Diablo has many classes to choose from across five different games, but who’s the best at hacking The Lord of Terror’s minions to bits?
From the first game to the fourth main entry, the Diablo series now has quite a range of powerful classes to choose from when it comes to bringing the fight to the legions of Hell. From the highlands of Harrogoth to the swamps of Nahantu, and the most humble of holy men to the accursed creatures of the night, many a warrior has taken up arms against the Prime Evils.
Below, we’ll rank the various classes that have joined the fight against Diablo and assess what they bring to the table. Be aware, that this isn’t a tier list based on any particular meta or builds, as this changes depending on the game, update, and season. However, we do have tier lists for Diablo 4, 3, Immortal, and 2: Resurrected, if you need them.
This is a ranking of who’s the most badass character class across the entire Diablo series, based on cool factor, popularity, and how devastatingly powerful each has been to play as in each entry. We will also not be including the Bard class from Hellfire.
16. Warrior
The Warrior class from Diablo 1 was a named character called Aiden who wanted to rescue his brother, Prince Albrecht, from becoming possessed by Diablo. He would later inherit his brother’s curse in Diablo 2, becoming The Dark Wanderer and eventually, the next vessel for Diablo himself.
As a character class, the Warrior was a pretty basic melee fighter who could wear heavy armor and wield heavy weapons. The class has since been replaced by the Barbarian, Paladin, and Crusader so has been quietly retired. However, the same thing happened to the Rogue, and they returned in Diablo 4.
15. Assassin
The Assassin was a dexterity class that used stealth, shadow magic, and traps to outmaneuver enemies in Diablo 2. The class was added to the game as part of the Lord of Destruction expansion and was later included in Diablo 2: Resurrected, however, they’ve not returned since.
As an evolution of the Rogue class, the Assassin was retooled into the Demon Hunter in Diablo 3. The returning Rogue would later adapt elements of their fighting style in Diablo 4. Therefore, the Assassin is ranked pretty low in this ranking of Diablo classes.
14. Amazon
Like the Assassin, the Amazon was also an extension of Diablo 1’s Rogue class, but one that inherited their mastery of bows. The class was also adept at using spears and javelins and could even summon a mighty Valkyrie to fight alongside them.
While Amazon was an iconic and original Diablo 2 character, they would later be adapted into Diablo 3’s Demon Hunter, and later the returning Rogue class in Diablo 4. However, their mastery of the spear would be passed to the Spiritborn, a class that paid tribute to the Amazon in various ways.
13. Blood Knight
The Blood Knight is a vampire/human hybrid who uses their blood magic to protect Sanctuary from Diablo and his minions. Like the Necromancer, the Blood Knight is a wildcard and an antihero, a class that uses their own inherent darkness to fight against a greater threat.
They were introduced in Diablo Immortal which is the only game where they are playable, at least for now. However, the Blood Knight would be right at home in Diablo 4 where more sinister vampires are preying on humanity. The class would be much higher on the list if they weren’t so new and locked to a mobile game.
12. Tempest
Like the Blood Knight, the Tempest is a new character in Diablo Immortal and uses the force of the waves to wash away their enemies. These water wizards got sick of demons attacking their homeland, so they lent their strength to the heroes to drive off Diablo’s legions.
In combat, they summon minions called Zephyrs who form the basis of their attacks, making them a cross between a summoner class, the Sorcerer, and the Monk. They too would be a welcome addition to Diablo 4, but their limited involvement holds them back from greatness when compared to other classes.
11. Witch Doctor
After Mephisto wrecked their homeland in Diablo 2, the Witch Doctors joined the fight in Diablo 3, using their knowledge of voodoo magic to combat the forces of Hell. Their ability to raise the dead and their attunement to nature made them a combination of the Necromancer and Druid in many ways. Still, the Necro was eventually added to Diablo 3.
When the region of Nahantu was brought back in Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred, the Witch Doctor was reimagined as the Spiritborn. This way, the class could fight alongside the Druid and Necromancer without being too similar to them.
10. Paladin
The first holy warrior class debuted in Diablo 2 as one of two reimaginings of the Warrior class. However, unlike the Barbarian, the Paladin was a traditional knight who used plate armor, sword, and shield to smite enemies with their righteous zeal.
The much more ferocious Crusader replaced the Paladin class in Diablo 3 and Immortal, and they haven’t been seen since. However, this is a class that many expect could return in a future Diablo 4 update.
9. Spiritborn
The Spiritborn was Diablo 4’s first expansion character. Like the Witch Doctor, the Spiritborns hail from the swamps of Kurast and have been training in anticipation of Mephisto’s return. While the class doesn’t use voodoo, they instead allow themselves to become possessed by various spirit animals, greatly boosting their power and creating some novel builds.
The class also channels Diablo 2’s Amazon at times and serves as a spiritual successor to that class, too – pun absolutely intended. The Spiritborn’s broken builds dominated Season 6 of Diablo 4 until they were finally nerfed by Blizzard.
