What is the best class in Diablo 4 for you?

Choosing the best class in Diablo 4 isn’t as simple as choosing a class you think sounds cool. Blizzard’s isometric dungeon-crawler features six classes: Barbarian, Necromancer, Sorcerer, Rogue, Spiritborn, and Druid. Each class has a unique class mechanic along with a skill tree equipped with a variety of spells. All of their playstyles are different — and compounded by Diablo 4’s complex game of numbers — but which one is the best class for you? In this Diablo 4 guide, we’ll explain each of the classes to help you decide how to pick the best class. We’ll also tell you the best Diablo 4 class for solo players, and the best class for beginners. Table of Contents What is the best class for you in Diablo 4? There are six Diablo 4 classes, and all of them have their own unique playstyle. But before you dive into the game and pick your class, you may be wondering: Which class is the best class in Diablo 4? You may be surprised to learn that this is an impossible question to answer — at least in such simple terms. [Image: https://platform.polygon.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/chorus/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24703552/diablo_4_best_class.jpg?quality=90&strip=all] The best class changes season to season. And while Blizzard typically doesn’t make big balance changes during the season itself, it will rebalance classes that are overperforming too much. So it’s best to avoid picking a class for a specific build and instead try and pick based on the class that interests you most. Plus, the power level differences between the classes really only start to matter at the highest levels of play, which is something most players will never even get close to. All that said, if you do want to know what the current “best class” is and which you should choose, we’ve got some advice for you below. What is the best class to pick for Diablo 4 season 6? All six classes are looking good at the start of season 6, so you shouldn’t worry too much about what the “best” class is unless you want to compete with your friends. However, it’s worth keeping in mind that all of this is based off of the public test realm and a review period for the new expansion, which is only representative of the start of the season. These rankings could change over the coming days, weeks, and months. At a glance, here’s our ranking of the classes, from worst to best, for Diablo 4 season 6 and the Vessel of Hatred DLC. 6. Barbarian 5. Druid 4. Necromancer 3. Rogue 2. Sorcerer 1. Spiritborn If you’re looking for additional resources and breakdowns on the best builds, Diablo 4 content creator Raxxanterax has a great video ranking the Diablo 4 classes going into season 6. And while his order sometimes varies slightly from ours, he’s got some interesting perspectives from his time on the public test realm and the Vessel of Hatred review period that are worth checking out. We’ve also got a video below from Diablo 4 content creator Rhykker, a very reliable voice in the community, showcasing some of the coolest season 6 builds for the original five classes. [Media: https://youtu.be/vsX2s8_Zmmk] Barbarians Barbarians are always going to be the best or worst class in the game, just by nature of having four weapons equipped at a time. For season 6 and the Vessel of Hatred launch, it’s looking like we’re in “worst” territory. For the first year of Diablo 4’s life, Blizzard has toned Barbarians down significantly. It’s never a good idea to count Barbarians out completely — even in seasons where players expected them to be bad, they still managed to crush — but it’ll likely take a few seasons for Barbs to climb back up the ranks. Druids Druids are still rising in estimations, but are also still slower to level and get around the map, which can make them less desirable. That said, their companion build is really starting to get very potent, and is rivaling the Necromancer in terms of powerful minions that do all your work for you. Necromancers Necromancers are doing fine in season 6 and Vessel of Hatred, but aren’t going to blow you away. The various minion builds they have access to are still great and fun, but the class is overall still pretty slow in terms of moving through dungeons and other activities. They do level decently fast, which is nice if you’re looking to get through the new campaign and into the endgame, but that’s one of the biggest things they have going for them this season. [Media: https://youtu.be/9cX4CT_y6uU] Rogues Rogues are still extremely good in Diablo 4 season 6 and Vessel of Hatred. However, one of their key passives — Victimize — saw a pretty sizable nerf, which puts them a bit behind where they were. Still, the Rogue is one of the best-designed classes in Diablo 4, and will always put up a decent fight on this list because of it. They’re fast and powerful, but not particularly friendly to new players (which we go into in more detail below). Sorcerers Sorcerers have really gone on a rollercoaster throughout the first year of Diablo 4’s life, having been the best and worst class multiple times. For Vessel of Hatred and season 6, they’re back to being the best of the original five classes. They can level very quickly and have some extremely powerful builds — specifically in the Frozen Orb and Lightning Spear realm. Spiritborn As you might expect, the new class (exclusive to the Vessel of Hatred expansion) is the hottest class this season. The Spiritborn is extremely well-designed and very versatile, capable of cranking through every activity in the game with relative ease. They can build into damage, survivability, you name it. They’re a little slower to level than some of the original classes, and are pretty complex, but the shiny new coat of pain more than makes up for it. If you have the Vessel of Hatred DLC, it’s hard to imagine playing anything else in season 6. What is the best class in Diablo 4 for solo players? The Rogue is likely the best solo class for skilled players looking to bring themselves through the game — even if you’ll eventually have to work harder in the endgame to compete with Barbarians. [Media: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqGKjAfMNYE] As a Rogue, you’re highly mobile, stealthy, and are able to fight from both range and melee. You’re also the most versatile class with a huge variety of builds. You are easy to kill, which can make your class difficult to master, but once you’re practiced, you can take on an army of monsters by yourself without slowing down. Of course, like the “which class is best for you” section, there is no right answer. You can play all six classes solo, and there is no support class in Diablo 4, only support builds. What is the best class in Diablo 4 for beginners? The easiest class for beginners is either the Necromancer or the Barbarian, and there are pros and cons to each. The obvious boon for Necromancer players is the army of skeletons you have at your disposal. These minions will attack things alongside you and, depending on your build, they can deal very high damage. As a new player, being able to lean on some AI allies all the time is a huge stress reliever. If you mess up your abilities or aren’t sure how to attack and stay alive, you can just focus on keeping yourself safe while your buddies clean out the dungeon. [Media: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olFtCvxi3gk] The con here is that Necromancers technically have two resources to manage, as they cast spells using Essence as well as their unique Corpse mechanic. This can make things a bit overwhelming for new players, as Corpses complicate certain skills and can also visually obscure the ground in dungeons. Barbarians, on the other hand, are just big, smashy folk trying to do their best to rid Sanctuary of demons. The fantasy and (some of) the playstyles for Barbarians are similarly simple. You’re going to spend a lot of time just running up to monsters and punching them in the face until they die. There are no tricks here. You’re not turning yourself invisible or transforming into a bear. You’re taking a big hammer and you’re smashing stuff. [Media: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDUHT2TxcWA] However, there are two big cons to the Barbarian: one on each end of the play experience. Barbarians are one of the weaker early game classes, and you can die fairly easily when you don’t know what you’re doing. For your suffering, you’ll get to be very powerful in the endgame. But even that comes with a complexity cost, as the reason Barbarians are so strong later in the game is because they are the only class that can wield four weapons at once. This means that you have to find more gear than other classes and you have more powerful Legendary powers to combine together. That’s exciting, but also overwhelming. The great news about Diablo 4 is all the classes — including Druid, Sorcerer, Spiritborn and Rogue — all have simple builds and complex builds. While Barbarian and Necromancer are probably the easiest for most players, they might not be the best first choice for you. All Diablo 4 classes summary Let’s go through the classes in more detail, one by one. Barbarian [Image: https://platform.polygon.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/chorus/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24533743/Barbarian_Video_Banner__1_.png?quality=90&strip=all] Barbarians in Diablo 4 are fierce warriors who leap into the fray. As a Barb, your main mechanic is the Weapon Arsenal, which allows you to hold four weapons at once. Some of your abilities will require you to have a specific weapon type such as slicing, two-handed, dual-wield, or bludgeoning to use. But for some skills, you can manually switch weapons for different effects. You’ll gain expertise the more you use a certain weapon, which will provide you with buffs like increased critical hit chance or more damage against vulnerable enemies. Not only are you capable of mastering offensive weapons, Barbarians are meant to be bulky bruisers who can take a hit from any foe. With a plethora of shouts and damage reducing abilities, you’ll be spending a lot of time up close and personal due to your survivability. Necromancer [Image: https://platform.polygon.