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The armies of Sanctuary are preparing for their darkest confrontation yet. On April 28, 2026, Blizzard Entertainment will release Diablo S12 Items: Lord of Hatred, the second major expansion for the action RPG phenomenon . While the return of Mephisto and the new Skovos region have generated significant buzz, the feature capturing most players’ imagination is the introduction of the Warlock Class, a demon-binding caster that promises to fundamentally alter how players engage with endgame content .

The Warlock Class arrives as the dark counterpart to the Paladin, which has been available to those who pre-ordered the expansion . According to Associate Game Director Zaven Harountian, “everything in Lord of Hatred was built around the central tension of Angels and demons,” with the two new classes directly expressing this conflict. Where the Paladin wields holy light to protect the downtrodden, the Warlock commands the forbidden arts of demonic binding and abyssal shadow, functioning as a hybrid caster and summoner who literally turns the power of Hell against itself .

From a gameplay perspective, the Warlock utilizes two resources: Wrath and Dominance . Wrath regenerates quickly and powers core skills for consistent damage output, while Dominance builds more slowly and fuels explosive, high-impact abilities. This resource system creates a rhythm of “smaller, constant damage” followed by “big, explosive occurrences,” a playstyle that feels distinct from any existing class .

The class features three primary specialization trees that offer radically different playstyles. Hellfire focuses on burning devastation, from pools of lava to a transformative Demonform ultimate ability. Abyss emphasizes shadow-based damage and battlefield control, applying Hex effects and using shadow chains to manipulate enemy positioning. Demonology forms the mechanical heart of the Warlock, allowing players to bind demons into service. Even those who do not focus on summons will find demons interwoven throughout the class’s kit, from basic Fallen Lunatic summons to the Wall of Agony, which fuses demons into a damaging barrier .

The Warlock class system, known as Soul Shards, unlocks at level 30 . Players choose from four Soul Shards—Legion, Vanguard, Mastermind, or Ritualist—each aligned with a specific playstyle and unlocking a unique Greater Demon summon . Legion is the dedicated summoner spec, throwing waves of demons at enemies. Vanguard focuses on transforming into a powerful demon through Metamorphosis. Mastermind emphasizes stealth and status effects. Ritualist creates sigils and control zones on the battlefield .

Early impressions from press previews have been overwhelmingly positive. One reviewer described the Warlock as “what if your Sorcerer and Necromancer had a baby, and that baby listened to a lot of Black Sabbath” . Unlike the Sorcerer or Necromancer in the base game, the Warlock rarely feels squishy, allowing confident progression through higher difficulties. The class has been praised as “ridiculous, in a good way,” capable of filling the screen with demon-related magic .

Beyond the new class, Lord of Hatred introduces long-requested quality-of-life features including a native Loot Filter, the return of the Horadric Cube for crafting, and an overhauled skill tree for all existing classes . The Warlock Class is available through the Standard Edition of Lord of Hatred, which retails for $39.99 across all platforms . For lapsed fans and new adventurers alike, the Warlock Class provides a compelling reason to return to Sanctuary and face the echoes of hatred once more.