With no release window in sight, it will be a long time before players can dive back into Diablo 4's dark world of Sanctuary, but Blizzard has already released a trove of tantalizing information on the title's quarterly development blog. One question lingers pointedly, however: what will the game final two launch classes be? So far, the Barbarian, Druid, and Sorceress have been confirmed, leaving an intriguing opening for at least one more melee fighter to occupy.
Diablo 4 was announced just over a year ago, eight and a half years after the release of Diablo 3, which had five initial classes to choose from; one ranged option, two melee fighters, and two spell-casters. Seeing how Diablo 2 presented players with a similar breakdown, it seems likely that Diablo 4 will follow suit. And since two magic users have already been revealed, a melee fighter seems like a safe next bet. While there is a huge variety of close-range champions to choose from, some classes are more likely to appear in Diablo 4 than others, and one can get a better idea of what's on the table by considering what has come before and examining a few broad fantasy archetypes.
Diablo 4: Holy or Unholy Warrior
The most iconic of all melee classes in fantasy is a guy or gal in gleaming metal armor. Stylistically, these heroes are more refined than barbarians, whose signature appeal is enraged bloodlust. This category runs the gamut from traditional, Dungeons & Dragons-style sword and board fighters to holy warriors like Diablo 3's Crusader or Diablo 2's Paladin. The Diablo franchise also has yet to explore the unholy knight or blackguard archetype, which is another intriguing possibility. Within this trope, hybrid fighters are much more likely than something as straight forward as a knight or warrior, who would be mechanically difficult to differentiate from a Barbarian.
A flagellate priest—newly militant and guilt-ridden following Diablo 3's heavenly siege—would be right at home in the grimdark world of Sanctuary. Taking damage in order to heal allies or fuel other abilities would make for a fun mechanic with an interesting risk-reward dynamic: the more damage taken, the stronger the player's healing potential. Admittedly, adding a dedicated healing class to Diablo 4 would come with pros and cons, but a melee-based caster and healer would stand out among more familiar ARPG classes.
There are other variants on the hulking, armored tank archetype, such as gadget-assisted fighters, though those kinds of characters usually rely on elements of steampunk that would be more at home in the Torchlight series and are extremely unlikely to appear on the Diablo 4's list of potential classes.
Martial Artistry
Fisticuffs and fancy footwork dominate the next major melee paradigm, which includes monks and brawlers. Diablo 3's Monk was a joy to play and a good fit for the world, rounding out physical prowess with zealous religiosity. While many fans would happily welcome back the dual-wielding fist-weapon user, it seems somewhat unlikely, given the class's strong association with Diablo 3. More straight forward fist-fighters would likely pale in comparison to the monk's mix of hard hitting melee strikes and faith-based magic, however.
But that does not mean Blizzard should write-off the "my body is my weapon" trope altogether. There are plenty of potential justifications, including a monk who has been tainted by demonic infection, a fist fighter who made a pact with some unknown dark force working against Lilith, some type of grappled-based wrestler, or everyone's favorite Drunken Monk—there's plenty to join the fray.
Swash and Buckle
The last major melee archetype includes the sneaky, stabby types, though Diablo historically treats rogues as ranged characters—and for good reason, as it is not a game than lends itself to stealth mechanics. That said, there is an enormous opportunity to do something new with a rakish, finesse-based fighter. For example, a Dervish is a fighter who excels at dual wielding and dodging. Clad in lighter armor and using smaller weapons than the barbarian, their kit could revolve around hit and run tactics, assisted by similar gadgets to the Demon Hunter. This character could even hybridize ranged weaponry with melee combat, gaining damage bonuses for using certain abilities in ranged "sweet spots." Given the nostalgic note of Diablos 4's classes so far, having the Rogue return as a callback to the original Diablo would be a nice touch.
If Blizzard wanted to try something new, a swashbuckler-like duelist class would be an interesting option. Rather than tanking hits with armor or avoiding hits altogether, the duelist could rely on counters and parries to return damage to their attacker. And there are countless ways this new, lightly armored blade master class could be situated in the world's lore, from pirate to ronin to courtly fencer. There is also one other hybrid fighter in this category that could be a compelling hit: the Bard. Mixing song and swordplay may seem a little lighthearted for Diablo but there is actually a precedent for the class in the world of Sanctuary, with playable Bards appearing in the original Diablo expansion, Hellfire.
Originally, the class was a jack-of-all trades type who could dual wield, but it would be interesting to see Diablo 4 do something with the musical aspects of the character, perhaps by executing an attack rotation in rhythmic sequence for extra effects. While there is no telling which of these archetypes is most likely to come out on top, it is a comfort to know that Blizzard has a number of compelling options, from returning favorites to exciting new re-imaginations.
Diablo 4 is currently in development with PC, PS4, and Xbox One as confirmed platforms.