Monster Traits (Diablo III)

Monster Traits in Diablo III are special abilities added to Champion, Rare, Unique, and Minion monsters. These traits appear beneath the name of the monster. The number of traits depends on your hero's level:
 * One trait for hero levels 1–29
 * Two traits for levels 30–49
 * Three traits for levels 50–59
 * Four traits for levels 60+

Some traits have additional level requirements: for example, monsters cannot roll Arcane Enchanted until level 31. In Champion packs, all monsters have the same skills and can use them independently. In Rare packs, some skills can be used by both the Rare and its minions, while others apply only to the leader.

Note that a monster having a natural skill similar to an affix can still have that skill as a result of being an elite pack. For example, naturally fast creatures can roll Fast, while creatures naturally capable of becoming immune to damage can still roll Shielded.

Arcane Enchanted

 * Available to: All
 * Monster Level: 31
 * Damage type: Arcane

Monsters imbued with the Arcane Enchanted trait can summon glowing orbs of arcane energy that fully form after a few seconds. Once activated, these transform into rotating beams called Arcane Sentries, which deal significant Arcane damage per tick, spinning either clockwise or counter-clockwise. If the monster who summoned the Arcane Sentry is killed before the beam forms, the orb vanishes. However, once the Sentry begins spinning, it will complete its rotation.

One quirk of the Arcane Sentry is that Arcane Sentries can pass underneath stairs, and will not cause damage to a hero standing on a higher stair.

This affix is extremely dangerous when combined with Vortex, or just in an environment with little place for maneuvering. Kite monsters with this affix often to leave the dangerous laser-swept area behind.

Avenger

 * Available to: Champion
 * Monster Level: 51
 * Damage type: N/A

The death of each Champion in the group imbues the remaining Champions with greater strength and speed. The safest way to deal with this affix is to not kill any member until they are all barely away from death. Empowered monsters are easily identified by increased size, growing after each death of their group members.

Desecrator

 * Available to: Rare, Champion
 * Monster Level: 22
 * Damage type: Physical

Monsters with the Desecrator trait can conjure a deadly pool of void energy directly underneath the Player Character. Rare Minions cannot summon voids. These pools deal very little damage at first, but their damage constantly increases: the damage doubles every 0.5 seconds you remain in that pool, up to ten stacks.

Electrified

 * Available to: All
 * Monster Level: 26
 * Damage type: Lightning

This trait is identical to the Diablo II Lightning Enchanted affix. Electrified monsters, when hit by a damaging attack, release a volley of sparks that fly in all directions; the sparks count as missiles. These sparks deal slight Lightning damage, but can easily overwhelm a hero in proximity.

The number of sparks released per hit grows as the monster loses Life. As of Patch 2.1.1, there is a 0.1 second internal cooldown on spark generation, which protects players from overdose of sparks when using damage over time (see the image to the right).

As of patch 2.4.3, crawling lightning generated by this affix now pierces, allowing it to damage multiple targets.

Fast

 * Available to: All
 * Monster Level: 31
 * Damage type: N/A

The Fast trait increases movement speed by 40%, attack speed by 20%, and casting speed by 10%. Fast creatures excel at chasing down wounded heroes and use their increased speed to quickly move around the battlefield.

Fire Chains

 * Available to: Champions
 * Monster Level: 31
 * Damage type: Fire

This trait periodically connects Champion monsters with Flaming Chains (similar to the Demon Hunter's Chains of Torment) that deal significant Fire damage on contact. The AI of monsters that roll Fire Chains is altered to try and surround the player at all costs, even if they are ranged attackers. Killing individual monsters in the group will reduce the length and mobility of the chains. The affix is disabled when only one monster remains.

Frozen

 * Available to: All
 * Monster Level: 22
 * Damage type: Cold

Frozen-imbued monsters create 6 frozen bombs around the player that explode after 4 seconds. Until they explode, the crystals deal periodic Cold damage to anything within the explosion range (visible on the ground). The final explosion also deals heavy Cold damage and Freezes heroes caught in their blast radius. With no crowd control, the freeze duration for heroes is 3 seconds..

Frozen Pulse

 * Available to: All except Rare Minions
 * Damage type: Cold

Monsters with Frozen Pulse as a trait unleash a crystalline globe of ice that will home in on a player. Once it reaches the targeted player's location, it will stop and start to continuously expel ice, dealing heavy Cold damage and Chilling on a successful hit. There is a delay between the pulse reaching its final spot and its first pulse, so it is possible for a hero to wait for it to arrive then move at the last moment.

