GamesAction RpgDiabloDiablo 4Inside Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred and the series' first new mainline class in 10 years: “Maybe I can mix my Barbarian and Rogue together"When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
GamesAction RpgDiabloDiablo 4Inside Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred and the series' first new mainline class in 10 years: “Maybe I can mix my Barbarian and Rogue together"When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Blizzard)
Blizzarddoesn’t often add a new class to Diablo’s ranks, but Vessel of Hatred’s Spiritborn swiftly makes the case for their introduction. The martial arts-styled warrior brings something new and seamless to the familiar sights of Nahantu while respecting a time-honored tradition of popping fleshy loot piñatas with reckless abandon.
Talking to the press at its California headquarters, Blizzard explains its approach to the Spiritborn’s lore is that the angels exist among the high heavens, the demons dwell deep within the burning hells, and we humans get the spirit realm in between – essentially a ghostly reflection of Sanctuary where spirits roam free. As a Spiritborn, you can manifest four of those spirits and bind them to your will.
If you’re wondering where they’ve been hiding all this time, the broad strokes are that the Nahantu natives chose to stay out of the fight that unfolded inDiablo 4as memories of Mephisto still linger – his stone was held there during the events of Diablo 2, after all. Now that Neyrelle has brought the big brute back, remaining idle is no longer an option.
Born for this
(Image credit: Blizzard)
This lore informs your chosen playstyle. The Spiritborn starts with one Spirit Guardian but can eventually utilize all four when far enough down the leveling path. The eagle lends itself to an agile and precise playstyle; the tanky gorilla is all about defense; the jaguar prizes aggression and multi-hit attacks; and the centipede is for fans of poison attacks and debuffs.
You’re free to chop and change skills as you please when putting your build together, though each spirit is color-coded to make it easier for those with less experience. Fancy putting together an eagle-focused build? Stick with the color blue.
While the Spiritborn is new, some spirits make them feel familiar. Playing Diablo 4 as a Rogue until now helps me feel at home with the kind of ‘glass cannon’ capabilities the eagle offers. Darting to mobs of foes and seeing them vanish in a maroon haze of lightning attacks scratches the same itch playing as my Rogue does. It’s not just the eagle, either – I’d wager fans of Diablo’s tankier classes will find plenty to love about the gorilla.
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter
Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more
Centipede main for life
(Image credit: Blizzard)
Discussing how the Spiritborn came to be, game designer Bjorn Mikkelson explains that providing that sort of familiarity was the goal, as a good class offers something new, improved, and recognizable.
“What we were going for was this single character with multiple distinct fighting styles,” he says. “It’s partially just the nature of action RPGs – there aren’t actually that many types of fighting styles. You can only kill something in so many ways.”
“We brought some of the slightly weird things out in the centipede, but there are still some recognizable elements there – if you’re used to damage over time, that sort of thing. So we expect some overlap, and really, what we’re going for is, ‘Hey, you can go all into that’ if that’s comfortable and fun for you. But the fun of Spiritborn is ‘maybe I can mix my Barbarian and Rogue together.’ That’s the hope we have for it.”
While Blizzard wanted the Spiritborn to feel familiar, it remained a chance for the developers to try some fresh ideas. Mikkelson says the centipede allowed the team to toy with some “strange and different” things. Fear debuffs, namely, are something we see across many RPGs but not a lot in Diablo 4’s base game.
As such, I ask if designing a new class is freeing, rather than remixing something we’ve seen before. While you can see plenty of Diablo 2’s Assassin and Diablo 3’s Demon Hunter in Diablo 4’s Rogue, the Spiritborn isn’t tied to as much history within the game’s universe. For Mikkelson, designing the Spiritborn was liberating, though he stresses that “freedom is sometimes a cage,” as whatever turns up still has to respect the boundaries set in Sanctuary.
The dev explains that the benefit of designing something like the Rogue is that most people know what it is and should be, but what the heck is a Spiritborn? Figuring it out from a gameplay perspective meant creating stuff that “didn’t make the cut” – though Mikkelson teases you may see some of that in the future – and fine-tuning through experimentation, with Blizzard making around 60 prototype skills “just to try out what feels fun and different.”
