Rift Assassin Guide
Last Updated:February 12, 2025|Changelog
The Rift Assassin (aka Riftsin) is a build defined by the Rift Runeword. This Assassin makes use of Dragon Talon to proc as many Frozen Orbs as possible. Combined with the Physical Damage of Dragon Talon, Death Sentry's Physical and Fire Damage combo, and the extra Poison Damage granted by Venom, the Riftsin uses 4 Damage Types to destroy her enemies.
Her gear options are very flexible, as she only requires Rift (or its cheaper substitute, Voice of Reason) and Elite-Base Boots to function. Teleport mobility and the reliable Life Sustain provided by Dracul's Grasp are also nice on this build.
The Riftsin is best at stacking Magic Find and Elite sniping in virtually every Farming Spot, including Terror Zones. The main drawback of the Standard Rift Assassin is that it is only effective in Low Player Count games (/Players1-3 in Single Player). This is because she has limited means of scaling the Frozen Orb Damage.
This build guide assumes you have a Character at Level 75 before transitioning to it. Check out our Assassin Leveling Guide and our General Leveling Strategies to reach Level 75.
Solid Elite Hunter ✔
Multiple Damage Types ✔
Effective In Any Farming Spot ✔
Unique And Exciting Playstyle ✔
❌ Somewhat Clunky
❌ Dangerous Playstyle
❌ Limited To Low Player Count
❌ Requires GG Gear For Full Potential
Sunder Charm Setup
Patch 2.5 introduced a new way of breaking Immunities: Sunder Charms. Any enemy that would be Immune to your damage type is instead reduced to 95% Resistance, before any other Resistance reductions apply. (e.g. Conviction, Lower Resist) The Charm also reduces YOUR Resistance against the sundered damage type! Check out our post on Sunder Charms to learn more about these new Charms. The following setup either uses Cold Rupture, Flame Rift or both, depending on your Farming Spot:
- Only Cold Rupture in areas that primarily has Immune to Cold monsters.
- Only Flame Rift in areas that primarily has Immune to Fire monsters.
- Cold Rupture and Flame Rift in areas with monsters both Immune to Cold and Immune to Fire.
Gear Changes
The Rift Assassin can utilize both Cold Rupture and Flame Rift, but the only places to further optimize them are your Helmet and Shield. Prioritize -x% Enemy Cold Resistance by socketing 5/5 Cold Facets into whatever gear you can. This approach nets you the most damage.
Your inventory has a lot of space for Resistance Charms. Use this space to counteract the negative effects of Cold Rupture and Flame Rift.
Terror Zones
The new Terror Zone mechanic combined with Sunder Charms open up a wide range of farmable areas. The following list highlights the best and worst Terror Zones for this build on the Starter or Budget setup. With the Sunder Charm Setup, more Terror Zones become accessible. Learn more about Terror Zones here and see how they stack up in our Terror Zone Tier List.
Best
✔ Ancient Tunnels - Many Elite Groups, High Density, Easy Mobility, No Immunities
✔ Rocky Waste + Stony Tomb - High Density, Easy Mobility Many Elite Groups, Few Immunities
✔ Tristram - High Density, Easy Mobility, Many Elite Groups, Few Immunities
✔ Cathedral + Catacombs - Many Elite Groups, Few Immunities
✔ The Tower Cellar - Many Elite Groups, Few Immunities
Worst
❌ Ancients' Way + Icy Cellar - High Physical Damage, Immunities
❌ Glacial Trail + Drifter Cavern - High Physical Damage, Tanky Enemies, Immunities
❌ Lost City + Valley of Snakes + Claw Viper Temple - High Physical Damage, Tanky Enemies, Immunities
❌ Blood Moor + Den of Evil - Low Density, Few Elite Groups, Immunities
❌ Arreat Plateau + Pit of Acheron - Low Density, Few Elite Groups, Trash Mobility, Immunities
Skills
Put 1 Skill Point into each of the following Skills:
1. Dragon Flight
2. Cloak of Shadows
3. Mind Blast
4. Blade Shield
5. Fade
6. Shadow Warrior (Max Last)
Put 9 Skill Points into the following Skills:
1. Burst of Speed (Max Attack Speed)
2. Fire Blast (3, 6, 9, or 12 Skill Points)
Max out the following Skills in this order:
1. Dragon Talon
2. Venom
3. Death Sentry
4. Shadow Warrior
Frozen Orb* is the Rift Assassin's Primary Damage Skill triggered by Rift. These Cold Damage orbs pass through enemies, shooting tiny bolts of ice outward in all directions; it explodes at a set distance, dealing its highest damage.
