Gonna blow some minds here…
Next class in VoH won’t be paladin because it will be a Prime Evil. That’s right. We are going to harness the power of a Prime for the first time in the series.
/s
1 year 8 months minimum, already confirmed next class isn’t so the chance after that is the next expansion after so nov/dec of 2025.
Quite a bit of projection there, sadly it doesn’t side with reality. Just look at other blizzard products, paladins are insanely popular in wow. They are a core fantasy archetype and just as if not more popular than everything but the trinity warrior/caster/rogue.
According to who? In d2 Paladin is the second most played class. I dunno about WoW, but I play Guild Wars 2, and their paladin version (guardian) is the most played class.
It is one thing to not like something, but assuming everyone else does, cuz you do not, is dumb.
It is undeniable that the ‘Paladin’ (INSERT ANOTHER NAME) fantasy is incredibly popular in almost every RPG setting. Whether or not an individual enjoys playing this type of class is a different discussion point.
My view is that Blizzard knows this and will use it as a trump card when the game needs a real marketing boost. Probably the second expansion, or even a standalone Class DLC which could then be charged at a premium.
Are hammerdins coming back?
Warlock could also work.
I’d be really surprised if a Paladin isn’t in this game sooner rather than later. Actually surprised it wasn’t announced as the next class in the expansion, or that it wasn’t in the base game from the jump. Blizzard loves Paladins.
You ever play a D&D game with 4 Paladins? snorefest… even 2 is bad.
I’d actually venture Bard for 2nd Expansion (there was one in Diablo 1: Hellfire)
Mostly Rogue/Melee, with Shouts and Hexes (via Songs). So a melee/dual wield focus with Barb Shouts and Necro Curses type gameplay.
But for first Expansion, I think the “Spiritborn” leaked class will end up being a companion/mercenary, while the new class will be Strength-based and 100% new to the series.
Bard isn’t new though. While it wasn’t a “completed” class in Diablo 1 (neither was Barbarian for that matter), it was dual-wield melee.
Barbarian has returned for every Diablo since.
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So would… Paladin, or Crusader, or even Assassin. I’m just taking them at their word that 1st class will be completely new.
2nd class though? Everything’s up for grabs.
I think this is explicitly why they didn’t make a paladin/knight class for launch.
I’m not against a holy warrior of some kind, I just want some interesting mechanics if they do. IMO the holy beam and justicar motif is played out. In D&D you see people pick paladins and fighters not because the fantasy is super cool but because it’s what they know. I want to see something that plays hard into the fantasy instead of that “might as well have picked the other sword class because the only difference is they get more weapons”.
A Paladin is about honor, duty, and sacrifice, not just hammers. How about holy marks that ‘detonate’ if the enemy hits something? Blessings and auras have been overdone so how about recognizing the Paladin for their contribution to the cause and do something with kill streaks? Fight more and faster and get rewarded by the light for cleansing the dark. How about a last stand mechanic because you’ll take the noble death to save your companions.
I think some things are abilities but the last stand and kill streak things are part of the class feature. Pick one out of three things. Maybe call them convictions or something.
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They said it was something we have never seen before.
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Just a reworded Crusader. Maybe a Spiritual Harvester or Medium type class. Thus - we get the existence of the “Spiritborn”.
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I forget what the Asian-based names are for the Spirit Collectors/Mediums/Ghost Fighters are called.
I know there’s different names/types in Tibetan, Chinese, Japanese, and Indian cultures, among others.