Updated for Season 8
Strengths and Weaknesses
- High damage in an Area-of-Effect
- Satisfying and fun playstyle
- Multiple crowd controls to render entire groups of enemies helpless
- Complex mechanics to learn
- Requires melee range
- Full damaga against bosses relies on stagger
Build Introduction
The Grenade Rogue is a specialized build focused on dropping Stun Grenades with the newly added 
Pitfighter’s Gull in Diablo 4, Vessel of Hatred. The infinite casts of 
Smoke Grenade render enemies helpless to the multiple explosions. This build has high Area-of-Effect damage, perfect for pushing high tiers of The Pit!
This late endgame guide assumes your character is Level 60 and fulfills the Build Requirements. If you are not ready for this build, follow the Rogue Leveling Guide to find a starter build.
Check the build tier lists to see how this build compares to others on Icy Veins.
Quick Navigation
Want to skip ahead? Use the table below to jump to sections.
Skill Bar and Skill Tree Points
Smoke Grenade
Heartseeker
Shadow Step
Caltrops
Death Trap
Dark ShroudThe Skill Tree above shows the full allocation of 71 Skill Points for the Grenadier Rogue build. Make sure you obtain the 12 Skill Points available from Renown.
Frigid Finesse is always active against Staggered Bosses.
Weapon Mastery does not work with Stun Grenades.
Wondering what comes after Level 60? Head to the Paragon Board section to power up the build even further. If you want to see how everything plays out in combat, check out the Rotation and Playstyle section for a quick breakdown.
Rogue Class Mechanic – Specialization
Preparation is the preferred specialization for the Grenade Rogue for 15% Damage Reduction and to reset Cooldowns. The bonuses are activated by casting 
Death Trap.
Gear, Stats, Gems, and Runes
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 Grenade 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. For the best results, combine these Aspects with the ideal Stat Priorities.
| Gear Slot | Name | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Ranged Weapon (+100% bonus effect) |  Opportunist’s Aspect | When you enter or break Stealth, you drop a cluster of exploding Stun Grenades around you that deal [X] Physical damage and Stun enemies for 1 second. Your Stun Grenades deal [25 – 45%] more damage. |
| Amulet (+50 bonus effect) | Trickster’s Aspect | Caltrops and Smoke Grenade receive Stun Grenade benefits and throw Stun Grenades that deal [X] Physical damage and Stun enemies for 1 second. Your Stun Grenades deal [25 – 45%] increased damage. |
| Ring Slot #1 | Pitfighter’s Gull | Casting Smoke Grenade increases your Critical Strike Damage by x33% for [3 – 6] seconds and leaves behind a cloud of shadows. While within the cloud, you gain Stealth once per second. |
| Dual-Wielded Weapons or Ring Slot #2 | Aspect of Surprise | When you Evade or Shadow Step, you leave behind a cluster of exploding Stun Grenades that deal [X] total Physical damage and Stun enemies for 1 second. Your Grenade Skills deal [25 – 40%] more damage. |
| Dual-Wielded Weapons or Ring Slot #2 | Aspect of Artful Initiative | When you spend 100 Energy you release a cluster of exploding Stun Grenades that deal [X] total Physical damage and Stun enemies for 1 second. Your Grenade Skills deal [25 – 45%] increased damage. |
| Dual-Wielded Weapons or Ring Slot #2 | 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. |
Gloves (replaced by  Fists of Fate) | Aspect of Retribution | Distant enemies have a 10% chance to be Stunned for 2 seconds when they hit you. You deal x [15 – 35%] increased damage to Stunned and Knocked Down enemies. |
Helm (replaced by  Heir of Perdition) |  Umbrous Aspect | Lucky Hit: Critical Strikes have up to a [45 – 65%] chance to grant a free Dark Shroud shadow. |
Chest (replaced by  Shroud of Khanduras) | Cheat’s Aspect | You take [10 – 30%] less damage from Crowd Controlled enemies. Whenever a Crowd Controlled enemy deals direct damage to you, gain 15% Movement Speed for 2 seconds. |
| Pants | Aspect of Might | Basic Skills grant 20% Damage Reduction for [2 – 10] seconds. |
| Boots |  Aspect of Concussive Strikes | Your Daze effects last [20 – 40%] longer. Dazing an enemy increases your Movement Speed by [20 – 40%] for 3 seconds. |
Stat Priority and Tempering Affixes
Listed below are the affixes to prioritize on gear for Grenade Rogues, ranked by importance. Affixes on the same line have equal value, so attempt to obtain all affixes in each line before moving on to the next. Yellow affixes are the most important targets for Masterworking upgrades, while blue affixes are secondary options. For more details, check the Tempering and Masterworking guides.