Dragon Talon* is a Secondary Damage Skill that serves as the main trigger of Frozen Orbs from Rift. It executes a series of Physical Damage kicks onto the selected target, applying the Kick Damage from Boots.
Death Sentry* is a Secondary Damage Skill used for additional AoE damage. It uses Corpse Explosion which causes nearby corpses to explode for a 50/50 mix of Fire and Physical Damage. If there are no bodies to target, it fires off a weak Lightning Bolt if it’s close enough to a target.
* Increased Attack Speed Skills (IAS)
* Skills that do NOT utilize either FCR or IAS
Dragon Flight* allows you to reposition yourself and your Mercenary, teleporting both to a targeted monster. This Skill is great for mobility as a pseudo Teleport on a Starter or Budget setup (see Build Variants).
Venom* is a buff that adds Poison Damage to every attack while active.
Blade Shield* casts a shield that deals a fraction of your Weapon's Damage as Physical Damage to enemies in proximity of the Assassin. It mainly serves to trigger additional Frozen Orbs from Rift on this build.
Burst of Speed* provides you with a massive Movement Speed and Attack Speed buff. This increases your mobility, your Dragon Talon Attack Speed, and the rate at which you lay Death Sentry Traps.
Mind Blast* briefly Stuns your enemies in a small squared shape area around your cursor and has a % Chance To Convert enemies hit. Converted enemies fight alongside you for a short period of time.
Cloak of Shadows* temporarily Blinds enemies around the Assassin. This drastically decreases their aggro range and their Defense. It is an incredibly useful Skill to use when facing dangerous ranged enemies such as Burning Souls and Dark Archers.
Shadow Warrior* summons a mini-Assassin that mimics your Skills on your Right-Click. You can utilize their ability to lay Death Sentrys to reduce the amount you have to cast. It also acts as a damage sponge or distraction.
Shadow Master* summons a mini-Assassin AI that uses Skills independently of your own. It mostly serves as a damage sponge and distraction. Shadow Master is tankier than Shadow Warrior against most monster types.
Fade* provides you with a large amount of +x All Resistance, Damage Reduction, and Curse Duration Reduction when cast. Each Soft Point grants 1% Damage Reduction. (Soft Points include + to Skills from gear and buffs).
* Increased Attack Speed Skills (IAS)
* Faster Cast Rate Skills (FCR)
Attributes
Note: This section provides you with the standard Stat Point allocation. Build Variants may require different allocations!
Strength
Allocate enough Stat Points into Strength to equip all of your gear. Take into account how much Strength your gear provides when equipped.
Dexterity
Allocate enough Stat Points into Dexterity to equip all of your gear. Take into account how much Dexterity your gear provides when equipped.
Vitality
Allocate any remaining Stat Points into Vitality after meeting Strength, Dexterity and Energy requirements.
Energy
Do not allocate any Stat Points into Energy. Mana costs are covered by the “x% Mana stolen per hit” stat, Charms, buffs, and Mana Potions.
Essentials
While every Stat in the Desirable Stats column is useful for this build, we highlighted the Priority Stats in Teal so you can easily identify the Most Important Stats on them.
Hover over any Item to see a pop-out with the full Item description.
