Maul Shockwave Werebear D2R Build

Werebear Druid is a tank build that uses Shapeshifting and Summoning abilities to soak damage, CC mobs, and enhance your team’s survivability. This build shines when part of a party, especially DPS classes which are perhaps more fragile. With this guide, you’ll learn how to master the Maul Werebear in all aspects of the game, including as a viable solo adventurer when damage is balanced correctly. The tricky part is deciding how you want to balance your damage, while ensuring your utility as a tank/buffer is retained.This requires trial and error and is dependent on party size, party members, and farming locations.

Introduction

First, it’s important to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the Werebear. This build has great tanking capability for groups, providing high life for yourself, your army and other party members. You also have excellent crowd control with Shock Wave, but lack substantial damage output. The primary skills for this build are Maul and Werebear. Maul is your primary attack that also gives % extra damage per level to Shock Wave, your primary AoE stun ability. Put points into Werebear to increase your damage and defense. Lycanthropy increases your Life and the duration of time spent in Shapeshift form.

Maul:
Maul is a power-up skill which increases damage and attack speed with each successful hit. Each attack grants a small green orb which grows with each hit and refreshes the timer on the duration of the power-up. The damage and attack speed bonus increases with each hit, starting at +20% damage and +3% attack speed at level 1 and reaching up to +60% damage and +9% attack speed at level 3. The maximum number of charges that can be gained is based on the skill level, with level 1 having a limit of 3 charges and level 20 having a limit of 13 charges.

Shockwave: 

Maul is a skill used by Druids which causes damage to enemies in a wide area around them. The damage increases with the level of the skill. The size of the area of effect can be controlled by the player by clicking closer or farther away.

Attributes

Strength: Enough for Gear
Dexterity: Enough for Gear
Vitality: All remaining points
Energy: None

If you find yourself being unnecessarily tanky, and pointlessly unkillable, then consider investing more into strength for extra damage.

Skills

Required 1 point wonders and prerequisites: Hunger, Summon Grizzly, Werewolf, Feral Rage.
Maxed Skills: Werebear, Lycanthropy, Maul, Shockwave, Heart of the Wolverine or Oak Sage

Gear

Helmet: Jalal’s
Jalal’s Mane is a unique Druid Pelt that provides a bonus to all Druid skills, +30 to strength, and +20 to vitality. It also gives a bonus to Feral Rage and Werewolf Druid skills, making it a great choice for a Maul (two-handed weapon) wielding Druid.

Armor:
Fortitude (Damage) or Chains of Honor (Resistances)
Fortitude is a D2R Runeword that provides a large boost to damage and  gives some resistances. Chains of Honor is another runeword that provides good resistance It also gives a bonus to all skills and damage reduction but unlike Fortitude, it does not provide substantial damage boost. 

Weapon:
Beast is recommended. Breath of the Dying, Grief or Death can be used.
The preferred option here is Beast for the Fanaticism aura. If you choose not to wield Beast, consider hiring an Act I Faith mercenary. BoTD will be the best option in that case, offering great all round benefits and high damage. You can choose to wield a 2-handed weapon or a Berserker Axe and Shield. With the damage you can gain through the Phoenix Shield runeword, it is recommended you choose one handed weapons.

Shield: Stormshield (DR and Block) or Phoenix (Damage and Sustain through Redemption)
Stormshield will cap out your DR with Verdungos and offer an easy path to max block (minimal dexterity requirement), while Phoenix will offer up to 400% enhanced damage and a useful Redemption Aura. The additional fire resistances are often overlooked.

Gloves: Draculs are good for Lifetap, otherwise Steelrends can be considered if you’re willing to invest in more Strength which will also increase your damage output but reduce life.

Boots: Gore Riders are recommended, Treks, Shadow Dancers or Goblin Toe are usable.

Belt: Verdungo’s or Crafted Life Leech Belt. Verdungo’s is recommended unless more damage reduction is wasted.

Rings: Raven Frost, Bul Kathos or Angelic Set can be used. One source of Cannot be Frozen (CBF) is highly recommended. Given the AR and dexterity benefits of Raven, it is recommended as the best source of CBF.

Amulet: Highlords, Maras, Metalgrid, Catseye or Angelic Set can be used. Use an IAS breakpoint calculator to ensure you reach the desired breakpoints. Use Highlords of Catseye as required.

Charms: You will want your Anni, Torch and a Physical Sunder given you are tanky enough. Shapeshifting life charms or FRW should be prioritized next. Life and survivability mods charms small charms, or Max/Ar/Life should be used to complete your build.

Mercenary
Act 2 (Might Mercenary or Defiance for Full Tank) 

Helmet: Andariel’s, GFace, VGaze, or Crown of Thieves
Armor: Fortitude, Treachery or Bramble. Bramble is recommended if you are going full tank build to synergise with your high life pool for extra damage
Weapon: Pride offers the most damage. Other niche options include Last Wish for Life Tap, Obedience, Tomb Reaver for Decrep, or Doom for Holy Freeze.

You may consider a Faith Merc for more damage output. Choose the Act I Cold Arrow and substitute Faith for the weapon. This will open up BoTD runeword and a ranged source of DPS and CC, which is especially helpful for PvM. With the Werebear’s life pool and a source of lifetap and regeneration, it is unlikely that there will be strong PvM burst threats which will surprise you.

Conclusion
Whether you decide to focus completely on helping your party and tanking (Oak/Life build), or opt into dealing more damage yourself (Wolverine/Damage build), this guide should provide you plenty of options to ensure you’re an efficient Werebear Druid. Your team will thank you.