A Crossbow is selected for a higher damage per hit for Stun Grenades. Daggers are equipped for a faster cast of Shadow Step and the Damage to Close enemies implicit stat to scale 
Close Quarters Combat.
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 1,000.
↑ Back to Legendary Gear Table
| Slot | Gear Affixes | Tempering Affixes |
|---|---|---|
| Weapons | 1. Maximum Life, Dexterity, Vulnerable Damage | 1.  Natural Finesse (Offensive): Damage to Close Enemies2. Trap Augments (Weapon): Caltrops Duration or Caltrops Size |
| Helm | 1. Cooldown Reduction 2. Any uncapped Resistances or Armor 3. Maximum Life, Dexterity | 1. Daze Control (Utility): Smoke Grenade Cooldown Reduction 2. Worldly Endurance (Defensive): Armor up to 1,000 cap, otherwise Dodge Chance |
| Chest | 1. Ranks to Dark Shroud 2. Any uncapped Resistances or Armor 3. Maximum Life, Dexterity | 1. Daze Control (Utility): Smoke Grenade Cooldown Reduction 2. Worldly Endurance (Defensive): Armor up to 1,000 cap, otherwise Dodge Chance |
| Gloves | 1. Critical Strike Chance, Attack Speed 2. Any uncapped Resistances or Armor 3. Maximum Life, Vulnerable Damage | 1. Natural Finesse (Offensive): Damage to Close Enemies 2. Daze Control (Utility): Smoke Grenade Cooldown Reduction |
| Pants | 1. Any uncapped Resistances or Armor 2. Maximum Life, Dexterity | 1. Rogue Innovation (Utility): Stun Grenade Size 2. Worldly Endurance (Defensive): Armor up to 1,000 cap, otherwise Dodge Chance |
| Boots | Implicit Stat: Attacks Reduce Evade’s Cooldown 1. Movement Speed 2. Any uncapped Resistances or Armor 3. Maximum Life, Dexterity | 1. Rogue Innovation (Utility): Stun Grenade Size 2. Natural Motion (Mobility): Movement Speed |
| Amulet | 1. Ranks to Frigid Finesse, Unstable Elixirs, Malice, or Exploit 2. Critical Strike Chance, Cooldown Reduction, Attack Speed | 1. Natural Finesse (Offensive): Damage to Close Enemies 2. Subterfuge Efficiency (Resource): Subterfuge Cooldown Reduction |
| Rings | 1. Critical Strike Chance, Attack Speed 2. Any uncapped Resistances or Armor 3. Dexterity, Vulnerable Damage | 1. Natural Finesse (Offensive): Damage to Close Enemies 2. Subterfuge Efficiency (Resource): Subterfuge Cooldown Reduction |
Uniques and Mythic Uniques
Listed below are the required, recommended, and optional Unique and Mythic Unique Items for the Stealth Grenade Rogue build. Each item description includes the most important affix to target for Masterworking upgrades. Check the Mythic Unique Items Guide for information on target-farming them.
- Pitfighter’s Gull (required) grants Stealth to activate Opportunist’s Aspect.
- Masterworking Priority: Critical Strike Chance
- Fists of Fate (recommended) increases overall damage by 50% with a 300% value on the unique effect. The downside is the drastic damage range of the unique effect can cause an inconsistency in the hits required to kill enemies.