Health Link

 * Available to: Champions
 * Monster Level: 51
 * Damage type: N/A

This trait can only roll for Champions, and only has an effect when two or more pack members are present. It will split damage dealt to one Champion among all nearby Champions. Pack members isolated from other members will not share damage. At 5% Life left, monsters can still share their own damage with others, but will stop taking shared damage from others.

This affix can actually be beneficial to heroes with single target skills, since they can focus their attacks on one monster and damage the entire pack. Moreover, "on (critical) hit" effects will have a separate chance to trigger for each enemy linked by the Health Link, as technically each of them receives damage from that hit.

Horde

 * Available to: Rares
 * Monster Level: 31
 * Damage type: N/A

The Horde trait is only available to Rare monsters, increasing (usually doubling) the number of Minions they summon. The Horde affix is extremely dangerous when combined with affixes like Arcane Enchanted or Frozen, as monsters can cover the entire battlefield with deadly traps in one cast, leaving little or no space to fight. A combination of Horde, Arcane Enchanted, Plagued, and Molten would be a terrible combination: erratic enemy A.I, highly damaging ground effects, and able to dominate even a wide open area rather quickly.

This trait can be exploited by AoE skills that heal the hero over time. For example, a Barbarian using Rend with the Blood Lust rune and a high Life total could increase survivability substantially by hitting each target with a Rend. (This is not as effective as for Illusionists.)

Illusionist

 * Available to: All
 * Monster Level: 26
 * Damage type: N/A

Monsters with the Illusionist trait can create clones of themselves when damaged. These duplicates deal normal damage, but have only 5% of normal health. The illusions also do not benefit from most other skills, like Fire Chains and Health Link. Destroying an illusion counts as a killing blow for the purpose of Life per Kill and other similar effects, but does not award experience or loot. Killing the 'original' monster immediately destroys all remaining illusions.

While the Life of illusions is greatly reduced, the effect of hero affixes that restore a hero's Life remain undiminished.

Jailer

 * Available to: All
 * Monster Level: 8
 * Damage type: Arcane

The Jailer trait enables monsters to trap a target in place, dealing low damage at lower levels and scales to average damage in higher difficulties, and preventing any form of movement for 1.5–2.5 seconds. Some rapid relocation skills (like ) will break the trap. There is a small cooldown between monsters from the same pack using this skill. When cast, it traps all enemies within 60 yards, including NPCs, followers, and minions.

Juggernaut

 * Available to: Rare

Juggernaut monsters are immune to Crowd Control; as a result, they are also immune to any debuff that triggers on successful Crowd Control (such as Bane of the Trapped). To compensate, they have reduced movement speed, and take 30% increased damage from all attacks.

This affix was added in patch 2.4.3.

Knockback

 * Available to: All
 * Monster Level: 1
 * Damage type: N/A

Knockback grants the imbued monster the chance to send a target flying backwards with each attack that lands, applying an 80% slow effect for 3 seconds. There is no extra damage. This applies both to usual attacks and to other special affixes that deal non-periodic damage. This affix can sometimes backfire on the monster, sending the player outside the range of the monster's own attacks, or moving them away from areas contaminated with dangerous affix objects.

Missile Dampening

 * Available to: Rare
 * Monster Level: 8
 * Damage type: N/A

This trait is shown by a blue dome around the imbued monster. Projectile attacks that enter this sphere have their speed decreased by 90%, making ranged attacks less effective. Missile Dampening does not reduce the damage done by projectiles, and has no effect at all on beams, torrents, and non-missile ranged attacks. The effect is very similar to the 's Slow Time spell (and to Amazon's Slow Missiles), but affects missiles only and is permanently active.

While this usually helps the monster against ranged attackers, it can backfire for certain skills. For example, a Demon Hunter using Elemental Arrow with the Ball Lightning rune will benefit. The slow-moving Ball Lightning damages nearby monsters as it moves across the battlefield, and has no limit to how many times it can hit one monster, so its slow movement can actually do much more damage than normal—albeit on a delay.

Molten

 * Available to: All
 * Monster Level: 8
 * Damage type: Fire

Monsters imbued with the Molten trait leave harmful pools of lava behind while they move, dealing high Fire damage over 4 seconds. 3 seconds after they die, their bodies explode into extremely high-damaging gouts of fire that can kill an adequately-geared player in one hit (unlike Frozen, the flames do not do damage until the explosion). Their AI is altered to move more erratically and closer to the player. Multiple lava trails in the same area stack, increasing damage proportionally.

Mortar

 * Available to: All
 * Monster Level: 22
 * Damage type: Fire

Monsters imbued with the Mortar trait fire three Grenades at the player every 4–5 seconds. The mortar does Fire damage. These attacks have a minimum range, so moving closer reduces the chance of being hit; the grenades show their impact zone roughly 0.5-1 second before they hit.

