The Light has blessed one who walks among us. Pre-purchase Lord of Hatred and play the mighty Paladin today. Take up your hammer and shield, wielding Holy Light to rain down heavenly justice on those who threaten Sanctuary. With weighty melee attacks and divine abilities, the Paladin offers a versatile demon-slaying experience.
The stoic Paladin draws upon the Light to invigorate their burning desire for justice. Reinforced by Oaths and the Wardens of Light faction to bolster their strength, the Paladin is an indomitable force for righteousness. Read on to learn more about this stalwart class, their divine abilities, and powerful Uniques to cleanse the scourge of demonkind from Sanctuary.
Blessed in Light: The Paladin
The Paladin arrives just in time to stand steadfast against Mephisto, ready to clash his hammers, blade, and shield against the seemingly unstoppable force.
Paladins are trained in the ways of sword and shield to protect the downtrodden. Their faction’s doctrine—the Light—is something any person with righteous intent can access and wield.
The Wardens of Light were formed by an ex-Zakarum Paladin who wanted to prevent repeating the mistakes of prior Paladins who were denounced after their leaders fell to corruption. Some warriors recruited to this higher calling had troubled pasts, but were brought into the Order and given the opportunity to reach their true potential.
The Light
The Light is a force in the universe, and resides in the hearts of every human as well. The Paladin taps into this power to harness its might in combat. Using the Light is not based on any deity or faith alone. It is a faith in oneself.
Wardens of the Light
The Paladin hails from the Wardens of Light faction. They are heavily armored, highly trained fighters who wield the power of the Light.
To become a member of their holy Order, one must undergo intense physical training to become masters of combat. Upon completing training, they roam Sanctuary to root out evil and injustice. They are sworn protectors of Sanctuary.
The Paladin lives by creeds, modeled after “virtues” they sense in the Light:
Valor
Face and overcome any evil or hardship with courage.
Justice
Protect the innocent and the oppressed.
Hope
Be a beacon of hope in a world of despair.
Fate
Acceptance of the Paladin’s role as an eternal protector of Sanctuary.
Wisdom
Be balanced in mind, body, and spirit, and do not fall under the sway of any institution.
Divine Angelic Might with Powerful Skills
Paladins wield swords, flails, and shields to cleave their foes with heavenly strength.
Basic Skills
Brandish
Brandish the Light, unleashing an arc.
Holy Bolt
Throw a Holy Hammer.
Clash
Strike an enemy with your weapon and shield.
Advance
Advance forward with your weapon.
Core Skills
Zeal
Strike enemies with blinding speed, dealing damage and followed immediately by additional strikes.
Blessed Shield
Bless and hurl your shield with holy energy, dealing damage that ricochets up to three times.
Blessed Hammer
Throw a Blessed Hammer that spirals out.
Divine Lance
Impale enemies with a heavenly lance, stabbing two times.
Shield Bash
Charge at an enemy and bash in front of you.
Auras
Fanaticism Aura
- Passive: Spending Faith emanates power from you, granting you and your allies Attack Speed and Critical Strike Chance for three seconds, up to a maximum of four times.
- Active: Weaken all nearby enemies for four seconds.
Defiance Aura
- Passive: Your presence reinforces you and your allies, granting bonuses to Armor and All Resistances.
- Active: You become unstoppable for two seconds.
Holy Light Aura
- Passive: You and your allies emanate the Light, dealing damage every two seconds to three random nearby enemies.
- Active: Unleash two pure bolts of light, dealing holy damage to the closest enemy and chaining up to four additional enemies before returning to you. When the first bolt of light returns, heal for a percentage of your maximum health.
Valor Skills
Shield Charge
Charge with your shield and push enemies back, granting damage reduction and dealing damage while channeling.
Aegis
Surround yourself with shields of the Light, taunting close enemies and gaining one hundred percent block chance for four seconds.
Falling Star
Soar into the air with angelic wings and dive onto the battlefield, dealing damage on take-off and upon landing.
Rally
Rally forth, gaining twenty percent movement speed for eight seconds and generating faith.
Justice Skills
Purify
Enshroud your enemies in the Light, dazing them for two seconds.
Consecration
Bathe in the Light for six seconds, healing you and your allies for maximum health per second and dealing damage per second to enemies in the effect.
Condemn
Harness the Light and pull enemies in after a delay, briefly stunning them and dealing damage.
Spear of the Heavens
Rain down four heavenly spears from the sky, dealing damage and knocking down enemies. After a delay, the spears burst, dealing damage.
Ultimate Skills
Heaven's Fury
Grasp the Light, dealing damage around you per second before releasing it to seek nearby enemies and deal damage to them per second for seven seconds.
Fortress
Make your stand, becoming immune for three seconds and create a defensive area around you for eight seconds. Standing in your Fortress grants you and your allies two resolve stacks every half a second.
Zenith
Summon a divine sword that cleaves that battlefield. Casting Zenith again cuts through the battlefield deals damage and knocks down enemies for a short duration.
Arbiter of Justice
Ascend to the Heavens and crash upon the battlefield as an Arbiter for twenty seconds, dealing damage upon landing. Arbiter Form grants increased movement speed, evade is replaced with Angelic Leap, and wings strike around you dealing damage to nearby enemies.
A Righteous Calling: Swear your Oath
Oaths are a higher calling to Paladins that augment your skills to devastating effect.
