PvP Hurricane Druid Guide | Diablo 2 Guides

Hurricane/Tornado Druid Guide for PvP and PvM

PvP Rank: A Class / PvM Rank: B Class

Introduction

Hurricane/Tornado Druids also known as Windy Druids have very high life with Oak Sage, wolf minions to absorb homing projectile attacks, and a 2900+ health elemental shield which makes Windy Druids extremely tanky against elemental builds. There are two variations of the build depending on whether you want to gear for the 99% faster cast rate breakpoint or the 163% faster cast rate breakpoint. With 99% faster cast rate you have the advantage of being able to use a Stormshield for 35% reduced physical damage taken and with the 163% faster cast rate version you have the advantage of Teleport stomping enemies with a faster cast rate. Teleport stomping is done by Teleporting directly on top of your opponent to ensure that all of your slow moving Tornados connect. The 163% faster cast rate variation is the preferred setup for PvP if you are using just one setup because there are more fights where faster cast rate is important than fights where you need the reduced physical damage taken. The 99% faster cast rate setup is usually better in PvM because you can use a Stormshield and a Druid Pelt with +5 to Tornado and it also has the advantage of being easier to gear for. Overall Windy Druids are excellent at survival and a great class to play in both PvM and PvP fights.

Hurricane/Tornado Druid Skills

Windy Druids have very high life with Oak Sage and Battle Orders which makes points in Vitality highly valuable. Having maxed block is helpful but is less important than Vitality especially if you're using a Stormshield which gives 35% reduced physical damage taken.

Recommendation: Hurricane Druid

Stats: 156 Strength (enough for equipment), no Dexterity, all remaining points in Vitality, 0 Energy.

Skill Points:

20 Hurricane

20 Tornado

20 Cyclone Armor

20 Twister

20 Oak Sage

1 Summon Dire Wolf

1 Summon Grizzly

All remaining points in Summon Dire Wolf for PvP or Summon Grizzly for PvM.

Hurricane/Tornado Druid Gear

Weapon

Heart of the Oak (Ko Vex Pul Thul) - Gives +3 to all skills, 40% faster cast rate, 10 dexterity, replenish life + 20, 15% increased maximum mana, and level 4 Oak Sage charges.

Shield (99% Faster Cast Rate Setup)

Stormshield (Um'd) - Gives high block, 60% cold resistance, 25% lightning resistance, and 35% reduced physical damage taken.

Shield (163% Faster Cast Rate Setup)

Spirit Monarch Shield (Tal Thul Ort Amn) - Gives +2 to all skills, 35% faster cast rate, 55% faster hit recovery, vitality, magic absorb, 35% cold resistance, 35% lightning resistance, and 35% poison resistances.

Weapon Switch

Call to Arms (Amn Ral Mal Ist Ohm) - Gives up to +7 to Battle Orders with a Spirit Monarch (Tal Thul Ort Amn) for +2 to all skills.

Helmet (Budget 99% Faster Cast Rate Setup)

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. This is a great starter helmet that you can use with the 99% faster cast rate setup.

Helmet (99% Faster Cast Rate Setup)

The high end option for the 99% faster cast rate setup is a +2 to Druid Skills +3 to Tornado Druid Pelt with other great modifiers.

Helmet (163% Faster Cast Rate Setup)

+2 Druid Skills Circlet, Diadem, or Tiara with 20% faster cast rate which allows you to reach the 163% faster cast rate breakpoint.

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. This armor is primarily used for Teleport and is a required item for this build.

Gloves

Trang-Oul's Gloves - Gives 20% faster cast rate, 25% increased poison damage, and 30% cold resistance.

Belt

Arachnid Mesh - Gives +1 to all skills, 20% faster cast rate, and 5% increased mana.

Feet (Without the budget Jalal's Mane helmet)

Ethereal Sandstorm Trek - These boots should be used for 20% faster hit recovery when you aren't using the budget Jalal's Mane which gives 30% faster hit recovery. These boots give up to 20% faster run walk, 20% faster hit recovery, 15 strength, 15 vitality, 70% poison resistance, and passively repairs durability which allows them to be ethereal for higher defense and lower requirements.

Feet (When using the budget Jalal's Mane helmet)

Waterwalk - Gives up to 20% faster run walk, 65 life, 15 dexterity, 100 defense vs missiles, and 5% to maximum fire resistance. The Dexterity is useful for block with Stormshield, the life is helpful for survival, and these boots also have 5% to maximum fire resist.

Feet Vs. Fire Builds

Hotspur - These boots should be switched to against fire builds 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 can also be Up'd to Wyrmhide Boots in the Horadric Cube using a Perfect Diamond, Lem rune, and Ko rune.

Amulet

Caster Amulet - Look for +2 to Druid Skills, 19%-20% faster cast rate, resistances, and life. If you can't afford this amulet yet you can use two faster cast rate rings instead or you can look for a Caster Amulet with 19% faster cast rate without the +2 to Druid Skills.

Rings

Bul-Kathos's Wedding Band / Faster Cast Rate Ring - Two Bul-Kathos's Wedding Band rings should be used for the 99% faster cast rate version of this build which each give +1 to all skills and life per level and you should use one Bul Kathos's Wedding Band with one 10% faster cast rate ring with all resistances and life for the 163% faster cast rate version of the build.

Rings 2 (Absorb)

You can switch one Bul Kathos's Wedding Band to a Raven Frost when fighting cold builds, to a Dwarf Star for 15% fire absorb and 40 life when fighting fire builds, and 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 Elemental Skill Grand Charm with 12% Faster Hit Recovery, and 8 Elemental Grand Charms with Life. Your small charms should be life and resistance small charms to over stack resistances.

Mercenary Type

Act 2 Holy Freeze Mercenary

Mercenary Weapon

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

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 should eventually use a 30% fire resistance jewel with other great modifiers which is a better option.

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.

Hurricane Druid Strategy

Faster cast rate is very important in PvP because it allows you to cast Tornados faster which can lock opponents into their faster hit recovery animation. Hurricane Druids cast slow moving Tornados as their primary source of damage which means it's usually best to Teleport stomp your opponents to cast Tornados on them anytime you need more damage. Tornados also deal much higher damage than Hurricane ticks. Oak Sage, your Dire Wolf summons, and Cyclone Armor can all be recast after Teleporting away from your opponent. In PvP it's usually a good idea to make passes on opponents, Teleport stomp them, cast Tornados, and then Teleport away and rebuff. Now that the strategy section is complete you can enjoy playing as a Druid caster with a huge amount of life from Oak Sage and Battle Orders and a 2900+ health elemental shield from Cyclone Armor. Good luck!

Hurricane Druid Leveling Items

An Ancient's Pledge Large Shield (Ral Ort Tal) is great to switch to once you reach level 21 for high all resistances. A Spirit Crystal Sword (Tal Thul Ort Amn) can be also used at level 25 for +2 to all skills, up to 35% faster cast rate, 55% faster hit recovery, vitality, mana, and magic absorb. The Skin of the Vipermagi armor should be switched to at level 29 for +1 to all skills, 30% faster cast rate, up to magic damage taken reduced by 15, and up to all resistances +35%. Smoke (Nef Lum) can also be used as a budget body armor option at level 37 and is an excellent inexpensive starter runeword with faster hit recovery and an easy all resistances +50%.

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