement Speed for 10 seconds.
Amulet	Aspect of Adaptability	When cast below 50% Maximum Resource, Basic Skills generate 3 of your Primary Resource, once per cast. When cast at or above 50% Maximum Resource, Basic Skills deal x [20 – 80%] increased damage.
Dual-Wielded Weapons or Rings	Aspect of Retribution	Distant enemies have a 10% chance to be Stunned for 2 seconds when they hit you. You deal [15 – 30%] increased damage to Stunned and Knocked Down enemies.
Dual-Wielded Weapons or Rings	Rapid Aspect	Basic Skills gain [15 – 30%] Attack Speed.
Dual-Wielded Weapons or Rings	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 Weapons or Rings	Aspect of Elements	Gain x [20 – 30%] increased damage to a set of damage types for 7 seconds. This effect alternates between 2 sets: • Fire, Lightning, and Physical. • Cold, Poison, and Shadow.
Gloves (replaced by Paingorger’s Gauntlets)	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)
Helm (replaced by Harlequin Crest)	Aspect of Might	Basic Skills grant 20% Damage Reduction for [2 – 6] seconds
Chest (Tyrael’s Might optional)	Aspect of Quickening Fog	You automatically drop a Smoke Grenade at the end of Dash. Smoke Grenades reduce Dash’s cooldown by [0.5 – 0.65] seconds for each enemy hit, up to [1.50 – 1.95] seconds.
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

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

Weapon Gems	Armor Gems	Jewelry Gems
Royal Diamond for increased Ultimate Damage to scale No Witnesses.	Royal Ruby for increased Maximum Life.	Any Resistance Gems needed or Royal Skull for Armor (up to the 9,230 Armor cap).

Elixirs

Visit the Alchemist in any main town to craft helpful Elixirs that increase stats and experience gain for 30 minutes. Make sure to forage plants and pick up the necessary crafting materials during your adventures; they randomly spawn around the world. Elixirs can also drop randomly from enemies and chests during many activities in Diablo 4. Listed below are the best Elixirs to consume, ranked by importance.

1. Elixir of Precision provides the highest damage output increase, if not already capped at 100% Critical Strike Chance.
2. Elixir of Advantage increases damage output, if not already capped at 100% Attack Speed bonus from gear and Paragon.
3. Elixir of Fortitude is the best general purpose option for survivability.
4. Specific Resistance Elixirs can be utilized to survive against Uber Bosses with elemental attacks.

Return to the Alchemist again when you reach Level 20, 30, 45, 60, 70, 80 and 90, to upgrade your potion. The extra healing is essential to survival.

Stat Priority and Tempering Affixes

Listed below are the affixes to prioritize on gear for Heartseeker 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.

The Ranged Weapon type selected depends on your preference. Bows have a faster weapon speed, while Crossbows have a higher damage per hit. Equip Daggers for a faster weapon speed on Shadow Step.

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 9,230.

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

Slot	Gear Affixes	Tempering Affixes
Weapons	1. Maximum Life, Vulnerable Damage 2. Life on Hit, Dexterity	Basic Augments — Rogue (Weapon): Chance for Heartseeker Projectiles to Cast Twice (up to 100% maximum chance, and then temper Caltrops Duration or Caltrops Size from Trap Augments) Subterfuge Expertise (Offensive): Damage per Dark Shroud
Helm	1. Cooldown Reduction, Lucky Hit Chance 2. Any uncapped Resistances or Armor 3. Maximum Life, Dexterity	Natural Schemes (Utility): Crowd Control Duration Worldly Endurance (Defensive): Armor or Maximum Life
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 or Maximum Life
Gloves	1. Critical Strike Chance, Lucky Hit Chance, Attack Speed 2. Vulnerable Damage, Resistances, Armor 3. Maximum Life, Dexterity	Subterfuge Expertise (Offensive): Damage per Dark Shroud Daze Control (Utility): Lucky Hit Chance to Daze
Pants	1. Ranks to Heartseeker 2. Any uncapped Resistances or Armor 2. Maximum Life, Dexterity	Worldly Fortune (Utility): Lucky Hit Chance to Immobilize Worldly Endurance (Defensive): Armor or Maximum Life
Boots	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 Stun
Amulet	1. Ranks to Exploit, Unstable Elixirs, and Frigid Finesse 2. Critical Strike Chance, Attack Speed, Lucky Hit Chance	Subterfuge Expertise (Offensive): Damage per Dark Shroud Natural Motion (Mobility): Movement Speed
Rings	1. Critical Strike Chance, Lucky Hit Chance, Attack Speed 2. Vulnerable Damage	Agility Efficiency (Resource): Agility Cooldown Reduction Subterfuge Expertise (Offensive): Damage per Dark Shroud

