Hello!

This is my fourth guide. I hope you will like it.

Diablo is very good hero. In this guide we will go for tanky AoE damage dealer build. His main strength comes from his combo, which punishes anyone standing out of position. He is very strong tank and capable AoE damage dealer.

PROS
-Very tanky
-Moves enemy where you need them
-Good easly ganks
-Does a lot of AoE damage
-Good at pushing
-Can ressurect very fast
-Good for body blocking
-Running on all four
-Looks terrific

CONS
-Bad mobility
-Early game he is not best laner
-Hard to learn properf positioning
-Isn't exactly able to focus down 1 target
-If you die with 100 souls, you will become less tanky untill you collect souls again
-Bad sustain

Trait: Black Soulstone - This trait makes you collect souls of any enemy dying around you, making you more tanky. Also you ressurect almost instantly if you die with 100 souls collected, however at cost of your souls.

Shadow Charge (Q) - Charge your target knock it back. Also stunning if enemy collide with terrain. Good ability to push squishy enemy closer to your towers/team or push dangerous enemy out of team. Also good to disrupt channeling abilities. It's not best ability for catching up enemy or initiation. Well at least not untill you get certain talents. Newly it also make you resistant.

Fire Stomp (W) - Ability you should know very well if you played Diablo 2 (although this is watered down version), it sends multiple fire waves around. This ability needs some practising to be able maximalize its effectivness, however it has small cooldown, thus it isn't big deal if you miss.

Overpower (E) - With this ability you "replant" your target right behind you, usually in perfect position to use your Shadow Charge (Q)

This guide is trying to utilize Diablo's AoE damage capabilities and his durability as much as possible, also your ability move your enemy. Using talents which improve his Trait: Black Soulstone and Fire Stomp (W) are highly preferred, however I will try to touch every single talent and say my thoughts to it.

Level 1

MY CHOICE:

Bulwark - This is my preferred defensive talent as it increase considerably time you are resistant. It should help you stay alive mainly in moments you charge into enemy team.

Other talents:

Devil's Due - This talent help you with sustain. However mostly out of combat. Good for laning. I would not recommend to take it

Life Leech - This talent was absolute garbage at level 13. It's not actually much better in this either. It's like 15-30 dmg/heal every 1.25 IF you can actually keep slapping anyone and 30-60 dmg/heal in late game. Which is like nothing.

Level 4

MY CHOICE:

From the Shadows - This talent will help you with your job manipulating with enemy positioning.


Other talents:

Demonic Strength - Slightly improving utility, good synergy with other talents manipulating your enemy. It is worth to pick. It's just little too weak imho.

Speed Demon - If enemy team got a lot stuns and roots you might consider this talent as the best option of this tier. Positioning is very important for this villian.

Level 7

MY CHOICES:

Soul Feast - I like sustain. Which is why this is my 1st pick. However in enemy got too much burst dmg (especially if it ability based) there is better option.

Soul Shield - Up 35% permanent ability dmg shield. You should pick this one if enemy stacks mages or some other ability burst characters. I don't think you can make mistake by picking this talent any game.

Other talents:

Diabolical Momentum - This talent decreases cooldown to your Q and E every attack by 1,5 sec. Which obviously gives you good synergy with other talents improving these abilities. However I am little more focused on defense and AoE damage, which is why I consider as least impressive. It is very good option none less.

Level 10

MY CHOICE:

Lightning Breath - Great ability in which honor I named this guide. With 60 sec cooldown this heavy damaging uninterrupable ability AoE can be used mostly every fight. It is not good ability just to deal damage in team fight, it is also good ability to push, force enemy out of position, quickly cap merc camp when you are on your way back to nexus, wins your 1vs1 fight and it looke terrific! Don't be afraid use this ability often, but don't waste before the team fight.

Alternative:

Apocalypse - This heroic ability can demolish enemy team if used at right moment. However it is very team dependent and situational ability, which is better be used within coordinated team rather then in solo queue. If you can't rely on your team mates, you better pick Lightning Breath

Level 13

MY CHOICE:

Fire Devil - If you want to push your AoE damage limits to its maximum pick this one. It is my personaly favourite as it makes you deal even more damage all around you. It help you with push, taking camps and even some objectives.

