When Diablo 3 first started, the best gear in the game was truly a matter of opinion. So long as it could beat the game, and every set in the game was plenty capable of doing so, the "best" gear matched whatever player preference was. Yet Diablo 3 was completely overhauled and pro players are no longer guided by intuition; they have to come to grips with cold, hard, facts.
The game has evolved in large part due to the addition of the Greater Rifts. Players can push their limits and improve their times. Additionally, when somebody sets a high score, every other player can see their build, from abilities to gear. This creates a rather concrete list of what the best armor sets in the game actually are, especially because the leaderboards are organized by these sets.
Updated on November 25th, 2021, by Jeff Drake: The recent release of the remastered version of Diablo 2 has many gamers revisiting their abandoned characters from the other Diablo games. One thing that many will be reminded of while doing this is how close they were to completing an item set in Diablo 3. The item sets in this game, at least some of them, are beyond overpowered and make the game too easy at times. However, considering how many hours a player needed to put into this game to actually get enough of one of these sets to active its powers, this ease of play was well earned. This update will add five additional entries that deserve to be recognized as among the best item sets in Diablo 3.
14 Seeker Of The Light
This is a set for the Crusader, and it makes that class extremely deadly to concentrated groups of enemies. When two pieces are worn the Crusader's Blessed Hammer skill reduces the cooldown time of the Falling Sword skill. Falling Sword is one of the Crusader's best skills, and as such, has a long cooldown time of 30 seconds.
Combining four pieces reduces damage taken after performing Falling Sword for eight seconds. Wearing six pieces of this armor set increases the damage of Blessed Hammer by 15,000%, and Falling Sword by 1,000%.
13 Bones Of Rathma
Every other set of gear on this list exists because of very strong pushing ability in Greater Rifts. But the only reason they are capable of doing such a thing is because of the Bones of Rathma set.
This set is the best in the game for farming paragon experience points in a group. Everybody needs to either have the Bones of Rathma set or know somebody who does. It might not have all of the high scores, but the high scores owe their status to this set.
12 Might Of The Earth
Make no mistake, Barbarians are the best class in the game as far as groups go. This isn't arguable. But that group build doesn't use a complete set because it isn't responsible for doing any damage.
Thankfully, Might of the Earth is here to the rescue for solo Barbarians, capable of clearing Greater Rift 141 by itself due to great mobility from Leap and area damage from Earthquake.
11 The Typhon's Veil
Many players who tried running a Wizard in Diablo 3 grew fond of the Hydra spell. This spell summoned three hydra heads from the ground that spit firebolts at the enemy. This was a great crowd-control measure, and also helped chip away at a boss' life-bar.
The Typhon's Veil increases the number of hydra heads by two - if two pices are worn. With four pieces the player takes 8% less damage per hydra head currently out; six pieces increase the hydras' attack by 2,000%. With the Serpent's Sparker wand (not part of this set) two Hydra spells can be active at a time. This would give an 80% reduction of damage - as well as ten hydra heads spitting firebolts at the enemy at 2,250% damage.
10 Mundunugu's Regalia
If it had just a little bit more single target damage, Mundunugu's Regalia would likely compete for the top spot on this list. The gear stalls after clearing Greater Rift 142 solo, but that's plenty powerful for the Witch Doctor.
The set is even better in four-person group play, where the Witch Doctor is in charge of taking down groups. With a good Barbarian to help, this is likely the best set at taking down mobs in the game.
9 Inna's Mantra
The Monk class was probably the least favorite among players of Diablo 3. The class was a bit lacking in defense if swarmed by enemies, and didn't have many overly powerful skills for boss fights. This Diablo 3 armor set makes the Monk not only more viable, but downright scary.
Combining two pieces merely increases the passive skill of the Monk's Mystic Ally; with four pieces the Mystic Allies no longer take damage. With six pieces of this set ten Mystic Allies can be summoned, and each one summoned increases their attack strength by 3,000%. This set was made for solo runs.
8 Gears Of The Dreadlands
Right now, it's hard to argue that Demon Hunter's should wear anything in the game besides the Gears of the Dreadlands set. The extra damage to Hungering Arrow pierces enemies and makes for solid group and single target damage.
By taking down Greater Rift 142 on its own, it's the best Demon Hunter gear already, but this doesn't even account for farming. When it comes to solo play, not gear set on any class in the game can touch this one.
7 Monkey King's Garb
The player base certainly aches for the Monk class in the current state of the game. After being the top support class for so long, they've been completely replaced by Barbarians and Demon Hunters in the group metagame.
The Monkey King Garb seems like an attempt to repurpose the class from support to damage. So far, it hasn't gone too badly, enabling the class to take down Greater Rift 144 on its own.
6 Aegis Of Valor
The Crusader class should feel a tad spoiled, having two sets in the top five, but that's just how the status of the game is right now. It's little wonder as to why they top the charts of Diablo 3's best classes.
The set boosts Fist of the Heavens so much so that the class is indisputably the best single target damage in the game. Experts are still devising a way to add more group damage with the set, but for now, it's got a respectable solo high score of 146 in Greater Rifts.
5 Wrath Of The Wastes
For a class that has been almost entirely reduced to the support role, it's nice that Barbarians have access to the Wrath of the Wastes set. If it weren't for this set, solo Barbarian players would begin to debate whether Diablo 2 or Diablo 3 is the better game.
This is the set that is core to the vaunted Whirlwind build, enabling Barbarians to deal damage all around themselves. As a result, this set is capable of clearing Greater Rift 147 solo.
4 Firebird's Finery
The latest of the sets to the Greater Rift 150 solo scene, Firebird's Finery ignites and combusts enemies of the Wizard and pounds them for absurd volumes of damage. Pro players that can kite enemies and stay alive will love that this is now one of the best sets around.
The Wizard will have to be added to the S-Tier rankings soon with this latest round of data. The set makes the Wizard capable of very high group and single target damage, meaning the Wizard can cover two DPS roles in a group.
3 Armor Of Akkhan
The Armor of Akkhan is a deceptively great set for the Crusader class. All of the set bonuses boost Akarat's Champion by a little bit, which might not seem like much, but there is one ability that pairs nicely with this.
Players who use this also use Bombardment and the right items actually make the spell work passively. Doing so, it gains the power to clear Greater Rift 150 all on its own.
2 Immortal King's Call
This is yet another item set for the Barbarian class - and probably that class' best item set. The Barbarian has a ton of great skills; two of the most reliable being Call of the Ancients and Wrath of the Berserker. The three spirit barbarians summoned by Call of the Ancients cut through the enemy like a lawnmower. Wrath of the Berserker increases the fighting ability of the Barbarian for 20 seconds.
By wearing just two pieces of this set the spirit barbarians summoned by Call of the Ancients remain until they die, rather than 20 seconds. If four pieces of the Immortal King's Call are combined the cooldown time for both skills (120 seconds) are reduced by three seconds for every ten Fury used. If six pieces are worn together the player's damage is increased by 4,000% when Call of the Ancients and Wrath of the Berserker are both active. This isn't an armor set - it's a cheat code.
1 Masquerade Of The Burning Carnival
Among the players who have conquered Greater Rift 150 solo, the one most commonly utilized is the Masquerade of the Burning Carnival. This set adds 10,000% damage to Bone Spear.
But that's not all. It adds this damage to the two adds the Necromancer summons as well through Simulacrum. While other gear sets offer big damage bonuses, very few of them are willing to do it on a spell that can be so easily spammed. Bone Spear has no cooldown at all, making this set the undisputed champion among all sets.