How to max out gear in Diablo 4

Maxing out gear in Diablo 4 is the cornerstone of dominating endgame content-from high-level Nightmare Dungeons to The Pit and world bosses. It's not just about finding legendary or unique Diablo 4 Items; it's about refining every detail, from base stats to affixes and special enhancements. Whether you're a seasoned Nephalem or new to the endgame grind, this guide breaks down the step-by-step process to turn your gear into god-tier equipment, tailored to the latest Season 11 updates.

1. Start with the Right Foundation: Farm Ancestral and Legendary Gear

Before you can max out gear, you need high-quality base items. The best gear for endgame comes in two forms: Ancestral items (the highest item power tier) and Legendary items (equipped with unique Aspects). These items have superior base stats and more affix slots, making them the only viable choice for maxing out.

Focus your farming on endgame activities that guarantee these rare drops. Nightmare Dungeons (especially layers 80-100) are your best bet, as they have increased Ancestral and Legendary drop rates when played on Torment 4 difficulty. Additionally, participate in Helltide events-opening chests here yields not only high-tier gear but also valuable materials needed for later upgrades.

Don't overlook Unique items, either. These rare pieces often come with game-changing effects and can be upgraded just like Legendaries. Prioritize farming dungeons that drop Unique gear matching your class build for the biggest power spike.

2. Master Imprinting and Upgrading Legendary Aspects

Legendary Aspects are the heart of your gear's power, providing unique bonuses that define your build. To max out their potential, you need to extract, upgrade, and imprint Aspects strategically using the Occultist.

First, extract Aspects from unwanted Legendary items at the Blacksmith-this adds the Aspect to your Codex of Power, where it can be reused indefinitely. When imprinting, remember that 2-handed weapons boost Aspect stats by 100%, while Amulets boost them by 50%-always prioritize these slots for your most powerful Aspects.

Upgrade your Aspects by salvaging Legendaries with the same Aspect but higher stats. The Codex of Power will automatically replace the old Aspect with the stronger version, ensuring your imprinted gear stays optimized as you farm better items.

3. Optimize Affixes with Enchanting (Rerolling)

Even the best base gear will fall short if its affixes (secondary stats) don't align with your build. Enchanting at the Occultist lets you reroll unwanted affixes, turning a "good" item into a "perfect" one.

To enchant effectively, focus on affixes that match your class and build. For example, Barbarians should prioritize Close Damage and Vulnerable Damage, while Sorcerers benefit from Elemental Damage and Cooldown Reduction. Keep in mind that enchanting costs gold and materials (like Veiled Crystals for common gear or Fiend Roses for Legendaries), so farm these resources consistently.

Be patient-rerolling for "god roll" affixes (maxed-out values) is a grind. Use the Occultist's preview feature to see potential new affixes before committing, and stop when you get affixes that hit your build's key thresholds (e.g., 75%+ All Resistances for survival classes).

4. Boost Quality with Masterworking

Masterworking is a post-Season 10 system that replaces old gear upgrade mechanics, letting you increase an item's quality to boost its base stats and affix values indirectly. It's essential for maxing out Ancestral, Legendary, and Unique items, as it unlocks a powerful capstone bonus at maximum quality.

Unlocking Masterworking is simple: collect Obducite (the primary material) from endgame activities like The Pit, Nightmare Dungeons, or Helltides, and the feature will become available at any Blacksmith. Each Masterworking upgrade increases the item's quality (up to level 25), with each level adding small but cumulative boosts to all stats.

When an item reaches max quality, it gains a capstone bonus that greatly enhances one random affix. You can reroll this bonus using Neath Iron, letting you target your most important affix for maximum impact. Prioritize Masterworking your core gear (weapon, chest, Amulet) first, as these slots have the biggest effect on your power.

5. Fine-Tune with Tempering and Capstone Bonuses

Tempering is a complementary system to Masterworking, allowing you to refine affix values further. Unlike Enchanting, which replaces affixes, Tempering lets you adjust the roll of an existing affix, pushing it closer to the maximum value.

Tempering requires Tempering Charges and gold, which can be farmed from Seasonal activities like Phantom Invasions or Pit runs. Use Scrolls of Restoration to restore Tempering Charges if you run out, ensuring you can keep refining your gear without restarting the process. Focus on Tempering your most critical affixes (e.g., Weapon DPS, Vulnerable Damage) to hit build thresholds.

Combine Tempering with Masterworking's capstone bonus for optimal results. For example, if your weapon's capstone bonus enhances Vulnerable Damage, use Tempering to push that affix to max value-creating a synergistic boost that dominates endgame content.

6. Manage Resources Wisely for Endless Upgrades

Maxing out gear is resource-heavy, so efficient farming is key. Gold, Obducite, Enchanting materials, and Tempering Charges are all essential, and you'll need a steady supply to avoid hitting roadblocks.

Prioritize these resource-farming activities: Helltides (for cheap Diablo 4 Gold and Enchanting materials), Nightmare Dungeons (for Obducite and Ancestral gear), and The Pit (for Tempering Charges and high-tier drops). Solo players should focus on fast-clearing lower-tier Nightmare Dungeons (80-90) for efficiency, while groups can tackle higher layers (100+) for better rewards.

Avoid wasting resources on low-item-power gear. Only Masterwork, Enchant, or Temper items that are Ancestral or Legendary and align with your endgame build-this ensures every resource spent contributes to your power spike.

Final Tips for Maxing Out Gear Efficiently

Maxing out gear in Diablo 4 is a marathon, not a sprint. Focus on one piece at a time, starting with your weapon (since all skill damage scales with weapon DPS) and moving to your core armor pieces. Test your gear regularly in endgame content to identify weak spots-if you're dying too often, prioritize survival affixes (Armor, Health, Resistances); if you're struggling to clear mobs, double down on damage affixes.

Stay updated with Seasonal changes, as Blizzard frequently adjusts gear systems (like recent tweaks to Tempering and Masterworking) to balance the endgame. Finally, don't be afraid to experiment-sometimes a "non-meta" affix or Aspect combination can work better for your playstyle than the standard recommendations.

With patience, strategic farming, and careful refinement, you'll turn your gear into a force to be reckoned with. Maxing out gear isn't just about power-it's about unlocking your character's full potential and conquering the toughest challenges Sanctuary has to offer.