The strongest Sorcerer build in Diablo 4 Season 9 is the Hydra Sorcerer, which has emerged as a top-tier choice due to significant buffs and new mechanics introduced in the Sins of the Horadrim season. Below is a detailed breakdown of the build, focusing on its strengths, key components, and how to optimize it for endgame content like Pit pushing, Nightmare Dungeons, and Tormented Bosses.

Why Fireball Sorcerer is the Strongest in Season 9

• High Damage Output: Fireball's scaling with new uniques and the reworked skill tree allows it to deliver massive AoE and single-target damage, making it versatile for all content.
• Synergy with New Mechanics: Season 9 introduces the Horadric Artifacts, which enhance elemental damage and critical strike potential, synergizing perfectly with Fireball's explosion mechanics.
• Ease of Play: The build is straightforward, focusing on spamming Fireball with high mana sustain and defensive layers, making it accessible yet powerful.
• Video Insights: The guide by Moxsy emphasizes the Fireball Sorcerer's dominance due to its ability to clear high-tier content (Pit 150+) with minimal gear optimization, leveraging new uniques like the Starfall Coronet and Vox Omnium.

Build Overview

• Core Skill: Fireball (Enhanced and Destructive Fireball for increased explosion radius and damage).
• Playstyle: Spam Fireball to obliterate groups of enemies while maintaining defensive skills and mana regeneration for sustained damage. Use teleport and frost nova for mobility and crowd control.
• Key Focus: Maximize Critical Strike Chance, Critical Strike Damage, and Fire Damage while ensuring mana sustain and survivability.

Skill Tree

Here’s the recommended skill allocation (based on standard Sorcerer skill trees and video insights):

1. Basic Skills:
   • Fire Bolt (Rank 1): Used to trigger Burning effects and proc Combustion.
2. Core Skills:
   • Fireball (Rank 5, Enhanced, Destructive): Main damage dealer with increased explosion radius and critical strike synergy.
3. Defensive Skills:
   • Flame Shield (Rank 1, Enhanced, Shimmering): Emergency damage reduction and mana regen.
   • Teleport (Rank 1, Enhanced, Shimmering): Mobility and evasion.
   • Frost Nova (Rank 1, Enhanced, Mystical): Crowd control to freeze enemies, boosting Vyr’s Mastery.
4. Mastery Skills:
   • Meteor (Rank 1, Enhanced, Wizard’s): Supplemental AoE damage and Burning application.
   • Firewall (Rank 1, Enhanced, Mage’s): Additional Burning damage for Combustion synergy.
5. Ultimate:
   • Unstable Currents (Prime, Supreme): Boosts Fireball casts with random skill triggers for burst damage.
6. Key Passives:
   • Combustion: Increases Fire damage based on Burning enemies.
   • Vyr’s Mastery: Boosts damage when enemies are frozen or shocked.
   • Shatter (optional): Extra damage against frozen enemies for synergy with Frost Nova.
   • Elemental Attunement: Mana cost reduction and proc chance for defensive skills.

Total Skill Points: 58 (adjust based on your level and gear).

Gear and Aspects

The video highlights the importance of specific uniques and legendary aspects to maximize Fireball’s potential. Below is the recommended gear setup:

• Helmet: Starfall Coronet (Unique) – Causes Fireball to call down meteors, massively increasing AoE and single-target damage.
  • Alternative: Legendary helm with Aspect of Disobedience (increases armor per hit).
• Chest: Raiment of the Infinite (Unique) – Pulls enemies together for Fireball’s explosions.
  • Alternative: Legendary chest with Aspect of the Protector (barrier on elite hit).
• Gloves: Legendary with Aspect of Three Curses (increases critical strike damage against healthy enemies).
• Pants: Legendary with Aspect of the Unwavering (resets defensive skill cooldowns).
• Boots: Esu’s Heirloom (Unique) – Boosts Critical Strike Chance based on movement speed.
• Weapon: Vox Omnium (Unique Staff) – Grants bonus skill ranks and mana cost reduction for Fireball.
  • Alternative: Legendary staff with Aspect of Splintering Energy (Fireball explosions chain for extra damage).
• Amulet: Legendary with Aspect of Elemental Dominance (increases Fireball damage).
• Rings: Tal Rasha’s Iridescent Loop (Unique) – Boosts elemental damage per unique element used, and a second ring with Aspect of Control (bonus damage to frozen/stunned enemies).
• Off-Hand (if not using staff): Legendary focus with Aspect of Engulfing Flames (boosts Burning damage).

