How to Play Diablo 4 Solo – Best Build, Tips, Tricks

Long gone are the days of Diablo games that didn’t require online play. While the latest addition to this series—Diablo 4—is not exactly a big MMORPG title, you do need to be online whether you decide to play completely alone or within a co-op party of up to four players.

This decision is entirely personal and may depend on so many different factors, but it all boils down to the fact that you CAN play Diablo 4 alone if you prefer to do so. That was my approach when I got the game because I’m a die-hard fan of single-player titles (and I don’t have that many friends interested in Diablo, to be honest). For all those loners that can relate, here’s my guide on how to play Diablo 4 solo with my best build advice and other useful tips and tricks.

Related: How to Create Kratos and Geralt (The Witcher) in Diablo 4

The Best Build for Diablo 4 Solo Play

The first big choice you face when starting Diablo 4 is what class to play as, of course. Most people I know went for Barbarian or Necromancer, but I always knew that I’ll be playing as Sorcerer (in my mind, that makes the most sense with the story as well). My only advice here is to go with whatever your heart desires—your playthrough should be enjoyable, first and foremost (even the Druids are not that bad, you guys!).

If your heart is whispering Sorcerer! Sorcerer!, let me tell you a bit about my lightning sorcerer build that I found quite powerful in every stage of the game. I’m not going to lie—I did struggle a bit with deciding on the elemental base of my sorceress’ power. The fire and ice summons I’ve seen in some Diablo 4 streams looked so cool, but I was weirdly attracted by lightning. Upon studying the skill tree in detail, that’s what I opted for, and I haven’t looked back—sorry, amazing-looking fire serpent!

While you can check out my detailed lightning sorcerer build guide here, I will give you the most important points below:

• Go with Arc Lash as your base skill and Chain Lightning as the Core
• Get the first Enchantment slot as soon as possible at level 15 and equip it with Fire Bolt for burning damage
• Prioritize Devastation to maximize your Mana (you’ll need it at every step)
• Later on, invest your points in Fiery Surge and Warmth to benefit immensely from all the burning damage as these passives help with Mana and health regeneration

Best Tips and Tricks for Playing Diablo 4 Solo

In any case, whether you’re playing as Sorcerer, Barbarian, or Druid, here are some of the best tips and tricks I gathered while playing Diablo 4 on my own:

• Work on your healing abilities—This includes upgrading your healing potions at a potion vendor’s and increasing the number of healing potions you can carry by working on your Renown level. Since you’ll be playing solo, you can’t count on your friends’ help to distract some of the enemies
• Play on World Tier II—If you’re not a die-hard Diablo fan, you might be tempted to start Diablo 4 on easier settings. While this might be a safer experience that won’t have you dying as often, I recommend going for the next level for one good reason—more EXP. Yes, the enemies are more challenging, but you will be able to level up faster and unlock better skills and buffs to match those challenges
• Do side content to level up even faster—I like to shuffle between the main story and side quests as I go. While you may want to catch up with Lilith as fast as possible, I recommend doing at least some side quests between campaign acts to get more EXP and other useful stuff that will help you become more powerful for endgame
• Don’t waste your gold—When you visit merchants, especially at first, you might fall into the temptation of buying better weapons and gear. I say—don’t do it. Yes, gold is fairly easy to find in Diablo 4 as it drops from pretty much everything, but you will also need it for everything you want to craft or upgrade. Moreover, you will find a lot of good gear as you go through the world
• Keep your storage empty—Your storage fills up pretty quickly in Diablo 4, especially if you go to dungeons. Make it a habit to visit towns regularly and visit the blacksmith and weapon/armor merchants or leave some stuff in your stash. I always salvage higher-level items (Rare and above) so that I can use the looks in the Wardrobe and get valuable materials, and then I sell everything else
• Try to play with others at least a little bit—Yes, this is a guide for solo players, but if you do have a friend or two that share your Diablo 4 obsession, I recommend making use of that at least occasionally. The only aspect of the game I struggled a bit with was the dungeons, especially when I ran into my first Cursed Chest. That’s where calling upon a friend can make all the difference (especially if your friend plays as an overpowered vampiric Necromancer). You’ll get some good loot and more EXP without struggling, but then you can go back to your lone-wolf mode. I don’t need anybody in my ears when watching that gorgeous cinematics and focusing on the story and pieces of lore

And there you have it—my main tips and tricks for Diablo 4 solo play. Sound off in the comments if you have any more to add and check out our other guides in the dedicated Diablo 4 section here on TouchTapPlay!