Diablo 4: Ultimate Brandish Holy Crusader Build Guide (Season 11)

Jan-22-2026 PST Category: Diablo4

Welcome to the ultimate Brandish Crusader build guide for Diablo 4. This build is a powerhouse of speed, screen-wide area-of-effect (AoE) devastation, and unrivaled single-target damage. Designed to dominate all content—from speed-farming Torment 4 to conquering Pit Tiers over 110—this setup provides incredible power with smooth, fluid gameplay. For players looking to expedite their gear acquisition, you can choose to buy Diablo 4 Gold from trusted sellers to swiftly obtain the required Uniques and perfect Aspects.
If you're looking for a build that instantly melts bosses while clearing entire screens of enemies with a single skill, this guide is for you.

Why Play This Build?

Unmatched AoE: Brandish's chaining, bouncing holy projectiles clear entire packs instantly.

· Boss Annihilation: Delete elite enemies and bosses in seconds, even in high-tier Pits (100+).

· Incredibly Smooth & Fun: A high-uptime, high-mobility playstyle with constant action.

· Versatile: Excels in all endgame activities: Helltides, Nightmare Dungeons, Pit Runs, and Boss Farming.

· Resource-Free: Brandish is a Basic Skill, meaning you can spam it without worrying about resource management.

Core Gameplay & Skill Mechanics

This build revolves around two key skills and a powerful transformation:

1. Brandish (Your Main Damage): This is your spammable Basic Skill. It fires holy projectiles that bounce between enemies, applying Holy damage and key effects. You can swap its passive between Returning Light (more Lucky Hit/Life on Hit), Sword of Mastery (extended range), or Cross Strike (more direct DPS) on the fly.

2. Arbiter of Justice (Your Ultimate & Buff Engine): Activating this ultimate transforms you, granting:

· Wing Strikes that constantly pulse around you, applying Vulnerable to all nearby enemies.

· A massive damage multiplier from the Celestial Strife and Ascension aspects (only active in Arbiter form).

· A greatly enhanced, long-distance Evade.

· Your goal is 100% Arbiter Form uptime. With proper cooldown reduction, your duration (54 sec) will far exceed its cooldown (30 sec).

3. The Mobility Loop: With the Arbiter's Zephyr boots, your Evade cooldown is reduced every time you attack. The sequence is simple: Attack -> Evide -> Attack -> Evade, letting you zoom across the battlefield.

Skill Tree & Passive Breakdown

Active Skills:

· Brandish (Max): Your primary damage source.

· Arbiter of Justice (Max): Your ultimate. Take Seraph's Wings for Vulnerable application.

· Defiance Aura: Major defensive bonuses.

· Fanaticism Aura: Major offensive bonuses and increased Max Resource (which scales your damage).

· Holy Light Aura (Optional for Torment 4 AFK/Safety): Provides passive damage around you.

Key Passives (Max Priority):

· Pious: Increases Max Faith (Resource), scaling your Adaptability aspect damage.

· On Guard: Increases Block Chance and Armor.

· The Best Offense & Fortitude: Raw damage increases.

· Crack in the Armor: Massive damage vs. Vulnerable enemies.

· Iron Sharpens Iron: Critical Strike Damage.

· Code of Arms (Keystone Passive): Your final damage multiplier, scaling off your total Armor and Block Chance.

Gear, Aspects, and Stat Priorities

This build uses specific Uniques and Legendary Aspects to achieve its power.

Slot

Item (Aspect)

Key Stats / Affixes to Look For

Weapon (2H Sword)

Supplication (Unique) or Griswold's Opus

High DPS, Crit Damage, Damage to Close, All Stats. Supplication offers better quality of life.

Shield

Legendary with Moonrise Aspect

Block Chance (MAX), Brandish Rank, Cooldown Reduction, Max Resource

Helm

Air of Predition (Unique)

Critical Strike Chance, Max Resource, Cooldown Reduction

Chest

Shroud of False Death (Unique)

All Stats, Armor, Damage, +% Armor, +1 to All Passives (HUGE)

Gloves

Pain Gorgeous Gauntlets (Unique)

Crit Chance, Attack Speed, Brandish Rank, Lucky Hit Chance

Pants

Indomitable (Unique)

Armor %, Damage Reduction, Brandish Rank, Max Life

Boots

Arbiter's Zephyr (Unique)

Evade Cooldown Reduction, Movement Speed, All Stats, Arbiter Duration

Amulet

Legendary with Celestial Strife

Arbiter of Justice Ranks, Cooldown Reduction, Damage Passives (The Best Offense, Iron Sharpens Iron)

Ring 1

Legendary with Adaptability

Crit Chance, Crit Damage, Arbiter Cooldown Reduction, Max Resource

Ring 2

Legendary with Ascension

Crit Chance, Crit Damage, Arbiter Cooldown Reduction, Vulnerable Damage

Aspect Summary:

· Celestial Strife (Amulet): Gain stacks of damage while killing Vulnerable enemies in Arbiter Form.

· Ascension (Ring): Gain stacks of damage for casting Arbiter of Justice.

· Adaptability (Ring): Your damage is increased based on your maximum Resource.

· Moonrise (Shield): Gain Attack Speed after using a Basic Skill (caps at 100%).

Paragon Board Progression & Glyphs

The Paragon setup is crucial for maximizing your Armor and Block Chance, which feed directly into your Code of Arms keystone.

1. Starting Board: Place the Spirit Glyph.

2. Castle Board (Attach Up): This is your biggest damage multiplier (scales damage from Armor). Place the Apostle Glyph.

3. Preacher Board (Attach Right): Provides a massive Attack Speed bonus. Place the Canny Glyph.

4. Beacon Board (Attach Down): Source of Max Resource and Block Chance. Place the Arbiter Glyph.

5. Shieldbearer Board (Attach Top Right): Final board for Block Chance scaling. Place the Judicator Glyph.

6. Always prioritize nodes that grant Dexterity/Intelligence for Glyph bonuses, Max Resource, Armor, and Block Chance.

Gems, Consumables, & Final Tips

Gems:

· Weapon: Emerald (Crit Damage to Vulnerable).

· Armor: Ruby (Max Life).

· Jewelry: Mix of Topaz (Damage Reduction) and Emerald (Poison Resistance) based on your needs.

Consumables & Oath:

· Elixir: Elixir of Advantage (Attack Speed) or Iron Skin (Armor).

· Incense: Use those that grant Strength, Armor, and All Resistances.

· Oath: Must use Disciple Oath for its 50% final damage multiplier.

Final Pro Tips:

· Block Chance is KING: Get it on your Shield and Paragon boards. It fuels your survivability and your Code of Arms damage.

· Maintain Arbiter Form: Always re-cast your ultimate before it falls off. Managing this buff is your #1 priority.

· Evide Constantly: Use your enhanced evade not just for mobility, but to reposition and group enemies for Brandish chains.

· Stack Max Resource: Every point of Max Resource directly increases your damage via the Adaptability aspect. Look for it on Helm, Rings, and Paragon.

Get the Full Written Guide

For the complete, detailed breakdown—including exact Paragon board paths, mid-game legendary alternatives, embber configurations, and stat breakpoints—be sure to check out the extended guide on our website. And for those looking to accelerate their build's completion, you can always buy cheap Diablo IV Items from a trusted marketplace like MMOEXP to secure the best deals on crucial Uniques and perfect-roll gear. Ready to unleash divine judgment on Sanctuary? This Brandish Crusader build offers a perfect blend of power, speed, and survivability to carry you through the highest tiers of Diablo 4's endgame. Go forth and conquer!