How Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred's Warlock compares to Diablo 2: Resurrected's version

With the Lord of Hatred expansion releasing next month, Diablo 4 will see only the second instance of the Warlock class in the series. Currently, Diablo fans can experience Warlock in Diablo 2: Resurrected's Reign of the Warlock DLC, but this version of the class looks completely different than the one it will join Diablo 4 in the upcoming Lord of Hatred DLC. Despite the differences between the gameplay of these two different iterations of Warlock, there is still some common ground that D2R and Diablo 4 players will probably notice when they check out the class in both games.

Right off the bat, there are some obvious differences that need to be considered, because Diablo 4 and Diablo 2: Resurrected are two similar but very different games. Diablo 4 has a much more expansive skill tree, and it gets even bigger in Lord of Hatred, so the Warlock has a lot more skill options here than in D2R. In addition, Diablo 4 is a much faster game than Diablo 2so the Warlock's abilities must reflect this difference in game speed.

The Warlock also arrives Diablo Immortal in June 2026.

The major differences between Warlock in Diablo 4 and Diablo 2: Resurrected

In both Diablo 4 and Diablo 2: ResurrectedWarlock leans into the cold archetype and summons demons to do his bidding in battle. What's more, the Warlock can also channel arcane arts to deal with a variety of magic-based attacks that support its summoner game. How the class goes about pairing these two playstyles differs Diablo franchise, but there are still some commonalities that make the Warlock feel like a cohesive class regardless Diablo the game it appears in.

Rearrange the cases in the correct US release order.

Light (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)

Diablo 4's Warlock emphasizes the Soul Shard Mechanic

Legion — Call Ae'gron
Vanguard — Call Abodian
Mastermind — Call Laalish
Ritualist — Call Vollach

A central part of the Warlock kit i Diablo 4 which is completely absent in Diablo 2: Resurrected is the Souls Shard mechanic. This mechanic allows the Warlock to choose one of four Soul Shards that contain a demon they can summon, and largely forms the basis of the class' build archetypes. The Legion Soul Shard focuses on summoning demons as fodder for the slaughter. The Vanguard Soul Shard emphasizes the Warlock's Demon form, where players themselves can transform into a demon. The Mastermind Soul Shard allows the Warlock to direct the battle from the shadows, while the Ritualist Soul Shard empowers the Warlock and weakens enemies with sigils and ancient rites.

Diablo 2: Resurrected's Warlock can bind any demon in the game

Diablo 2 Resurrected Warlock binds a demon to his will Image from Blizzard Entertainment on YouTube

The Wizard of Diablo 2: Resurrected does not have the same Soul Shard mechanic as the class's Diablo 4 equivalent. Instead, Diablo 2: Resurrected Warlocks gain the unique ability to bind and control any demon in the game as a companion. Every Bound demon in D2R come with their own benefits, offering the player potential buffs if they find one with a unique affix. The Warlock can also consume his Bound Demons to gain bonus effects.

Skills shared between Diablo 4 and Diablo 2: Resurrected's Warlocks

Diablo 2 resurrected the Warlock using a chaos magic attack Image from Blizzard Entertainment on YouTube

There isn't a ton of overlapping skills between Diablo 4s Warlock and Diablo 2: Resurrecteds version, but there are a couple of noticeable inclusions. Apocalypse is one of Warlock's most iconic skills, creating a massive pentagram of fire to deal massive AoE damage within a large radius. IN Diablo 2: ResurrectedApocalypse is a level 30 skill on the chaos tree, but i Diablo 4Apocalypse is one of the ultimate skills of the class. Although not exactly the same as in D2R, Diablo 4's Warlock has access to several Sigil skills, including Sigil of Chaos, Sigil of Subversion, and Sigil of Summons.

How the Lore of the Warlock compares throughout the Diablo series

Lore-wise, Warlock is slightly different between Diablo 4 and Diablo 2but there is still a clear through line connecting the versions of the class. IN Diablo 2Warlock is a scholar of the ancient Vizjerei summoners who used the demons of the burning hells for their own devices. However, the summoning of demons led to Sanctuary's discovery of the burning hells, which ultimately resulted in the Sin War that devastated Sanctuary and caused the Vizjerei to abandon the practice of summoning demons. Now, Warlock of Diablo 2 have resumed the lost Vizjerei art of summoning demons, delving into the practice as part of a scientific endeavour.

However, Warlock of Diablo 4 is born out of this demon-evoking revival that began with the Warlock of Diablo 2. Warlocks are now seen as outlaws, remnants of the outlawed Vizjerei clan practitioners. Unlike i Diablo 2, Diablo 4's Warlock has seemingly been driven mad by his close contact with demonic forces, causing them to hunger for more power and subjugate demons at any cost to their physical or mental state. In both games, the Warlock's identity is built on a foundation of Will, Demonology, Hellfire, Shadow, and Martial Weaponry, which underpin most of their skills. Despite their mechanical differences, Diablo 2: Resurrected and Diablo 4 establish a clear lineage for the Warlock that combines the controversial Vizjerei history and a thirst for the power that only the arcane arts can provide.