The Demon Hunter in Diablo Immortal is a ranged assassin who rewards smart positioning, quick decisions, and refined timing. I’ve played this class since 2020 and I’ll be blunt: if you can kite and aim, you’ll outplay tougher builds most days. Honestly, this class feels like a scalpel—precise and deadly when you know where to cut.
🎯 Getting started with Demon Hunter
Your toolset is simple: crossbows, Hatred as the resource, and mobility. Crossbow Shot is your bread-and-butter; Hungering Arrow pierces groups. Use movement to stay out of harm’s way. Short sentence. Keep distance; that’s your armor.
I’ve noticed new players waste Hatred on the wrong bursts. Don’t. Manage it so you always have Smoke Screen ready for emergencies (this doesn’t always work — some fights throw surprises). Why? Because survival trumps a few extra seconds of DPS when a boss nukes your position.
📈 Leveling advice that actually helps
Move constantly. Use AoE skills to clear and save single-target bursts for elites. Multishot speeds runs; Strafe gives steady damage while you dance. Priorities change by level, so swap as needed rather than locking in a single plan.
| Levels | Focus | Where to play |
|---|---|---|
| 1–20 | Hungering Arrow, Multishot | Story quests, bounties |
| 21–40 | Strafe, Vengeance | Dungeons, Elder Rifts |
| 41–60 | Rain of Vengeance, Smoke Screen | Challenge Rifts, PvP |
Tip: finish daily activities first for the best XP per minute. By the way, Elder Rifts still give the best materials for gem upgrades in 2025.
⚔️ Builds I use and why
Multishot marksman
This one chews through groups. Multishot is your core; Hungering Arrow snaps single targets. Vengeance boosts damage. Smoke Screen saves your life. It’s straightforward and forgiving—great for learning positioning.
Mobile Strafe
Strafe keeps you moving while doing steady damage. Preparation helps Hatred sustain. This build demands attention, but it’s my go-to for harder solo content because mobility offsets many mistakes. It won’t work the way you expect if you stand still.
“Start with Multishot if you’re new. Move to Strafe when you can reliably keep range.” — a note from me
🛡️ Gear: what matters
Weapon damage influences everything. Prioritize crossbows with high base damage, then attack speed, crit chance, crit damage. Dexterity is the primary stat to chase on armor. Don’t over-upgrade rares; save mats for legendaries that change how a skill behaves.
| Slot | Primary | Secondary |
|---|---|---|
| Weapon | Base damage, Dexterity | Crit chance, Attack speed |
| Helm | Dexterity, Life | Crit chance |
| Gloves | Dexterity, Attack speed | Crit damage |
Set items can tilt the balance massively. Some set bonuses redefine your playstyle—so chase sets that match your build. Counterintuitive? Sometimes a lower-damage legendary with the right affix beats a higher-numbered rare piece.
💎 Legendary gems and upgrades
Gems change scaling. Focus on a few: Berserker’s Eye for raw power if you position well; Frozen Heart for control and safety; Blood‑Soaked Jade for sustain. Upgrade those rather than a dozen weak gems. (I’ve watched players spread resources thin—don’t do that.)
| Priority | Offensive | Defensive/Utility |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Berserker’s Eye | Blood‑Soaked Jade |
| 2 | Frozen Heart | Everlasting Torment |
Why? Because higher-tier gems scale exponentially; three ranks are worth much more than three separate low-level gems. Save your rank-up mats and plan ahead.
🏹 Advanced combat and rotations
Practice animation canceling to keep damageflow tight—cancel basic shots into a skill or movement to avoid being predictable. Positioning is more than standing far away: use choke points, elevation, and line-of-sight to punish enemies who overcommit. Short burst. Then reposition immediately.
- Pre-cast Vengeance
- Open with Multishot on groups
- Cancel into movement
- Use Hungering Arrow on priority targets
- Smoke Screen when threatened
Resource sense matters: don’t blow all Hatred on a risky DPS window if you’ll need an escape two seconds later. Sounds obvious, but players keep doing it (surprisingly often!).
// Simple rotation pseudocode
if (Vengeance_ready) use(Vengeance);
if (enemies_grouped) spam(Multishot);
use(HungeringArrow on elites);
if (pressure) use(SmokeScreen);
kite();
Other notes, opinions, and a few controversial takes
I think PvP balance leans too much on mobility—sometimes it feels like whoever presses Strafe last wins. Some players will hate that statement, and that’s fine. Also: not every legendary is worth the grind; prioritize what changes your core skills rather than chasing numbers on paper. To be fair, that annoys collectors.
Counterintuitive insight: lowering attack speed in one slot to gain higher crit damage can be better for overall single-target burst. Weird, but true in certain setups.
Quick checklist (two lines):
- Keep distance. Move a lot.
- Prioritize weapon, a few gems, and one set.
I’ll be honest—mastery takes time. Expect mistakes. Expect to die. Learn from them. Between us, the Demon Hunter is one of the most satisfying classes when you finally click with a build. Go sharpen your aim, and see you in Sanctuary!
