Diablo 4 is all about finding that perfect build. Basic and Core Skills are the bread and butter, with careful customization of more specialized abilities to play up to each particular class' expertise. The final addition to most builds, Ultimate Skills, come with a difficult constraint: there can only be one! Like Highlander.
To make this decision a bit less painful, here is a ranked list of the ultimate Ultimate Skills. Of course, it's not all about practicality and maximizing DPS. Some of these skills are just good fun to unleash on Sanctuary's endless hordes of demons and beasts. Let's begin.
10 Deep Freeze (Sorcerer)
Barely sneaking into the top 10 is the Sorcerer's self-imposed ice prison. For many Sorcerers, staying alive is a source of constant frustration. This Ultimate Skill buys players a full 4 seconds of invulnerability, while raining down cold damage on every enemy in proximity. This is plenty of time to down a Potion or two, while providing the added benefit of slaughtering the weaker enemies and slowing down Elites.
9 Cataclysm (Druid)
Druids are unique in that they have a total of four Ultimate Skills to choose from, instead of the three available to every other class. Cataclysm is just great fun to use, summoning a furious storm of lightning and tornados to tear through enemies in every direction.
It's lightning-based and as wild and unpredictable as most lightning attacks in Diablo 4. Lots of damage in lots of directions. Great for AoE and a solid fit for almost any Druid play style.
8 Shadow Clone (Rogue)
Rogues are a bit less flashy and explosive when it comes to Ultimate Skills, as the roguish way to play Diablo 4 is all about speed, vulnerability, and the careful application of deadly poisons. However, Shadow Clone is a unique skill in that it directly scales up every other skill in a Rogue's arsenal.
For 15 seconds, a shadow version of the Rogue mimics every action while dishing out 60% of the total damage (80% after upgrades). For Rogues looking to max out single target damage potential (like Twisting Blades builds), dishing out 180% damage for 15 seconds is an immense output of destruction. It's not as flashy as the other skills, but very pragmatic for niche players.
7 Wrath Of The Berserker (Barbarian)
Ever burst into a mindless rage of unstoppable fury? Well, if not, it's worth trying it out sometime. Wrath of the Berserker is as classic a Barbarian skill as they come (best induced by chanting Conan quotes to oneself). This Ultimate Skill is great for Whirlwind Barbarian builds, as the combination of Berserk and Unstoppable can deal monstrous damage across a wide area. This Ultimate Skill is best used tactically. Wait for that Hot Bar to be all cooled down, invoke the Barbarian's wrath, then cycle through everything you've got in an explosive burst of violence.
6 Bone Storm (Necromancer)
Bone Storm is a doubled-edge sword (femur?), boosting Defense and Critical Strike for 10 seconds in a whirlwind of skeletal bone shards storming around both the player and their (hopefully obedient) Golem. Damage scales up significantly with upgrades, and builds like Bonegrinder benefit immensely from increasing Critical Strike rates.
This is an ultimate well-worth upgrading (Prime Bone Storm and Supreme Bone Storm) to wring all potential value out of the investment. Also, as a bonus point, it looks pretty awesome as you walk calmly through hordes of beasts who are slowly shredded by your mere presence.
5 Iron Maelstrom (Barbarian)
For Juggernauts constantly swapping between weapons to take advantage of passives like Walking Arsenal, Iron Maelstrom is a no-brainer (for both Barbarians and their potential foes). This skill takes full advantage of the armory the player is lugging around on their backs (and belts) by launching into a three-part combo attack.
First is the massive hammer slamming down into enemies and stunning them, followed by a Two-Handed Slashing stroke to inflict bleeding, and finally a whirlwind of Dual Wield weapons dishing out about a third of their DPS multiple times over. It's satisfying, it's barbaric, and it's just good fun.
4 Army Of The Dead (Necromancer)
Army of the Dead seems to epitomize the summoning play style of many a Necromancer, unleashing a flurry of exploding skeletons in rapid succession. Additional upgrades provide a chance of leaving Corpses behind to repopulate one's Undead legion. This is a nearly perfect skill for the traditional Necromancer, as it dishes out huge damage while bolstering the number of available minions.
The only downside, which takes a few points of this Ultimate Skill, is the long Cooldown (70 seconds). Regardless, this is the best all-rounder Ultimate Skill for Necromancers.
3 Death Trap (Rogue)
Trapper Rogues are all about careful preparation, concealment, and the deployment of Poison Traps to sucker enemies into destroying themselves. Death Trap is the Ultimate Skill to accompany this approach, dishing out a beastly amount of AoE damage (250%) when properly placed.
Cooldown is quick at 50 seconds and can be reduced by another 10–15 seconds by combining the Preparation Specialization with the Supreme Death Trap Upgrade. Combining the massive damage output with the quick Cooldown, Death Trap squeezes into the top 3. Highly recommended for most Rogue builds.
2 Grizzly Rage (Druid)
How could turning into a Dire Werebear not be in the top three? Come on, now. For those building out a Werebear Tank, the ability to transform for 10 seconds (up to 15 seconds by landing a few kills) is the perfect final skill for the Druid. Cooldown is only 50 seconds, making this the perfect way to start almost every significant encounter for builds based on taking a beastly form. Additional upgrades add Fortify and Unstoppable, making the Druid as close to invincible as anyone could ask for. Plus, it's awesome to be a bear. Just go ask a bear (DualShockers is not liable for... whatever happens next).
1 Inferno (Sorcerer)
Inferno takes first prize, mostly because it's one of the most visually appealing abilities in the game. A fiery serpent descends on an enemy, strangling them slowly in an 8-second fiery embrace. However, it's the upgrades combined with a Pyromancy build that makes this skill so unstoppable.
The first upgrade (Prime Inferno) will apply a gravity effect, pulling all enemies into a tiny little circle encased by the serpent. The second upgrade (Supreme Inferno) sets the Mana cost of all Pyromancy skills to zero. Fill that Hot Bar up with spells like Firewall, Meteor, and Hydra to unleash an absolute cascade of destruction into the center of that Inferno. If played right, this is one of the highest damage output combinations possible in Diablo 4.