Slot | Item Options | Desirable Stats |
Weapon | Rift Voice of Reason | 16% Chance to cast Level 21 Frozen Orb on attack 15% Chance to cast Level 13 Frozen Orb on striking -x% to Enemy Cold Resistance +x to Attribute Cannot Be Frozen |
Off-Hand | Spirit Monarch Stormshield Jeweler's Monarch of Deflecting (4x 5/5 Cold Facets) Gemmed Monarch (4x 5/5 Cold Facets) Head Hunter's Glory (3x 5/5 Cold Facets) Gemmed Monarch (4x Ist Runes) Moser's Blessed Circle (2x Ist Runes) Moser's Blessed Circle (2x Perfect Diamonds) Sanctuary Rhyme | +x to All Skills +x% Faster Cast Rate +x% Faster Hit Recovery +x% Faster Block Rate x% Increased Chance of Blocking -x% to Enemy Cold Resistance +x% to Cold Skill Damage +x Life +x Mana X Resist x% Damage Reduced by x% +x Life after each kill Cannot Be Frozen x% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items |
Weapon-Swap | Call to Arms Naj's Puzzler Staff of Teleportation | +x to All Skills +x to Battle Command +x to Battle Orders Level x Lower Resist [x/x Charges] Level x Teleport [x/x Charges] |
Off-Hand-Swap | Spirit Monarch | +x to All Skills |
Helmets | Nightwing's Veil (Ist Rune) Nightwing's Veil (5/5 Cold Facet) Griffon's Eye Harlequin Crest Crown of Ages (2x 5/5 Cold Facets) Rare Circlet Kira's Guardian Rockstopper Bulwark Hearth Tarnhelm Gemmed Crown (3x (Perfect Topazes) | +x to All Skills +x to Assassin Skills +x% Faster Cast Rate +x% Faster Hit Recovery x% Life stolen per hit x% Mana stolen per hit -x% to Enemy Lightning Resistance +x% to Lightning Skill Damage -x% to Enemy Cold Resistance +x% to Cold Skill Damage +x to Attribute +x Life +x Mana X Resist +x% Damage Reduced by x% Cannot Be Frozen x% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items Socketed [x] |
Body Armor | Enigma Duress Chains of Honor Fortitude Lionheart Duriel's Shell Skullder's Ire Wealth Gemmed Wire Fleece (4x Perfect Topaz) Smoke | +x to All Skills +x% Faster Run/Walk +x% Faster Hit Recovery +x% Enhanced Damage x% Chance of Crushing Blow x% Life stolen per hit +x to Teleport +x to Attribute +x Life Increased Maximum Life x% +x Mana X Resist x% Damage Reduced by x% Damage Reduced by x Magic Damage Reduced by x +x to Life after each Kill Cannot Be Frozen x% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items Socketed [x] |
Gloves | Dracul's Grasp Chance Guards Magefist Trang-Oul's Claws Blood Crafted Gloves Lava Gout Bloodfist Death's Hand (2-Piece Death's Set) Sigon's Gage (2 or 3-Piece Sigon's Set) | 5% Chance to cast Level 10 Life Tap on striking 2% Chance to cast Level 10 Enchant on striking +x to Fire Skills +x to Martial Arts [Assassin Only] +x% Faster Cast Rate +x% Faster Hit Recovery x% Increased Attack Speed x% Chance of Crushing Blow x% Life stolen per hit +x to Attribute +x Life X Resist +x% +x Life after each kill Poison Length Reduced by x% x% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items |
Belts | Arachnid Mesh Nosferatu's Coil Goldwrap Battle Belt String of Ears Verdungo's Hearty Cord Thundergod's Vigor Death's Guard (2-Piece Death's Set) Sigon's Wrap (2 or 3-Piece Sigon's Set) | +x to All Skills +x% Faster Cast Rate +x% Faster Hit Recovery x% Increased Attack Speed x% Life stolen per hit Slows Target by x% +x to Attribute +x Life X Resist +x% Damage Reduced by x% Magic Damage Reduced by x Cannot Be Frozen +x% to Maximum Lightning Resist X Resist x% +x Lightning Absorb Damage Reduced by x% x% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items |
Boots | War Traveler Mirrored Boots (Upgraded) Shadow Dancer Goblin Toe Mirrored Boots (Double Upgraded) Gore Rider Myrmidon Greaves (Upgraded) Rare Boots Aldur's Advance Mirrored Boots (Upgraded) Sigon's Sabot Myrmidon Greaves (Double Upgraded) (3-Piece Sigon's Set) | Kick Damage (UPGRADE YOUR BOOTS!) +x to Shadow Disciplines [Assassin Only] +x% Faster Run/Walk +x% Faster Hit Recovery x% Chance of Crushing Blow x% Chance of Open Wounds Adds x Damage +x to Attribute +x Life X Resist +x% x% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items |
Amulets | Mara's Kaleidoscope Caster Crafted Amulet Highlord's Wrath Prismatic Amulet of Luck Chromatic Amulet Angelic Wings (2-Piece Angelic Set) | +x to All Skills +x to Assassin Skills +x% Faster Cast Rate +x% Increased Attack Speed +x to Attack Rating +x to Attribute +x Life +x Mana X Resist +x% x% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items |