8. Demon Hunter
The most successful spin-off of the Rogue, the Demon Hunter class became a fan favorite in Diablo 3 and Immortal. Setting traps, dual-wielding crossbows, and summoning flocks of crows to herald their arrival, the Demon Hunter strikes with rapid brutality before blending back into the shadows.
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The class was also heavily inspired by the Assassin from Diablo 2 and is still the fastest class in the entire Diablo series. If it wasn’t for the Rogue returning to take back their throne in Diablo 4, the Demon Hunter would reign supreme as the most powerful dexterity class in the entire series.
7. Crusader
The Crusader is the Paladin with thicker armor, a bigger shield, and a wider arsenal of weapons. While they too are holy people from the church, they belong to a very different denomination – one that values punishment more than forgiveness. The Crusaders aren’t here to tell you the good news, they’re here to beat it into you.
The class was added to Diablo 3 and Immortal instead of the Paladin, but neither class has arrived in Diablo 4 as of yet. Our money is on them being the next class to arrive, possibly even in the game’s next expansion. Diablo 4 is crying out for a holy warrior, and after Mephisto’s rampage in Vessel Hatred, so Akarat knows they need it.
6. Monk
This mountain-dwelling class of martial artists was added in Diablo 3 and returned in Immortal. If the Demon Hunter inherited the Assassin’s traps and shadow magic, the Monk was given their hand-to-hand skills and weapons – but taken to new heights.
While the Monk is also a holy warrior, from a very different school to the others, this doesn’t stop them from barraging enemies with strikes and using their unique powers to do massive AOE attacks to mobs. While the Spiritborn has taken their spot in Diablo 4, we wouldn’t be surprised if the Monk was added eventually.
5. Druid
Making their debut in Diablo 2 and returning in Diablo 4, the Druid is nature’s champion, using the forces of the land and animal kingdom to bring Diablo to heel. Not only can the Druid summon a pack of wolves, ravens, and a carnivorous vine that attacks enemies from underground, but they also have their own school of magic.
However, the Druid isn’t just some mage, the class is also a powerhouse in close combat, making them an excellent choice for those who want a hybrid build of some of Diablo 4’s best playstyles. The Driud resembles the Spiritborn, Wizard, Tempest, Witch Doctor, and Barbarian at times, making them one of the most versatile classes in the series.
4. Rogue
While the Diablo series tried making a few variants of them, such as the Demon Hunter, Amazon, and Assassin, the Rogue stands tall as the series’ ultimate dex class. Returning triumphantly in Diablo 4 after not being used since the very first game, the Rogue proved why the OG is not to be messed with.
Not only is the Rogue the ultimate archer and small-arms expert, but they’re also proficient in shadow magic, traps, and nearly anything else their imitators excelled at. This is great for the player, as it allows for builds based on various former classes to be crafted in Diablo 4, each of them under the umbrella of the Rogue.
3. Barbarian
The Barbarian‘s first appearance was in the unofficial Hellfire expansion of Diablo 1 and Blizzard was so impressed that they adapted the character into a full class in Diablo 2. Since then, it’s been included in every installment as the ultimate melee choice.
Using raw power and strength to win the day, the Barbarian doesn’t try anything too complicated, they just bash enemies to death and are proficient in nearly every weapon type, making them a dream for build-crafters. A one-person army, the Barbarian uses shouts to buff themselves – and strike fear into their enemies.
The class also has a higher base strength and HP than any other, so once they’re fully armed and armored, the Barbarian is very hard to kill.
2. Sorcerer / Wizard
Technically, the Wizard and Sorcerer are two different classes in the Diablo series, hailing from different regions and practicing different schools of magic, but they’re largely interchangeable. The Sorcerer is in Diablo 1, 2, and 4, with the Wizard used in Diablo 3 and Immortal.
Both are classic spell-slinging elemental caster characters that mostly use the same fire, ice, and lightning spells to annihilate mobs of enemies, dealing massive AOE damage from a distance. While they are glass cannons and not that useful in close combat, Sorcerer/Wizards more than make up for this at range – and in ways that no other class can match.
One of these mages has been included in every Diablo game to date, and as they’re an enduring and supremely powerful fan favorite, this is unlikely to ever change.
1. Necromancer
The Necromancer is arguably Diablo’s most powerful class due to their mastery of death itself. While they are dangerous fighters in their own right, using scythes to reap their foe’s souls from their bodies, they’re also practitioners of bone and blood magic.
However, it’s their ability to summon an army of skeleton warriors and other horrific abominations to do their dirty work that makes them truly deadly. Real power is watching your legion of the damned rip through hordes of demons like an unstoppable force, with the corpses they make rising up to join your menagerie of the macabre.
The most empowering thing about the Necromancer class, though, is the idea behind them; when Diablo declared war on life, he inadvertently declared war on death. Now death won’t stop until it has consumed the Lords of Hell for their hubris – with the Necromancers serving as death’s agents.
To learn more about the most powerful class in Diablo 4, check out our tier list for this season. You can also see who’s top of the tree in Diablo Immortal, as well as Diablo 3 and Diablo 2: Resurrected.
