Ultimate Diablo 4 Class Rankings

After undergoing extensive testing, Diablo 4 is set to release soon, with players having access to three separate betas. The most recent beta, the Server Slam weekend, has cemented the fans' opinion that the game is headed in the right direction. Diablo 4's live-service model has also received positive feedback, drawing inspiration from industry giants like Destiny 2 and moving away from the issues that plagued Diablo Immortal. While class balance was a major issue during the betas, Blizzard has made significant changes to all five classes recently, resulting in none of them being considered bad. Although some classes are better than others, they are all in a great spot and with some fine-tuning before launch or when Diablo 4's first season launches, they will likely be more balanced than ever. Blizzard has taken players' feedback seriously and even made changes to the characters during the Server Slam beta to improve the gameplay loop. Build diversity is also great and is expected to improve after launch.

The Sorcerer class in Diablo 4 remains a force to be reckoned with, despite being nerfed in the Server Slam beta. It possesses incredible damage potential, add-clearing capabilities, mobility, and versatility that outshines other classes. For instance, players can unlock the Fireball Enchantment at level 15, which can make any skill extremely effective in defeating clusters of enemies with a single click or button press, thanks to its powerful AoE damage. Although Chain Lightning suffered a nerf in the beta, it is still one of the best Core Skills in the game, thanks to its single-target damage potential and effectiveness against random enemies and elites.

In addition to being a top pick for damaging skills, the Sorcerer also boasts some of the game's best utility tools. Despite the nerfs, Hydra remains an excellent skill due to its single-target damage, and players can cast it repeatedly mid-fight or whenever it expires. Skills such as Teleport, Ice Barrier, and the Deep Freeze ultimate make the Sorcerer nearly unstoppable, even when players choose the Glass Cannon passive, which increases damage at the cost of damage taken. With endless combinations through the Enchantment system and minimal reliance on gear, the Sorcerer is poised to dominate from start to finish.

Necromancer remains a top tier class in Diablo 4 despite the nerfs it has received. Its Bone Spear is still one of the game's most powerful skills, allowing Necromancers to easily defeat enemies both early on and throughout the game. In addition, the class's summons are highly effective in the early game due to their scaling with progression, and even though they may not survive for long, they are still useful. Blizzard has also addressed players' concerns about the Necromancer's minions through a recent patch that made them bulkier after survivability nerfs. The Book of the Dead also offers players the ability to customize their minions or forgo them entirely to obtain powerful bonuses that enhance the Necromancer's damage-dealing abilities. The only drawbacks to the class are its limited skill selection and lack of mobility options in Dungeons or Sanctuary.

The Rogue in Diablo 4 boasts impressive single-target damage, perhaps even the best in the game. This has been demonstrated by players who have managed to solo Ashava the Pestilent or defeat The Butcher in just a few hits. One of the advantages of playing as a Rogue is their ability to go full ranged, even with melee builds. This sets them apart from other classes, which tend to be more melee-focused. Additionally, the Rogue has excellent mobility tools, including increased base Movement Speed and skills like Dash, making them an attractive option for those looking to complete content as quickly as possible.

One powerful combo that the Rogue offers is the Penetrating Shot from Diablo 4's Core Skills, paired with the Shadow Imbuement. This combination allows each arrow to start chain reactions, quickly depleting enemy packs. However, it's worth noting that the Sorcerer can achieve similar results with the Fireball Enchantment at level 15. One of the downsides of playing as a Rogue is their lack of survivability, even with Dark Shroud active. Furthermore, they lack reliable AoE tools without sacrificing some skills or obtaining Legendary Aspects. While the Rogue has a lot of potential in the endgame, their ability to survive Sanctuary remains to be seen, as the other classes have better tools for this.

Barbarian in the B Tier is a class that requires players to constantly be in the midst of battle, making it a bit frail compared to other classes. Although it now comes with a 10% damage reduction, the leveling experience can feel slow until the Barbarian unlocks all of its Shouts, which were nerfed in the latest Server Slam beta. This was likely an attempt to make other options more viable and the meta less stale. However, the build diversity is not incredible for the Barbarian given how powerful and useful Shouts really are and how reliable Whirlwind is as a skill. It is often picked over anything that isn't Upheaval. The early game may be challenging, but this class outshines many others as players progress on Diablo 4's skill tree and acquire more gear.

The Barbarian in Diablo 4 is highly dependent on its weapons for every skill, making it the most gear-dependent class. While it offers the best support value in the game, its effectiveness varies greatly between solo play and party play. Unfortunately, Barbarian builds often rely on items to get Thorns, Legendary Aspects for synergies, or skills to deal damage over time through Bleed, which are issues that other classes do not face to the same degree. However, the Barbarian is the only class that gets access to the most offensive Aspects in the game by having multiple weapons, which can be advantageous in certain situations.

The Druid in Diablo 4 offers incredible survivability combined with good damage, but it takes a while for the class to come together. The first few levels can be difficult with limited damage and skewed resource costs in certain skills, and it heavily relies on skills and passives, as well as powerful gear or Legendary Aspects, to stand out. However, the Druid offers some of the best Basic Skills in the game, such as Storm Strike, which not only provides resources and deals damage but also gives players damage reduction and makes enemies Vulnerable. Although the Druid is probably best played as a second character or later, its class specialization was not available in the betas, which could shake things up in the long run.

Diablo 4 will be available June 6th for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X.