Stat Priorities:

• Primary: Intelligence, Critical Strike Chance, Critical Strike Damage, Fire Damage.
• Secondary: Mana Cost Reduction, Maximum Mana, Cooldown Reduction, Armor, Resistances.
• Tempering: Focus on Fire Damage, Critical Strike Damage, and Mana Regen on weapons and armor.

Paragon Board

The Paragon Board setup focuses on amplifying Fireball’s damage and survivability:

1. Starting Board: Prioritize Intelligence and Damage nodes.
2. Burning Instinct Board: Boosts Fire and Burning damage.
3. Searing Heat Board: Enhances Fireball and Meteor damage.
4. Elemental Summoner Board: Increases elemental damage and mana sustain.
5. Glyphs:
   • Exploit: Increases damage to Vulnerable enemies.
   • Flamefeeder: Boosts damage to Burning enemies.
   • Control: Extra damage to crowd-controlled enemies.
   • Reinforced: Boosts defensive stats for survivability.

Gameplay Tips (From Video and General Mechanics)

• Combat Rotation:
  1. Use Frost Nova to freeze enemies, triggering Vyr’s Mastery and setting up crowd control.
  2. Cast Firewall or Meteor to apply Burning for Combustion synergy.
  3. Spam Fireball as your primary damage source, aiming for clustered enemies to maximize explosion AoE.
  4. Activate Unstable Currents for burst phases against elites or bosses.
  5. Use Teleport to reposition and Flame Shield for emergency defense or mana regen.
• Positioning: Stay at medium range to ensure Fireball explosions hit multiple enemies. The Starfall Coronet meteors handle long-range damage.
• Mana Management: Rely on Vox Omnium, Flame Shield, and mana regen tempers to sustain Fireball spam.
• Pit Pushing: Prioritize crowd control and elite targeting to clear high-tier Pits efficiently. The video showcases this build clearing Pit 150+ with optimized gear.

Season 9-Specific Synergies

• Horadric Artifacts: Equip artifacts that boost Fire Damage or Critical Strike Chance. The video mentions a new artifact that increases explosion radius, perfect for Fireball.
• Tempering and Masterworking: Focus on tempering Fire Damage and Critical Strike Damage. Masterwork gear to +12 for maximum stat boosts.
• Mercenaries: Choose Subo for additional crowd control or Varyana for damage amplification, as suggested in the video for boss fights.

Why Fireball Over Hydra?

While the Hydra Sorcerer was initially considered strong, the video and community feedback highlight Fireball’s superior scalability due to:

• Starfall Coronet synergy, which adds meteors to Fireball, outscaling Hydra’s damage in AoE scenarios.
• Easier gear requirements, as Fireball benefits from more accessible uniques and aspects.
• Better synergy with Season 9’s artifact system, which amplifies explosion-based skills.

Endgame Performance

• Nightmare Dungeons: Clears Tier 100+ with ease due to Fireball’s AoE and Burning synergy.
• The Pit: Can push Pit 150+ with optimized gear, as shown in the video’s gameplay.
• Tormented Bosses: High single-target damage from Starfall Coronet meteors and Combustion makes quick work of bosses like Duriel and Andariel.

Additional Notes

• Build Flexibility: You can swap Meteor for Chain Lightning if you prefer hybrid damage for specific encounters, though the video focuses on pure Fireball.
• Gear Progression: Start with legendary aspects and transition to uniques as you farm Tormented Bosses or high-tier Pits.