The Tempest is Diablo Immortal’s next new class, but will it ever join the Diablo 4 lineup?

Diablo Immortal is living up to its role as a mobile game, constantly rolling out new content to maintain player attention, and its newest class is the most recent step on that path. The Tempest will wield the powers of the storm (and two wickedly sharp swords) in defense of Sanctuary. But will this new class, coming May 23, remain tied to the mobile platform, or will we ever get to experience it in Diablo 4?

In a time of ever-growing danger for the world of Sanctuary, mysterious wanderers have sailed from the frigid mists of the north to push back the darkness that surrounds us. These agile, dual blade-wielding warriors harness the fury of the storm, and crash upon their enemies with wind and waves.

The Tempest is “ancient history come to life…masters of wind and water, fighting with elemental fury,” sailing from the frigid mists of the north to push back the darkness. They look like if the Druid and Monk had a baby, and that baby was taught by WoW Shamans. While this is an initial announcement and not heavy on the details, the Immortal team will put out a deep dive on the class and an accompanying short story from from senior narrative designer Ryan Quinn where we’ll get more details on the Tempest, its skillset, and how the class fits into Diablo lore. Additionally, the Swirling Winds limited time event, currently in progress, is likely a build up to the introduction of this turbulent new role.

I do wonder though — does the introduction of the Tempest mean that the Druid will never enter the DI lineup? Conversely, will the Tempest and Blood Knight ever join Diablo 4? After all, the history of class introductions to the Diablo franchise are measured out over the course of its 27-year history, with a fairly low cadence:

• Diablo (1996) — Warrior, Rogue, Sorcerer
  • Diablo: Hellfire (1997) — adds Monk (Barbarian and Bard were hidden and available through file edits)
• Diablo 2 (2000) — Amazon, Barbarian, Necromancer, Paladin, Sorceress
  • Diablo 2: Lord of Destruction (2001) — adds Assassin and Druid
• Diablo 3 (2012) — Barbarian, Demon Hunter, Monk, Witch Doctor, Wizard
  • Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls (2014) — adds Crusader
  • Diablo 3: Rise of the Necromancer (2017) — adds Necromancer
• Diablo Immortal (2022) — Barbarian, Crusader, Demon Hunter, Monk, Necromancer, Wizard
  • Adds Blood Knight in July 2023.
  • Adding Tempest in May 2024.
• Diablo 4 (2023) — Barbarian, Druid, Necromancer, Rogue, Sorcerer

Fifteen unique classes over nine releases. It feels like such a short list, especially when you consider that D3‘s Wizard is the successor of the Sorceress in the same way that D3‘s Crusader is to the Paladin, not to mention the ties between Rogue, Assassin, and Demon Hunter. In fact, the consistency feels like one of its plusses — if you’re a fan of the franchise, you know from game to game what you are getting.

It seems fitting that the mobile game, with its incredibly fast development schedule, is the one to test drive brand new experiences. However, it’s equally frustrating, because you have to be incredibly stalwart in the face of micro-transactions if you want to actually play the title without emptying your bank account. Striking that balancing act is difficult — more difficult for some folks (like myself) than others.

If you want to meet the armies of the Burning Hells with a perfect storm, the new Tempest class is for you. Look towards the coming storm (and news posts) for the Tempest in the next few weeks, and become the storm on May 23. See you in Sanctuary!