Crusader is a playable class in Diablo Immortal. Crusaders use holy-themed abilities to smite their enemies in melee range while also providing a variety of great party-wide buffs for their allies. The Crusader is an excellent choice for anyone who enjoys the concept of a holy warrior or just someone who wants to dish out some of the best Area of Effect damage in the game.
Crusader Strengths
Crusaders have the fastest overall movement speed in Diablo Immortal, and that is a great utility to have if you intend to serve as a tank for your group. The Crusader Skill Draw and Quarter will let you mount a celestial warhorse for a momentary speed boost while dragging up to eight enemies behind you. This skill allows the Crusaders to easily re-position their character or re-position enemies for maximum AoE damage.
Weaker enemies will melt under the Crusader’s relentless AoE attacks. While a live game like Diablo Immortal is always subject to change, the Crusader is expected to be the top tier class for AoE damage.
The Crusader can also provide allies with several amazing benefits during group play. Conjuration of Light is a better skill, making your entire party invulnerable to damage for three seconds, which could be huge during critical moments in a boss fight.
The Crusader’s speed and defensive abilities, combined with a wide variety of stuns and interrupts, make the class a nuisance in PvP combat.
Crusader Weaknesses
Draw and Quarter provide the bulk of the Crusader’s movement ability, but it also leaves the Crusader open to a counter from bosses or other players in PvP if your character gets stunned or slowed while on top of the horse. Mis-timing this ability could leave you without getting out of melee range, so use it wisely.
Many of the Crusader’s other abilities besides Draw and Quarter also have long cooldowns, leaving you feeling like dead weight for your group if you make a string of mistakes in a row.
Crusaders are the absolute kings of AoE damage, but single target damage is especially poor, making the Crusader a less than ideal choice for some boss fights.
Thanks to the great movement potential, Crusaders are often expected to act as a scout for the rest of the party. Still, you may also risk overextending and getting separated from your group if you get carried away.
Crusader Stats and Attributes Priority
Regardless of class, Offense Rating and Defense Rating should be your top attributes. Every primary attribute point (Strength, Fortitude, Vitality, Willpower, Intelligence) provides one point of Offense Rating and Defense Rating.
Primary Attribute Priority
- Strength. Beyond the boost to Offense Rating and Defense Rating mentioned above, it also provides +4 damage per point.
- Fortitude is also important because it provides Armor and Armor Penetration. Armor Penetration raises your Critical Hit chance, although there are diminishing returns once you reach the end game.
- Vitality provides +3 Life per point, and you will have to build this up alongside damage-increasing attributes to survive at the end game.
- Willpower boosts Potency and Resistance. Potency improves the duration of your harmful effects on enemies, while Resistance reduces how long harmful effects last. It may be useful in a Build that focuses on Bleeds and other Debuffs.
- Intelligence. This is the worst Primary stat for Crusader. It provides no additional benefit beyond the one-point boost to Offense Rating and Defense Rating.
Special Attribute Priority
Primary attributes are almost always better than special attributes due to the offense and defense ratings boost. But if you are picking between unique attributes, you should prioritize:
- Critical Hit Chance;
- Critical Hit Damage;
- Movement Speed;
- Cooldown Reduction;
- All Damage Increased;
PvP players will also want to add Damage to Players into the mix.
Crusader Skills
Class skills in Diablo Immortal are how your character deals damage to foes or keeps yourself and your allies alive. While the Crusader and all other classes have a long list of skills available to them, action RPGs like Diablo typically only allow your character to use a specific number of skills at any one time, meaning you have to pick and choose to create a build that works for your playstyle.
A Build in Diablo Immortal lets players choose one Primary Attack and four additional skills. Skills become more powerful as you level up and can be swapped for other options when not in combat.
Skills can become more powerful or change by equipping certain gear like Awakened Legendaries, Legendary gems, or Charms.
In Diablo Immortal, using your Primary Attack skill will charge your Ultimate bar. When the Ulitmate bar is filled, it will allow an Ultimate Ability, which will temporarily boost your Primary Attack. Primary Attacks do not have a cooldown. Your Ultimate bar depletes when time runs out, and you will begin building it up again.
Skills that are not a Primary Attack will have a cooldown, meaning you have to wait a certain amount of time before using the Skill again.
