With the launch of Diablo 4 Season 8: Belial’s Return, players are diving into revamped mechanics, new boss systems, and a reshuffled meta. If you’re wondering which class to pick and how to play it effectively, this article offers a great breakdown of class power rankings and optimal strategies.
🎯 Tier List Summary
Rank classes based on four key performance categories:
1. Speed Farming Torment IV
2. Pit Pushing Potential
3. Lair Boss Efficiency
4. Leveling Experience (1–60)
S Tier – Necromancer & Barbarian
Necromancer – Top Pick of Season 8
• Leveling: Blood Surge (fastest in the game), Minions
• Speed Farming: Blood Surge, Blight
• Bossing: Blood Wave (still strong after nerf), Bone Spear (buffed)
• Pit Pushing: Blood Wave, Bone Spear, Bone Spirit (harder to play)
• Recommendation: Start with Blood Surge, farm into Blood Wave or Bone Spear based on Diablo 4 gear drops.
Barbarian
• Leveling: Hammer of the Ancients or Upheaval
• Speed Farming: Whirlwind (buffed), Earthquake, Rupture
• Bossing: Earthquake, Mighty Throw (great ST damage)
• Pit Pushing: Earthquake and Whirlwind
• Note: It might be slightly overrated due to mixed reactions post-nerf.
A Tier – Rogue
• Core Build: Death Trap (carries the class this season)
• Speed Farming: Death Trap, Shadow Step, Dance of Knives
• Leveling: Dance of Knives (best), Flurry, Barrage
• Pit/Bossing: Death Trap dominates
• Tip: Start with Dance of Knives → transition to Death Trap
B Tier – Druid
• Main Build: Cataclysm (high skill, high reward)
• Leveling: Pulverize or Lightning Storm
• Bossing Options: Boulder, Hurricane, Landslide, Stone Burst
• Pit Pushing: Cataclysm (best), with fallback builds like Companion or Landslide
• Note: Hardest class to play well; underperforms if not optimized
C Tier – Sorcerer & Spiritborn
Sorcerer
• Strengths: Top class for build variety and T4 speed farming
• Leveling: Firewall, Chain Lightning
• Bossing: Chain Lightning, Blizzard, Meteor, Ice Shards
• Pit Pushing: Only Lightning Spear is viable
• Recommendation: Start Chain Lightning → transition into Lightning Spear if pushing the Pit
🐍 Spiritborn
• Potential: Most likely class to surprise due to PTR changes
• Leveling: Quill Volley, Stinger
• Speed Farming: Quill Volley, Crushing Hand, Evade
• Bossing: Touch of Death, Quill Volley
• Pit Pushing: Many builds, no standout yet
• Tip: Stick with Quill Volley across all content types while the meta settles
Diablo 4 Season 8 Class Tier List
| Tier | Class | Strengths | Weaknesses |
| S | Necromancer | Multiple strong builds (Blood Surge, Bone Spear, Blood Wave); excellent bossing and pit pushing | Blood Wave nerfed but still top-tier; requires gear for optimal performance |
| S | Barbarian | Versatile builds (Whirlwind, Earthquake, Mighty Throw); strong in all content | Earthquake nerfed; some builds may be overestimated |
| A | Rogue | Death Trap build excels in bossing and pit pushing; good leveling options | Limited build variety; relies heavily on Death Trap |
| B | Druid | Cataclysm build is powerful; decent bossing options | Complex rotation; weakest leveling experience |
| C | Sorcerer | Great variety of builds; excellent for speed farming and leveling | Lacks strong single-target builds; struggles in pit pushing |
| C | Spiritborn | Potential for surprise; versatile builds like Quill Volley | Uncertain performance post-nerf; no standout build yet |
🔥 Season 8 Bonus Tip: Berserk Event
Early in the season, participate in the Berserk Event to earn:
• A Twitch Drop sword cosmetic
• A mount trophy by supporting eligible streamers
Final Thoughts
While every class is viable with the right build, Necromancer leads the pack closely, followed by Barbarian and Rogue. Sorcerer excels at versatility and speed but lacks late-game punch. Druid and Spiritborn are more situational, requiring skill or further patch clarity to shine.
Necromancer (Blood Surge) is the easiest high-performance pick for casual players or newcomers. For experienced players seeking a challenge with high potential, Druid Cataclysm or Spiritborn Quill Volley may deliver surprising results.