Back to Nahantu
(Image credit: Blizzard)
What Blizzard could lean on, though, was Vessel of Hatred’s unfurling narrative.Going to Nahantu in Diablo 4’s first big expansionmeans returning to somewhere we know from Diablo 2 - the jungle. As such, most may have an idea of who the Spiritborn is roughly from where they live.
“I think it was freeing for the team, as a whole, to get to try new stuff,” Mikkelson says before Rivera-Colon adds, “All while fitting into the Diablo theme and lore and making sure that whatever class it is that’s being created, doesn’t feel like you’re breaking the fantasy of what Diablo 4 is, right?
“Because I think that’s important to our player base,” she continues. “Even if you’re coming into it new, throwing something so far off feels jarring. And it takes you out of everything in the story that we’ve been building.”
Referring to what Mikkelson said earlier about freedom being a cage, Rivera-Colon adds, “That’s the cage, right? The cage is making sure that it still fits within the construct and the expectations for players at the same time.”
The story so far
(Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment)
As Vessel of Hatred approaches, Diablo 4 finds itself in a much healthier position than it did at launch. While the loot ‘em up showed promise at launch, the first few seasons went back and forth among fans’ expectations until the fourth season’s loot overhaulplaced the game on better footing.
While the main game’s development largely unfolds alongside those working on the DLC, the vibe remains positive that Diablo 4 is getting better and better as Vessel of Hatred nears. And that’s good for everyone.
“The changes that have happened are obviously coming from a place of learning and trying to improve the game,” Mikkelson says. “But, you know, we’re also always doing that with the mind towards wanting the game in a good spot when we’re going to add a whole bunch of new stuff to it. So I think, largely, with each iteration, we’re happier and happier with where we’re at.”
Rivera-Colon adds, “At the end of the day, we want people to want to play Seasons, but we also want them to enjoy Vessel of Hatred and the Spiritborn class. So it’s a combination of making sure that they’re enjoying the game so they can trust us when it comes to the expansion and introducing a new class. And they can say, ‘Okay, they finally hit their stride, and now we’re going to be able to trust that there’s going to be something cool coming up next.”
Diablo 4 tried to repackage Diablo 2’s grind for the modern era, but series overseer Rod Fergusson says the “consumptive nature of a live service” made it unfeasible.
CATEGORIESPC GamingPS4PS5Xbox Series XPlatformsPlayStationXbox
CATEGORIES
More about diabloDiablo 4 DLC director is “sticking to my guns” on the dungeon you can’t enter unless you have friendsDiablo boss gets ratio’d for saying we should “normalize ‘Diablo-like’ for ARPGs that follow the Diablo formula,” “much like ‘Souls-like’ and ‘Rogue-like’”
More about diablo
Diablo 4 DLC director is “sticking to my guns” on the dungeon you can’t enter unless you have friendsDiablo boss gets ratio’d for saying we should “normalize ‘Diablo-like’ for ARPGs that follow the Diablo formula,” “much like ‘Souls-like’ and ‘Rogue-like’”
Diablo 4 DLC director is “sticking to my guns” on the dungeon you can’t enter unless you have friends
Diablo 4 DLC director is “sticking to my guns” on the dungeon you can’t enter unless you have friends
Diablo boss gets ratio’d for saying we should “normalize ‘Diablo-like’ for ARPGs that follow the Diablo formula,” “much like ‘Souls-like’ and ‘Rogue-like’”
Diablo boss gets ratio’d for saying we should “normalize ‘Diablo-like’ for ARPGs that follow the Diablo formula,” “much like ‘Souls-like’ and ‘Rogue-like’”
Latest
See more latest►
Most PopularPatton Oswalt and Jordan Blum explain why comics are still the perfect medium for superhero stories - “Visuals that will never be achieved in TV or movies can be achieved in comics"Team Asobi’s gigantic 2024 proves it’s time to free Astro Bot from PlayStation’s pastWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was the favorite shooter of the year, and it also made me fall even harder for my fiancé17 years on, Sam Barlow reflects on Silent Hill: Origins: “To pull it out of the bag with a seven-out-of-ten game was incredibly rewarding"Here’s our Black Ops 6 multiplayer playlist to keep you and your pals connected over ChristmasSpy x Family season 3: Everything we know so farOne of 2024’s best anime shows subverts all expectations, but that’s its biggest strengthHow Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth represents the best of Final Fantasy’s past while charting a course for the futureI’m proclaiming 2024 to be the year of outstanding indie puzzle gamesThe Inside Out 2 panic attack scene is one of the best depictions of anxiety ever – and something Pixar director Kelsey Mann is incredibly proud of: “I couldn’t be happier"Marvel Rivals has what it takes to shake up the PvP shooter genre if it can maintain its hero fantasy while also making balance changes
