With this Diablo 4 Season 11 Tower Tier List, we are going to take a close look at the Tower’s metagame, ranking the top builds and classes for the Tower pushing in Season 11, and providing leaderboards strategies to help you get ready for this endgame challenge in Season of Divine Intervention.
Diablo 4 Season 11 Tower Tier List
The Tower arrives on January 12th and quickly establishes itself as Diablo 4's most competitive activity yet. Unlike other content, the Tower exists purely for competitive ranking, allowing players to test their builds and see how they measure up against others on dedicated leaderboards. Rather than focusing on loot, this mode is all about leaderboards and the pride of proving your build’s strength.
The Tower can be accessed at the Obelisk in Caragar, similar to the Pit. The gameplay loop involves slaying hordes of enemies to fill a progress bar, collecting progress orbs, and facing a powerful Tower Guardian boss at the end. Each Tower run consists of five floors, with a strict 10-minute timer (compared to the Pit’s 15 minutes), and the challenge ramps up with each tier. Completing a Pit 50 unlocks Tower 55, and so forth.
Patch 2.5.2 not only kicks off the Tower, but also brings a suite of changes to help balance the Tower experience. Paladins enjoy a noticeable boost, especially with the renewal passive changes, giving them a new way to gain Fortify. Spiritborn also received substantial damage increases, especially for Gorilla builds. All these adjustments create a more competitive and enjoyable environment for pushing the Tower.
Diablo 4 The Tower Build Tier List - Best Endgame Tower Builds in Season 11
Here’s a rundown of the most effective builds for Tower pushing this season, based on recent pit clears, player experiences, and the current patch status:
1. Judgment Paladin
Judgment Paladin commands the top tier for Tower pushing. The core strength of this build lies in Judgment, which acts almost like a sticky grenade—attaching to enemies and detonating for devastating damage. Paired with the right amplifiers and multiplicative effects, this build can reach trillions in damage output even without perfect gear. Players have cleared as high as tier 140 in the Pit, and similar performance is expected in the Tower. Judgment copes well with the Tower’s single-target boss environment, handling even bosses like Bramble in around six minutes with less than optimal equipment. Its immense base damage and the ability to reset Spear of the Heavens keep it far ahead of the curve. This remains the “king of kings" among solo builds, and is still a major force in group play.
2. Oradin Paladin (Aura Paladin)
The Oradin, or Aura Paladin, dominates in group play and holds a strong place in solo as well. Leveraging the Dawnfire gloves, Oradin’s Holy Light and auras provide consistent fire and passive damage, which scales up as enemies die around the player. This build is known for its extremely easy playstyle: in most T4 content, you can simply stand still and let the auras do the work. For Tower pushing, Shield Bash is included for mobility, and the build is further enhanced with creative use of runes for additional effects such as summoning wolves. Oradin excels in groups, where its scaling with party members puts it near the top for coordinated pushes, clearing up to the mid-130s solo and reaching the highest group tiers with the right setup.
3. Blessed Hammer Paladin (Hammerdin)
Hammerdin remains a classic and powerful choice for Paladins in the Tower. This build is based on Blessed Hammer and benefits from high-damage rotations. There is ongoing debate over shield choices, with the unique Herald of Zakarum being a strong, reliable pick, but a perfectly rolled legendary shield with critical chance can push the damage even further. Hammerdin’s effectiveness relies on a rotation that squeezes out every bit of bonus damage, and it continues to perform just below Judgment Paladin in the current meta. Its ceiling is impressive, and with proper gear, it is well-suited for deep Tower progression.
4. Blessed Shield Paladin
Blessed Shield Paladin is another top performer, especially for those who enjoy some rotation complexity. The Ward of the White Dove unique interacts with Blessed Shield, providing a substantial bonus that doubles after using another skill. Efficiently timing skills to maximize this effect is key to achieving high damage. While not as effortless as Oradin, and not as overwhelmingly strong as Judgment, Blessed Shield Paladin brings a tactical and satisfying approach for players who enjoy managing their cooldowns and maximizing every cast.
5. Avatar Wing Strike Paladin
Wing Strike Paladin, while not the absolute top of the Paladin charts, is still a formidable pick for Tower progress. This build takes advantage of the Ember glyph on the paragon board, encouraging players to drink all potions for a damage boost and to increase potion capacity for even greater effect. Wing Strike offers a straightforward playstyle and is less susceptible to squishiness than similar strategies used by other classes, providing a balance of offense and survivability.
6. Payback Spiritborn
Payback Spiritborn has quickly risen in prominence thanks to recent buffs, with its damage output nearly doubling. Utilizing the Rod of Keelei and the Ring of Midnight Sun, this build is all about resource cycling: core skills burn through Vigor, and critical strikes rapidly restore it. The playstyle is fast, spammy, and demands keen management of resources to maintain high throughput. Payback Spiritborn now sits in the S tier among non-Paladin builds and is the best option for Spiritborn players aiming to push the Tower high.
7. Hammer of the Ancients Barbarian (Hoda Barb)
Hammer of the Ancients Barbarian, or Hoda Barb, is now the top Barbarian build for Tower content. Leveraging weapons like Ramladi’s Magnum Opus and stacking Fury with the melted heart of Selig (ideally with both equipped and sanctified), this build is geared for single-target boss fights. The Ancestral Force aspect doubles damage against bosses, which is essential given the Tower’s focus on boss encounters. Hoda Barb rewards tactical positioning and skillful play, and remains one of the most competitive Barbarian options this season.
