Blizzard Entertainment has announced Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred goes live on April 28, 2026, and The Game Awards 2025 dropped the news that has been resonating the past days… Paladin class is playable today when the Season 11 launches. This is a first for a Diablo game to allow players the ability to play a new class before an expansion — and more akin to World of Warcraft’s trend.

The Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred expansion pre-purchase grants immediate access to the highly requested Paladin class to play it immediately in Season 11, offering a new path of divine retribution as darkness closes in.

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Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred Expansion – Paladin

The Paladin is a sword-and-shield champion empowered by the Light. Paladins are forged as holy conduits of the Light against the darkness. The Diablo IV team’s reimagining of the Diablo II class brings forth iconic abilities and skills like Auras, Blessed Hammer, Blessed Shield, Condemn, Heaven’s Fury, and Zeal. Where Crusaders embody martial might, the Paladin leans fully into divine power, dealing Holy damage type.

The Paladin can wield a sword, shield, and holy hammers. As holy conduits, paladins are a living bridge between the High Heavens and Sanctuary — harnessing the Light as raw power.

The Oath System is a defining class mechanic for the Paladin for a diversified playstyle.

  • Juggernaut focuses on the Paladin’s shield, turning defense into offensive movement with Shield Bash as the primary skill. The ultimate move, Fortress, is a defensive-focused skill that briefly makes the player exceptionally difficult to kill.
  • Zealot is a frenzied melee powered by an updated Zeal skill. Where Juggernaut is the “board,” this is the “sword.” With Zenith as the ultimate, this oath unleashes a devastating celestial strike that cleaves the battlefield with a massive holy blade.
  • Judicator brings holy judgment and wrath, using the holy conjurations of Blessed Shield, Hammer, Consecration, and Heaven’s Fury, raining divine punishment upon all that is wicked.
  • Disciple is the ultimate angelic transformation, fully embracing divinity in its purest form. Unleash the lance with Spears of the Heavens onto enemies and take flight with your angel wings in the Arbiter Form.

The Arbiter form transforms the Paladin into a radiant, Tyrael-inspired avatar of celestial justice.

Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred Release Date

The Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred release date: April 28, 2026. The Age of Hatred saga reaches its climax in Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred with two classes: The Paladin and an unrevealed class.

In the aftermath of Vessel of Hatred, this next chapter drives players toward their final stand against Mephisto, whose deception and spreading influence threaten to twist Sanctuary into a world consumed by malice. As Hell’s legions surge and the ancient Pools of Creation draw Mephisto ever closer, the fate of humanity hangs by a thread. To stop him, the Wanderer must embrace an old foe long believed to be dead. Lilith returns, her prophetic last words echoing true, forcing a perilous alliance bound by necessity rather than trust. With time and allies running out, the Wanderer is in a desperate race to stop Mephisto before hatred reshapes the world forever.

New Classes

If the news of the Paladin class excited you, wait… there is more. With the launch of Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred, a second new class yet-to-be-announced is coming. That is two new Classes!

This second class looms on the dark horizon — its power undeniable, its arrival poised to reshape the battlefield when Lord of Hatred launches in April.

SKOVOS ISLES

Prepare to embark on the lands of the Skovos Isles when Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred launches in April. The ancestral birthplace of the first civilization and the former home of Lilith and Inarius, stands as Sanctuary’s oldest and most storied region. Now ruled by The Oracle and the Amazon Queen, this never-before-seen in-game land blends volcanic coasts, storm-lashed forests and waterlogged ruins steeped in forgotten lore.

As the Wanderer embarks on their journey through Skovos, each expedition will reveal new towns, dungeons, and monsters. Players will test their mettle against sinister cultists, oceanic horrors, and lingering shadows of Hell.

Here is a sneak peek into one of the Skovos Isles dungeons.

Skills & Itemization

The Lord of Hatred expansion delivers one of the most comprehensive gameplay evolutions since launch.

  • Deeply reworked Skill Trees introduce new class-specific variants and expanded level caps, offering fresh buildcraft and strategic depth across all eight classes.
  • A new Loot Filter empowers players to target desired gear more efficiently.
  • Enhanced crafting systems, including the return of the iconic Horadric Cube, reinforce experimentation and progression, while the new Talisman unlocks powerful set bonuses, expanding late-game customization in meaningful, class-defining ways.

Overhauled Endgame

After the campaign’s dramatic finale, players can tap into a revitalized endgame, built around player choice, mastery, escalating challenge, and ever-more rewarding loot.

  • War Plans let players craft their own endgame progression path, selecting favored activities and layering strategic modifiers as they push toward high-value rewards.
  • The Echoing Hatred stands as the Age of Hatred’s ultimate test: a relentless gauntlet of demonic hordes designed to challenge even the strongest builds.
  • Players seeking respite from demon-slaying can experience the perilous waterways of Sanctuary with Fishing.

Game Editions & Pre-Purchase

Lord of Hatred includes the full Vessel of Hatred expansion, which players can access instantly via pre-purchase. Venture through the wilds of Nahantu with the primal fury of the Spiritborn class, as Mercenaries join your cause against the encroaching darkness.

Players who pre-purchase will gain early access to the Paladin class, one extra Stash Tab, two more Character Slots, and three World of Warcraft décor items.*

Lord of Hatred is available in three editions:

  • The Standard Edition of Lord of Hatred includes Diablo IV’s first expansion, Vessel of Hatred.
  • The Deluxe Edition includes everything from the Standard Edition, as well as the Mini Chimera Pet Skorch, the Skartaran Basilisk Mount Bundle, the High Heavens guard Cosmetic Bundle, a Premium Battle Pass Bundle, and more when the expansion launches.
  • The Ultimate Edition includes everything from the Standard and Deluxe Editions, as well as the Umbral Knights Armor Bundle (6 class sets), 3,000 Platinum, the Steed of the Shining Realm Bundle, Tymn, Echo of the Spire Back Trophy, the Ascent of the Just Town Portal Skin, and more when the expansion launches.

*World of Warcraft Décor items require World of Warcraft: Midnight and World of Warcraft subscription or game time.

Cinematic Screenshots

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Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred Cinematic Announcement