Alternative:

Devastating Charge - Pretty cool talent. Which can help you with single target damage or take down badly hurt enemy. Very good synergy with Diabolical Momentum

Hellfire - To make use of this you have to hit enemy heroes. Which means, it won't help you take camps. It won't help you push undefended enemy. Even in team fight it is fairly unreliable. However it can actually pull out more damage in team fights than Fire Devil which is why I don't consider this talent as completly worthless.

Level 16

Domination - I love this talent. You can charge straight in to enemy team. Pick someone and throw him/her in your team. This talent will make your job to displace your enemy much easier.

Other talents:

Imposing Presence - Obvious choice against AA heavy teams. Also helps to decrease enemy team damage during team fights, especially if there is not a lot space around.

Debilitating Flames - My least favourite talent of this tier. It doesn't sound like powerful skill, however considering how much Diablo is based about positioning it can actually help fair a bit. However this talent helps more against less mobile enemy. It's not much worth if your enemy just jumps away.

Level 20

MY CHOICE:

Hellstorm - With even bigger serving of your favourite chilli, you can now fry enemy gate, towers, well, minions and fort, including every enemy hero trying to stop you at same time. I would not skip this talent because it simply improves everything about Lightning Breath

If you picked Apocalypse

Lord of Terror - This is like AoE Blood for Blood. Stealing live from enemy heroes around you, doing nice damage and making you healthly. Very nice talent.

Hellgate - Another talent to manipulate your enemy positioning. You might consider this talent if you still got problems to pick down some mobile threats

Dying Breath - Yeah this talents gets small icon because it simply is least impressive talent to pick.

Above I wrote enough about talents and abilities and how to best use them. Now it's time for some tips

1) You are tank. Don't be afraid to go first, but never forget to check your back. If you engage with your allies too far behind you might end up dead without help, don't blame your allies then.

2) At start stay at bush closest to your towers. Enemy heroes often go check what's in and you can easily use E+Q combo to throw poor victmin under your towers, which might help you get easy 1st blood.

3) Don't wait untill you are almost death and go drink from well early, it will help you sustain better and you can go play more aggressively.

4) Think before you use your Shadow Charge (Q) or Overpower (E). You don't want to save your enemy from allied attack or push dangerous enemy inside of your team.

5) As tank you should body block your enemy. It is better skip few auto-attacks and move yourself in way of your enemy.

6) You don't have to use your E+Q combo just to push enemy closer to your team, you can also use that combo to pick off enemy from your weak allies or you can get them into better position to push them into wall.

7) Lightning Breath has bigger range than it might seems. Many players underestimate that thinking they are safe, while you are frying them.

8) Use always quick cast, you don't have to aim your abilities and there are no ranges. On other side you have to work quick.

9) Use your Lightning Breath often. Its cooldown is just 60 seconds. Don't be afraid to use it in 1vs1 situation or for taking mercenaries if you know you won't need that ability really soon.

10) Position is very important for Diablo, remember you have 2 abilities to move your target. While he is fairly easy to play, he has fairly high skill ceiling thanks to positioning.

11) Use bushes to attack mounted your enemy unsuspecting anything

Okay and that's it. I guess I will come with more tips another time. I am quite tired after 4 hours writing this guide.

If you have read up here I thank you for your time.
I hope you enjoyed reading this and you have learned something ;)

I would also thank to Mierina for tip.

Once again I repeat: english is not my first language nor I am good expressing and explaining in my first my language anyway :)
I did my best to use colours to make text easy on eye. I hope it readable.

Leave a comment, rate this guide. I would like to know what do you think about this guide.
And cya in Nexus ;)

*20/6/2015 guide created (DD/MM/YYYY format)

*18/8/2015 Patch

Imposing Presence
-Attack Speed slow reduced from 50% to 40%
-The Attack Speed slow will now be removed when attacking a target that has not learned the Imposing Presence Talent

*18/8/2015 Patch

Trait: Black Soulstone - Maximum Health gained per Soul increased from 0.15% to 0.2%

Essence of the Slain - Now also grants 10 Health for each enemy slain nearby

Shadow Charge (Q)
-Range increased by approximately 15%
-Stun duration after knocking an enemy into a wall increased from 0.75 to 1 second

Devastating Charge - Now reduces movement impairing effects for 6 seconds, up from 3 seconds

