Grab your sword and shield, Wanderer, the Paladin is approaching. Diablo 4 next year along with the upcoming Lord of Hatred expansion. The announcement was made at this year's Game Awards, where the Paladin was announced as one of two new classes in the expansion. If you're itching to harness the power of the Holy, you can pre-order Lord of Hatred and get immediate access to the Paladin.
The RPG was released in June 2023, just a few months earlier. Xbox-manufacturer Microsoft closed its Activision Blizzard acquisition. In October 2024, Blizzard released the first expansion, Vessel of Hatred, which included a new Spiritborn class and sent players into the jungle of Nahantu.
The new Lord of Hatred expansion takes place in Skovos, the oldest region of Sanctuary and the former home of Lilith and Inarius. Players will have to fight their way through forests, coastlines, and ruins in the battle against Mephisto, the expansion's master demon that Diablo series veterans first fought in Diablo 2's third act.
They will be able to fight a great evil as the Paladin, one of the playable classes of Diablo 2 and a much sought after class for Diablo 4.
Here's what we know so far.
Diablo 4 expansion release date
The Lord of Hatred expansion will be released on April 28, 2026.
New classes in Lord of Hatred
The expansion will include two new classes. One of them remains a mystery, and we'll probably have to wait closer to launch to find out what it is.
But the headliner here is the Paladin class.
Paladins augment medieval armor and heavy weaponry with the holy power of Light. As a Paladin, you can channel powerful auras, summon holy weapons to combat your enemies, and become an indomitable guardian on the battlefield.
Paladins will be able to choose between four oaths, each supporting a different playstyle.
Juggernaut: This shield-centric style turns defense into offense and supports tank tactics.
Juggernaut paladins are capable of facing down hordes of enemies.
Fanatic: A sword-based Oath that focuses on updated Zeal mechanics and the Holy Blade's ultimate ability.
Zealot Paladins can cut through enemies with a massive sword.
Judge: Prime option for inflicting divine punishment with sacred spells such as Blessed Hammer and Heaven's Fury.
Paladin Judges rain holy magic onto the battlefield.
Student: If you want to become an angel, piercing legions of darkness on wings of holy light, take this oath.
Apprentice Paladins can take the form of an Arbiter – a great option for people who have always wanted to play as Tyrael.
Diablo 4 Endgame Updates
D4 was criticized for its endgame, especially the limited number of actions available to a fully equipped character with optimized stats. Lord of Hatred promises to update the game's ending to include more challenging challenges and, uh… fishing? I think even Travelers need to relax sometimes.
Lord of Hatred will introduce war plans that will allow players to choose their preferred actions and enable modifiers in their quest for rewards.
The big test will be Echoing Hatred, a post-game challenge specifically designed to challenge the most optimized builds. Plan your build, collect loot, and see if you can survive the onslaught.
In addition to these additions, the expansion will also overhaul Diablo 4's skill trees, expanding level caps and providing options specific to each of the game's classes. The game's crafting system will be enhanced by the Horadric Cube, a legendary artifact that allows items in Diablo 2 to be transformed into other items using specific recipes. New talisman mechanics will add bonuses to items that can be equipped.
The paladin fights in one of the new Lord of Hatred locations.
Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred Editions
We don't have detailed pricing information yet, but Lord of Hatred will be available in three editions:
- Standard: Includes the earlier Vessel of Hatred expansion, which featured the Spiritborn class.
- Deluxe: Both expansions, plus a mini Chimera pet, a mount pack, a cosmetic pack, and a premium Battle Pass bundle.
- Final: All of the above, plus 3,000 Platinum (can be used for cosmetics and the Battle Pass), an armor set for six classes, a trophy, a City Portal skin, and more.
Pre-orders of any edition provide immediate access to the Paladin class.
