Diablo 4is in development now but has yet to officially announce a release date. Fans are also still in the dark about what all the classes available at launch will be, as currently players know only that the Druid, Sorcerer, and Barbarian will be available, meaning speculation about what the other classes will be has run rampant on message boards and the internet at large. The franchise may introduce more brand new classes toDiablo 4,but the series in general has a deep history of different character classes to choose from.
The long development time ofDiablo 4hasn’t kept it from becoming oneof the most anticipated gamesin many polls, with many likely looking forward to these class reveals as well. With such a long list of classic archetypes having been featured in previous titles, it is worth taking a look back at the history of different classes available throughout older games to try and determine what may be coming inDiablo 4.
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Diablo Classes Throughout Its History
In any successful action RPG, the options available to players for building characters are an important factor, and theDiablofranchise is no exception. The original title had three character choices that offered fairly minute differences as every class was able to learn pretty much any ability or spell throughout the game. The Warrior, Rogue, and Sorcerer each had a primary stat bonus and one unique ability, and this was much the same for the Monk that was added in theHellfireexpansion. In later titles, the differences betweenclasses like Druid and Sorcererwere more codified and made the classes simultaneously more unique and more concentrated for players.
Diablo 2saw a more diversified cast of character classes that each had unique playstyles. The Amazon, Barbarian, Necromancer, Paladin, and Sorceress all felt unique from each other and offered varied playstyles for players to try out and customize. Joined later by the Druid and Assassin,Diablo 2created the system that more closely resembles modernDiablogameplay. As fansawait moreDiablo 4newssoon, many of these classes that didn’t see direct representation inDiablo 3are among the more common choices for possible classes. The return of the Druid is already confirmed, but some are wondering if a ranged class will be the next archetype to be announced for the next game.
The release ofDiablo 3saw the introduction of theDemon Hunter as a launch class. The vengeful hunter was a ranged archetype of a warrior that blended elements of the Rogue, Assassin, and a lesser degree the Druid (its ability to summon beasts). Quickly becoming a fan-favorite for the series, some players are wondering whether the Demon Hunter will return as the primary ranged fighter forDiablo 4. With two magic users already announced, a fighter with ranged options seems a likely candidate, though Demon Hunter being special to this game is also a point against. Some others are wondering if another version of the Paladin orDiablo 3’sCrusader will make an entry as an agent of holy magic alongside the nature and arcane powers of the Druid and Sorcerer.
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Will Diablo 4 Feature a Brand New Class?
One of the things that many point to when making guesses about what the next class will be is that every new iteration ofDiablohas featured at least one brand new class alongside returning and reworked ones.Diablo 2added several new classes, the Amazon, Necromancer, Assassin, Druid, and Paladin. Then, inDiablo 3,the Witch Doctor and Demon Hunter debuted. The Witch Doctor was originally intended as a new version of the Necromancer and featured many similar powers over death and undeath. Later the Necromancer returned proper, making many believe that the Necromancer mightnot be included inDiablo 4. But with making guesses about a new class, the possibilities are seemingly endless.
Each class that has made their way intoDiablohave been classic fantasy archetypes similar to those inDungeons and Dragonsbut withDiablo’sflair for the darker side of fantasy. As fans speculate about what’s coming they can make some reasonable assumptions considering thatDiablo 4is launching with a console featurethat allowed for local multiplayer alongside the online options. Party composition is an important part of making group play balanced and fun. So with the current classes players know of being the Barbarian, Druid, and Sorcerer, certain assumptions can be made about what another playable class may be.
As mentioned before, the Demon Hunter seems a possible choice due to their ability to fight from range and versatile combat builds, but ifDiablocontinues its trend of adding new classes with each iteration, then including a new rework of a ranged fighter may be likely. The Amazon inDiablo 2offered many ranged combat options but isn’t likely due to its similarity to the Barbarian. It might make more sense to include a new version of the Rogue. Fans know thatDiablo 4needs another melee classto balance out the current roster, but one with ranged options would make the most sense in contrast to the Barbarian.
Diablois famous for its wealth of character options and a workaround for that would not be difficult to implement, but as fans wonder what toexpect fromDiablo 4, almost any character choice drawn from its rich history seems plausible.
Diablo 4is in development for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
