Diablo 4: Aspect of Poisonous Clouds — Rogue Legendary Aspect
In Diablo 4, the Rogue class is known for its agility, precision, and deadly use of poisons. The Aspect of Poisonous Clouds is a Legendary Offensive Aspect that enhances the Rogue’s ability to control the battlefield through stealth and poison, turning every strategic retreat into a devastating area-of-effect attack.
Aspect of Poisonous Clouds Overview
Aspect Type: Offensive
Effect: When entering Stealth, create a cloud that deals (600–780% of Weapon Damage) Poison damage over 6 seconds.
How Aspect of Poisonous Clouds Works
The Aspect of Poisonous Clouds activates every time your Rogue enters Stealth. Upon doing so, a toxic cloud is created around your character, dealing a significant amount of Poison damage over a period of 6 seconds. The damage dealt is a percentage of your weapon’s damage, making this Aspect particularly powerful when paired with high-damage weapons or builds that focus on maximizing weapon damage.
Strategic Uses of Aspect of Poisonous Clouds
Ambush Tactics: Rogues excel at hit-and-run tactics, and the Aspect of Poisonous Clouds adds a lethal twist to this playstyle. As you enter Stealth, the poison cloud not only hides your presence but also sets a deadly trap for any enemies nearby. This is particularly effective in crowded areas or when you’re being pursued, as enemies that follow you into the cloud will suffer heavy Poison damage.
Area Denial: The poison cloud created by this Aspect can be used to control space and deny areas to enemies. Whether you’re retreating to reposition or setting up an ambush, the poison cloud forces enemies to either suffer significant damage or avoid the area altogether. This is especially useful in tight corridors or choke points where enemies are funneled into the cloud’s area of effect.
Synergy with Poison Builds: For Rogues who focus on Poison builds, the Aspect of Poisonous Clouds is an excellent addition to their arsenal. It complements other poison-related skills and passives, amplifying the overall Poison damage output and making it easier to apply and maintain poison effects on multiple enemies simultaneously.
Stealth as Offense: Typically, Stealth is seen as a defensive or positioning tool. However, with the Aspect of Poisonous Clouds, entering Stealth becomes a potent offensive move. You can engage enemies by diving into combat, then enter Stealth to deploy the poison cloud, dealing massive damage while remaining untargetable. This turns Stealth into a dual-purpose skill, both protecting you and harming your foes.
Poison Stacking: The high Poison damage dealt by the cloud can be stacked with other Poison effects, leading to immense damage over time. Combining this Aspect with skills like Poison Imbuement or Shadow Step can result in devastatingly effective damage, particularly against tougher enemies or bosses who remain in the cloud for its full duration.
Build Considerations
Weapon Damage Focus: Since the poison cloud’s damage scales with your weapon damage, it’s crucial to equip high-damage weapons to maximize the effect of this Aspect. Weapons with high base damage, as well as those enhanced with critical hit or attack speed bonuses, will further amplify the poison cloud’s effectiveness.
Poison and Stealth Synergy: Pairing the Aspect of Poisonous Clouds with other poison-related skills and passives will enhance its damage output. Additionally, skills that allow you to enter Stealth more frequently will enable you to deploy the poison cloud multiple times during combat, increasing your overall damage and battlefield control.
Mobility and Positioning: Given that this Aspect triggers when entering Stealth, mobility and positioning are key to its effective use. Consider integrating movement skills like Dash or Shadow Step, which allow you to quickly enter and exit Stealth, placing the poison cloud exactly where it will do the most harm.
Conclusion
The Aspect of Poisonous Clouds is a powerful tool for Rogues in Diablo 4, offering a unique blend of offense and battlefield control. By turning Stealth into a weapon, this Aspect allows you to deal significant Poison damage while staying out of sight, making it an essential component of any Poison-based Rogue build. Whether you’re laying traps, controlling space, or simply boosting your overall damage output, the Aspect of Poisonous Clouds ensures that your enemies will think twice before chasing you into the shadows.