Diablo 4 is 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 to Diablo 4, but the series in general has a deep history of different character classes to choose from.
The long development time of Diablo 4 hasn't kept it from becoming one of the most anticipated games in 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 in Diablo 4.
Diablo Classes Throughout Its History
In any successful action RPG, the options available to players for building characters are an important factor, and the Diablo franchise 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 the Hellfire expansion. In later titles, the differences between classes like Druid and Sorcerer were more codified and made the classes simultaneously more unique and more concentrated for players.
Diablo 2 saw 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 2 created the system that more closely resembles modern Diablo gameplay. As fans await more Diablo 4 news soon, many of these classes that didn't see direct representation in Diablo 3 are 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 of Diablo 3 saw the introduction of the Demon 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 for Diablo 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 or Diablo 3's Crusader will make an entry as an agent of holy magic alongside the nature and arcane powers of the Druid and Sorcerer.
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 of Diablo has featured at least one brand new class alongside returning and reworked ones. Diablo 2 added several new classes, the Amazon, Necromancer, Assassin, Druid, and Paladin. Then, in Diablo 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 might not be included in Diablo 4. But with making guesses about a new class, the possibilities are seemingly endless.
Each class that has made their way into Diablo have been classic fantasy archetypes similar to those in Dungeons and Dragons but with Diablo's flair for the darker side of fantasy. As fans speculate about what's coming they can make some reasonable assumptions considering that Diablo 4 is launching with a console feature that 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 if Diablo continues its trend of adding new classes with each iteration, then including a new rework of a ranged fighter may be likely. The Amazon in Diablo 2 offered 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 that Diablo 4 needs another melee class to balance out the current roster, but one with ranged options would make the most sense in contrast to the Barbarian.
Diablo is famous for its wealth of character options and a workaround for that would not be difficult to implement, but as fans wonder what to expect from Diablo 4, almost any character choice drawn from its rich history seems plausible.
Diablo 4 is in development for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.