Rings | Raven Frost Rare Ring Rare Ring Nagelring Dwarf Star Wisp Projector Angelic Halo (2-Piece Angelic Set) Manald Heal | +x% Faster Cast Rate +x to Attack Rating x% Life stolen per hit +x% Mana stolen per hit +x to Attribute +x Life +x Mana X Resist x% Lightning Absorb x% Fire Absorb x% Magic Damage Reduced by x Cannot Be Frozen x% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items |
Charms | Shimmering Small Charm of Good Luck Sapphire Small Charm of Good Luck Small Charm of Good Luck Shimmering Small Charm of Vita Steel Small Charm of Vita Small Charm of Vita Shimmering Small Charm of Balance Shimmering Small Charm of Inertia Shimmering Small Charm Resistance Small Charm Entrapping Grand Charm of Vita Entrapping Grand Charm Shogukusha's Grand Charm of Vita Shogukusha's Grand Charm Steel Grand Charm of Vita Shimmering Grand Charm Resistance Grand Charm | +x to Traps [Assassin Only] +x to Martial Arts [Assassin Only] +x% Faster Run/Walk +x% Faster Hit Recovery +x to Attack Rating +x Life X Resist x% x% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items |
Unique Charms | Cold Rupture Flame Rift Gheed's Fortune Assassin Hellfire Torch Annihilus | Monster Cold Immunity Is Sundered Monster Fire Immunity Is Sundered +x to All Skills +x to Assassin Skills +x to All Attributes All Resistances +x +x% to Experience Gained x% Extra Gold from Monsters x% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items Reduces all Vendor Prices x% +x to Light Radius |
The areas below are efficient farming locations that make use of the build’s strengths. Other farming spots might not be as effective due to Immunities or bad layouts.
Anything that has a ✔ in the "Starter" column can be farmed with the Starter or Budget Build Variant.
Act 1
Area | Starter | Rewards | ||
Mausoleum | - | All Item Types Max Area Level Leveling | ||
The Countess | - | Runes Key of Terror | ||
The Pit | - | All Item Types Max Area Level Leveling | ||
The Secret Cow Level | - | Runes Runeword Bases Charms / Gems / Jewels |
Act 2
Area | Starter | Rewards | ||
Stony Tomb | ✔ | All Item Types Max Area Level Leveling | ||
Ancient Tunnels | ✔ | All Item Types Max Area Level Leveling | ||
Summoner | - | Key of Hate |
Act 3
Area | Starter | Rewards | ||
Arachnid Lair | ✔ | All Item Types Max Area Level | ||
Travincal | - | Gearing Runes Charms / Gems / Jewels Gold |
Act 4
Area | Starter | Rewards | ||
City of the Damned | - | All Item Types | ||
River of Flame | - | All Item Types Max Area Level Leveling | ||
Chaos Sanctuary | - | All Item Types Max Area Level Leveling | ||
Diablo | - | Uniques Sets |
Act 5
Area | Starter | Rewards | ||
Eldritch the Rectifier | ✔ | Gearing Gold Leveling | ||
Shenk the Overseer | ✔ | Gearing Gold Leveling | ||
Pindleskin | ✔ | Gearing Gold Leveling | ||
Worldstone Keep / Throne of Destruction | - | All Item Types Max Area Level Leveling | ||
Baal / Waves | - | Uniques Sets Max Area Level Leveling |
Your Mercenary serves an incredibly important role to the overall success of your build. They can be a front line tank, provide a pivotal Aura, and/or deal Physical Damage to kill enemies with Immunity to your Skill set.
Act 2 Desert Mercenary
The Act 2 Desert Mercenary is hired from Greiz. He can be equipped with a Spear or a Polearm, a Body Armor and a Helmet.
Every Act 2 Mercenary has access to an Aura and uses Jab as his base Attack. The Aura activates once the Mercenary has engaged in combat and remains active between traveling to and from town. The Auras available are based on what difficulty you hire the Mercenary from.
Infinity, Might
Use a Desert Mercenary with Might Aura for a significant damage boost. Equip him with Infinity to reduce enemy Resistances and Defense with its Conviction Aura, drastically boosting damage and Chance to Hit. This Aura is also capable of breaking monster Immunities, including Cold and Fire.
Mercenary Gear Options
Your Mercenary needs maximum Resistances, Life Leech, a high damage Weapon, and high Defense and/or Damage Reduction to stay alive reliably. Cannot Be Frozen is also a great stat for maintaining Mercenary DPS and leech. Ethereal gear is preferred since it doesn't lose durability. Mercenary Types and Gear Options at each Gear Level perform equally well in different situations; choose based on Farming Spots and/or personal preference.
