PvP Fire Claws Druid Guide | Diablo 2 Guides

Fire Claws 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 mainstream and a popular build choice. You can't teleport when you are shapeshifted which means you have to rely on faster run walk gear and charms to chase after teleporters and runners in PvP. Fire Claws may not be the most powerful class in the game but if you are still interested in playing a Fire Claws Druid then read on. Fire Claws can however deal extremely high damage against other PvP builds especially when they don't know that you are a fire damage build. 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. This means that Fire Claws Druids deal even better damage than Fury Druids when players don't over stack their fire resistances and fire absorb.

Fire Claws Druid Skills

Werewolf is the new best Fire Claws shapeshift form after the Werebear Fire Claws attack speed was heavily nerfed in a previous patch. The Werewolf form now attacks much faster than the Werebear shapeshifting form and has a 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 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%. A Phoenix weapon isn't recommended because it has no attack speed. Hand of Justice reaches the final attack speed breakpoint with a high level Werewolf form and just 10% increased attack speed from your equipment. Hand of Justice also has ignore target defense which is extremely helpful in PvM.

Shield

You should use a Stormshield (Shael'd for faster block rate) for high block, 60% cold resistance, 25% lightning resistance, and 35% physical damage taken reduction against all physical builds that you can block against.

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 the defense of enemies by 83%. Infinity also has 35% faster run walk which can help you catch fast runners and casters.

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 switch to a Demon Limb unique weapon in town for level 23 Enchant and then switch back to your Call to Arms.

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 on Jalal's Mane is very important for 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 (which doesn't matter because it can't be used in Werewolf form), and high magic find. Enigma increases the level of your Fire Claws, increases your attack speed, increases your attack rating, and increases your life. It also has 45% faster run walk which is important to catch fast moving players in PvP.

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 very important for this build in duels and the 10% increased attack speed takes you to the highest attack speed breakpoint with a Hand of Justice Phase Blade 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 you shouldn't use them in PvP because they're considered bad manners.

Belt Vs. Melee

Verdungo's Hearty Cord - Use this belt against melee builds for up to 15% reduced physical damage taken, 40 vitality, replenish life +13, and 10% faster hit recovery. This belt combined with the Jalal's Mane helmet (30% fhr), Bloodfist gloves (30% fhr), and charms also help you reach the 86% faster hit recovery breakpoint which is important in PvP for Fire Claws Druids.

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 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 fighting teleporters and/or 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 is lowered in PvP), 15% reduced physical damage taken, and up to magic damage taken reduced by 15.

Feet Vs. Melee

Immortal King's Boots - These boots provide the highest run walk from boots with 40% faster run walk and give 44 to life and 110 attack rating which improves your survival and makes your Fire Claws hit more often.

Feet Vs. Lightning & Cold Builds That Lower Your Resistances

Tri-resist Faster Run Walk Boots - Look for rare 30% faster run walk boots with as close to 40% cold resistance and 40% Lightning Resistance as you can get optionally with fire resistance and/or faster hit recovery. As a budget option you can also use Natalya's Boots for 40% faster run walk and up to 25% lightning resistance and 25% cold resistance.

Feet Vs. Fire Builds

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

Amulet

Mara's Kaleidoscope - Gives +2 to all skills, 5 to all attributes, and up to 30% to all resistances. You can also keep a +3 Shape Shifting Skills amulet in your inventory to switch to for a higher level 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 classes like Barbarians and Paladins. In team dueling you can also use a Metalgrid amulet which gives up to 450 attack rating, 350 defense, and 35% to all resistances with one or two Raven Frost Rings if you need a high attack rating and 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. Without Mara's Kaleidoscope or Metalgrid in your amulet slot your resistances will however be lower which means you shouldn't use The Cat's Eye amulet against elemental builds.

Rings

Raven Frosts - You can use 2 Raven Frosts which each give up to 20 dexterity, 250 attack rating, 20% cold absorb, and cannot be frozen against lower defense classes that don't deal fire damage or lightning lightning and you can switch one ring and your amulet to Angelic Ring and Amulet when you're fighting high defense classes like Barbarians and Paladins.

Rings 2 (Absorb)

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

Charms

Hellfire Torch for +3 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 Shape Shifting Skill Grand Charms with Life. Your small charms should also 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 or maximum damage/attack rating. You can also switch your faster run walk charms for maximum damage/attack rating/life charms when fighting melee builds.

Mercenary Type

Act 2 Holy Freeze Mercenary

Mercenary Weapon

Ethereal Infinity (Ber Mal Ber Ist) - Infinity should be used on your mercenary in PvM for level 12 Conviction which lowers enemies resistances and defense. Keep in mind that it's considered bad manners to use a mercenary in PvP.

Mercenary Armor

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

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 use a 30% fire resistance jewel with other great modifiers.

Budget Mercenary Weapon

Ethereal Insight (Ral Tir Tal Sol) - Gives up to level 17 Meditation which provides 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 a ton of life and can use equipment that lowers the fire resistances of their enemies. One of the greatest strengths of Fire Claws Druids in duels is that some PvP'ers don't have over stacked fire resistance and fire absorb and some don't even know you deal fire damage. One of the biggest weaknesses of this build is that it can sometimes prove difficult to catch runners and teleporter because you can't teleport while shapeshifted. With very high faster run walk you can typically catch runners and teleporters but keep in mind that catching them can sometimes prove difficult if they are skilled duelers. As another added tip you can use Feral Rage on other players minions and mercenaries to gain increased attack speed and run walk speed.

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. Civerb's Cudgel can be used at level 9 and is a great starter weapon that increases in damage as you level. You can add Angelic Amulet and Ring once you are level 12 for high life and attack rating and you can equip a Manald Heal ring for up to 7% mana stolen per hit as early as level 15. Aldur's weapon socketed with three Shaels is also a nice upgrade that can be equipped as early as level 42. Smoke (Nef Lum) is a body armor that only requires level 37 and is an excellent inexpensive starter runeword that can also be used early on for its 20% faster hit recovery and all resistances +50%.

And that's all for the PvP Fire Claws Druid Guide. You can also check out the most popular crafted items here Crafting Guide.