The Druid in Diablo 4 may not be the most popular class, but it can certainly be one of the most fun for animal lovers once you start dipping your toes in Companions. There is such a thing as a Companion build, but using every Companion really isn't great for the later portions of the game and the higher world tiers.
But that doesn't mean Companions aren't good; Companions have incredibly strong abilities that, if paired well with another companion or other abilities, will allow you to demolish everything in your path. However, picking the best to take on is the key to a great build.
6 Ravens
Ravens seem like they're fun; after all, who wouldn't love a little bird companion? The aesthetic is on point, but the regular and reliable damage isn't, even if you have Legendaries that boost the number of companions you have.
Whether or not you have Key Passives that affect your Ravens, they just aren't worth it when the other companions are so much better options. Unlike the Sorcerer's Ultimate Inferno, the Raven's triggered attack doesn't pull enemies into their swarm, which means that you're target can basically walk out and leave barely touched. Without any incapacitation effect on your enemy, their triggered attack can be rendered null and useless far too easily.
5 Wolves
Wolves are an absolute delight of a companion to have trailing you around the entirety of Sanctuary because... who doesn't love a few good doggies in their lives? They will lay their lives on the line for you and will, inevitably, be temporarily offed by some boss, only to reappear a little bit later. In all honesty, the fact that they can be killed is the sole reason that these buddies aren't at the top of the rankings.
If you're going up against an exceptionally difficult boss and they happen to be killed at the wrong time, it can make the fight way harder than it has to be. Wolves just aren't nearly as reliable as you would probably like them to be, especially if you want consistent damage and don't want to be worrying about whether or not they're healthy.
4 Poison Creepers
Although you can't direct the damage of Poison Creepers, nor can you rely on them to deal close-ranged damage, Poison Creepers are an excellent option when you only want one Companion. Their passive attack poisons enemies, which deals consistent damage, and their triggered attack does an Area of Effect (AoE) that can incapacitate enemies.
The incapacitate effect will stun enemies just long enough to get a few extra attacks in without worrying about any return damage. If you increase the length of the incapacitate and add on the modifier that allows you to deal critical strikes to enemies strangled by the Poison Creepers, then you're in for an amazing time fighting and dispatching large enemy groups quickly.
This means that if you gather up large groups of enemies, you can trigger your Poison Creepers, which will stun the group and allow you to take out an entire swarm in only a few hits. The only downside is that it's much harder to use the Poison Creepers on bosses because they will not reliably target bosses or elite enemies in specific.
3 Ravens And Wolves
Companions are good on their own, but they're even better when you combine them tactfully. Of course, it won't be literal magic, but it will be close enough. The Companion builds for Druids might not be great for the long run in the game if you have a poor build, and unfortunately, the Raven and Wolf build is probably the worst companion combination.
It's certainly better than the Companion on their own; after all, you get increased damage, and you get two animal friends, but without Poison Creepers, you don't get the benefit of poison and an extended range of passive damage.
2 Poison Creepers And Wolves
Wolves are great and incredibly fun Companions to have, and they, alone, make the Druid class an absolutely delightful experience to play around with. However, if you are trying to make a powerful build and want to use the Poison Creepers in that build, then using Wolves and Ravens would be a misstep.
Unfortunately, while these two are great on their own, they don't complement each other all that much. Wolves give you up-close passive damage while they're alive and healthy, while Poison Creepers cover distance enemies. They work fine together as passive damage, but the Wolf Companion's triggered ability doesn't complement the Poison Creeper ability all that well.
The Poison Creeper's ability does an AoE radius attack, whereas the Wolves target a single enemy for their ability, which means you don't really get as much damage out as you could for groups. You'd only see this combination's good side when you're fighting bosses.
1 Poison Creepers And Ravens
If you're going to combine the Poison Creeper, arguably the best of the individual companions, with another companion, the Raven is the best option. The Raven, by itself, might be the worst Companion choice, but the Poison Creeper and Raven are a killer option together.
If you take the support ability that will incapacitate enemies when you use your Poison Creepers ability, you can swoop in with the Ravens and trap them in its deadly swirl before they have time to get up and leave. Their combined triggered abilities are sure to wipe out enemies, especially if you have legendary aspects that increase the damage you deal while enemies are poisoned or incapacitated in some form.