Druid build routes
For an attacking army, start on Raven and follow the wolf chain. Poison Creeper attacks too, but evolves into support vines, not wolves. Werewolf can still cast spells and summon.
Opening and progression
- Choose Raven for the wolf route. Learn its eight ranks and hold Ravenlore, unlocked at 6. Summon Spirit Wolf has a level-6 unlock, but Raven cannot be maxed before character level 8; the first possible chest is therefore at least level 8.
- Keep Ravenlore for Summon Dire Wolf from 18. Add Vitality for Summon Grizzly from 30; both wolf skills are evolutions already maxed at rank 1.
- For an elemental opening take Firestorm, then hold Cyclone Armor from 12 for Molten Boulder. Fissure is a separate ordinary level-12 skill; max Fissure plus Faster Cast Rate gives Volcano at 24, then Fire Claws gives Armageddon at 30.
- A werewolf opening follows Werewolf plus Feral Rage into Fury at 30. Maintain a useful weapon for that route, while adding spells or summons if slots allow; form does not disable them.
Evolution prerequisite table
Each row also requires the listed base to be learned to its maximum and a chest after all requirements are met. A target’s unlock level alone does not guarantee that its base can already be maxed.
| Skill to max | Catalyst to hold | Evolution | Earliest character level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raven 8 (1) | Ravenlore (6) | Summon Spirit Wolf | 8 (target unlock 6; base rank cap delays it) |
| Summon Spirit Wolf 1 | Ravenlore (6) | Summon Dire Wolf | 18 |
| Summon Dire Wolf 1 | Vitality (1) | Summon Grizzly | 30 |
| Poison Creeper 8 (1) | Replenish Life (1) | Carrion Vine | 12 |
| Carrion Vine 1 | Faster Cast Rate (1) | Solar Creeper | 24 |
| Firestorm 8 (1) | Cyclone Armor (12) | Molten Boulder | 12 (target unlock 6; catalyst delays it) |
| Fissure 8 (12) | Faster Cast Rate (1) | Volcano | 24 |
| Volcano 1 | Fire Claws (18) | Armageddon | 30 |
| Werewolf 8 (1) | Feral Rage (12) | Fury | 30 |
Alternatives and Hell / Terror boundaries
If Raven is absent from the first hand, Poison Creeper is an attacking alternative, but it will not become a wolf. Learn Raven separately when available if you still want the Grizzly route.
Poison Creeper attacks. Carrion Vine and Solar Creeper are support vines; Oak Sage, Heart of Wolverine and Spirit of Barbs are non-attacking spirits. Do not count every vine as either a fighter or a wolf precursor.
On Hell, choosing Firestorm as a first pick grants another first pick from the other trees because the opening Act I monsters are fire immune. Plan another usable damage source rather than relying only on the fire chain.
The class page says beasts, including Poison Creeper, skip physical-immune monsters. Bosses push through summons; an army is not a reliable boss wall. Gear +skills generally raise summon damage, not count or life; the ravens retained by wolf packs are an explicit exception.
Slot and survival budget
Normal has 6 skill slots and 6 passive slots; Nightmare has 8 of each and Hell 10 of each. Continuing past Baal adds 2 of each. An evolution replaces its base in the same slot. Do not plan all alternatives below as simultaneous picks.
Nightmare applies a -40 resistance penalty and Hell -100. Review the character sheet before advancing. No fixed gear list, clear time, Terror floor or final DPS is established by these routes.
How to use these routes
These are editorial routes assembled from the official skill rules, not tested endgame loadouts. The mechanics below have one publisher: the official D2 Survivors wiki. Its class, skill-systems and numbers pages are not independent sources.
Max an ordinary base skill at 8 learned ranks, hold its catalyst and meet both level requirements, then open a chest. An evolution arrives at its maximum of 1 rank; its next step needs another catalyst and another chest, not eight more ranks. Item +skills do not substitute for learned ranks. Each chest evolves one ready skill.
The tables give the earliest rule-based character level, including the base rank cap and catalyst unlock where relevant; card availability can delay it. A skill cannot exceed character level minus its unlock level plus one. Keep a passive slot for your catalyst and avoid banishing it. These opening instructions apply when choosing a fresh level-1 build; check your existing banked hero before changing a later-difficulty plan.
Questions and answers
Is Grizzly damage unpublished?
No. Its official skill page gives a base swipe of 3969 damage, 60% splash and a +215% pack damage bonus. These are base mechanics, not measured final DPS.
Are these tested endgame builds?
No. These are actionable progression routes derived from one official publisher’s mechanics. They specify prerequisites and alternatives, without a verified final gear set, clear time or Terror floor.
Sources checked 2026-10-29
Source scope: the official site, FAQ, wiki and changelog share one publisher. Build IDs, installer sizes and detailed mechanics are single-source official claims unless a separate independent reference is identified. Several official links do not count as independent confirmation.
- Druid skill levels and evolutions — Official single publisher; checked against build 20261028.2. (checked 2026-10-29)
- Evolution and learned-rank rules — Official single publisher; checked against build 20261028.2. (checked 2026-10-29)
- Slots, resistance penalties and cooldown caps — Official single publisher; checked against build 20261028.2. (checked 2026-10-29)
- Damage and immunity rules — Official single publisher; checked against build 20261028.2. (checked 2026-10-29)
- Summon Grizzly base values — Official single publisher; checked against build 20261028.2. (checked 2026-10-29)