Unique and Mythic Items

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

• Paingorger’s Gauntlets (highly recommended) echos damage to multiple enemies to supplement the limited targeting of Heartseeker.
  • Masterworking Priority: Ranks to Basic Skills
• Shard of Verathiel (recommended build variant) provides a 3x multiplier for Heartseeker, at the cost of 25 Primary Resource per cast. Solving for the heavy Energy drain requires strict gearing, so check the Shard of Verathiel section for the full setup.
  • Masterworking Priority: Ranks to Basic Skills
• Ring of Starless Skies (recommended build variant) synergizes with Shard of Verathiel to reduce the Mana cost of Heartseeker, while also providing a damage multiplier.
  • Masterworking Priority: Critical Strike Chance, Attack Speed, or Lucky Hit Chance
• 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
• Fists of Fate (optional) increases overall damage by 50% with a 300% value on the unique effect.
  • Masterworking Priority: Lucky Hit Chance
• 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, although this Mythic Unique Item can be difficult to obtain. The divine barrage does not contribute a significant portion of the total damage in this build, but it marks enemies for Paingorger’s Gauntlets.
  • Masterworking Priority: Damage Reduction

Advanced Information

Additional details are provided in the following sections for a more in-depth explanation of the Heartseeker Rogue. Read this advanced information after understanding the basic overview of the build in the previous sections.

Build Mechanics

The Heartseeker Rogue focuses on increasing Basic Skill damage with massive multipliers from Aspect of the Moonrise and Aspect of Adaptability. Primary Heartseeker allows for 2 hits per cast, even against an individual target due to the seeking property of the skill.

Paingorger’s Gauntlets mark enemies hit by Smoke Grenade, Caltrops, and Death Trap to echo damage done by Heartseeker to groups of enemies.

Vulnerable from Enhanced Cold Imbuement is automatically applied through Coldclip Aspect.

Dark Shrouds stacks are rapidly generated through Umbrous Aspect with the high Attack Speed of Heartseeker and can also be manually cast from the Skill Bar when needed.

Smoke Grenade can be cast manually from the Skill Bar, or auto-casted through Aspect of Quickening Fog by using Dash. Aspect of Quickening Fog also reduces the cooldown of Dash when enemies are hit by a Smoke Grenade from either source. Use Dash offensively to land on top of enemies and Daze them, while applying Enhanced Smoke Grenade for enemies to take 25% increased damage.

Caltrops increase the damage enemies take from you by 45% with Enhanced Caltrops. A Caltrops Duration temper and a Caltrops Size temper prevent the effect from falling off during Boss fights.

Crowd Controls and Boss Stagger

Lucky Hit Chance to Freeze/Daze/Immobilize/Slow tempers, Smoke Grenade, and Aspect of Concussive Strikes are utilized to Crowd Control normal and elite enemies, activating Frigid Finesse, Aspect of Retribution, and Control for massive damage increases. These damage bonuses do not apply to bosses unless they are Staggered. Repeated Crowd Controls of the same type in a short duration apply less Stagger to bosses, so separate sources of Crowd Controls are tempered for maximum effect. Make sure to optimize damage against Staggered bosses by building up the Enhanced Caltrops damage bonus ahead of time.

Damage Rotation

Use the following rotation to optimize damage output.

1. Initiate combat with one of the following Skills:
   • Cast Shadow Step on the toughest enemy.
   • Dash on top of enemies to automatically drop a Smoke Grenade (if using Aspect of Quickening Fog).
   • Cast Smoke Grenade to Daze enemies from a distance while running up to them.
2. Cast Death Trap to activate No Witnesses.
3. Against bosses or tough elites, cast Caltrops on top of them to apply Enhanced Caltrops.
4. Use a Potion to activate the damage buff from Unstable Elixirs.
5. Spam Heartseeker to deal damage.

Shard of Verathiel Heartseeker Rogue

The final version of the Heartseeker Rogue utilizes Shard of Verathiel for a massive 3x damage multiplier, at the cost of 25 Primary Resource per cast. Energy is drained quickly from rapidly casting Heartseeker with a high Attack Speed, so the setup has strict requirements to function.

Make the following changes to the original version of the Heartseeker Rogue to solve Energy issues:

• Remove Rapid Aspect and Aspect of Elements from the build.
• Equip a Shard of Verathiel with at least a 150% value on the unique effect.
• Equip Ring of Starless Skies to reduce the Resource cost of your Skills.
• Remove Skill Points from Sturdy (2), Stutter Step (1), Haste (3), and Adrenaline Rush (1).
• Add Skill Points to Innervation (3), Second Wind (3), and Alchemist’s Fortune (1).
• Temper Ranks to Innervation from Rogue Invigoration onto your Rings and Amulet (instead of Movement Speed).