- Masterworking Priority: Critical Strike Chance
- Heir of Perdition (highly recommended) is the best option for damage output, if you can find this Mythic Unique Item.
- Masterworking Priority: Critical Strike Chance
- Shroud of Khanduras (recommended) groups enemies together for efficient clearing with Stun Grenades.
- Masterworking Priority: Ranks to Dark Shroud
Shroud of False Death (optional) provides the highest damage increase in the slot due to the +1 Ranks to All Passives inherent affix. - Masterworking Priority: All Stats or Maximum Life
Cowl of the Nameless (optional) provides a high damage output when properly Masterworked. - Masterworking Priority: Ranks to
Unstable Elixirs or 
Trick Attacks
- Masterworking Priority: Ranks to
Godslayer Crown (optional) groups up Elites to allow grenades to hit an entire group of enemies, while also providing a high burst damage buff. - Masterworking Priority: Cooldown Reduction
Gems and Runewords
Listed below are the recommended Gems and Runewords to socket into your gear.
Gems
| Weapon Gems | Armor Gems | Jewelry Gems |
|---|---|---|
 Grand Diamond for increased Ultimate Damage to scale  No Witnesses. |  Grand Emerald for Dexterity. | Any Resistance Gems needed or  Grand Skull for Armor (up to the 1,000 Armor cap). |
Runewords
Insert the following 2 Runewords, each consisting of a Rune of Offering and a Rune of Invocation, into any equipped Helm, Chest, or Pants item. Add sockets to your equipment at the Jeweler if necessary. Check the Runewords Guide for more details.
| Runewords | Effects |
|---|---|
 Yul Tun | Gain: 50 Offering — Cast a Skill with a Cooldown. Requires: 100 Offering, Cooldown: 1 Second — Evoke the Rogue’s Stun Grenades, Stunning and dealing damage to enemies. |
 Lith Gar | Gain: 150 Offering — Stand still for 0.3 seconds. Requires: 25 Offering, Cooldown: 1 Second — Gain 2.5% Critical Strike Chance for 5 seconds, up to 25%. |
If you already have 100% Critical Strike Chance without Gar, use 
Ohm instead.
Paragon Board
Use the following Paragon Boards, Legendary Nodes, and Glyphs for the Grenade Rogue.
The Paragon setup displayed above focuses on quickly unlocking the essential Glyph sockets and Legendary Nodes at a moderate Paragon Level. Once the base setup is complete, allocate the remaining Paragon points in the following order.
- Obtain any remaining nodes providing a damage increase within the radius of Glyph sockets.
- Path to the remaining Rare and Magic nodes. Prioritize obtaining damage reduction, any needed Resistances/Armor, and damage increases.
- Any remaining points can be spent on Dexterity nodes within the radius of
Headhunter.
Boss Powers (Season 8)
In the Season of Belial’s Return (Season 8), equip the following Boss Powers to enhance this build.
Main: Beast in the Ice’s Sleet — After casting 3 Skills which apply Crowd Control or Stagger effects, shoot out sleet spikes that deal [800%] Cold damage and Freeze enemies for 2 seconds.
Modifier:
- Liilth’s Wind of Hate: Hitting an Elite enemy with a Main Boss Power creates an inert Blister Clone with 10% of their Maximum Life for 15 seconds. Killing the Blister removes [2.1%] of the Elite’s Life. An Elite can have up to 1 Blister active at once, and a Boss can have up to 2 Blisters. Enemies with Resilience cannot spawn Blisters.
- Sinerat’s Flames: Gain x [5%] increased damage to all Elements. For each 1% of an Element’s Resistance from bonuses, gain x0.2% increased damage for that Element, up to a maximum of x [15.5%].
- Flesh Reaper’s Disruption: Gain x [5%] Vulnerable Damage, increased by x0.5% for each 1% of Crowd Control Duration Bonus you have, up to a maximum of x [10.5%].