8. Lunging Strike Barbarian
Lunging Strike Barbarians continue to provide a simple, reliable playstyle for players who value straightforward mechanics. This build is particularly effective when using a double melted heart of Selig, which allows for sustained resource and damage output. While Hoda Barb has edged it out in pure Tower performance, Lunging Strike is still a strong contender for those looking for a less demanding but effective approach.
9. Heartseeker Rogue
Heartseeker Rogue returns as the most powerful Rogue build for Tower pushes. The key is the Orphan Maker crossbow, which shifts the playstyle from ranged to close-quarters “shotgun” blasting. Grouping enemies and executing a complex skill rotation (especially with Shadow Clone) is essential for maximizing area damage. Heartseeker is a true “push build”—built for leaderboard climbing rather than general farming—and skilled players can potentially push it even higher as they refine their execution.
10. Poison Pulverize Druid
Poison Pulverize Druid, or Puddle Pulverize, has been a meta staple for seasons. This build leans on Rotting Lightbringer and a suite of mythics like Shroud of False Death and Ring of Starless Skies. It’s a gear-intensive build, with high potential if you achieve the right sanctifications and weapon setups. Despite lacking some single-target firepower, Poison Pulverize remains a Druid favorite for Tower progression, especially as players master or even exploit the quirks of its damage mechanics.
11. Shadowblight Necromancer
Shadowblight Necromancer sits at the lower end of the meta this season. The strategy revolves around triggering as many instances of shadow damage as possible to activate Shadowblight. This involves a complex rotation and itemization to maximize effects. Despite its intricacy, performance is hampered by lacking mobility and not enough damage for high-tier Tower runs, putting Necromancers at a disadvantage compared to other classes.
12. Golem Necromancer
The Golem Necromancer offers another viable path for Necro players. The introduction of the Grave Bloom mace allows for three active golems, providing a unique approach and a solid alternative to Shadowblight. While this build brings some variety, it faces similar challenges in mobility and damage output, making it tough to keep up with higher-ranked builds. Nonetheless, both Necromancer builds compete on their own class leaderboards, offering a fun challenge for those dedicated to the class.
13. Crackling Energy Sorcerer
Crackling Energy Sorcerer is the go-to choice for Sorc players this season, thanks to the new Orane mace. By filling the skill bar with offensive skills and leaving defensive slots empty, each missing defensive skill grants a sizable multiplicative damage bonus. This lines up best with a full lightning, Crackling Energy setup. While the damage can be impressive, the build suffers from a lack of survivability, and pushing the highest tiers means sacrificing defense for offense. This makes the Sorcerer especially fragile, but still the best path for Sorc players aiming for leaderboard positions.
Honorable Mentions and Group Support Builds
Support Z Paladin, Z Barb, Z Druid: For group play, support roles like Z Paladin (often paired with Oradin) are extremely effective, especially in attempts to clear Tower 150. These builds focus on buffs, healing, and crowd control, and are vital in coordinated groups, though less impactful for solo progression.
Evade Spiritborn: Although Payback has taken over the top slot for Spiritborn, Evade remains a fun, more straightforward alternative for those who prefer a less intensive playstyle.
Diablo 4 The Tower Class Tier List - Ranking the Best Classes for The Tower & Endgame
When it comes to overall class strength in the Tower, the current meta is clear:
Paladin: With multiple top-performing builds and no recent nerfs, Paladin sits at the top. Judgment is unrivaled for solo play, while Oradin is invaluable in groups.
Spiritborn: Recent buffs have propelled this class into the highest ranks, with Payback now able to match the best Paladins.
Barbarian: Hoda Barbarians dominate for those who can assemble the right gear, especially with double damage against Tower bosses.
Rogue: Heartseeker is the standout, but the class is a step behind Paladin, Spiritborn, and Barbarian.
Druid: Poison Pulverize keeps Druids competitive, though gear dependency and boss damage can be limiting.
Sorcerer: Crackling Energy is the only option for leaderboard pushes, with other builds trailing.
Necromancer: Despite two viable builds, Necromancer is currently the slowest and lowest-damage class for the Tower.
For groups, support Paladins (Z Paladin) and Oradins are crucial for high-tier clears, especially in 3- and 4-player setups. Barbarians and Druids also offer strong support and DPS options, but Sorcerer and Necromancer do not fit as well into the group meta in their current state.
Best Strategies for Climbing the Tower
Tackling the Tower is about efficiency, adaptation, and maximizing your build’s strengths. Here are some of the best approaches for Tower success:
Maximize Pulls: Since enemies do not leash, you can gather huge packs and drag them to pylons for efficient clearing. This rewards both coordination and survivability.
Pylon Timing: Don’t activate pylons as soon as you see them. Instead, kite enemies toward them, then trigger the pylon for maximum impact. Decide which pylon is most beneficial for your build—Power for damage, Speed for attack builds, Channeling for resource-hungry setups.
Boss Preparation: With boss health now aligned with the Pit, focus on builds with strong single-target damage. Judgment Paladin, Hoda Barb, and Crackling Energy Sorcerer excel in this area.
Gear Optimization: For leaderboard contention, mythics and sanctifications are nearly mandatory. Items like Grandfather, Shaco, and other top-tier gear pieces play a huge role in reaching high Tower tiers.
Adapt to Beta Changes: The Tower is launching in beta, so expect ongoing adjustments. Bugs and exploits may pop up, but these are opportunities to give feedback and help shape the future of the mode.
Class Leaderboards: Even if your class isn’t top-tier, every class has its own leaderboard, so aim to outperform others in your class bracket.