Diablo 4 Season 12's Best Class is Now Official

Diablo 4 Season 12 is set to conclude on April 28, 2026, coinciding with the launch of the Lord of Hatred expansion. As the season draws to a close, the unofficial Pit rankings have shown that the Paladin has once again been by far the best class, outperforming the others considerably. Diablo 4 Paladin players in Season 12 have reaped the benefits of it still being the newest class in the game, with Blizzard reluctant to make any sweeping balance changes ahead of Lord of Hatred.

Balance changes are a part of every Diablo 4 season. It’s too easy for players to fall into the habit of playing the same class season after season, which could get stale quite quickly, even with new seasonal mechanics. By committing to balance changes every season, Blizzard can ensure the meta stays fresh and gives each class its moment in the spotlight. It doesn’t always hit the mark perfectly. For example, players want a big buff to Diablo 4‘s Rogue in Lord of Hatred, after noticing that the class has been underpowered for some time. Broadly, though, it’s an approach that has worked well for the developer.

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Diablo 4 Pit Rankings Reveal Paladin as Season 12’s Best Class

As Diablo 4 Season 12 ends on April 28, time is running out for players to max out their characters in the Season of Slaughter. Throughout the season, one class has shone brighter than the rest. A look through the Diablo 4 Pit leaderboards on Helltide reveals that the Paladin has comfortably been the best class in Season 12. Paladin players have reached a maximum of Tier 133 this season, with Spiritborn and Necromancer coming closest at Tier 122. Not only that, but the Paladin class has been much quicker at beating the Pit than others, with a best time of 13:31. Almost the entire top 50 rankings are made up of Paladins – the first non-Paladin comes at 47th, after which the other classes start to sporadically appear. Still, it leaves no question as to what the best Season 12 class has been in Diablo 4.

The Paladin was Diablo 4 Season 11’s best class, too, and it makes sense as to why it has been able to repeat the feat in Season 12. While players who pre-ordered Lord of Hatred have had access to the class since the start of Season 11, it’s still technically being touted as a new feature for the upcoming expansion. And in Diablo 4, new classes are always overpowered, at least at the start. Blizzard would rather they be too powerful initially, making them fun to play, and then nerf them further down the line to make them more balanced. Releasing a new class that doesn’t feel strong to play could be disastrous, so this approach makes sense for the developer.

It’s for this exact reason that the Paladin is unlikely to be the best class for an entire season three times in a row. Significant nerfs are unlikely, given that it will still technically be considered new content. However, Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred is adding the Warlock class, too. Unlike the Paladin, the Warlock has not been available to play for the last two seasons. If Blizzard continues with its approach, it’s fair to assume that the Warlock is going to be very powerful for Season 13, and will likely knock the Paladin off its perch as the best class in the game.

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It isn’t long now before the long-awaited release of Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred. The expansion was announced at The Game Awards 2025, and fans have been kept in anticipation to see everything it will bring to the game. It’s expected to be the most significant content drop for the game since 2024’s Vessel of Hatred, making it a very exciting period for fans.