Diablo 4: Season 11 PTR Power Rankings
The Season 11 PTR for Diablo 4 has lit up Sanctuary with massive changes, leaderboard updates, and long-awaited balance adjustments.
With power levels reined in after Season 10's "quadrillion-damage" madness, Blizzard seems to be tightening the balance-yet every class still has a path to Pit 100 and beyond.
Even though everything you see on the PTR is subject to change before the official launch, the current leaderboard landscape gives us a clear look at which builds are dominating, which ones are struggling, and how the meta might evolve once Season 11 goes live. Here's the early ranking and analysis of Diablo 4's most powerful builds right now.
The Return of the Barbarian: Hoda Barb Takes the Throne
Let's start with the current king of the PTR-the Hoda Barb. For the first time in months, Barbarian mains finally have a reason to celebrate. Powered by the newly buffed Melted Heart of Selig, this Hammer of the Ancients build is slamming through Tower 122-equivalent to Pit 122-with hits reaching into the 150 trillion damage range.
The secret lies in how Fury generation synergizes with the Melted Heart's scaling. But even with expected nerfs, the Hoda Barb feels fluid, satisfying, and powerful without being invincible. The class's weakness for over a year may finally be over-at least for a season.
Still, survivability remains a concern. The monsters on the PTR hit harder than ever, so players need to adapt to a more tactical playstyle-using crowd control, spacing, and movement instead of pure face-tanking. This build rewards timing and positioning, and that's what makes it both engaging and balanced.
If the Melted Heart remains usable post-adjustment, the Barbarian could very well stay a top-tier class deep into Season 11. After months in the shadows, the "Mighty Bob" is finally mighty again.
Spiritborn-Evade and Destroy
Coming in at number two is the Spiritborn, arguably the most consistent powerhouse across the entire PTR. This Evade Spirit build has been a fan favorite for its blend of speed, power, and immortality-and despite nerfs to perma-evade mechanics, it remains one of the smoothest and most forgiving playstyles in Diablo 4 right now.
Blizzard's Masterworking changes have reduced true infinite mobility, but clever players have found ways to stay evasive nearly all the time through new gear setups. The result? A build that still hits for half a trillion damage per feather, clears Tower 100s in minutes, and boasts near-unkillable toughness levels-some reports suggest over 10 million toughness in live combat.
The Spiritborn is not only durable; it's also beginner-friendly. The class's combination of survivability, straightforward mechanics, and massive AoE damage makes it ideal for both solo progression and leaderboard pushing. Even if future patches tweak numbers, this build feels like one of the safest bets going into the new season.
Right now, the top Spiritborn clears hover around Tier 110-115, but Rob expects optimized players to break 125 when the season goes live. Whether you're looking for an immortal build or a reliable path to Pit 100, Spiritborn remains a top-tier choice.
Cataclysm Druid-The Lazy God Build
The bronze medal goes to the Cataclysm Druid, a true storm of nature and another beneficiary of the Melted Heart's power.
Right now, the Cataclysm Druid can tick for over a trillion damage per cast, though some of that damage stems from uncapped Ramaladni's scaling-something that Blizzard will likely fix before launch. Even so, the Druid is finally in a comfortable place. Between its strong AoE coverage, high sustain, and simple rotation, it's both powerful and approachable.
What makes this even more interesting is how the Druid now fits into potential group play. Rob tested a hybrid setup with a Support Druid + Hoda Barb combo, and the synergy was incredible. The Druid's Debilitating Roar drastically reduces incoming damage, while its ability to pull enemies and buff allies with crit chance and attack speed transforms it into a near-essential party member.
This opens the door for a true group meta reminiscent of Diablo 3's ZDPS and support systems-something fans have been requesting for years. If Blizzard leans into this design philosophy, we might finally see Diablo 4 evolve into a more cooperative and strategic multiplayer experience.
Necromancer-The Golem General
In fourth place, we have the Golem Necromancer, led by community creator Ronnie L. This summoner setup uses a new weapon that allows for triple golem summons, turning the battlefield into a controlled chaos of bone and fury.
While it's the strongest Necromancer build currently on the PTR, it doesn't quite reach the raw output of Barbarian, Spiritborn, or Druid. Most leaderboard clears for this build sit around Pit 100-105, which is still impressive but noticeably lower than the top three.
Still, for fans of pet builds, this version of Necromancer feels rewarding. It's also versatile, offering decent survivability and reliable single-target damage. There's still a working Blood Surge variant floating around too, but Golemancer is clearly the dominant archetype right now.
If Blizzard gives minion AI and survivability another tuning pass, the Necro could easily climb the ranks. For now, it's a comfortable middle-of-the-pack option.
Sorcerer-Crackling Energy Still Shines
The Sorcerer continues to hold its ground as one of the fastest and flashiest classes in the game, even after the perma-teleport nerfs.
Running the Crackling Energy build, Sorcerers are still blitzing through Pit 100s in sub-3-minute clears. That's an insane pace, especially considering the overall nerf to raw player power compared to Season 10. The build's consistent AoE burst, combined with frequent teleport repositioning, keeps it one of the smoothest gameplay loops in Diablo 4.
Sorcerers may not be topping the DPS charts, but they continue to dominate in efficiency and farming speed. Expect this class to remain a favorite for players who value movement and flashy, reactive combat.
Rogue-Still Searching for Redemption
Unfortunately, the Rogue remains the weakest performer in Season 11's PTR landscape. Despite receiving numerous passive buffs in previous patches, the class still struggles to compete in raw output and survivability.
There was a brief moment of excitement when a Dance of Knives build-a "spin-to-win" melee variant-started posting absurd leaderboard clears. However, that setup relied on a major bug that's already been fixed. Without it, Rogues top out around Pit 97, the lowest of all five classes on the leaderboard.
It's a frustrating position for a class that should, in theory, excel at burst and agility. The tools are there-high crit scaling, great resource management, and solid traps-but in the face of new item synergies like Melted Heart, the Rogue's ceiling is simply too low. Players are hopeful Blizzard will deliver meaningful buffs before Season 11 launches.
The Rise of Group Synergy and the Future of the Meta
Beyond the solo leaderboard, one of the most exciting discoveries on the PTR is the return of group synergy. For the first time since Diablo 3's heyday, there's real potential for support roles to make a difference in high-tier content.
The Druid's crowd control, damage reduction, and buff toolkit amplify the Barbarian's damage output while making runs significantly safer.
It's a glimpse into what could become a full-fledged meta ecosystem if Blizzard expands the system to three- and four-player groups.
Imagine dedicated pullers, buffers, and damage dealers working together strategically-not just solo blasting in parallel. That's the kind of cooperative depth Diablo 4 has been missing, and the PTR hints that it may finally be arriving.
Final Thoughts-Power Rebalanced, Fun Restored
Season 11 is shaping up to be a reset of power and a rebirth of balance. Gone are the absurd quadrillion-damage screenshots, replaced by tighter scaling that still feels rewarding. As long as you use your accumulated D4 Gold and high-level Diablo 4 Items in suitable builds, every class can comfortably clear Pit 100, which means build diversity and competition are in a much healthier place.
MMOexp Diablo 4 Team