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Diablo 4 Season 9 has introduced several powerhouse builds across all classes, and one of the most surprising among them is the Jaguar Spiritborn with Balazan's Maxtlatl. This Poison-focused Thorns build isn't meta in the traditional sense. Still, with the right setup, it easily rivals (and often outpaces) more conventional choices, especially in AoE mob clearing and endgame Thorns scaling.

In this guide, we break down everything you need to know to build and master Balazan's Poison Rake Spiritborn, from leveling to final gear, Paragon, Spellcrafting, Diablo 4 Items, and more.

Pros and Cons of Balazan's Poison Rake Spiritborn

Pros:

· Insane AoE damage via Poison DoT and Thorns

· Jaguar Spirit skill synergy allows incredible mobility

· Strong synergy with Spirit Halls and key items like Razorplate

· Dominates large mob packs with Vortex + Catalyst combo

Cons:

· Low survivability without optimized Barrier stacking

· Needs specific Uniques (Balazan's Maxtlatl, Razorplate) to truly shine

· Requires over 150% Attack Speed for endgame viability

· High dependency on cooldown and Ferocity management

How to Play the Build: Skill Rotation

1. Engage with Vortex to pull enemies together and knock them down.

2. Spam Rake to stack Ferocity and deal direct damage - each cast triggers Thorns with Balazan's.

3. Activate Armored Hide, Toxic Skin, and Ravager to increase Thorns, Poison damage, and durability.

4. Use The Hunter to summon the Jaguar Spirit and dart between enemies for instant, bursty damage.

5. Position inside Mystic Circles (via Aspect of Plains Power) to maximize Ferocity and damage output.

6. Use Catalyst + Corrosive Vapor + Ocular Rune from Spellcrafting to obliterate groups.

Leveling Guide - Skill Point Progression

The goal during leveling is to stack Thorns and Poison DoT while scaling Ferocity through Jaguar skills:

Early Levels (2-15)

· Thrash → Enhanced Thrash

· Vortex → Enhanced + Replenishing Vortex

· Start building Mirage, Unrestrained Power, Focal Point, Apex

Mid Game (16-32)

· Ravager, Enhanced Ravager

· Toxic Skin, Enhanced + Replenishing Toxic Skin

· Build Endurance, Patient Guard, Auspicious, Bastion

Pre-Endgame (33-60)

· Nourishment, Potent, Resolution, Supremacy

· Unlock The Hunter and its upgrades (Harmonious, Exalted)

· Get Noxious Resonance (Key Passive) and Rake + Advantageous Rake

Endgame Tuning (61-72)

· Perseverance, Velocity, Furnace

· Armored Hide, Measured Ravager

Spirit Hall Setup: Jaguar Focused

Primary Spirit: Jaguar

· Every 15th Jaguar Skill attack echoes 15% of your last damage.

· All skills become Jaguar skills, enabling massive synergy with Hunter + Rake.

Secondary Spirit: Jaguar

· Increases Ferocity cap and stacking rate from kills or boss hits.

Best Gear & Uniques

You can go to Eld.gg to buy D4 materials to help you upgrade:

1. Balazan's Maxtlatl (Chest)

· The centerpiece of this build.

· Converts Thorns to Poison and scales Poisoning up to 300%.

2. Razorplate (Chest)

· Insane Thorns stacking.

· Enables Balazan's passive to reach full potential.

3. Loyalty's Mantle

· Boosts all Spirit Hall bonuses by 100% if matched.

· Reduces cooldown and cost of Jaguar skills.

Key Legendary Aspects

· Aspect of Wild Claws: Rake summons a Spirit Jaguar that also attacks.

· Duelist's Aspect: Increases Ferocity max cap.

· Plains Power: Create Mystic Circles to boost Ferocity and overall damage.

· Vehement Brawler's Aspect: Buff damage after Ultimate skill (Hunter).

· Conceited Aspect: Bonus damage with Barrier active.

Alternative Ring: Ring of Starless Skies - grants resource efficiency and burst potential.

Horadric Jewelry & Spellcrafting

Jewelry:

1. Seal of Denial: Massive Thorns and Barrier boost.

2. Tyrant's Bane: DoT amplification - stacks infinitely.

3. Idol From Below: Bonus stats, but makes you a hunted target in dark zones.

Gems:

·Grand Emerald: Boosts Dexterity for scaling damage and survivability.

Runewords:

· NeoQax: Huge instant damage at the cost of all resources.

· IgniJah: Replaces evade with teleport - critical for mobility.

· TamQue: Grants Earthen Bulwark for added defense.

Spellcraft Combo:

· Catalyst: Celestial Surge - pulls and nukes enemies in Ocular Rune.

· Infusion: Corrosive Vapor - converts Catalyst into Poison DoT.

· Arcana: Floaty Bobble, Gleaming Conduit, Jagged Bramble

Paragon Boards & Glyphs

Recommended Boards:

· Spiney Skin: Boost Thorns on cooldown use.

· Viscous Shield: Deal more damage based on Barrier size.

· Sapping: Regain Vigor and increase damage after Spirit skill rotation.

· Convergence: Bonus damage scaling from all elemental bonuses.

Glyphs:

· Revenge: Boosts all damage after Thorns proc.

· Ritual: Boost damage and defense inside Mystic Circles.

· Wildfire: Chance to reduce cooldowns on Fire damage (synergizes with Catalyst).

· Hubris: Boosts Thorns via Dodge stat; extra damage to Vulnerable.

· Colossal (Optional): Extra Resolve scaling with Gorilla skills if hybridizing.

Mercenaries Setup

Primary: Raheir

· Ground Slam → Raheir's Aegis → Bastion → Inspiration

· Durable tank with consistent CC.

· Reinforcement: Varyana

· Casts Bloodthirst every 22s to support DPS and self-healing.

Conclusion

The Balazan's Poison Rake Spiritborn build is one of the most exciting off-meta picks in Diablo 4 Season 9. It takes everything fun about the Spiritborn - mobility, rapid strikes, and raw Thorns damage - and amplifies it with Poisonous burst potential that scales explosively in group fights.

If you love high-speed gameplay, big poison numbers, and complex interactions between gear, skills, and mechanics, this build is worth a try. Just make sure to gear up for defense, stack Attack Speed, and let Balazan's Thorns carry you into the pits.