If you love to have that some kind of communication with the spirits to be able to summon pets and creatures and cast curses and hexes to your enemies, then Diablo 3′s Witch Doctor is just perfect for you. This handy Diablo 3 Witch Doctor leveling guide will take you to the world of voodoo, and if you loved the Necromancer in Diablo 2, you will certainly feel the same way with its reminiscent in the latest installment of the franchise.

Your main attacks with Witch Doctor, especially in the early levels of the game, will be about summoning minions that will protect and die for you. Some skills and runestones even allow you to blow these pets up and deal greater damage to your enemies.

In the early levels of the game, the most basic skill you need to utilize is the Summon Zombie Dogs. These minions deal great damage to your enemies, and the best part of having these pets around is that, they will do everything to keep enemies away from you, giving you better survivability and more time to strategize your attack. As soon as you reach level 16, you can then get Sacrifice to back-up your Zombie Dogs. When you get at Level 19, expect for these dogs to be tough as nails and become killing machines in the battlefield.

Also, at Level 18, the most devastating minions you can summon – the Gargantuan will also be available. This monster along with the Zombie Dogs will cause problems to your enemies. It is also in these stages where you will be able to call-forth curses to your enemies and hexes and cause Locust Swarm and Plague of Toads to inflict significant damage to your enemies. Also, never forget to get the most complimentary passive skills for these active skills, such as the Vermin. Choose this skill as soon as you get into level 10.

Here’s an example of Diablo 3 Witch Doctor leveling guide:

Active Skills and runestones

Haunt and Golden Runestone, Draining Spirit:

As a devastating skill of 500% weapon damage as Arcane for 15 seconds, it’s a pretty rational skill to have, as it returns 21 Mana per second while in use. Also, this skill goes well with the Ruth of Essence passive skill.

Summon Zombie Dogs and Alabaster Runestone, Leeching Beasts:

Your 3 Zombie Dogs that deals 15% of your damage as Physical for every hit, will also convert its 50% damage dealt as lifesteal.

Gargantuan and Obsidian Runestone, Big Stinker:

One of the most devastating AoE/DPS skill you can have in your arsenal. It can deal 25% of your weapon damage as Physical and a 30% per second weapon damage as Poison to every enemy the Gargantuan comes close to.

Poisoned Dart and Crimson Runestone, Flaming Dart:

Of course you need to have a balance of AoE and Single-target attacks to deal with various scenarios. This 211% weapon damage and extra 80% weapon damage as Poison for 2 seconds.

Acid Cloud – Obsidian Runestone, Lob Blob Bomb: This skill let you have better battlefield control over mobs of enemies. The slime that lasts 12 seconds on the ground causes 20% weapon damage as physical.

Spirit Walk – Crimson Runestone, Severance: One of the most important active skills for survivability. With this skill, Witch Doctor will be able to dodge attacking enemies by getting into the special realm. Enemies it will walk through will also take 455% weapon damage.

Passive Skills

Rush of Essence, Zombie Handler, Bad Medicine

Again, there are no hard and fast rules in playing any class in Diablo 3. The purpose of this Diablo 3 Witch Doctor leveling guide is to provide better option for various situations.