Since before the release, players have been requesting the Paladin as a class in Diablo 4. Now they have found hints and hope that he will arrive soon. But why is that? What makes the class so popular that the entire community goes crazy?
The Paladin is the most requested class in Diablo 4 and has been for quite a while. Blizzard wanted to “return to the roots” with the latest installment. It should be darker than the third part and adhere to many old virtues.
Especially veterans were excited to see the Druid and the Huntress, but correspondingly disappointed when instead of the Paladin, the Spiritborn was introduced as the first new class in the game. The idea from Blizzard here was to create something completely new.
A new season for Diablo 4 is coming, and with the Game Awards 2025, a show with potentially significant announcements is on the horizon. Through a preview and a new item, fans are already sure: the Paladin is coming, and that directly as a Shadow Drop on Friday, December 12.
It is no wonder that especially experienced players “from before” hope so much for the class, as Paladins have always been popular – and strong – in every of their iterations.
Holy Magic and above all: Hammers!
Paladins were first playable in the base game of Diablo 2. That was released back in 2000. The background fit well into the story: Paladins are the guardians of Sanctuary, divided into different orders with – more or less – noble goals.
Several things distinguished the Paladin back then:
- With heavy armor, sword, and shield, Paladins are incredibly resilient, which makes them particularly popular in Hardcore mode.
- Their auras not only protect themselves but also all allies – or weaken enemies. These are powerful effects on many targets.
- Unlike many other classes, the Paladin is considered very “balanced”: instead of being a pure glass cannon or a tank without teeth, the Paladin takes a healthy middle path.
Additionally, the fantasy of the Paladins likely resonates well. A human type with sword and shield is often the most popular archetype, and Paladins were the only class in Diablo 2 to fully embody this version.
What many players still find iconic are builds revolving around the Holy Hammers. With the skill, Paladins could fill the entire screen with spinning hammers (like Thor, but way more) and wipe out entire hordes of enemies. That was not only cool but also quite powerful.
The Paladin – One of the strongest classes in the history of Diablo
Paladins were not “the strongest” in Diablo 2 back then, but they were one of the strongest classes according to the community, and especially for group play, they were a sought-after companion as a supporter. Auras were among the most powerful buffs in the game.
Surprisingly, the Paladin did not fare too well in the remake, Diablo 2: Resurrected. According to our survey only 15% of the votes went to the Paladin, while its stark opposite, the Necromancer, topped the list.
However, the evolution of the Paladin into Diablo 3, the Crusader, became really strong. Although Crusaders are among the less played classes, simply because they entered later, they are almost always ranked in the S-Tier of late seasons with various builds.
Unlike Paladins, Crusaders focused more on raw strength – still with holy magic, but more as a one-man army and less as a helpful priest in armor.
Diablo 4 is still missing a class to be complete
The fact that players are calling for the Paladin in Diablo 4 is partly due to the fact that he is still missing in the mix:
- Necromancers have death as their domain and flood the screen with minions,
- Witches deal with all things magical,
- Barbarians are there for raw violence and physical damage,
- Huntresses are “sneaky” with their daggers and traps,
- Druids represent nature, animal companions, and poisons
- and Spiritborn are basically the shamans of the world.
However, a “holy warrior” is still missing, and fans have been wondering about this for a while, especially since the story strongly revolves around Lilith and her ex Inarius, an angel of the High Heavens. The entire Church of Light plays an important role without having a real connection to it.
Paladins would fit well into the story anyway, as Mephisto is free again, exactly the Great Evil that Crusaders have sworn to destroy. The Lord of Hatred has played an important role in Diablo for quite some time: Diablo 4: Mephisto will be the new big bad in Vessel of Hatred – Who is that anyway?