Gear Level | Early-Game | Mid-Game | End-Game |
Mercenary Type | Act 5 Frenzy | Act 2 Might | Act 2 Might |
Weapon | Lawbringers | Insight Obedience | Infinity |
Body Armor | Smoke Lionheart Hustle Goldskin Rockfleece Gemmed Dusk Shroud | Treachery Duress Shaftstop The Gladiator's Bane Duriel's Shell Guardian Angel | Fortitude Treachery Chains of Honor Jeweler's Sacred Armor of Stability Shaftstop Duress Skullder's Ire Wealth |
Helmet | Gemmed Crown Bulwark Undead Crown Gemmed Mask Temper Cure | Tal Rasha's Horadric Crest Guillaume's Face Vampire Gaze Crown of Thieves Stealskull Kira's Guardian Rockstopper Cure | Andariel's Visage Guillaume's Face Guillaume's Face |
The Mercenary is hard to keep alive until you have the minimum gear recommended in this guide. Remember you can drag Healing Potions onto the portrait, or shift + 1/2/3/4 to directly feed them a Healing Potion from your Belt. The Mercenary also gains bonus Resistances from Thawing Potions and Antidote Potions.
If your Mercenary dies in battle, you can revive them from any of the Mercenary NPCs in each Act. This does come with an increasing cost, capping at 50,000 Gold. Keep that in mind and decide if the Mercenary is currently worth the cost.
General
- Before each Magic Find/Experience run, cast Burst of Speed, Blade Shield, and Venom on your Weapon-Swap with more + to Skills. Refresh these Skills as soon as they expire.
- Summon your Shadow Warrior on your Weapon-Swap with more + to Skills and switch back to Burst of Speed. The Shadow Warrior only uses the Skills that you have active on your Skill Bar. Wait until he buffed himself with Burst of Speed, then switch to Death Sentry on your right Skill. Re-summon your Shadow if it dies.
- Lay 1-2 Death Sentry Traps upon locating Elites, then engage them with Dragon Flight. When you are in melee range, switch to Dragon Talon and use it to proc Frozen Orbs. Your Death Sentry Traps deal massive Area of Effect damage with their Corpse Explosions.
- If you do not have an item source of Teleport, reposition yourself and your Mercenary with Dragon Flight when necessary.
- Cast Cloak of Shadows to temporarily Blind dangerous ranged enemies as needed (Dark Archers, Burning Souls, etc.).
- You can also use Mind Blast to Stun and Convert nearby threats.
- Strategically re-summoning Shadow Warrior or Shadow Master in front of scary mobs is an effective survival tactic.
- Fade increases your Damage Reduction, Resistances, and Curse Duration Reduction at the expense of the Attack Speed and Movement Speed provided by Burst of Speed.
Immunities
- The Rift Assassin deals 4 Damage Types. You won't face monsters that are completely Immune to your damage.
- Cold Rupture and Flame Rift allow you to more comfortably deal with Cold and Fire Immunes alike.
- Cold Rupture sets all Immune to Cold monsters to 95% Cold Resistance, allowing any sources of -x% to Enemy Cold Resistance (including Conviction or Lower Resist) to take full effect.
- Flame Rift sets all Immune to Fire monsters to 95% Fire Resistance, allowing any sources of -x% to Enemy Fire Resistance (including Conviction or Lower Resist) to take full effect.
Late-Game
- Switch to your Weapon-Swap and buff yourself with Battle Command twice and Battle Orders once. Continue with Burst of Speed, Blade Shield, and Venom, and then summon your Shadow Warrior. Repeat Battle Command and Battle Orders again to buff him.
- Use Enigma Teleport to travel to your Farming Spot and between Elite Packs. You can also "Telestomp" Elite Packs into a follow-up Dragon Talon.
- Keep your Mercenary close to the enemies you are fighting. Both the Frozen Orb procs and Death Sentry benefit from his Infinity's Conviction Aura. It also increases your Chance To Hit with Dragon Talon, as it reduces your enemies' Defense as well!
Optimal Loot/Experience Farming Strategies
- Ancient Tunnels - This is one of the best Farming Spots for a fully-geared Rift Assassin. With a large number of Elite Groups in a compact area and no Cold Immunes, this area is second to none. This farm is optimal with 1-3 Players in the game or /Players1-3 in Single Player.
- Stony Tomb - This Max Level Area is an excellent Farming Spot for Rift Assassins of all gear levels. With a large number of Elite Groups and no Cold Immunes, this is a solid area. Mobs in this area also typically have relatively low Life. This farm is optimal with 1-3 Players in the game or /Players1-3 in Single Player.
