The Undead Menace: Introducing the Death Knight as Diablo 4's Sixth Class

Diablo 4 has quickly become the most successful game in the franchise, breaking records and receiving positive reviews. One contributing factor to its success is its selection of starting classes, which includes fan-favorites from previous games and the new Druid class. While Blizzard has not confirmed the existence of a sixth class, speculation has arisen from a real-world merchandise item on the Diablo store featuring six emblems, one of which represents the Triune cult. This has led to rumors that the Death Knight may be the sixth class, which would offer several benefits to the game.

The Death Knight is a Suitable Alternative to a Missing Diablo 4 Class Archetype

The absence of heavy armor classes in Diablo 4 has left some players feeling that the game's starting class types fall short of their expectations. This is particularly evident when it comes to the absence of Paladin and Templar classes from Diablo 2 and Diablo 3, respectively. To address this gap, the inclusion of the Death Knight class in Diablo 4 would be a welcome addition, as it would introduce an armored tank archetype to the game. This would be especially beneficial in light of the current meta, which sees some of the more popular classes being quite fragile. While glass cannon classes like the Sorcerer or Rogue are able to handle most of the game's challenges solo, the need for a new tank-type becomes all the more apparent when players are one-shot by powerful elite enemies or bosses. The Death Knight could easily fill this gap and add an extra level of coolness to the game.

How the Death Knight Fits Into Diablo 4

The Death Knight has been speculated as Diablo 4's potential sixth class, and it seems to be a logical fit based on the current selection of classes and endgame. Both the Barbarian and Druid serve as reliable heavy melee class options, with the Druid's unique ability to summon creatures and transform into a wolf or bear setting it apart. The addition of a heavy melee tank-type that can access magic would complement the existing starting classes well. Furthermore, having the tank-type use shadow or blood-magic instead of faith-based magic would offer a refreshing departure from previous Diablo tank archetypes.

The Death Knight class also aligns with the lore of Diablo as a class type from the Triune cult, which is dedicated to the Prime Evils, including Diablo and Lilith's father, Mephisto. The Triune is also responsible for Lilith's resurrection and her destructive campaign across Sanctuary. Introducing the Death Knight class could be accompanied by a story DLC that delves deeper into the Triune's motivations and the reasoning behind Lilith's resurrection. Overall, the addition of a sixth class would give players more reason to explore the captivating world that Blizzard has crafted, and more Diablo 4 content is always a welcome prospect.

Diablo 4 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.