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.

Season 5: Infernal Hordes

The following list details the changes in the Season 5 Update (Patch 1.5.0) that may pertain to Heartseeker Rogues. Check the Changelog for all the other guide updates.

• Victimize
  • The Explosion damage of Victimize has been increased by ~50% to compensate for a bug fix, detailed below.
  • Fixed an issue where Victimize was double dipping its damage multiplier.
• Dash
  • Damage increased by 25% (0.32 to 0.4).
  • Additional functionality: Dash Slows enemies hit by 30% for 3 seconds.
• Enhanced Dash
  • Previous – Enemies damaged by Dash take 15% increased Critical Strike Damage from you for 5 seconds.
  • Now – Casting Dash increases your Critical Strike Chance by 10% for 5 seconds.
• Disciplined Dash
  • Previous – Dash Slows enemies it hits by 30% for 3 seconds. Any enemy already Slowed will be Dazed for 2 seconds instead.
  • Now – At the end of Dash, Knock Down surrounding enemies for 2 seconds and deal 350% of its damage to them.
• Methodical Dash
  • Previous – Dealing damage to Crowd Controlled enemies with Dash reduces its Charge Cooldown by 0.5 seconds, up to 4 seconds per cast.
  • Now – Dash has 1 additional Charge and its Charge Cooldown is reduced by 2 seconds.
• Caltrops
  • Damage increased by 13% (0.4 to 0.45).
• Disciplined Caltrops
  • Critical Strike Chance bonus increased from 5% to 10%.
• Dark Shroud
  • You can now only lose 1 Dark Shroud shadow every 1.5 seconds.
• Enhanced Dark Shroud
  • Previous – Dark Shroud’s shadows have a 14% chance to not be Consumed.
  • Now – Each active Dark Shroud shadow grants you 5% increased Movement Speed and also has a 15% chance to not be Consumed.
• Subverting Dark Shroud
  • Previous – Each active shadow from Dark Shroud grants you 4% increased Movement Speed.
  • Now – You Heal for 10% of your Maximum Life when a Dark Shroud shadow is removed.
• Countering Dark Shroud
  • You only need 1 active shadow to get the bonus Critical Strike Chance instead of 2.
  • Critical Strike Chance increased from 8% to 10%.
• Smoke Grenade
  • Additional functionality: Smoke Grenade now deals 45% Physical damage, has a 25% Lucky Hit Chance, and its Skill Ranks now give increased damage and Cooldown Reduction.
• Enhanced Smoke Grenade
  • Previous – Enemies affected by Smoke Grenade take 25% increased damage from you.
  • Now – Enemies hit by Smoke Grenade take 25% increased damage from you for 5 seconds.
• Countering Smoke Grenade
  • Previous – Lucky Hit: Dealing direct damage to enemies affected by Smoke Grenade has up to a 25% chance to reduce its Cooldown by 1 second, or by 3 seconds instead if the enemy is Vulnerable.
  • Now – Hitting an Elite or Boss with Smoke Grenade reduces its Cooldown by 5 seconds.
• Subverting Smoke Grenade
  • Previous – If an enemy is Vulnerable, Slowed, or Chilled then Smoke Grenade will Daze them for 20% longer.
  • Now – Smoke Grenade now deals Poison damage and applies another 45% Poisoning damage over 5 seconds.
• Exploit Weakness
  • Previous – Whenever you deal damage to a Vulnerable enemy, they take 1%[x] increased damage from you for 6 seconds, up to 25%[x].
  • Now – Lucky Hit: Hitting a Vulnerable enemy has up to a 60% chance to increase your damage by 1%[x] for 25 seconds, up to 25%[x]. At 25 stacks the bonus remains for 6 seconds then expires.
• Tricks of the Trade
  • Previous – Your Marksman Skills grant your next Cutthroat Skill 25% increased damage. Your Cutthroat Skills grant your next Marksman Skill 25% increased damage.
  • Now – Your Marksman Skills grant your Cutthroat Skills 25% increased damage for 8 seconds. Your Cutthroat Skills grant your Marksman Skills 25% increased damage for 8 seconds.
• Cheap Shot
  • Previous – You deal 5% increased damage for each Nearby enemy that is Crowd Controlled, up to 25%.
  • Now – You deal 5% increased damage for each Nearby enemy that is Crowd Controlled, up to 25%. A Nearby Staggered Boss provides the maximum bonus.

Changelog

• August 21th, 2024: Build reworked due to Victimze bug.
• August 6th, 2024: Guide updated for Season 5 (Patch 1.5.0).
• May 26th, 2024: Guide created.