- Arachnid Lair - This is one of the best Farming Spots for a Starter Rift Assassin. It is easy to access Max Level Area with no Cold Immunes. This farm is optimal with 1-3 Players in the game or /Players1-3 in Single Player.
Breakpoints in Diablo 2 are the minimum values required to reduce the frames of an action. Below are the important breakpoints considered for this build. For more information on the mechanics involved, check out our in-depth Resource: Breakpoints.
Faster Cast Rate (FCR)
Faster Cast Rate speeds up your casting animation for spells. Aim for at least the 65% FCR Breakpoint on either the main weapon loadout or Weapon-Swap for Enigma Teleport cast speed. Note: FCR only controls the animation speed of the Character, and not any internal Cooldowns spells have.
Frames | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 |
FCR | 0 | 8 | 16 | 27 | 42 | 65 | 102 | 174 |
Increased Attack Speed (IAS)
This build solely relies upon the Increased Attack Speed from Burst of Speed for faster attack and trap setting animations using Weapons with a Weapon Speed Modifier of -10 (Rift War Scepter or Voice of Reason). Consult the d2planner for Breakpoints with IAS on gear.
Faster Hit Recovery (FHR)
Faster Hit Recovery increases survivability. Aim for at least the 27% FHR Breakpoint.
Frames | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
FHR | 0 | 7 | 15 | 27 | 48 | 86 | 200 |
Faster Block Rate (FBR)
Faster Block Rate increases survivability on certain Build Variants. Aim for the 32% Faster Block Rate Breakpoint where applicable.
Frames | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
FBR | 0 | 13 | 32 | 86 | 600 |
For all Hardcore gameplay, your primary focus is increasing your Resistances, Damage Reduction, Chance to Block and Maximum Life. This can mean sacrificing overall power level for a more secure playstyle.
The Rift Assassin can become Hardcore viable with key changes to Gear, Stats, and Skill Point allocation. Review the changes below before building this character in Hardcore, as some of these changes differ significantly from the Standard Build.
Gear Changes
- Damage Reduction: There are several gear options for achieving a high amount of % Damage Reduction on a Hardcore Rift Assassin. Stormshield is the best overall option for survivability. A combination of Crown of Ages and either String of Ears or Verdungo's Hearty Cord can also work if you want to continue using Spirit Monarch or rather Jeweler's Monarch of Deflecting socketed with 4x 5/5 Cold Rainbow Facets.
- Stacking Resistances: Stack your Fire/Lightning/Cold Resistances beyond the default maximum values of 75 each (175 total in Hell). Stacking 85 additional Resistances in Hell completely negates the Conviction Aura of any Elite Boss or the Oblivion Knight's Lower Resist Curse. Beware of encountering both at the same time! Consider the primary damage type(s) of the monsters in the area you want to farm. Chains of Honor or Fortitude are possible Body Armor options if you are willing to forgo Enigma. Boots, Jewelry and Charms are also ideal sources of Resistances on this build.
- Faster Hit Recovery: Achieve the 27% Faster Hit Recovery Breakpoint on your main weapon loadout with your Boots and/or Charms. Faster Hit Recovery is not as important when going for maximum Chance to Block (75%). You mainly rely on the 32% Faster Block Rate Breakpoint you achieve with Stormshield.
- Lightning Absorb: Equip Thundergod's Vigor when farming or Teleporting through an area where Burning Souls are able to spawn such as Worldstone Keep/Throne of Destruction.
Stat Point Changes
- Allocate enough Stat Points into Strength to wear Stormshield.
- Allocate enough Stat Points into Dexterity to achieve maximum Chance to Block (75%) while having Stormshield equipped.
- Allocate all remaining Stat Points into Vitality.
Skill Point Changes
- Investing Skill Points into Shadow Master instead of Shadow Warrior provides the Hardcore Rift Assassin with a more reliable tank.
- You can use Fade instead of Burst of Speed, sacrificing Attack Speed for Damage Reduction, Resistances, and Curse Duration Reduction. If you choose to do this, additional Skill Points into Fade can further improve your Damage Reduction.
See the "Hardcore" Build Variant below for additional suggestions and visuals.
