Very few games have managed to achieve the iconic status of Diablo. Diablo 2: Resurrected still gains traction despite multiple games in the franchise being released afterward and others on the horizon. Now is the perfect time to dive back into the franchise and get ready for the upcoming titles. Out of all the Diablo games, it is the second entry that has brought the series into the limelight and amassed a cult following all over the world.
One of the factors that continues to drive the game's popularity is the high replay value, with seven character classes, each one with a unique skillset and multiple builds players can choose to pursue. Disagreements regarding which class is the best rage on within the community to this day. It should come as no surprise since each character has its unique strengths and weaknesses. Here's how things generally shake out in Diablo 2: Resurrected.
Updated on February 5th, 2023 by Hodey Johns: The "best" of anything will always be a contentious subject in the gaming community. Players will often feel disrespected when a class or build that they love is placed underneath another. Indeed, one of the beautiful things about a well-balanced game is that even if the community has a preference or a tier list, the game is possible to beat with any class. Diablo 2: Resurrected is the poster child for such a discussion. This list has been updated with information about how each character shines, even if it ranks low down on the list so gamers can know how to make the class shine regardless of its ranking.
7 Barbarian
The Barbarian's true strength is in his support abilities. Using shouts and playing with teammates, this is the undisputed best class when it comes to helping out teammates, and that includes factoring in a Paladin's auras. When playing with friends, give the Barbarian more than a cursory glance but think twice before using this in the standard single-player campaign.
Unfortunately, melee weapon dealing on the toughest difficulties is impossible to do without getting regularly destroyed, even with the best runewords for the Barbarian. The damage isn't high enough and the tanking is impossible. the game can be completed with an ideal Whirlwind build, but even then, it's not going to be as easy as it is for any other class.
6 Assassin
Diablo 2 is often considered one of the games with the best DLC because the Druid and Assassin were both introduced in the Lord of Destruction. Between the two, the Druid has an easier path to victory while the Assassin has some intriguing options that don't pan out.
Much like the Barbarian, melee tanking/attacking is not viable when the game gets tough. To make the Assassin function, try out the Trapper build and make her a caster, thus giving her the ability to complete the game solo. With three different damage types used in the build, no monster immunity will be enough. Players will have to run around often to survive, but those who can avoid being touched can watch as their traps do the damage for them. This build is fun, it's too bad the other builds are essentially useless in the late game.
5 Amazon
The Amazon is a versatile class, highly skilled in using ranged weapons. It's quite popular among Diablo 2 newbies and veterans alike, as she is fairly easy to get used to, but proves a challenge to master. Aside from using bows and crossbows, the Amazon can be highly effective as a javelin-using build, as well.
No class in the game requires more thought when completing a build. Many of her skills have diminishing returns, so new players may have a tough time deciding when to cut off a skill before maxing it out. When playing this story-driven game with friends, players can farm up the ingredients needed to reset the skill tree and tweak the Amazon as necessary.
4 Druid
Fans refer to the Druid as the most well-rounded class in the game. Druids are extremely versatile, even more so than the Amazon. They have the conjuring abilities usually associated with necromancers, combat spells comparable to those of the Sorceress, and they are skilled when it comes to using swords and maces. They also have the unique ability to shapeshift into a werewolf or a werebear.
One issue with the druid is that he doesn't do anything better than any other class. Paladins tank better, Sorceresses deal more damage, and Barbarians have better mobility. However, the Wind Druid build deals physical damage on top of magic, cutting through resistances at every level. With some help from the community, players find a unique role when it comes to spell casting.
3 Necromancer
The Necromancer class is the most suitable one for players who are new to isometric ARPGs. The game allows Necromancers to summon skeletons from the start, laying down the groundwork for following the path of a Summonmancer build, one of the most powerful builds in all of Diablo 2: Resurrected. With the right runewords for the Necromancer, gamers will have the potential to create an undead army that will handle most of the dirty combat work.
The Necromancer is often sought after in groups because of his curse skills, which are some of the only ways to reduce resistance and cut through immunities. It's plenty valuable solo, too, so that summoned units stay viable all game long. Corpse Explosion assures that the Necromancer won't ever fall behind the difficulty gap since the damage is based on the life of enemy units. The Necromancer actually improves as enemy health pools increase.
2 Sorceress
The Sorceress is an incredibly powerful class regardless of which tree players invest in. Fire, Lightning, and Cold Sorceresses are all viable so long as they or a friend know to run away when enemies with resistance to their preferred damage show up.
Almost every serious player has a Lightning Sorceress build on their character list because it's the fastest at clearing units in the game. For farming runes and other items, it's handy to have one around, even if the runes will be going to benefit other characters. The best runewords for weapons can be found with a single character, the Sorceress, and be distributed after she farms them up.
1 Paladin
The Paladin is the most powerful out of all playable Diablo 2: Resurrected classes. He has access to a variety of magical and melee skills. On top of that, he is also adept at using ranged weapons and spells.
The most popular Paladin build by far is the Hammerdin. It deals high damage thanks to a lot of points invested in the Blessed Hammer skill and the associated Vigor and Blessed Aim abilities. On top of that, the Holy Shield perk ensures that the Paladin does not take too much damage when fighting off large groups of enemies at a time. Although players have their preferences, this build and class are widely considered the best in the game for solo players.
Diablo 2: Resurrected is available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.