PvP Fire Claws Druid Guide - Diablo 2 Guides

Fire Claws Werewolf Druid Guide for PvP and PvM

PvP Rank: C Class / PvM Rank: B Class

Introduction

Fire Claws Druids are not one of the best classes at PvP or PvM after the Werebear form of Fire Claws was heavily nerfed but they are nevertheless still a mainstream and popular build choice. You can't Teleport when you're in a shapeshifting form which means you will have to rely on faster run walk from gear and charms to chase fast teleporters and runners. Fire Claws Druids can, however, deal extremely high damage against other PvP builds when they don't know that you are dealing fire damage. This can result in surprise one shots when other players don't know to equip fire resistances and/or use fire absorb when fighting you. Fire Claws also deals significantly higher damage than Fury when players don't have over stacked fire resistances and fire absorb.

Fire Claws Druid Skills

Werewolf is the new best Fire Claws shapeshifting form after the Werebear Fire Claws attack speed bug was heavily nerfed in a previous patch. The Werewolf form now attacks much faster than the Werebear form and it has much higher attack rating.

Recommendation: Werewolf Fire Claws Druid

Stats: 156 Strength (enough for equipment), enough dexterity for max block, all remaining points in Vitality, 0 Energy.

Skill Points:

20 Fire Claws

20 Werewolf

20 Molten Boulder (synergy for Fire Claws)

20 Firestorm (synergy for Fire Claws)

20 Werewolf

1 Oak Sage

All remaining points in Lycanthropy to increase your maximum life.

Werewolf Fire Claws Druid Gear

Weapon vs Melee

Hand of Justice Phase Blade (Sur Cham Amn Lo) - This option should be used in melee vs melee fights and PvM because it has 33% increased attack speed and lowers the fire resistances of enemies by 20%. Hand of Justice reaches the final attack speed breakpoint with a high level Werewolf skill and 10% increased attack speed on your equipment. Hand of Justice also has ignore target defense which is extremely helpful for fighting in PvM.

Shield

Stormshield (Shael'd for faster block rate) - Gives high block, faster block rate, 60% cold resistance, 25% lightning resistance, and most importantly 35% reduced physical damage taken which should be used against builds where block is needed.

Weapon (When Block Is Not Needed)

Infinity Giant Thresher (Ber Mal Ber Ist) - The Giant Thresher base has range 5 and is the highest attack speed two handed base for Druids. Infinity is recommended to give the level 12 Conviction aura which lowers the resistances of enemies by 85% and lowers their defense by 83%. Infinity also has 35% faster run walk which can help you catch fast opponents.

Weapon Switch

Call to Arms (Amn Ral Mal Ist Ohm) - Used for up to +7 to Battle Orders with a Spirit Monarch (Tal Thul Ort Amn) for +2 to all skills. You can also optionally switch to a Demon Limb weapon in town for level 23 Enchant which increases your attack rating.

Helmet

Jalal's Mane (Um'd) - Gives +2 to Druid Skills, +2 to Shape Shifting Skills, 30% faster hit recovery, all resistances +30%, 20 to strength, 20 to energy, and 20% increased attack rating. The faster hit recovery is very important for melee vs melee duels.

Body

Enigma (Jah Ith Ber) - Gives +2 to all skills, 45% faster run walk, high strength per level, 5% to maximum life, 8% physical damage taken reduction, Teleport, and high magic find per level. Enigma increases the level of your Fire Claws, increases your attack speed, increases your attack rating, and increases your maximum life with this build.

Gloves (PvP Default)

Bloodfist - For melee fights use these gloves for 30% faster hit recovery, +5 minimum damage, 40 life, and 10% increased attack speed. The 30% faster hit recovery is important in melee duels and the 10% increased attack speed takes you to the highest attack speed breakpoint when using a Hand of Justice Phase Blade as your weapon.

Gloves (PvM)

Dracul's Grasp - These gloves should be used for PvM for Life Tap which recovers a large amount of life on hit and also comes with up to 10% life leech, 15 strength, 25% chance of open wounds, and 10 life after each kill. These gloves are best in slot for this build in PvM because of how fast you can recover life but they shouldn't be used in PvP because they're considered very bad manners.

Belt Vs. Melee

Verdungo's Hearty Cord - Gives up to 15% reduced physical damage taken, 40 vitality, replenish life +13, and 10% faster hit recovery. This belt with the Jalal's Mane helmet, Bloodfist gloves, and your charms help you reach the 86% faster hit recovery breakpoint.

Belt Vs. Lightning Builds

Thundergod's Vigor - Use this belt in PvP against builds that use lightning damage for 20 strength, 20 vitality, 1-50 lightning damage, 5% chance to cast level 7 Fist of the Heavens when struck, 10% to maximum lightning resistance, and 20 lightning absorb.

Belt Vs. Fast Runners and Teleporters

Mavina's Belt - Gives 20% faster run walk which is helpful for catching fast teleporters and fast runners like Bowazons and Javazons.

Belt (PvM)

String of Ears - This belt is the best option for PvM for up to 8% life leech (which has full effect in PvM but reduced effect in PvP), 15% reduced physical damage taken, and magic damage taken reduced by 15.

Feet Vs. Melee

Immortal King's Boots - These inexpensive boots are used because they provide the highest run walk from boots with 40% faster run walk and they give life and attack rating which makes your Fire Claws land on opponents more often.

Feet Vs Cold/Lightning Builds That Lower Your Resistances

Resistance Boots - Look for rare 30% faster run walk boots with up to 40% cold resistance, 40% lightning resistance, and 40% poison resistance optionally with faster hit recovery. As a budget option you can also use Natalya's Boots for 40% faster run walk, up to 25% lightning resistance, and up to 25% cold resistance.