Build Variants
Setup
The Starter variant of the Rift Assassin meets the minimum gear requirements for farming the Starter ✔ tagged areas in the "Farming Spots" section above. These areas can be Solo-farmed by this setup (/Players1 on Single Player) in both Nightmare and Hell difficulty. Prioritize Kick Damage, Attack Speed, Crushing Blow, Resistances, Attack Rating, Cannot Be Frozen, and Life/Attributes on your gear. Voice of Reason is a cheaper alternative to Rift that provides reliable Frozen Orb procs. Double Upgraded Goblin Toe provides you with high Kick Damage. A % Mana Stolen Per Hit Ring helps this setup sustain. A Staff of Teleportation on Weapon-Swap allows you to travel short distances (Dragon Flight allows you to use monsters to reposition). Follow the Assassin Leveling Guide to get your Assassin to Level 75.
Mercenary
An Act 5 Frenzy Mercenary using Lawbringers is ideal for a Starter Rift Assassin. Sanctuary and Decrepify provide added safety and damage. Mercenaries require Resistances, Life Leech, and/or Damage Reduction to stay alive. Smoke is a cheap Body Armor option for much needed Resistances.
Skills
Use Shadow Master instead of Shadow Warrior for its superior tankiness. The rest is the same as the Standard Build.
Put 1 Skill Point into each of the following Skills:
1. Dragon Flight
2. Cloak of Shadows
3. Mind Blast
4. Blade Shield
5. Fade
6. Shadow Master (Max Last)
Put 9 Skill Points into the following Skills:
1. Burst of Speed (Max Attack Speed)
2. Fire Blast (3, 6, 9, or 12 Skill Points)
Max out the following Skills in this order:
1. Dragon Talon
2. Venom
3. Death Sentry
4. Shadow Master
Attributes
Allocate enough Stat Points into Strength to wear your gear and enough Stat Points into Dexterity to achieve maximum Chance to Block (75%). Put all remaining Stat Points into Vitality.
Setup
The Budget Rift Assassin achieves solid results with gear that is much easier to acquire than the gear on the Standard Build. This setup can comfortably farm Ancient Tunnels, Arachnid Lair, Stony Tomb, and other areas with few or no Cold Immunes. This build makes use of several lower-end gear options that still provide solid Damage, Attack Rating, Resistances, Damage Reduction, Magic Find, and the Cannot Be Frozen stat. Items such as Duress, Rockstopper, and Moser's Blessed Circle help accomplish this. Naj's Puzzler provides you with extra mobility. If you can acquire Cold Rupture you can kill Immune to Cold mobs.
Mercenary
The Budget Rift Assassin Mercenary is an Act 2 Might Mercenary with Insight for the Mana Regeneration it provides. Treachery and Tal Rasha's Horadric Crest provide additional DPS and survivability.
Skills
Put 1 Skill Point into each of the following Skills:
1. Dragon Flight
2. Cloak of Shadows
3. Mind Blast
4. Blade Shield
5. Fade
6. Shadow Warrior (Max Last)
Put 9 Skill Points into the following Skills:
1. Burst of Speed (Max Attack Speed)
2. Fire Blast (3, 6, 9, or 12 Skill Points)
Max out the following Skills in this order:
1. Dragon Talon
2. Venom
3. Death Sentry
4. Shadow Warrior
Attributes
Allocate enough Stat Points into Strength to wear your gear and enough Stat Points into Dexterity to achieve maximum Chance to Block (75%). Put all remaining Stat Points into Vitality.
Setup
This is the Standard Best in Slot (BiS) Rift Assassin featured in the beginning of the guide. It is the balanced "jack-of-all-trades" version, capable of performing the most tasks well. This variant is the point of comparison for all other variants. It carefully balances Damage, Magic Find, Resistances, Life Sustain, and Teleport mobility. Cold Rupture allows this build to smash Immune to Cold mobs. This setup reaches the 65% Faster Cast Rate Breakpoint on its main weapon loadout.
Mercenary
The Standard Rift Assassin Mercenary is an Act 2 Might Mercenary with Infinity for -85% to Enemy Cold Resistance and reduced monster Defense from its Conviction Aura. Fortitude and Andariel's Visage socketed with a Ruby Jewel of Fervor maximize this Mercenary's damage and survivability.
Skills
Put 1 Skill Point into each of the following Skills:
1. Dragon Flight
2. Cloak of Shadows
3. Mind Blast
4. Blade Shield
5. Fade
6. Shadow Warrior (Max Last)
Put 9 Skill Points into the following Skills:
1. Burst of Speed (Max Attack Speed)
2. Fire Blast (3, 6, 9, or 12 Skill Points)
Max out the following Skills in this order:
1. Dragon Talon
2. Venom
3. Death Sentry
4. Shadow Warrior
Attributes
Allocate enough Stat Points into Strength to wear your gear. Put all remaining Stat Points into Vitality.
