How does Diablo 4’s Spiritborn skill tree compare to Diablo 3’s Witch Doctor?

Diablo 4’s Spiritborn is a brand new class for the Vessel of Hatred DLC, but they share a lot of similarities to Diablo 3’s Witch Doctor class.

The Spiritborn class in Diablo 4 hails from the region of Nahantu which is also where Diablo 3’s Witch Doctor is from. This dense jungle land was attacked by Diablo in Diablo 2 as the Lord of Terror worked to free his brother, Mephisto from his prison. Mephisto then laid waste to the region before he was cast back to Hell.

By Diablo 3, the Witch Doctors of Nahantu sent one of their own to battle the Prime Evils, using their voodoo magic and mastery over dark forces to fight back against the forces of Hell. In Diablo 4, players will be returning to Nahantu and the city of Kurast to prevent another rampage by Mephisto, but this time, a new breed of warrior has risen – the Spiritborn.

Who are the Witch Doctors?

The Witch Doctor class bore a lot of similarities to the Necromancer and effectively replaced them in the base game of Diablo 3. However, the Necromancer would be brought back by popular demand later as DLC. Like the Necromancer, the Witch Doctor raised the dead and practiced dark magic.

Essentially, the Witch Doctor was a new summoner, raising zombie dogs, giants, and using a range of spooky ritualistic spells to kill their foes, the Witch Doctor felt like a blend between the Necromancer and Druid classes of Diablo 2. Like the Druid, the class also controlled the forces of nature and used it against Diablo’s minions.

Enter the Spiritborn

When Nahantu was revealed as the setting of Vessel of Hatred, many players expected the Witch Doctor class to return. However, Blizzard unveiled the Spiritborn instead, a class that takes inspiration from the Witch Doctor but also incorporates elements from classes like the Monk.

In Diablo 4, both the Necromancer and Druid returned as playable classes meaning the game had two summoner options from the get-go. A third wasn’t needed as the Witch Doctor’s role was already taken. So, instead, Blizzard retooled it into the Spiritborn.

Many fans expected a Holy Warrior class such as the Crusader, Monk, or Paladin to arrive as the first Diablo 4 DLC class. Instead, the developers took inspiration from Diablo Immortal’s Tempest and Blood Knight classes to create something new.

Spiritborn skill tree

Unlike the Witch Doctor, whose powers were based on voodoo, the Spiritborn uses spirit animals instead. Allowing the spirits of certain animals to possess them, the Spiritborn can change fighting styles depending on which spirit they channel.

For example, they can take on the spirit of the Jaguar to become fast and ferocious. Or they can take on the gorilla to become strong and powerful.

While the Witch Doctor was a macabre warrior who channeled the power of death and reanimation to defend Nahantu in Diablo 3, the Spiritborn is a Holy Warrior of light who uses their own shamanistic powers to call on their guardian spirits to fight alongside them.

We imagine that the Witch Doctors are still a powerful force in Nahantu, but for Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred, and Season 6, it’s the Spiritborn’s time to shine.