Does Diablo 4 Need a Healer Character Class?

While there haven't been any official details so far that would indicate a Healer class truly coming to Diablo 4, speculation in the meantime highlights the potential this class could have in the game regardless. Past Diablo games have been known to add powerful characters as DLCs, and a Healer character class might be an appropriate fit for Diablo 4. However, since the currently existing character classes are making do just fine, there's a question of whether the game needs a healer character class at all.

Although Diablo 4 doesn't necessarily need a dedicated healer class, this doesn't mean that it couldn't be a worthwhile addition. For the sake of multiplayer, the flow of combat, and the Hardcore difficulty, a Healer character class has a lot of untapped potentials in Diablo 4.

What a Healer Character Class Could Offer Diablo 4

A healer character could be the key to providing better options for survivability outside of health potions, dodging, and generating barriers. Diablo 4 Scrolls and Elixirs are also useful throughout the endgame, although some defensive Skills are arguably much better than others. Given how barriers have a variety of ways to be generated, they are currently one of the best tools for survivability. Barriers are also the best in class because they often give players a variety of additional perks beyond damage reductions, which is exactly what a Healer character could offer in more depth.

A Healer class could also be great for multiplayer, including PvP in Diablo 4. None of the current character classes in Diablo 4 necessarily synergize with each other in the way that a support class theoretically could. In general, every character class in Diablo 4 is balanced enough for solo players to be able to complete the game on any character class. Notably, every existing character class in Diablo 4 can create personal barriers and use several other defensive Skills, although a dedicated healer could still add so much to Diablo 4 with a variety of other support utilities.

While applying barriers and passive support buffs alone would make for powerful Healer class Skills, the opposite could also be worth exploring. A cleansing Skill to remove debuffs and status effects from teammates has the potential of being a top-tier survivability Skill in Diablo 4. Healers could also temporarily give life steal/leech damage, as well as provide better ways to manage combat resources and general cooldowns for all nearby players. Healers could also provide a flat damage increase via a player buff instead of the same effect as a debuff for enemies. At any rate, there are a lot of different avenues for Blizzard to consider and explore for Healer character classes in Diablo 4.

A healer class in Diablo 4 would be especially helpful for the game's melee-based characters. Certain character classes in Diablo 4 often end up fighting in the front lines due to the majority of their Skills having short range compared to the other classes, which puts them in harm’s way. Having a healer class could give short-range characters a helping hand in Diablo 4's combat, without interfering with their existing playstyles.

Healers and/or support character classes could also be a game-changer for Hardcore players. Diablo 4's Hardcore mode is a high-stakes challenge, and a healer could potentially help to make this difficulty a bit more forgiving. Ultimately, a Healer character class has the potential to be a fun build to use without having to rely on Diablo 4's meta builds at any given time, at least in multiplayer. Partied up with a healer, players would have a lot more freedom to explore different builds with the safety net a support role could provide to any team.