Setup
The Hybrid Rift Assassin uses a fully Synergized Lightning Sentry in addition to the Frozen Orb from Rift to more easily deal with High Player Count (/Players5-8 in Single Player). With 5 Damage Types (Cold, Fire, Physical, Poison, Lightning) from several Damage Skills, there is nothing this variant cannot kill. Griffon's Eye and Entrapping Grand Charms are essential for high Lightning Sentry damage. This Riftsin reaches the 102% Faster Cast Rate Breakpoint on its main weapon loadout.
Mercenary
Just like the Standard Build, the Hybrid Rift Assassin Mercenary is an Act 2 Might Mercenary with Infinity, Fortitude, and Andariel's Visage socketed with a Ruby Jewel of Fervor.
Skills
The Hybrid Rift Assassin maxes out Lightning Sentry and all of its Synergies. This is at the expense of Skill Points into Venom, Fire Blast, Death Sentry, and Shadow Warrior.
Put 1 Skill Point into each of the following Skills:
1. Dragon Flight
2. Cloak of Shadows
3. Mind Blast
4. Blade Shield
5. Fade
6. Venom
7. Shadow Warrior
8. Death Sentry (Max Last)
Put 9 Skill Points into the following Skills:
1. Burst of Speed (Max Attack Speed)
Max out the following Skills in this order:
1. Dragon Talon
2. Lightning Sentry
3. Shock Web
4. Charged Bolt Sentry
5. Death Sentry
Attributes
Allocate enough Stat Points into Strength to wear your gear. Put all remaining Stat Points into Vitality.
Setup
For the Hardcore mode variant, aim for 50% Damage Reduction and maximum Chance to Block (75%) to guard against taking extreme amounts of Physical Damage. Additionally, overcap Resistances beyond the natural cap of 75% if possible to counteract hostile Conviction or Lower Resist (Fade can help achieve this). If you choose to use Cold Rupture, stack additional Cold Resistance to counteract its negative effect. This setup reaches the 65% Faster Cast Rate Breakpoint on Weapon-Swap. Consult the "Hardcore" section for more detailed information.
Mercenary
Just like the Standard Build, the Hardcore Rift Assassin Mercenary is an Act 2 Might Mercenary with Infinity, Fortitude, and Andariel's Visage socketed with a Ruby Jewel of Fervor.
Skills
Max Shadow Master instead of Shadow Warrior for its superior tankiness. You can also choose to use and invest additional Skill Points into Fade on a Hardcore Dragon Tail Assassin. The rest is the same as the Standard Build.
Put 1 Skill Point into each of the following Skills:
1. Dragon Flight
2. Cloak of Shadows
3. Mind Blast
4. Blade Shield
5. Fade
6. Shadow Master (Max Last)
Put 7-9 Skill Points into the following Skills:
1. Burst of Speed (Max Attack Speed)
2. Fire Blast (3, 6, 9, or 12 Skill Points)
Max out the following Skills in this order:
1. Dragon Talon
2. Venom
3. Death Sentry
4. Shadow Master
Attributes
Allocate enough Stat Points into Strength to wear your gear and enough Stat Points into Dexterity to achieve maximum Chance to Block (75%). Put all remaining Stat Points into Vitality.
Summary
- Lay down Death Sentry Traps before "Telestomping" Elites with Dragon Flight and using Dragon Talon to proc Frozen Orbs.
- Buff yourself with Burst of Speed, Venom, Battle Command, and Battle Orders.
- The Shadow Warrior only uses the Skills that you have selected in your Skill Bar. Make sure they buff themselves with Burst of Speed, then keep Death Sentry on right click while engaging mobs.
- The Riftsin is limited to low Player Count. It is not very effective with more than 3 Players in a game (/Players 3 in Single Player)!
- Immunities are not a problem. The Rift Assassin deals 4 Damage Types! Farm anywhere you want!
The Rift Assassin sports a fun and unique playstyle that feels rewarding when executed properly. Fell your enemies with a flurry of Orbs! "Assassin Sorceress" OP!
Good luck!
Credits
Written by DarkHumility
Original Post by Teo1904
Reviewed by MacroBioBoi