Here is every Skill you can choose for your Crusader’s Build in Diablo Immortal.
| Skill Name and Level Required | Description | Cooldown | Charms | How to Use | Legendaries |
| Punish (Primary Attack) Unlocks Level 1 | Strike an enemy for damage and gain Hardened Senses, increasing your Block Chance by 30% for 2 seconds. Ultimate: Counterattack Storm: Enhance Punish for 12 seconds, striking all enemies in front of you, increasing its damage per hit, and increasing its Block Chance bonus. You also gain a shield that absorbs damage equal to 20% of your maximum Life for 3 seconds. | No cooldown | 2%/ 4%/ 6%/ 8%/ 10% increased damage | Punish and its Ultimate are great for increasing your Block chance against Bosses and nasty elites. | None |
| Sacred Fire (Primary Attack) Unlocks Level 34 | Ignite the air with holy flames from your weapon, damaging an enemy and 25% as much to all other enemies in front of you. Ultimate: Burning Heart: Enhance Sacred Fire for 12 seconds, increasing damage done. Each enemy killed grants 1% increased Sacred Fire damage for 240 seconds, stacking up to 10 times. You also gain a shield that absorbs. | No cooldown | 2%/ 4%/ 6%/ 8%/ 10% increased damage | Sacred Fire is the right choice to maximize damage, and its Ultimate is especially great at boosting damage while farming. | None |
| Condemn Unlocks Level 47 | Build up a massive explosion, dealing damage to all nearby enemies after 3 seconds. Activate again to detonate early but for less damage in a smaller radius. | 9 seconds | 2%/ 4%/ 6%/ 8%/ 10% increased damage | AoE damage for packs of enemies. | Iron Suzerain |
| Conjuration of Light Unlocks Level 50 | Call down a beam of holy light from the heavens, protecting you and all nearby allies with damage immunity for 3 seconds. | 25.8 seconds | 2%/ 4%/ 6%/ 8%/ 10% increased damage | Outstanding for group builds. Just be aware of the long cooldown. | Justice Without Favor Wind-Blessed Pauldrons |
| Consecration Unlocks Level 20 | Consecrate the ground around you, and damage all nearby enemies over 6 seconds. | 15 seconds | 2%/ 4%/ 6%/ 8%/ 10% increased damage | Pure AoE, spam it on cooldown | Fortress Hermetic Many-Eyed Aegis Zaymula’s Last Hymn |
| Draw and Quarter Unlocks Level 15 | Mount a celestial warhorse for 6 seconds, dispelling all movement impairing effects, increasing your movement speed by 65%, and replacing your Primary Attack with a strike. Holy chains will bind up to 8 nearby monsters and drag them as you ride. | 16 seconds | 2%/ 4%/ 6%/ 8%/ 10% increased damage | Do not use when in danger of a stun or interrupt. Use other abilities that can move with you before using Draw and Quarter. Draw and Quarter give you a Primary Attack you can spam while moving. | Besieger Sivet’s Advantage Bladed Jambeau Cavalier’s Courtwear Squire’s Trews |
| Falling Sword Unlocks Level 8 | Impale your holy sword at a location where it damages for over 5 seconds to all nearby enemies. Activate again to launch yourself into the heavens and come crashing down at the sword’s location, damaging all nearby enemies and retrieving the sword. | 10 seconds | 2%/ 4%/ 6%/ 8%/ 10% increased damage | Use during a high-movement fight to quickly get back to your original location or avoid a boss ability. | Faith Ascendant Air Splitter LIttle Lance Proof From On High Tumult |
| Holy Banner Unlocks Level 38 | Plant a holy banner that inspires nearby allies for 11.2 seconds, increasing Critical Hit Chance by 100% but decreasing Critical Hit Damage to 135% instead of double. Critical Hit Chance over 100% will grant up to 65% Critical Hit Damage. The banner’s Life is equal to your Life. | 24 seconds | 2%/ 4%/ 6%/ 8%/ 10% increased damage | Buff the entire party’s damage during key moments in a boss fight or against elite monsters. | Arrowkeeper Retribution Ornament Sudden Vallation |
| Judgment Unlocks Level 28 | Pass judgment on all enemies within an area, dealing damage and Slowing them by 50% for 3 seconds. The center of the area will explode after a short time, dealing damage to all nearby enemies and Stunning them for 3 seconds. | 12 seconds | 2%/ 4%/ 6%/ 8%/ 10% increased damage | Best used as a slow or stun in PvP or some Challenge Rifts | Feathermail Coat Barbed Council Cradle of Pebbles |
| Sacred Chain Unlocks Level 44 | Throw holy chains that bounce between enemies, striking up to 6 targets and dealing damage to each. The chains stun enemies for 8 seconds but are dispelled by damage. Duration reduced to 3 seconds on players. | 14 seconds | 2%/ 4%/ 6%/ 8%/ 10% increased damage | Can keep your opponents locked down in PvP | Public Penance Spine of the Adversary |
