Not sure where to begin with your class choice during season 1? Here’s our picks for the best class in Diablo 4, including picks for beginners and solo players.
Diablo 4 features five classes: Barbarian, Necromancer, Sorcerer, Rogue, 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, but which one is the best class for you?
In this Diablo 4 guide, we’ll explain each of the classes to help you make an educated decision on your next main.What is the best class for you in Diablo 4?
There are five Diablo 4 classes available to you at launch, 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 is the best.
You may be surprised to learn that this is an impossible question to answer — at least in such simple terms.
While we expect the nerfs and buffs to come far slower than the pre-season during season 1, we still feel it’s important to recognize that classes are much more than their individual builds. 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, otherwise you’ll end up disappointed when your ideal playstyle is no longer viable.
So if you shouldn’t just pick the best class, which one should you pick? We’ve got some advice for you below.Which class should you pick for season 1?
Without Blizzard using a Public Test Realm (PTR) to test out Season of the Malignant features before launch, it’s impossible to mathematically tell you which class will have the strongest build during season 1. And even if you were to wait a week to start playing, the smartest theory-crafters out there will need some serious time with the season before there’s a clear answer on what the best season 1 class is.
However, with what we know about Diablo 4 season 1, we can still say a few things for certain about class balance.
First and foremost, Sorcerers are going to run into some potential trouble this season. Because the new Malignant Heart mechanic requires the use of gem slots, all classes are going to have to choose between boring gems and the amazing new heart powers. Unfortunately, Sorcerers are already the squishiest class in the game, and they rely heavily on socketing skulls into their jewelry slots to add bonus armor.
Now, it would be a mistake to assume Sorcerers aren’t going to be viable in season 1 because of this choice. Assistant game director Joe Piepiora told Polygon in a Q&A that some of the hearts have some amazing defensive options that can help classes like the Sorcerer. However, it’s also important to recognize that the classes that rely heavily on that bonus armor will potentially have a harder time during Season of the Malignant — especially in the early game. And that if they’re using one heart to mitigate their lost bonus armor, another class could potentially outclass them by using a third offensive heart power.
Classes that have ways to heal themselves, get armor on their own, or have powerful defensive capabilities (Barbarians, Necromancers, and Druids respectively) should have an easier time using Malignant Hearts purely for offense and offsetting that bonus armor in other places. So if you were trying to decide between the spell-slinging Sorcerer and the Druid, this might be a good season to get your werebear on.
However, as always, all classes are viable and will be viable this season. So, like all seasons, play what you think sounds fun and looks fun, rather than what’s performing best at the start.
As usual, it’s important to remember that not all classes start on even footing, with Barbarians and Druids taking longer to ramp up than the other three. However, with the bonus starting skill points that come with Renown — assuming you’re carrying over progress from the pre-season — both classes should start with a bit more momentum than before.
The only other thing worth mentioning about class design for season 1 is avoiding playing a class because you want to try out one of the bugged builds.
