With the Paladin and Warlock joining the existing roster, Diablo IV will have eight playable classes in total — the largest lineup in the franchise’s history.
## Mephisto Returns in the Skovos Isles
The story centers on Mephisto, the Lord of Hatred himself. Players will travel to the Skovos Isles, the cradle of the first civilization and the former home of both Lilith and Inarius. Lord of Hatred concludes the Age of Hatred saga that has been building since Diablo IV’s original campaign, with the Wanderer making their final stand against Mephisto.
Blizzard has confirmed that Lilith returns in this chapter as well, adding another layer to what is already one of the franchise’s most ambitious narratives.
## The Horadric Cube Is Back
Fans of Diablo II will feel a wave of nostalgia. The Horadric Cube returns as a full gear manipulation system, allowing players to add affixes to items and transform their equipment in ways the base game never offered. This is not a cosmetic nod to the past — it is a core crafting system that will reshape how endgame gearing works.
## War Plans: A New Endgame Structure
The expansion introduces War Plans, a system that lets players build a structured path through five endgame activities. You choose the order, apply modifiers, and push for greater rewards. It is designed to give endgame content more direction and replayability than the current open-ended grind.
## Loot Filters, Skill Tree Overhaul, and Level 70
Lord of Hatred ships with a suite of system-wide changes that affect every player, not just expansion owners. Loot filters are finally coming to Diablo IV, letting players customize what drops they see and what gets hidden. The skill tree is being overhauled with new class-specific variants, and the level cap increases to 70 across all eight classes.
And yes, fishing is being added as a side activity. Because even in Sanctuary, sometimes you just need to cast a line.
## April 23 Developer Stream
Blizzard’s developer update stream on April 23 at 11:00 AM PT will be the last major information drop before launch. The stream will cover the full scope of the class skill trees, Talisman system, Horadric Cube mechanics, and the new endgame systems. If you have been waiting for the deep dive before committing to a pre-purchase, that is your date.
Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred launches April 28, 2026, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2.