Feet Vs. Magic Builds

Horazon's Legacy - Gives 30% faster run walk, strength, dexterity, cannot be frozen, and up to 30% magic resistance.

Feet Vs. Fire Builds

Infernostride - Use these boots when fighting against fire builds that you need to chase for 20% faster run walk, 30% fire resistance, and most importantly +10% to maximum fire resistance. Hotspur boots can be used instead when you don't need the faster run walk for +15% to Maximum Fire Resistance and 45% increased fire resistance. Hotspur boots can be Up'd to Demonhide Boots in the Horadric Cube using a Perfect Diamond, Shael rune, and Tal rune. Infernostride and Hotspur can also both be Up'd to Wyrmhide Boots in the Horadric Cube using a Perfect Diamond, Lem rune, and Ko rune for more defense.

Amulet

Mara's Kaleidoscope - Gives +2 to all skills, 5 to all attributes, and up to 30% to all resistances. You can also optionally keep a +3 Shape Shifting Skills amulet in your inventory to switch to which increases the skill level of Werewolf and Lycanthrophy.

Amulet Vs. High Defense Classes

Angelic Amulet and Ring - This is the highest attack rating option that gives over 1000 base attack rating for fighting high defense builds like Barbarians and Paladins. You can also use a Metalgrid amulet which gives up to 450 attack rating, 350 defense, and 35% to all resistances with two Raven Frost rings for high attack rating and high all resistances.

Amulet Vs. Builds That You Have Chase When You Don't Need Resistances

The Cat's Eye - This amulet can be switched to when you need more faster run walk for its 30% faster run walk, 20% increased attack speed, 25 dexterity, 100 defense vs missile, and 100 defense.

Rings

Raven Frosts - You can use two Raven Frosts which each give up to 20 dexterity, 250 attack rating, 20% cold absorb, and cannot be frozen. You can switch to Angelics Ring and Amulet when you're fighting high defense builds like Barbarians and Paladins.

Rings 2 (Absorb)

You can switch one ring to a Dwarf Star for 15% fire absorb and 40 life when fighting fire damage builds and you can switch one ring to a Wisp Projector for up to 20% lightning absorb when fighting lightning damage builds.

Charms

Hellfire Torch for +3 to Druid Skills, Annihilus for +1 to skills, one poison damage small charm to cancel enemies' life regeneration, one Shape Shifting Skill grand charm with 12% faster hit recovery, and an inventory full of Shape Shifting Skill grand charms with life. Your small charms should include one 5% faster hit recovery small charm to reach the 86% faster hit recovery breakpoint. You can fill out the rest of your small charms with 3% faster run walk small charms with resistances. Life resistance small charms can be switched to against elemental builds that lower your resistances and attack rating life charms can be switched to for melee duels.

Mercenary Type

Act 2 Holy Freeze Mercenary

Mercenary Weapon

Ethereal Infinity (Ber Mal Ber Ist) - Infinity should be used on your mercenary for PvM because it gives level 12 Conviction which greatly lowers enemies' resistances and defense. In PvP an Infinity Giant Thresher should sometimes be self wielded instead.

Mercenary Armor

Ethereal Fortitude (El Sol Dol Lo) - Gives 300% enhanced damage, up to all resistances +30, high life per level, 5% to maximum lightning resistances, and a 20% chance to cast level 15 Chilling Armor when struck which greatly increases your defense.

Mercenary Helmet

Ethereal Andariel's Visage (Ral'd) - Gives +2 to all skills, 10% life leech, -30% fire resistance, and 30 strength. Ral gives 30% fire resistance but you can also eventually upgrade to a 30% fire resistance jewel with 15% increased attack speed.

Budget Mercenary Weapon

Ethereal Insight (Ral Tir Tal Sol) - Gives up to level 17 Meditation which provides very high mana regeneration.

Budget Mercenary Armor

Duriel's Shell - Gives 20% all resistances, 50% cold resistance, 15 strength, life per level, and cannot be frozen.

Budget Mercenary Helmet

Tal Rasha's Helmet - Gives 10% life steal, 15% to all resistances, and 60 life.

Note: Ethereal items don't lose durability on mercenaries.

Fire Claws Druid Strategy

Fire Claws Druids have very high life and defense and they can significantly lower the fire resistances of their opponents. With very high faster run walk you can catch runners and teleporters but keep in mind that catching them can sometimes prove difficult if they're skilled duelers. You can use the Feral Rage skill on other players minions to gain increased attack speed and run walk speed which helps with chasing opponents. One of the greatest strengths of Fire Claws Druids is that PvP'ers sometimes don't have over stacked fire resistance and fire absorb and some don't even know you're dealing fire damage.

Fire Claws Druid Leveling Items

You can start using Hsarus' Belt and Gloves once you are at least level 3 and have 30 strength for added defense and attack rating per level from the set bonus. Bane's Garments set should be switched to at level 8 for high damage, attack rating, and great set modifiers. You can add Angelics Amulet and Ring once you reach level 12 for life and attack rating and you can add a Manald Heal ring for up to 7% mana stolen per hit as early as level 15. Aldur's weapon socketed with three Shael runes is also a nice low level weapon upgrade that can be equipped as early as level 42. Smoke (Nef Lum) is an excellent starter runeword body armor that can albe used early on for its 20% faster hit recovery and an easy all resistances +50%.

And that's all for the PvP Fire Claws Druid Guide. You can check out more guides in the menu at the top of this page. Good luck!