| Shield Charge Unlocks Level 41 | Charge forward with your shield, pushing all enemies and inflicting damage. Enemies colliding with the terrain will be Stunned for 3 seconds. | 12 seconds | 2%/ 4%/ 6%/ 8%/ 10% increased damage | Great for PvP or to knock enemies away from a more fragile party member. | Hungerfire Chiton Questor’s Mien Pillager’s Greaves Shieldswathe |
| Shield Glare Unlocks Level 3 | Unleash a powerful attack that deals X damage to all enemies in front of you and causes them to bleed for X damage over 3 seconds—a maximum of three charges. | 12 seconds | 2%/ 4%/ 6%/ 8%/ 10% increased damage | Use in an early build while leveling up, but there are better choices for the end game. | Redeemer’s Mettle Bonebearer Constant Scrutiny |
| Spinning Shield Unlocks Level 1 | Hurl a spinning shield, inflicting damage to all enemies in its path. The shield will return to you, pulling enemies and dealing additional damage—three charges. Players can only be affected by Spinning Shield once every 3 seconds. | 12 seconds | 2%/ 4%/ 6%/ 8%/ 10% increased damage | Clear a mob’s path to protect allies or stop a kiter in PvP. | Springback Chain Bowyer’s Remorse Pavise of Ten Wings Pouncing Shield Sinkhole Cross |
| Sweep Attack Unlocks Level 1 | Sweep a mystical flail through enemies in front of you, dealing damage. Charging longer increases range and damage. When fully charged, Sweep Attack will also knock enemies away. | 9 seconds | 2%/ 4%/ 6%/ 8%/ 10% increased damage | Good for an early build from Level 1. Swap out for something else as you progress. | Glower of the Recluse Karawan’s Catch Longpalm |
Crusader Build Suggestions
You can experiment with the list of skills above to develop your unique build, but based on how the Crusader played in Diablo 3 and the Diablo Immortal beta, we have some suggestions.
(Builds Coming After Launch)
The Crusader’s Road to Level Cap
The Crusader’s excellent survivability combined with high AoE burst can make leveling a breeze compared to other class choices. But there are several things you will want to keep an eye on during your journey to the end game if you want to get the most out of your class.
- Choose Draw and Quarter at Level 15. This ability will likely be used in every single Crusader Build. Remember to spam your Primary Attack while moving.
- Get to Know the Blacksmith. Make sure you are upgrading your arsenal through crafting whenever possible. Salvage unwanted gear for more crafting materials.
- Grab Your Free Legendary. The Battle Pass provides every player with one free legendary for your class.
- Keep All of Your Legendaries and Set Items. Diablo Immortal‘s most powerful items come in Legendaries and Set Items. It is good to hold onto any item you receive, even if it is not great for your current Build. You never know when Blizzard will patch an item to be better or when you might try a different Build that requires different equipment.
- Keep Your Legendary Gems Too. Like weapons and armor, gems can constantly be tweaked or adjusted in the next patch, or you might want to create multiple sets of gear with different gems for different activities like solo vs. group play or PvP.
- Unlock the Helliquary at Level 41. This is a great tip for basically all classes, as the sooner you unlock the Helliquary, the sooner you can receive Scoria from your daily bonuses.
Crusader Set Items
Coming After Launch
Legendary Gems
- Blood-Soaked Jade is the top gem due to boosting damage and movement speed.
- Seeping Bile is a poison that works especially well with AoE abilities, something the Crusader has in spades.
- Blessing of the Worthy is great for Crusader and any other class in melee range of enemies and can help you demolish a pack of mobs every 15 seconds.
- Howler’s Call gives the Crusader a ranged attack and works especially well with the Primary Attack from Draw and Quarter.
Normal Gems
- Tourmaline > Ruby (More damage is better than more Life);
- Sapphire > Aquamarine (Critical Hit Chance is better than Armor until diminishing returns);
- Citrine = Topaz (Neither Potency nor Resistance is a priority for most Crusaders.
Crusader Paragon Points Guide
- Always take Damage or Life gains when available.
- Treasure Hunter is good when you want to go on leveling due to the XP boost.
- Vanquisher is best for maximizing damage.
- Do not bother with PvP trees until later.
(More info coming after launch)
Class Consumable
The Crusader’s Class Consumable is Battle Hymnal. It increases damage done by you and nearby allies by 10% for 20 minutes. Get Class Consumables from turning in Bestiary pages or doing Zone Event bosses.