Mercenaries
Once the Den is unlocked during the main questline in the Vessel of Hatred expansion for Diablo 4, complete Mercenary key quests to acquire them. Hire a Mercenary and enlist a Reinforcement in the following setup.
- Hired Mercenary: Varyana
- Skills:
Cleave, 
Hysteria, 
Bloodthirst, 
Bloodlust
- Skills:
- Reinforcement: Raheir
- Skill:
Bastion - Opportunity: Cast when the player becomes Injured
- Skill:
Build Mechanics
The Grenade Rogue utilizes the new Pitfighter’s Gull, added in the Vessel of Hatred expansion for Diablo 4. The cloud of shadows left behind from casting Smoke Grenade stacks multiple times to rapidly grant Stealth, enabling this build to quickly drop Stun Grenades from Opportunist’s Aspect.
Stun Grenades inherit the weapon damage of the last weapon used to attack with, so cast Heartseeker before dropping grenades to apply the weapon damage of your Crossbow to them.
Trickster’s Aspect also drops Stun Grenades when casting Smoke Grenade to deal supplemental damage. The Smoke Grenade itself deals a much smaller portion of the total damage.
The damage bonus of Close Quarters Combat is activated after casting a Cutthroat Skill, Shadow Step, and a Marksman Skill, Heartseeker.
Death Trap activates Preparation and No Witnesses.
Caltrops increase the damage enemies take from you by 45% with Enhanced Caltrops. A Caltrops Duration temper and a Caltrops Size temper helps prevent the effect from falling off during Boss fights.
Despite the use of stealth in this build, the Damage on Next Attack After Entering Stealth affix is not worthwhile. The bonus is consumed by Smoke Grenade, which contributes insignificant damage compared to Stun Grenades.
Rotation and Playstyle
Use the following general rotation to quickly kill normal enemies.
- Activate Dark Shroud to prepare for battle.
- If Shroud of Khanduras is equipped, Evade to group enemies together.
- Cast Caltrops against tough elites and bosses.
- Cast Shadow Step on the toughest target to activate the Cutthroat portion of Close Quarters Combat.
- Cast Heartseeker to activate the Marksman portion of Close Quarters Combat and apply the base damage of your Ranged Weapon to Stun Grenades.
- Use a Potion to activate the damage buff from Unstable Elixirs.
- Cast Death Trap to activate Preparation and No Witnesses.
- Rapidly spam Smoke Grenade to drop Opportunist Grenades.
Elixirs
Visit the Alchemist in any main town to craft helpful Elixirs, or find Elixirs by killing enemies or opening chests during various activities in Diablo 4. Listed below are the best Elixirs to consume for the Stealth Grenade Rogue, ranked by importance.
Elixir of Precision provides the highest damage output increase, if not already capped at 100% Critical Strike Chance.
Elixir of Advantage increases damage output, if not already capped at 100% Attack Speed bonus from gear and Paragon.
Elixir of Fortitude is the best general-purpose option for survivability.
Season 8 Changes
A brief summary of the seasonal changes are provided below. For a complete overview of Season 8, take a look at the comprehensive season guide.
Fists of Fate no longer applies random crowd controls.- Worldly Fortune can no longer apply any crowd control tempers.
- Aspect of Concussive Strikes no longer provides increased damage.
- Frostbitten Aspect is now in the Offensive category.
- Trick Attacks
- Previous: Dazing or Stunning an enemy increases your Critical Strike Chance by 2/4/6% and Critical Strike Damage by 2/4/6% for 5 seconds, up to 12/24/36%.
- Now: Attempting to Daze or Stun an enemy increases your Critical Strike Chance by 1/2/3% and Critical Strike Damage by 1/2/3% for 8 seconds, up to 5/10/15%.
Changelog
- April 26, 2025: Guide updated for Season 8 (Patch 2.2.0)
- January 21, 2025: Guide updated for Season 7 (Patch 2.1.0).
- October 4, 2024: Guide updated for Season 6 (Patch 2.0.2).
- August 6, 2024: Guide updated for Season 5 (Patch 1.5.0).
- May 29, 2024: Guide created.