Most PopularPatton Oswalt and Jordan Blum explain why comics are still the perfect medium for superhero stories - “Visuals that will never be achieved in TV or movies can be achieved in comics"Team Asobi’s gigantic 2024 proves it’s time to free Astro Bot from PlayStation’s pastWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was the favorite shooter of the year, and it also made me fall even harder for my fiancé17 years on, Sam Barlow reflects on Silent Hill: Origins: “To pull it out of the bag with a seven-out-of-ten game was incredibly rewarding"Here’s our Black Ops 6 multiplayer playlist to keep you and your pals connected over ChristmasSpy x Family season 3: Everything we know so farOne of 2024’s best anime shows subverts all expectations, but that’s its biggest strengthHow Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth represents the best of Final Fantasy’s past while charting a course for the futureI’m proclaiming 2024 to be the year of outstanding indie puzzle gamesThe Inside Out 2 panic attack scene is one of the best depictions of anxiety ever – and something Pixar director Kelsey Mann is incredibly proud of: “I couldn’t be happier"Marvel Rivals has what it takes to shake up the PvP shooter genre if it can maintain its hero fantasy while also making balance changes
Most PopularPatton Oswalt and Jordan Blum explain why comics are still the perfect medium for superhero stories - “Visuals that will never be achieved in TV or movies can be achieved in comics"Team Asobi’s gigantic 2024 proves it’s time to free Astro Bot from PlayStation’s pastWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was the favorite shooter of the year, and it also made me fall even harder for my fiancé17 years on, Sam Barlow reflects on Silent Hill: Origins: “To pull it out of the bag with a seven-out-of-ten game was incredibly rewarding"Here’s our Black Ops 6 multiplayer playlist to keep you and your pals connected over ChristmasSpy x Family season 3: Everything we know so farOne of 2024’s best anime shows subverts all expectations, but that’s its biggest strengthHow Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth represents the best of Final Fantasy’s past while charting a course for the futureI’m proclaiming 2024 to be the year of outstanding indie puzzle gamesThe Inside Out 2 panic attack scene is one of the best depictions of anxiety ever – and something Pixar director Kelsey Mann is incredibly proud of: “I couldn’t be happier"Marvel Rivals has what it takes to shake up the PvP shooter genre if it can maintain its hero fantasy while also making balance changes
Most Popular
Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum explain why comics are still the perfect medium for superhero stories - “Visuals that will never be achieved in TV or movies can be achieved in comics”
Team Asobi’s gigantic 2024 proves it’s time to free Astro Bot from PlayStation’s past
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was the favorite shooter of the year, and it also made me fall even harder for my fiancé
17 years on, Sam Barlow reflects on Silent Hill: Origins: “To pull it out of the bag with a seven-out-of-ten game was incredibly rewarding”
Here’s our Black Ops 6 multiplayer playlist to keep you and your pals connected over Christmas
Spy x Family season 3: Everything we know so far
One of 2024’s best anime shows subverts all expectations, but that’s its biggest strength
How Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth represents the best of Final Fantasy’s past while charting a course for the future
I’m proclaiming 2024 to be the year of outstanding indie puzzle games
The Inside Out 2 panic attack scene is one of the best depictions of anxiety ever – and something Pixar director Kelsey Mann is incredibly proud of: “I couldn’t be happier”
Marvel Rivals has what it takes to shake up the PvP shooter genre if it can maintain its hero fantasy while also making balance changes
GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams’ disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1
Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2
Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
3
Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
4
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
5
Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
2
Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3
Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5
Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
1
Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
2
Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
3
Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
4
Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
5
Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”