Fire Stomp (W)
-Damage increased from 30 (+9 per level) to 33 (+10 per level)
-Mana cost decreased from 50 to 40

Domination - Cooldown reduction for Shadow Charge increased from 8 to 10 seconds

*10/2/2016 Patch

Fire Devil - Damage reduced from 23 (+4% per level) to 17 (+4% per level)

*17/5/2016 Patch

Shadow Charge (Q)
-The implementation for this Ability has been reworked.
-No longer automatically Stuns the target at the end of the knockback phase, and instead applies a Daze for -the duration of the knockback.
-Targets that collide with terrain will still be stunned for 1 second.
- Diablo will now continue travelling toward the enemy target for the duration of the knockback phase.

Apocalypse
-Stun duration reduced from 2 to 1.75 seconds.

Battle Momentum has been made Hero-specific, and now only applies to Basic Ability cooldowns.
Diabolic Momentum Basic Attacks now reduce Basic Ability cooldowns by 0.75 seconds instead of 0.5.
No longer reduces Heroic Ability cooldowns.

*14/12/2016 Patch Ragnaros patch and Diablo rework - Phew ^^
I like these changes (mostly, I will miss you rampage :-( cya maybe somewhere in future)


Abilities

Shadow Charge (Q)
Base damage from 94 to 75
New Functionality:
Diablo gains 25% resistance for 2 seconds after charging
If Diablo’s target collides with terrain they take an additional 150 damage

Fire Stomp (W)
Base damage from 106 to 60
Added Functionality:
Fire Stomp fireballs return to Diablo, dealing 90 damage

Trait: Black Soulstone
Bonus max Health per Soulstone stack from .2 to .4%

Talents

Block
Removed

Devil’s Due
Devil’s Due (Passive)
New functionality:
Regeneration Globes and Healing Fountains are 2% more effective for every stack of Black Soulstone

Overwhelming Force
Removed

New Talent: Bulwark
Increase the duration of Shadow Charge’s Resistance effect from 2 to 5 seconds

Life Leech
Moved from Level 13 to Level 1

Demonic Strength
Slow duration increased from 2 to 3 seconds
Slow amount increased from 25 to 30%

Soul Catcher
Removed

Essence of the Slain
Removed


New Talent: Speed Demon
Diablo gains 30% Movement Speed for 5 seconds after being Stunned or Rooted

From the Shadows
Moved from Level 7 to Level 4
Functionality added:
Also increases Shadow Charge range by 33%

Diabolical Momentum
Functionality changed:
Basic Attacks lower the cooldown of Shadow Charge and Overpower by 1.5 seconds

Soul Steal
Removed

Devastating Charge
Moved from Level 7 to Level 13
Functionality changed:
Shadow Charging an enemy into unpathable terrain deals an additional 5% of that targets max Health in damage
Quest: Every time you charge an enemy into unpathable terrain, increase the bonus damage by 2%, stacking up to a 10% bonus (15% max health possible)

New Talent: Soul Shield
Each Black Soulstone stack Diablo has grants him 0.35% Resistance to enemy Abilities

Soul Feast
Moved from Level 1
New functionality:
Each Soulstone stack grants 0.4 Health Regeneration per second

Firestorm
Removed

Spell Shield
Removed

Siphon the Dead
Removed

New talent: Hellfire
Each enemy Hero hit by Fire Stomp increases the damage of the next Fire Stomp by 10%, stacking up to 100%.

Fire Devil
Moved from Level 4 to Level 13
Aura damage increased from 17 to 22
Added functionality:
Also increases Diablo’s Basic Attack damage by 25% for 6 seconds

Rampage
Removed

Continuous Overpower
Removed

Domination
New Functionality:
Lower the Cooldown of Overpower by 4 seconds
Using Overpower refreshes the Cooldown of Shadow Charge

Imposing Presence
Removed

New Talent: Fearful Presence
Passive: Heroes and Summons that attack Diablo have their Attack Speed slowed by 20% for 2.5 seconds
Active: Activate to reduce the damage dealt by nearby Heroes by 30% for 3 seconds

Bolt of the Storm
Removed

New Talent: Hellgate
Activate to teleport a short distance and place a Demonic Rune at that location. After 1.75 seconds the rune explodes dealing 137 damage and stuns enemies for 1.75 seconds