Diablo 4: What is Fortify and How to Get it Explained

Diablo 4 is full of different mechanics, and while some of them are self-explanatory or already known from previous games, Fortify is new in Diablo 4. It’s a very useful thing to have, and if you are wondering what Fortify does and how you can get it for your character, I’m here to guide you through the whole process, along with explaining what Fortify does in Diablo IV.

Who Can Get Fortify in Diablo 4?

The Fortify Ability is available to the following classes in Diablo 4:

• Barbarian
• Druid
• Necromancer

The Fortify Ability offers Damage Reduction to your character. The default damage reduction is 10% but increases through specific items, Passives, Paragon slots, Legendary Aspects, and other Abilities.

You can find out which parts of the skill tree can further extend the powers of your Fortify by using the “Search” function in a Diablo 4 Skill Tree Build Calculator, which you can find in our article below:

Related: Best Diablo 4 Skill Tree Build Calculators

How Does Fortify Work in Diablo 4?

Let me clarify how Fortify functions. To put it simply, your “Health” globe is represented by red liquid, symbolizing blood. If you possess “Fortify”, you will notice two shades of red within the globe – a lighter and a darker one. The darker shade denotes your “Fortified HP”, which acts as a “Last Stand” mechanism when your HP falls below the threshold. At this point, the damage reduction commences. Here’s a small example:

• You have 100 Max HP
• Your Fortified HP Max is 20
• You take five instances of 20 damage.

Based on your current HP of 80, the initial four damages will affect you normally. However, for the remaining 20 HP, your Fortify will activate with a default mitigation of 10%, resulting in you having 2 HP left.

Once your HP drops below the maximum fortified HP threshold, you will be fortified and a metal shield will surround your globe. It’s important to keep in mind that if you’re out of combat for five seconds, your Fortify will start decaying.

Also, more Fortify means more Overpower damage!

Related: What is Overpower Damage in Diablo 4? – Answered

That’s all for our guide on Fortify in Diablo 4, and we hope that it was less confusing than it was explained in-game. Feel free to try out a few different builds and see if it works out for you and your play style. We invite you to jump into our Diablo IV tag for more good reads about Diablo 4 such as Diablo 4: All Helltide Mystery Chest Locations Listed and How to Farm Unique Items in Diablo 4.