In this comprehensive guide, we'll delve into the most potent Penetrating Shot build for Season 2. Get ready to harness the raw power of the Eagle Horn and experience the game-changing improvements to the Victimize skill. We'll cover gear choices, skill selections, Paragon points, and showcase gameplay to highlight the build's incredible performance.

 

• The Power of Victimize
• Eagle Horn - The Essential Unique Item
• Skills
• Victimize - The New Barbar
• Close Quarters Combat
• Build Comparisons: Penetrating Shot vs. Twisting Blades
• Boss Fights
• Gear and Itemization
• Vampiric Powers
• Paragon Points
• Gameplay Showcase
• Build Planner

 

↖ The Power of Victimize

Let's start by discussing the significant buff that the Rogue class received in Season 2 - the revamped Victimize skill. This skill now boasts a "Lucky Hit" ability, which grants a chance (up to 45%) to cause an explosion, dealing 23% of the original damage to vulnerable enemies and those nearby. Victimize damage is also amplified by 120% of your bonus damage against vulnerable foes.

 

Penetrating Shot, our chosen skill for this build, happens to possess one of the highest Lucky Hit chances. With a bit of scaling, you can reliably achieve around a 25% chance for these explosions to occur upon hitting enemies. This mechanic becomes pivotal for our build's success, as you'll witness in the gameplay footage.

 

↖ Eagle Horn - The Essential Unique Item

Before we dive into the build specifics, it's crucial to mention the Eagle Horn, a unique item you must acquire for this build. Eagle Horn enables your arrows to bounce and is a game-changer for this build's effectiveness. You can farm this unique item from beasts in the Ice region.

Now, let's jump right into the core components of the Penetrating Shot build.

 

↖ Skills

While Penetrating Shot is our primary attack skill, you have some flexibility with other skills. Dash, Shadow Step, Poison, and Colden Bui are all viable options. Colden Bui is particularly useful for building up the Stagger bar and dealing with elites, as it lets you bounce poison off walls for multiple procs.

 

↖ Victimize - The New Barbar

In Season 2, Victimize is essentially the Barbar skill but with some significant advantages. Unlike Barbar, where you need to wait for the enemy to die or for its duration to end, Victimize can trigger multiple times. Since our arrows bounce, you can hit targets repeatedly with a single attack. This makes Victimize an exceptionally potent skill for this build.

 

↖ Close Quarters Combat

While not mandatory, you can consider Close Quarters Combat for this build. It's an optional choice, and some players find it effective. However, let's explore why Penetrating Shot prevails over Twisting Blades and understand the differences.

 

↖ Build Comparisons: Penetrating Shot vs. Twisting Blades

Penetrating Shot has the upper hand when it comes to clearing dungeons and trash mobs rapidly. The responsiveness and speed of this build are unmatched, thanks to its ability to eliminate enemies with just a few arrows. Twisting Blades, on the other hand, relies on impaling and spinning mechanics, which are less efficient for clearing content quickly.

 

↖ Boss Fights

In boss encounters, Penetrating Shot may seem slower than Twisting Blades, primarily because bosses usually spawn in the center of the screen. However, if the boss spawns with additional ads or in an area with walls that allow arrow bouncing, you'll witness the build's tremendous damage potential. While Twisting Blades may shine against some bosses, Penetrating Shot excels in dungeon-clearing scenarios.

 

↖ Gear and Itemization

Now, let's talk gear and itemization for the Penetrating Shot build.

• Helmet: Mangler Aspect is ideal, offering crowd control, resource generation, and knockback effects. The explosions from Victimize also contribute to additional damage.
• Gloves: Equip the EDG Masters aspect for increased damage.
• Aspect: Umbr Aspect synergizes well with our crit-heavy build, providing us with a continuous supply of dark shroud.
• Belt: Mi Up To Bals grants resource regeneration and extra damage when we evade. It synergizes perfectly with the build's mechanics, allowing us to maintain high damage output.
• Bow: Eagle Horn is a must-have for its bouncing arrows and valuable crit strike chance.
• Gems: Use emeralds and consider rubies or topaz for additional bonuses.
• Jewelry: Diamonds are essential for capping resistance values.
• Amulet: Disobedience with the Aspect of Umbrell and Trick Shot is an excellent choice for extra damage and arrow bouncing.
• Rings: Acceler Ring enhances attack speed upon crits, while V Fall Aspect increases vulnerability chance.
• Weapon: Trick Shot can be placed in your two-handed weapon, splitting Penetrating Shot arrows and dealing extra damage.

 

↖ Vampiric Powers

In the Vampiric Powers category, focus on the following:

• Ravenous: Offers a chance to increase attack speed based on movement speed.
• Prey on the Weak: Increases damage against vulnerable enemies.
• Metamorphosis: Grants Unstoppable when you evade, dealing damage and applying the Vampiric Curse to enemies.
• Undying: Casting skills heal you, providing valuable sustain.
• Anticipation: Cooldown reduction for ultimate skills.

 

↖ Paragon Points

In the Paragon system, allocate points as follows:

• Ranger: Prioritize Exploit Weakness and Turf for damage bonuses.
• Tricks of the Trade: Invest in Exploit Weakness and Turf.
• Cutting Stratum: Acquire Pride for additional damage against both injured and healthy enemies.
• Cheap Shot: Focus on the Trick Attacks path for bonus crit strike chance.

 

↖ Gameplay Showcase

Now, let's take a look at gameplay footage to see the Penetrating Shot build in action. This build excels in dungeons with narrow spaces, as the arrows bounce off walls, decimating enemies effortlessly. While it may not instantly obliterate bosses, its remarkable speed and crowd-clearing abilities make it an exceptional choice for most scenarios.

 

↖ Build Planner

https://tinyurl.com/bdhvp2eb

 

In closing, the Penetrating Shot build shines when it comes to clearing nightmare dungeons and tackling various content in Diablo 4. Whether you prefer it over Twisting Blades is a matter of personal playstyle and preferences. Give it a try, and have a blast with this potent and responsive build!