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.
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?
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.
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.
