The Diablo 4 Server Slam is almost upon us, and while it’s certainly exciting to have another chance to play the RPG game ahead of the Diablo 4 release date, there’s another big draw in the form of the unique Cry of Ashava mount trophy you can earn if you’re able to hit level 20 and defeat Ashava before the trial period ends. As such, you’ll want to pick what loadout you fancy before the next Diablo 4 public test begins.
It’s important to note that fighting Diablo 4 world boss Ashava is a particularly tough challenge this time – as if it wasn’t hard enough before, you’ll now only be able to reach level 20 (as opposed to 25 in the previous beta tests). Because she fights you alone, you also can’t rely on things that benefit from you killing mobs or hitting multiple targets at once – so the preferred loadouts are likely to vary from those you would ordinarily use.
These suggestions come from top Diablo 4 player Ryan ‘Raxxanterax’ and are designed to work without any reliance on specific legendary powers, as Blizzard is removing the sped-up drop rate from the previous betas to give a better impression of how quickly you’ll get gear in the final game. Raxx notes that he has done his best to take into account the buffs and nerfs Blizzard suggested in its somewhat vague Diablo 4 beta patch notes. He also reminds players that you can always knock the difficulty down if you’re having trouble!
Barbarian – Shout at the devil
The best Barbarian build relies on just how good shouts are for pretty much anything. All the Barb generator options are solid, but Flay is the pick for its ability to make Ashava Vulnerable. Upheaval (Furious) offers a huge damage multiplier, making it a slightly more promising choice than Rend (Violent) and its Vulnerability synergy. Leap with its Power specialisation offers mobility and lets you generate some extra Fury along the way.
You’ll want to take all three of Rallying Cry, Challenging Shout, and War Cry – as Raxx explains, “They’re way too powerful, they do way too many things for you, they also benefit all your party members, and if you’re lucky there are some legendary powers that make the build incredible.” Add in passives Booming Voice and Raid Leader and all that yelling will also consistently heal both you and your allies, helping you to survive the fight.
Druid – Terramotes of terror
The best Druid build might involve companions, which Blizzard has promised buffs for. However, with no specifics it’s tough to rely on how that’ll pan out. Instead, Landslide (Primal) is the go-to damage dealer with its ability to consume Terramotes, which are auto-generated when fighting bosses, for guaranteed Critical Strikes with a bonus damage multiplier. Alternatively, if you get lucky enough to nab a nice legendary power for Pulverize, that’s also an option.
Vine Creeper (Ferocious) allows you to apply poison to trigger Envenom, a passive that will cause Ashava to be hit much harder by Critical strikes. Make sure to keep that poison up as often as you can, and you’ll reap the rewards. Storm Strike can apply the Vulnerable status, making it the best generator for fighting Ashava. Earthen Bulwark acts as your panic button, Cyclone Armor gives you some defence against her poison attacks, and Trample offers Druids a solid movement ability.
Necromancer – The bone zone
The best Necromancer build actually goes summon-free. You heard that right, we’ll be doing no actual necromancy today. Sorry. Not only are minions already pretty weak against bosses (especially ones that fight alone like Ashava), but they’re being nerfed further and you’ll be underleveled too. Instead, going all-in on pumping five points into both Bone Splinters (choosing Acolyte’s for the Crit Strike) and Bone Spear (with Supernatural for the Vulnerable debuff) is the way to go.
With that decision made, you can sacrifice your ability to summon minions in the Book of the Dead to instead take the 15% resistance to non-physical damage (great against Ashava’s poison attacks) and 15% increased damage to Vulnerable enemies. You can also pick up Blood Mist to get out of trouble, and your Decrepify curse will make Ashava deal less damage to everyone, making you the most popular Necro in Sanctuary.
Rogue – Twisting the knife
The best Rogue build focuses on Twisting Blades. Its Advanced specialisation offers cooldown reduction, which should help to mitigate the expected cooldown nerfs coming to Imbuements. If you can find the legendary power that causes your Twisting Blades to rotate around you, then you’re in the money, but it’s a fantastic skill regardless. Puncture is the generator of choice – not only does it apply the Vulnerable status, but also it can be used from range if needed.
The Poison Imbuement is probably your best single-target option, so go with that. While the Blended spec has more potential, Mixed is likely to be better for a low-power build like this. Shadow Step and Dash give you some excellent mobility tools. Enhanced Dash will offer additional Critical Strike damage, while Disciplined Shadow Step will keep it off cooldown more frequently. Finally, Dark Shroud (Countering) adds some nice bonus survivability and Critical Strike chance.
Sorcerer – If it ain’t broke…
The best Sorcerer build is, well, pretty much exactly the same thing it was last time around. While Blizzard suggests you should expect nerfs, in particular to Greater Chain Lightning, it’s still likely to be the strongest option for leveling and will do well against Ashava too. Hydras are where the real money is at, of course – Summoned is a safe specialisation, and getting the legendary power for them will be all but guaranteed success, but you should do fine even without that.
Arc Lash is the better generator for leveling, though you may wish to swap to Frost Bolt for its single-target potential to take on Ashava. Teleport gives mobility, Ice Armor gives defence and mana regen, and Frost Nova (Mystical) allows you to apply a massive Vulnerability window. You can enchant either the Hydra or Frost Nova, but be sure to also drop a single point into Align the Elements – this passive grants up to a huge 50% damage reduction if you haven’t been hit lately.
That’s pretty much all you need to know, so get out there and put Ashava in her place. Then, once you’ve earned your Cry of Ashava mount trophy, why not treat yourself to a trip to France to check out the Diablo 4 cathedral? The stunning artistic overhaul to celebrate Blizzard’s new game has opened its doors until mid-June, and entry is free.
Make sure your PC meets the Diablo 4 system requirements so you don’t fall at the first hurdle, and take a look at how Diablo 4 Steam Deck compatibility is shaping up for all your loot-grabbing on the go. Whichever of the Diablo 4 classes you pick up, we wish you the best of luck.