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/chorus/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24533760/chrome_PEJygQQIXy.jpg?quality=90&strip=all] The Necromancer is a staple for the Diablo series. As a summoner, you’re able to conjure hordes of undead enemies to do your bidding or sacrifice your minions to empower yourself. Your unique mechanic is called the Book of the Dead, which allows you to customize your undead army by selecting what type of skeletons you’ll summon (along with a specialization). You can give your pawns more health, increased damage output, or the ability to deal AoE damage. If you don’t want to manage your minions, you can choose to sacrifice either some or all of your minions to gain a permanent buff. Necromancers have a unique resource that other classes do not have: corpses — which, you guessed it, are left behind when enemies die. You also have Essence, which functions similarly to mana, allowing you to cast your regular abilities, but in order to raise minions, you’ll need a corpse. If you’re going the solo show route, you can also detonate the deceased instead. Rogue [Image: https://platform.polygon.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/chorus/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24533747/Rogue__Video_Banner__1_.png?quality=90&strip=all] Rogues are versatile duelists who can specialize in either ranged or close quarters combat. (If you played the Demon Hunter in Diablo 3, this is the most similar class for Diablo 4). Your unique class mechanic is Specialization, which changes your fundamental abilities and your playstyle. There are three different specializations: Combo Points, Inner Sight, and Preparation. Combo points will increase the damage output of some of your abilities and change how they function by increasing the number of arrows fired or adding a chance to knock down your opponents. Inner Sight will provide you with unlimited energy for a short amount of time when attacking a marked enemy. Preparation allows you to use your ultimate abilities more frequently after spending a lot of your main resource. The Rogue is a mobile class that gives you access to stealth, traps, and imbuements, allowing you to take on any kind of content. You’re able to dart in and out of combat with a combination of ranged, melee, and stealth attacks. Sorcerer [Image: https://platform.polygon.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/chorus/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24533750/CharacterDevelopment_Sorc_007__1_.png?quality=90&strip=all] The Sorcerer is your typical ranged caster or fantasy mage. By using the powers of fire, lightning, and ice magic, you can obliterate your opponents. Whether you want to spawn fire hydras or spam chain lightning, you’ll easily take down anyone in your path. Your unique class mechanic is Enchantment, which will provide your abilities with powerful passive effects that — when slotted into your Enchantment slots — will trigger without you needing to put them on your bar or spend mana. For example, you can cast Fireball using mana to shoot a giant flaming blast at enemies. But you can also place Fireball into one of your Enchantment slots, which will cause all enemies to explode when you kill them. As a Sorcerer, you’re slightly more frail than the other classes, but you do have a bundle of defensive abilities that can make you (temporarily) unkillable. Encase yourself in ice, surround your body with fire, or simply zip away from danger. Druid [Image: https://platform.polygon.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/chorus/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24533771/Druid_Legendaries.png?quality=90&strip=all] Druids missed out on Diablo 3, but have been in the Diablo universe since Diablo 2. As a Druid, you’re are shapeshifter who can transform into a savage werebear or a vicious werewolf while also unleashing nature’s wrath to defeat your foes. Your unique class mechanic is the Spirit Animal system, which grants your character a boon such as new passives and stat increases. Necromancers are not the only summoners in Diablo 4, as you can also call companions to your aid as a Druid. Summon wolves, ravens, and vines to assist you in defeating the demons scattered around Sanctuary. You’ll also be able to bring forth some of nature’s deadliest calamities such as a hurricane to sweep away your enemies. Spiritborn [Image: https://platform.polygon.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/DIA_DIV_X1_Dark_Citadel_Armor_SpiM_1-1.png?quality=90&strip=all] Spiritborn isn’t the typical martial arts “monk” class — although that’s certainly how they seem initially. As a Spiritborn, you’re a hyper-mobile melee class who is able to dash between targets and deal out a variety of different kinds of elemental damage. You can channel these various elements through the four unique animal spirits that Spiritborn are intertwined with. There’s the jaguar (attack speed and fire), gorilla (physical and protection), eagle (lightning and speed), and centipede (poison and healing). You’re eventually able to pledge yourselves to two of these spirits in your Spirit Hall, which is your unique class mechanic, which transforms all of your skills into the spirit of your choosing. The Spiritborn is one of the most complex and versatile classes in Diablo 4, and it’s extremely rewarding to both learn and play. Going into this season, here’s the best Spiritborn build, all Tenets of Akarat locations, and guides on how to unlock Mercenaries and get more loot in Kurast Undercity.