Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred DLC 2: Everything You Need to Know

The Game Awards 2025 delivered one of the loudest crowd reactions of the night when Blizzard dropped the first cinematic for Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred. This second major expansion, launching April 28, 2026, is positioned as the grand finale of the entire “Age of Hatred" storyline that started with Vessel of Hatred.

If you've been waiting for the Paladin's triumphant return, a new continent to explore, and a complete endgame renovation, this is the update you've been praying for. Bookmark this page for continual updates, and while you're here, feel free to browse our Diablo 4 Shop for Lair Boss Keys, Mythic crafting materials, perfect 4GA Legendaries, rare Uniques and everything else you need to dominate Season 11 and beyond.

The Final Chapter Against Mephisto

Lord of Hatred picks up immediately after the events of Vessel of Hatred. The Prime Evil Mephisto, Lord of Hatred himself, is being physically pulled back into Sanctuary through the ancient Primordial Pool. His corrupting influence is already twisting the land, turning allies against each other and amplifying every dark impulse.

To stop him, the Wanderer is forced into the most unlikely alliance in Diablo history: a resurrected Lilith, whose dying prophecy in the previous expansion has now come to pass. This partnership is fragile, built purely on mutual need rather than trust, and it will be tested again and again as time runs out.

Paladin: Holy Warrior, Fully Realized

After years of being the #1 most-requested class, the Paladin is finally here — and pre-purchase players can create and level one right now in Season 11.

The class keeps everything fans loved from Diablo II while feeling completely at home in Diablo IV's weighty, modern combat system. You'll see familiar golden glows, hear those iconic thunder-clap sound effects, and feel the screen shake when a fully-buffed Zeal or Blessed Hammer connects.

The Oath System – Four Distinct Fantasy Flavors

This is the Paladin's signature mechanic. You pick one Oath at a time (you can respec freely) and every skill, passive, and legendary in that tree is tuned around it.

The Mysterious Second Class

Blizzard only showed a silhouette and a single weapon glow, but the community is already convinced it's heavily tied to Skovos lore — most likely an Amazon or a Spirit-channeling warrior from the island's ancient tribes. Full reveal promised “closer to launch."

Skovos – Sanctuary's Oldest Continent

For the first time ever, players step foot on Skovos: the birthplace of both Lilith and Inarius, the cradle of the very first human civilization, and current home to the Viz-Jaq'taar (oracle mages) and an Amazonian queen.

Expect three dramatically different biomes:

Massive Systems Overhaul Affecting All Classes

Completely Revamped Endgame Loop

Editions & Pre-Purchase Bonuses Breakdown

Every pre-purchase (even Standard) instantly grants:

• Full Vessel of Hatred expansion

• Paladin class access right now

• +1 shared stash tab

• +2 character slots

• Three World of Warcraft housing decorations

FAQs about Diablo 4 DLC 2 Lord of Hatred

Q: Can I play the Paladin today?

A: Absolutely—pre-purchasing any edition of Lord of Hatred on Battle.net, Steam, PlayStation Store, or Xbox instantly unlocks the Paladin class right now in the live Season 11. Log back into Diablo IV after purchase, and you'll find the option to create a Paladin character immediately, complete with access to its full skill tree, Oath system, and core mechanics like Blessed Hammer, Zeal, and Holy summons. No waiting until 2026; start experimenting with Juggernaut tanking, Zealot DPS bursts, or angelic Disciple transformations today to get ahead on builds and gear synergies.

Q: Do I need Vessel of Hatred to play Lord of Hatred?

A: Not at all—every edition of Lord of Hatred (Standard, Deluxe, or Ultimate) bundles the full Vessel of Hatred expansion, including the Spiritborn class and Nahantu region. Pre-purchasing grants instant access to it alongside the Paladin, so newcomers get both expansions seamlessly without separate buys. If you already own Vessel of Hatred, it won't duplicate, but you'll still unlock all Lord of Hatred content upon release. This makes jumping into the Age of Hatred saga straightforward for everyone.

Q: Will the second class also have early access?

A: No, early access is exclusive to the Paladin via pre-purchase. The second new class—teased as a shadowy powerhouse that will "reshape the battlefield" with ties to Skovos lore—unlocks for all players simultaneously on April 28, 2026, with the full expansion launch. Blizzard is holding details until closer to release, but expect a reveal that complements Paladin's holy melee focus, possibly with agile Amazon-inspired or spirit-channeling gameplay.

Q: Is Skovos an open-world region like Nahantu?

A: Yes, Skovos is a massive, fully explorable open-world zone that expands Sanctuary just like Nahantu from Vessel of Hatred. As the ancient birthplace of humanity (home to Lilith and Inarius), it's ruled by The Oracle and an Amazon Queen, featuring diverse biomes: volcanic coasts with lava rivers and basilisks, storm-battered forests hiding primal threats, and sunken ruins teeming with aquatic horrors and cultists. Expect dynamic world events, conquerable strongholds, new dungeons, side quests, and reputation factions for rewards—perfect for open-world grinding, mounts like the Skartaran Basilisk, and uncovering lost lore amid Hell's encroaching shadows.

Q: Are the new endgame modes account-wide?

A: Yes, aligning with Diablo IV's core design—key progression in the overhauled endgame, including War Plans (customizable activity chains with escalating modifiers for tiered loot), Echoes of Hatred (infinite demon horde gauntlets testing pinnacle builds), and fishing (relaxed resource gathering in perilous waters for elixirs and cosmetics), shares benefits across characters on the same realm (Seasonal or Eternal). This mirrors account-wide systems like Paragon points (300 total, earned post-60), letting you alts without restarting from zero. Leaderboards and high-score chases encourage multi-character optimization for the richest rewards.

Thanks for Reading

Keep an eye on MMOJUGG for day-one Paladin leveling guides, top Oath build breakdowns, Skovos exploration maps, War Plans strategies, and exhaustive patch note analyses as we gear up for April 28, 2026.