Last night, I booted up Diablo III again, still playing my favorite character—the Demon Hunter. I’ve played this character for years, but honestly, there’s a lot I never quite figured out. Especially those sets—the full outfits of armor, pants, and gloves that trigger special effects when worn together. I always knew they were powerful, but what exactly made them so good? Which set was best for fighting which monsters? I never really understood.
So this time, I made a decision: no more running Greater Rifts. Instead, I sat down to go through every single set piece in my inventory, trying them on one by one to see what they actually do. I wasn’t looking for guides to copy—I wanted to experiment myself, like running tests, to see which set felt the smoothest to play with.
Starting with the messiest spot: my gear stash
I opened my character’s inventory—wow, what a mess. Pages upon pages of gear piled together, names in every color, many I couldn’t even remember when I got them. I specifically looked for items with green icons before their names—those were the sets. I picked out everything I could assemble into a full set and tried them on my character.
Trying them on revealed I’d accumulated so many sets, yet most just sat there gathering dust, never used. It’s like buying a bunch of tools but leaving them in the box, unable to tell a screwdriver from a hammer.
Set One: Looter’s Legacy—Summon an Army to Fight for You
First up was the six-piece “Looter’s Legacy” set. It required wearing the helmet, shoulders, chestplate, gloves, pants, and boots. Once equipped, my character looked like a walking arsenal, covered in turrets and minions.
I immediately jumped into a rift instance to test it. As soon as I entered, a swarm of pets spawned around me: wolves, spiders, boars, and flying sentry turrets. They automatically attacked enemies, arrows flying everywhere, explosions constant, the entire screen flashing.
The best part? I didn’t have to do anything. Just stand still, and these turrets and pets would grow stronger the longer they fought.I occasionally cast “Cluster Arrows” to boost damage, but mostly just watched the spectacle unfold.
But this set has a flaw: you must stand still for the skills to activate, making you an easy target for enemy attacks. I died instantly twice from failing to dodge powerful abilities. So this set works best in open areas with sparse enemies—not for charging into crowded battles.
Set Two: Essence of Filth—Hold the mouse button to clear the screen
Next, I switched to the “Essence of Filth” set. This one only requires five pieces: chestplate, pants, belt, gloves, and boots. After equipping it, I felt like my entire movement speed increased.
Its core mechanic is “Multi-Shot”—simply hold down the right mouse button to continuously fire arrows.Previously, this skill felt sluggish, but with this set, arrows spewed out like they were free, blanketing the screen in a hail of projectiles.
Even better, each arrow fired has a chance to trigger the “Sweeping Shot” ability, instantly clearing out a group of minions. I tested it in a room packed with enemies and wiped them all out in seconds. This makes map clearing incredibly fast, perfect for farming materials or rushing daily quests.
However, this set has a drawback: you must constantly move and cannot stand still. If you remain stationary, your Discipline (skill resource) depletes, preventing you from using critical abilities. Playing this set requires dance-like movement—running and firing simultaneously—demanding excellent hand-eye coordination.
Set Three: Natalia’s Revenge—Grenades and Sweep Fire, Unique Rhythm
Next, I tested the “Natalia’s Revenge” set. This requires wearing the helmet, pants, boots, and ring, plus using a specific bow. Its most unique feature is its emphasis on grenade-based skills.
I found it awkward at first. You constantly need to cast “Rain of Vengeance”—which drops grenades from the sky to blast enemies—Then you use “Sweep Fire” to reduce its cooldown. This requires you to constantly reposition, calculate skill timings, and dodge enemy attacks.
After several tries, it felt exhausting. Unlike the first two sets that felt “smooth,” this felt more like completing a task: you have to remember exactly when to throw grenades and when to sweep fire. While the damage output is decent, playing it for extended periods feels mentally taxing. It’s not really suited for someone like me who prefers relaxed monster-slaying.
Set Four: Shadow Cloak – Assassin-Style One-Shot Kills
This “Shadow Cloak” set focuses on high burst damage. Equip gloves, helmet, shoulders, boots, and pair them with the dagger “Kare’s Spikes.”
Its core mechanic is the “Pierce” skill. You dash toward enemies, throwing a dagger with piercing effects. If it crits, the target explodes instantly, taking nearby foes down with it.
I love using this set against elite monsters. Target a big boss, dash in with Pierce—BAM! It explodes, mowing down a ring of minions.That “one-hit clear” feeling is incredibly satisfying—it truly feels like starring in an assassin movie.
However, this set demands high gear quality. If your critical strike rate is insufficient, Pierce won’t deal damage, leaving you running around helplessly. Therefore, it’s best suited for use once you’ve upgraded your gear later in the game; playing with it early on will be quite challenging.
Set Five: Land of Fear—Imps Fire Lasers for You
The final set is “Land of Fear.” Equip the belt, pants, chestplate, and a special quiver to activate its effects.
The playstyle: Spam “Sweep Shot” while stacking damage with primary skills like “Hunger Arrow.”Each stack triggers your Imps to fire lasers at enemies. After prolonged combat, the screen fills with Imps blasting beams, melting enemies as they collapse.
This set’s strength lies in simplicity: holding two keys essentially auto-clears mobs. Yet its flaw is also its weakness—it becomes tedious after prolonged play. No strategy, no positioning—just endless mouse clicks, like using a cheat.
After ten minutes of clearing maps, I felt zero accomplishment. It was like watching a machine work while I stood by as a spectator.
I Almost Mixed Up My Character
Honestly, by the end of testing, I was getting dizzy.Once, while playing as a Demon Hunter, I caught myself thinking about how to use the “Bonefrost Set”—which is a Necromancer’s gear! I stopped immediately, realizing I’d gotten so immersed I’d mixed up my character.
This highlights one thing: while these sets are powerful, each plays very differently. You need to know who you’re playing and what style you want to pursue—don’t just swap them randomly.
What I Finally Realized
After a night of tinkering, I tested all five main Demon Hunter sets. Now I no longer see them as just “cool-sounding gear.” Each set has its own unique playstyle:
- Predator: Ideal for those who love summoning armies and acting as commanders;
- Tainted Essence: For players who prioritize speed runs and fluid gameplay;
- Natalia: For those who enjoy controlling skill timing and strategic thinking;
- Shadow Cloak: For players craving high burst damage and the feel of an assassin;
- Fear Realm: For those who just want to farm gear effortlessly without focusing on skill execution.
I also realized that sets alone aren’t enough—you need the right legendary gear and skill combinations to truly unleash their power. And don’t forget: choose based on your playstyle. The strongest set isn’t necessarily the best fit for you.
That night, I didn’t kill many monsters or level up much, but I grasped things I’d overlooked before. Gaming isn’t just about fighting—understanding these mechanics is where true growth begins.