Diablo 4’s Paladin debuts in Lord of Hatred, inspired by Zelda and Lord of the Rings

The Paladin is available now, released early as one of two classes included in April’s Lord of Hatred expansion, answering long-standing community calls for the Diablo 2–style holy warrior, the studio said.

Blizzard delayed the Paladin earlier because it "didn't fit the theme" of the first expansion, Vessel of Hatred, which explored the spirit world and the jungles of Nahantu, Zaven Haroutunian, game director of Lord of Hatred, explained.

Designers say the class taps the basic sword-and-shield archetype rooted in Diablo’s original Warrior. "A sword and shield... is extremely relatable," said Dominick Sileo, lead class designer, invoking Link from The Legend of Zelda, Captain America, King Arthur and Aragorn as familiar anchors for the Paladin fantasy.

Bringing Diablo 2’s Paladin into Diablo 4 required tough choices: some Crusader skills returned (like Blessed Shield) while others did not (Steed Charge), and Zeal and other classics were modernized. The biggest challenge was Auras — Diablo 2 had around 20, but Diablo 4’s skill system could not replicate that depth, so the team pared them to three core choices and layered other effects "like a delicious Aura sandwich," Sileo said.

Blizzard may reveal more about balancing the Paladin and the expansion’s second new class during its Diablo 30th Anniversary Spotlight on Feb. 11, when additional details are likely to be shared.

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