Booting up Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred for the first time presents players with a tough choice: which class to make their first character. The new expansion ups Diablo 4‘s class roster from six to eight with both the Paladin and Warlock included in the Lord of Hatred DLC package. It might be difficult to decide which of these two new classes is ideal for a first Lord of Hatred playthrough, since there are pros and cons to both options.
A big factor in deciding which class to play in Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred is the change to Skill Trees across the board. Now, Diablo 4‘s Skill Tree no longer includes nodes for passive skills, instead allowing players to modify their active skills as they level up their character. While this change opens the door to an even greater diversity of build options for each of Diablo 4‘s classes, it also adds to the overwhelming decision-making process when choosing a class to play.
If You Haven’t Played Diablo 4 in a While, Here’s What to Know About Lord of Hatred
Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred changes the game drastically, meaning returning players jumping back in after a hiatus may need to do some catching up.
Paladin Class Overview in Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred
- Playstyle: Melee Tank
- Class Mechanic: Oaths — Juggernaut, Zealot, Disciple, and Judicator
- Main Resource: Faith
- Difficulty: Easy
The Paladin is the typical holy warrior archetype in Diablo 4, building on the foundations that made the Diablo 2 version of the Paladin so iconic. If players like classes that wield weapons like one-handed swords, maces, and flails along with a shield, then the Paladin likely sounds most appealing. The different Paladin playstyles center around its four different Oaths, with Juggernaut focusing on building Resolve for stronger AoE skills, Zealot giving the class a more offensive tilt by generating Fervor, Disciple allowing the Paladin to transform into its Arbiter form, and Judicator stacking Judgment on enemies that can be detonated for heavy damage.
Paladins also have access to Auras, which allow them to stack a variety of different buffs on themselves and allies, while simultaneously debuffing and damaging enemies within their radius. As a result, Aura Paladin builds that require very little input from the player can be quite strong in Diablo 4.
The Pros of Playing a Paladin in Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred
- Easy for new or returning players to dip their toes into Lord of Hatred
- Thematically appropriate for slaying Mephisto’s demonic hordes
- Fun and satisfying build options
A Paladin build is going to be ideal for new and returning Diablo 4 players getting back into the game with Lord of Hatred since it has a fairly straightforward playstyle. The Paladin’s Auras make the class very tanky while also giving it the capacity to deal tons of damage passively, allowing players to get their footing within the new expansion without having to worry about survivability. Since players are traveling to the new Skovos region and slaying Mephisto’s demonic minions in Lord of Hatred, playing a holy warrior class like the Paladin seems very on theme for the expansion.
The Cons of Playing a Paladin in Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred
- The Paladin has been available since Season 11 for players who pre-purchased Lord of Hatred
On paper, the Paladin seems like a perfect class for a Lord of Hatred playthrough, but it might not be ideal for a first run through the campaign for everyone. Since players could pre-purchase Lord of Hatred to gain early access to the Paladin starting in Season 11, some of the class’s novelty may have already worn off, making the Warlock a more appealing choice. However, with Diablo 4‘s Skill Tree rework, it still might be worth starting up a new Paladin to see how the class has changed since it debuted.
Warlock Class Overview in Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred
- Playstyle: Summoner/Spellcaster
- Class Mechanic: Soul Shards — Legion, Vanguard, Mastermind, Ritualist
- Main Resource(s): Wrath/Dominance
- Difficulty: Moderate
The Warlock made its debut in the Diablo series early this year with Diablo 2: Resurrected‘s Reign of the Warlock DLC. However, the class looks slightly different in Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred, going all-in on its Summoning abilities with the Soul Shard class mechanic. Based on the Soul Shard chosen, the Warlock can summon one Greater Demon that provides the basis for its primary playstyles. The Legion Shard grants Summon Ae’grom and emphasizes supporting lesser demon skills, the Vanguard Shard grants Summon Abodian and supports the Warlock’s Demonform transformation, the Mastermind Shard grants Summon Laalish and focuses on Stealth and Abyss skills, and the Ritualist Shard grants Summon Vollach and generates stacks of Overpower to empower Hellfire skills.
Balance the critic averages
Balance the critic averages
Easy (6)Medium (8)Hard (10)
A unique part of the Warlock’s playstyle is its dual resource mechanic, using Wrath primarily for its arcane magic skills and Dominance for summoning and controlling demons. Managing all of these factors can make the Warlock a more intimidating class to play at first glance, but the payoff of getting each factor to mesh can make the Warlock incredibly powerful.
The Pros of Playing a Warlock in Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred
- Newly available with the release of Lord of Hatred
- One of the strongest classes in Diablo 4 Season 13
- Very versatile build options
The Warlock is the shiny new toy of Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred, since it wasn’t available in early access prior to the expansion’s launch like the Paladin was. It’s also proving to be one of the strongest and most versatile classes in Diablo 4, with each playstyle feeling entirely unique. Whether it’s a pure Summoner Warlock, a Demonform Warlock, a pure Spellcaster Warlock, or a combination of playstyles, players are likely going to find one build that clicks for them with this class.
The Cons of Playing a Paladin in Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred
- Complex mechanics can be a turnoff for some players
As strong as the Warlock is in Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred, having to manage multiple demon summons along with two different resource pools can be overwhelming. In Lord of Hatred’s early game, when resource generation is limited, the Warlock’s dual resources can be especially challenging to manage, so players jumping back into Diablo 4 after a hiatus might be more prone to bouncing off the Warlock. If players can stick through this leveling grind, the Warlock has fantastic endgame potential and will likely be a top meta threat in Diablo 4 Season 13.
The Verdict: Paladin is Perfect for New Players, But Warlock is the Better Overall Pick
For Diablo 4 players getting back into the game with Lord of Hatred who haven’t already experienced it, Paladin is the best choice, since it’s an easy class to pick up and play with powerful build options already available. However, for longtime Diablo 4 players who have already had access to the Paladin for two seasons, the Warlock will be the best choice since it’s arguably the stronger class with a higher learning curve for adept players wanting a challenge. Regardless of which class a player chooses, both the Paladin and Warlock have enough upsides to make them worth using for both the Lord of Hatred campaign and Diablo 4‘s endgame activities.
- Released
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June 5, 2023
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