Zealot
Casting Zealot Skills grants Fervor for a limited time. Critically Striking with these Skills echoes the attack for an additional 17% of the damage, repeating for each stack of Fervor.
While at maximum Fervor, additionally Fortify for a percentage of your Maximum Life.
Juggernaut
Casting a Juggernaut Skill consumes stacks of Resolve, giving your Juggernaut Skills increased damage and increasing in size for a limited time.
Judicator
Your Basic Skills now apply Judgement.
Judgement can now be detonated early by your Core Judicator Skills, dealing 80% weapon damage in a small area and gaining Judicator Skill benefits.
Each time you Judge an enemy, increase the damage they take from you, up to a maximum, until they die.
Disciple
Casting a Disciple Skill with a cooldown grants Arbiter for a limited time. Wing Strikes gain Disciple Skill benefits.
While in Arbiter form, your Disciple Skills deal 50% increased damage.
Master New Paladin Uniques
Protect the downtrodden and strike the blasphemous with these powerful items. The Paladin utilizes a Flail, a new weapon in Diablo IV.
Promise of Glory: Unique One-Handed Flail
- Enemies impaled by the first strike of Divine Lance take increased damage from Divine Lance's subsequent stabs.
- Associated Lair Boss: The Beast in Ice, and Urivar.
Herald’s Morningstar: Unique One-Handed Mace
- Blessed Hammer deals increased damage. Lucky Hit: Up to a X% chance to spawn a base Blessed Hammer on the target hit.
- Associated Lair Boss: Andariel, and Duriel.
Bastion of Sir Matthias: Unique Shield
- Blocking has a chance to retaliate with a Shield Bash. Your Shield Bash damage is increased.
- Associated Lair Boss: Beast in Ice.
Ward of the White Dove: Unique Shield
- Blessed Shield deals increased damage. Casting another Skill makes your next Blessed Shield double this bonus and cost less Faith to Cast.
- Associated Lair Boss: Varshan.
Hearld of Zakarum: Unique Shield
- Gain increased Strength, Resistance, Armor and Retribution Chance.
- Associated Lair Boss: Andariel, and Harbinger of Hatred.
Cathedral’s Song: Unique Shield
- Lucky Hit: Disciple and Ascension Skills that you Cast have a chance to call down Spear of the Heavens on a nearby enemy. Your Spear of the Heavens damage is increased.
- Associated Lair Boss: Lord Zir, and Urivar.
Supplication: Unique One-Handed Sword
- Brandish unleashes in all directions dealing increased damage.
- Associated Lair Boss: Duriel, and Harbinger of Hatred.
Griswold’s Opus: Unique One-Handed Sword
- Dealing direct damage grants increased Critical Strike Damage for each enemy hit within a limited time, up to a maximum. At Maximum you gain, Lucky Hit: Critical Strikes have a chance to deal double damage, heal for Life, and refresh the duration of the bonus.
- Associated Lair Boss: Duriel, and Harbinger of Hatred.
Red Sermon: Unique Two-Handed Sword
- Zeal deals increased damage and gains the Death and Glory Upgrade for free.
- Associated Lair Boss: Lord Zir.
Sanctis of Kethamar: Unique Pants
- Arbiter form increases Aura Potency and Wing Strike damage.
- Associated Lair Boss: Lord Zir.
March of the Stalwart Soul: Unique Amulet
- Advance deals increased damage, gains all Skill Upgrades and is considered a Disciple, Juggernaut, and Zealot Skill.
- Associated Lair Boss: Grigoire, and Beast in Ice.
Path of the Paladin Quest: Available for All Players
The Class quest for the Paladin is available to all players and classes regardless of owning any expansion.
Help a Paladin prevent a saint from being sacrificed to Andariel, which would cause a portal to Hell to manifest.
Pre-purchase Lord of Hated and Play Paladin Now
The Paladin is live now in-game. Pre-purchase any expansion edition to gain instant access to the Paladin and a bevy of other rewards. Plus, a second class will unlock at launch on April 28, 2026, included in each edition of the expansion.
For more information on the Lord of Hatred expansion, and the different pre-purchase editions, you can read our blog here.
Pre-Purchase the Diablo IV Lord of Hatred Ultimate Edition and instantly unlock:
- Expansion 2: Lord of Hatred (Available April 28, 2026)
- Paladin Early Access1
- Expansion 1: Vessel of Hatred1
- 1 Extra Stash Tab1
- 2 Additional Character Slots1
- The High Heavensguard Paladin Cosmetic Bundle1
- Skartaran Basilisk Mount Bundle1
- Premium Battle Pass Bundle1
- Skorch, Mini Chimera Pet1
- Umbral Knights Cross-Class Armor Bundle (6 Class Armor Sets)1
- Tymn, Echo of the Spire Back Trophy Reactive Cosmetic1
- Ascent of the Just Town Portal1
- Steed of the Shining Realm Mount Bundle1
- 3,000 Platinum
- World of Warcraft Decor Items1, 2
Lord of Hatred available April 28, 2026.
Lord of Hatred and Vessel of Hatred Expansion require Diablo IV base game.
Internet connection and Battle.net account required to play.
1After purchase, instantly available items will be delivered in-game after next login.
2 World of Warcraft Decor Items require World of Warcraft subscription or game time, sold separately. May require purchase of World of Warcraft: Midnight in some regions, also sold separately. Items are expected to be available with the release of Housing Early Access in the World of Warcraft 11.2.7 content update.
Upgrading editions will not re-grant in-game items already unlocked on your account.
