Diablo 4 is the highly anticipated entry into the Diablo series despite two other Diablo games coming out this year. Diablo 2: Resurrected is the reimagined remaster releasing in September while Diablo: Immortal is a mobile entry. Diablo 4 doesn't have a confirmed release date or even release year yet, and so it is likely that it will not come out within the next year or two.
Diablo 4 is confirmed to launch with 5 classes for players to choose from, much like Diablo 2 and Diablo 3 did when they launched. For the first time in the series, Diablo 4 will allow players to customize their characters' looks with different hair and beard styles, colors, and accessories. This was confirmed in Blizzard's latest blog post that centered around the art direction for Diablo 4, making classes look more varied than ever before. Currently, there are 4 classes that have been confirmed for Diablo 4 with the 5th class yet to be revealed, but whatever that class ends up being will have to satisfy multiple camps of fans who are expecting one thing or another.
Classes of the Diablo Series
Diablo 1 launched with only 3 classes, the Warrior, Rogue, and Sorcerer with the Monk, Bard, and Barbarian added later on. Diablo 2 launched with the Barbarian, Sorceress, Amazon, Necromancer, and Paladin with the Druid and the Assassin added in Lord of Destruction. Diablo 3 had launched with the Barbarian, Monk, Wizard, Demon Hunter, and Witch Doctor with the Crusader and Necromancer added later. Diablo 2 had introduced 5 new classes since Diablo 1, and Diablo 3 introduced 4 new classes since Diablo 2. Currently, Diablo 4 has not announced a new class to the series, which leads many fans to believe the 5th will be something new.
Diablo 4 currently has confirmed the Barbarian, Sorceress, Druid, and Rogue as playable classes upon launch. These classes will also allow players to customize their hair, gender, skin, and accessories making each class feel truly a player's own. This means the 5th class will be fully customizable just the same as the other classes which could hint at what type of class will be revealed as each class has its own theme. The Barbarian is a bulkier rugged type, the Sorceress is the robed mage type, the Rogue is the smaller adept type, and the Druid has a rugged Dwarfy look. The 5th class could wear robes or light armor while also being pretty tall like the Necromancer to balance out the ensemble.
The 5th class for Diablo 4 could bring back an older class that hasn't been seen in a long time such as the Bard or Paladin, although Diablo 4 has already confirmed older classes like the Rogue and Druid playable, so the likelihood of this approach is probably low. Diablo 2 classes were designed with the 3 archetypes in mind: the fighter, rogue, and spell-caster which is also reflected in Diablo 1's classes. The Barbarian and Druid cover the Fighter archetype, while the Sorceress covers Intelligence, leaving the Rogue to cover Dexterity. This means if the archetype design philosophy is to be followed, the chance of a 5th class to also relate to Intelligence or Dexterity is likely.
Why the 5th Diablo 4 Class is Important
As the Diablo franchise is coming up on its 25th anniversary, it has had a lot of expanded lore throughout each of its games. Many classes have also been introduced and played pivotal roles in the story, and how players would approach each game. Despite the Sorceress being absent in Diablo 3, it was replaced with the Wizard which is quite similar. This is the case with a lot of classes that share roles but are different such as the Warrior and Barbarian, the Necromancer and Witch Doctor, and the Paladin and Crusader. As such, if the 5th class is a new class there is a good chance it will cover a role from before.
Fans of the Diablo series have varying predictions as to what Diablo 4's 5th class will be, but no matter what Blizzard ends up deciding, it will certainly disappoint some fans. As the release date for Diablo 4 is possibly years away, the longer Blizzard decides not to reveal the 5th class will add that much more hype to the class itself. If the 5th class isn't a powerfully interesting class then the long wait to reveal it could backfire. Though if the 5th class ends up overshadowing the other classes simply to market the new class, this could also backfire as that will become the new identity for Diablo 4, instead of the classes being more of an ensemble like Diablo games of the past.
Diablo 4's 5th Class Contenders
As there is no holy or death-related class revealed currently, Diablo 4 could bring back the Paladin, Crusader, or Necromancer in some fashion as a second spell-caster. Though the last class reveal carries a lot of weight, there is a good chance it will be an entirely new class like a Ranger or Cleric. Diablo 4 could dive into the lore and pull out something respective to the lore such as a Templar or a Summoner. If they decide to go the Summoner route, this would cover the Necromancer or Witch Doctor minion build roles of the past, while filling the second spell-caster slot.
Diablo 3 started with 2 classes related to Intelligence and 2 related to Dexterity, with only the Barbarian being centered around Strength. It wasn't until a later expansion that the Strength-related Crusader was released rounding out each of the main stats. Whatever Diablo 4's 5th class ends up being, it will probably not be something Strength or Fighter related as that role is covered two-fold now, meaning there is a good chance it will be Dexterity or Intelligence related. Perhaps Blizzard will reveal a Cleric-themed summoner that summons holy minions covering the holy/spell-caster role, while also adding a new type of minions to the Diablo universe.
Diablo 4 is in development with PC, PS4, and Xbox One as confirmed platforms.