Summary
- Diablo 4's Vessel of Hatred highlights the Spiritborn class, known for its versatility and customization potential.
- The Spiritborn class allows players to mix skills from four categories, giving new combat options and playstyles.
- Blizzard intentionally designed the Spiritborn as overpowered in Vessel of Hatred, signaling potential changes to other classes.
There are plenty of things to be excited about in Diablo 4's Vessel of Hatred expansion, but the new Spiritborn class has been hogging the spotlight since the DLC's launch. So far, the Spiritborn has been dominating conversations surrounding Diablo 4's Vessel of Hatred DLC, boasting about its overpowered nature and all-around fun and fast-paced mechanics. It's safe to say that, of all the features included with the launch of Vessel of Hatred, the Spiritborn class may be its best.
Diablo 4's new Spiritborn class is renowned mainly for its versatility and the freedom it provides players to have full rein over its customization. Despite some Spiritborn builds currently dominating the meta more than others, it is still a class unlike any other in Diablo history, and players can largely be successful in Vessel of Hatred's content by going in any direction they want to with the skills and mechanics the new class provides.
Every Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred Mercenary Explained
There are four Mercenaries to find and recruit in Diablo 4's Vessel of Hatred expansion, each of which has a unique backstory and gameplay role.
Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred's Spiritborn Class Is Its Best Feature
Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred's Spiritborn Class Is the Series' Most Versatile Yet
At the forefront of the Spiritborn class' popularity is its versatility in combat. Unlike most Diablo classes, which generally rely on one or two different skill categories, Vessel of Hatred's Spiritborn allows players to mix and match skills from four categories, each of which is the manifestation of a different Spirit Guardian. Jaguar skills, for instance, prioritize an aggressive approach to combat by offering players skills that focus on dealing direct damage with balanced survivability. Gorilla skills, on the other hand, specialize in providing the Spiritborn with more defensive abilities, like blocking and dodging.
Then there are Eagle skills, which grant players plenty of damage-dealing attacks but also provide a decent amount of crowd control. Finally, Centipede skills are all about poisoning enemies, dealing damage over time, and subverting foes before they have a chance to respond. While Spiritborn Centipede builds have largely dominated the playing field since Vessel of Hatred's release, it doesn't by any means trivialize the rest of the Spiritborn's skills, as there are countless combinations that can be effective against Diablo 4's toughest monsters.
In a way, Vessel of Hatred's Spiritborn class is similar to Dragon's Dogma 2's Warfarer vocation and Destiny 2's Prismatic subclass.
Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred's Spiritborn Class Is Overpowered on Purpose
Fortunately, this was all done with great intention, as Blizzard has doubled down on its decision to design the Spiritborn this way. The developer likely knew the Spiritborn would be an overpowered class in Vessel of Hatred, and it plans to leave it that way — at least through Season 6 of Diablo 4. What this could mean for Diablo 4's other classes is that they could eventually be revamped to become similarly powerful, as nerfing the Spiritborn could ultimately destroy the class, leaving the game with only one direction to go. Either that or more classes that function similarly to the Spiritborn might be developed at some point that would offer players the same level of freedom in their approach to gameplay.
The new Spiritborn class introduced with Diablo 4's Vessel of Hatred expansion is arguably its greatest achievement, although the arrival of the DLC also marks necessary improvements to the base game's quality of life and even new skills for Diablo 4's core classes. With the Spiritborn's unprecedented complexity also comes the freedom to play Diablo 4 the way players see fit, so long as they discern the full potential of the class. Hopefully, this means even better things are to come for Diablo 4 and the series in general, whether that be more classes like the Spiritborn or an evolution of what is already there.
Diablo 4
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 88 /100 Critics Rec: 93%
WHERE TO PLAY
Diablo® IV is the ultimate action-RPG experience with endless evil to slaughter, countless abilities to master, nightmarish dungeons, and legendary loot.
Embark on the epic campaign solo or with friends, meeting memorable characters through a gripping story in a beautifully dark world, or explore an expansive end game: battle iconic bosses for powerful loot, fight back the encroaching onslaught of Hell in Helltides, master the Forge to create your ultimate weapons and progress powerful characters, with cross-play and cross-progression on all available platforms.
Discover the critically acclaimed franchise that defined the Action RPG genre. As the battle between the High Heavens and Burning Hells rages on, hatred devours Sanctuary as evil spreads and a new wave of cultists and worshippers arise to embrace Lilith’s coming. Only a brave few dare to face this threat and bring light to the all-consuming darkness.
Expansive Open WorldForge your own path through the corrupted lands of Sanctuary, an ever-growing, fully explorable world teeming with challenges, quests, enemies, and loot. Join your fellow adventurers, rescue and retake besieged towns, delve into nightmarish dungeons and uncover lost secrets as you fight back evil. The many zones of Sanctuary are yours to explore, and with rotating areas of extreme peril like World Bosses and Helltide, danger lurks at every turn.
Immersive Character DevelopmentCreate and customize your character to face the encroaching darkness. Choose from one of five classes and build your hero with skills, abilities and cosmetics, creating a champion that is uniquely your own. Grow stronger as you progress through powerful Skill Trees and develop even more unique end game specializations with Paragon Boards.
Legendary Gear, Epic BattlesDiscover and experiment with a vast arsenal of powerful weapons, armor and more to fight back against the demons threatening Sanctuary. Explore unique combinations, create your own upgrades and collect a plethora of powerful tools to battle in immersive, action-packed combat against the deadliest of enemies.
Seasons & EventsThe tales of Sanctuary continue to unfold. Create Seasonal Characters and join in fresh adventures - master new mechanics and take on the latest threats in each new Season. Complete harrowing feats of the Season Journey and earn new Battle Pass rewards. Plus, sharpen your swords and get in the spirit of the seasons when Limited-Time Events sweep through Sanctuary.
End Game UndertakingsThere’s even more Diablo® IV to explore as you reach higher levels and more fearsome World Tiers. Face the greatest challenge yet as you take on the most powerful demons in The Pit, steel yourself against Uber Bosses to reap uber unique rewards, fight back overflowing armies of Hell as Helltides emerge across Sanctuary, battle larger-than-life World Bosses, and master the Forge to create the mightiest weapons fit for a hero.
- Engine
- Proprietary Engine
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- All platforms
- Cross Save
- All platforms
- Franchise
- Diablo
- Number of Players
- 1-2 players
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Verified
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Hack and Slash
- How Long To Beat
- 26 Hours
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
- File Size Xbox Series
- 158.25 GB
- Local Co-Op Support
- 1-2 players (console only)
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