Mortar grenades are not missiles, and can be launched over walls and other obstacles.

In the original version of the game, this was one of the most feared affixes, as the damage from even a single grenade was almost invariably fatal; while this is often still the case in high-difficulty Greater Rifts, the damage has been greatly reduced over time.

Nightmarish

 * Available to: All
 * Monster Level: 1
 * Damage type: N/A

Monsters imbued with the Nightmarish trait have a chance to send a hero running in fear on successful attacks. The fearing lasts 3 seconds for a hero with no resistance to control impairing effects.

Orbiter

 * Available to: All but Rare Minions
 * Damage type: Lightning

Monsters with the Orbiter trait will occasionally call up a Lightning Globe. This globe will cause smaller, slowly moving lightning globes that do low damage, but tick very fast. The main globe itself deals more damage. Each monster can only summon one Globe at a time, and that globe will remain immobile.

Plagued

 * Available to: All
 * Monster Level: 14
 * Damage type: Poison

Monsters imbued with the Plague trait occasionally summon green toxin pools on the ground that deal Poison damage to players standing in them. The pools disappear immediately when the monster that spawned the pool is killed, and can disappear on their own after a long time. Damage is very small at first, but constantly increases (effectively doubles every 0.5 seconds, to a limit of ten stacks) if you stay within them, quickly becoming lethal.

Poison Enchanted

 * Available to: All but Rare Minions
 * Monster Level: 1
 * Damage type: Poison

Monsters with Poison Enchanted as a trait will each periodically summon a group of acidic slimes. These slimes will spread out after 3 seconds, leaving poison in the shape of an X in their wake. Players foolish enough to stand on the poison trails receive fast ticks of damage. Each trail lasts 6 seconds. Monsters in the same pack have a shared cooldown on this ability, and each can only summon one slime cross per cast.

Reflects Damage
Monsters imbued with the Reflects Damage trait return damage dealt to them back to the player in form of projectiles (only one monster in a pack can reflect at a time).
 * Available to: All
 * Monster Level: 26
 * Damage type: Same as original attack, mitigated by respective resistance.

Damage done is not prevented, but rather duplicated as a ranged attack aimed at the attacker. The exact amount equals basic damage of the attack, before Critical Hits.

Damage is only reflected while their aura is active (it turns on and off over time, but you'll be able to tell that it's active if you keep an eye on them). The amount reflected does not depend on the type of the attack, but damage from pets and followers is not reflected to the player. There is a small internal cooldown on how often it can deal damage to attackers. Returned damage shares the same Elemental Damage type as the attack that caused it, but armor and resistances do work against it.

Being Hexed suppresses this affix.

As of patch 2.4.3, this affix was redesigned: instead of reflecting damage at once, it releases projectiles in the general direction of the attacker, which can usually be evaded. The warning duration for this affix was reduced from 2 seconds to 1, and its active duration was reduced from 6 seconds to 4.

Shielding

 * Available to: All
 * Monster Level: 22
 * Damage type: N/A

Monsters imbued with the Shielding trait can make themselves immune to all forms of damage and status effects for 5 seconds.

As of a recent patch, only one member of a pack that rolls Shielding can be Shielded at a time. The last member of a pack cannot become Shielded, and, as of patch 2.4.3, will immediately lose its Shield if no other pack members remain.

Teleporter

 * Available to: All
 * Monster Level: 1
 * Damage type: N/A

Monsters imbued with the Teleporter trait can teleport around the field at will. Generally, they will teleport away from a player when too close, and towards a player when too far.

Thunderstorm

 * Available to: All but Rare Minions
 * Monster Level: 1
 * Damage type: Lightning

Monsters with the Thunderstorm trait will periodically call in a thunderstorm. This will strike the targeted player several times in rapid succession, making it almost impossible to avoid light to moderate Lightning damage. The lightning can follow the player, but is rather slow, so it is possible to escape the area of effect after a few hits.

Available to: All but a Rare's Minions

Damage Type: Lightning

Vortex

 * Available to: Rare and Champions
 * Monster Level: 8
 * Damage type: Physical

Monsters with the Vortex trait can occasionally pull the player to their position. Vortex cannot pull you through walls, obstacles, or impassable terrain (you will stop right next to the intervening object), but can pull you through allies and other enemies. It also causes a small, but unavoidable, amount of Physical damage.

Waller

 * Available to: Rare and Champions
 * Monster Level: 8
 * Damage type: N/A

Monsters that have the Waller trait can erect impenetrable barriers for a short period of time. Summoned walls vanish after 6 seconds. The walls block most (but not all) ranged attacks. The walls block both players' and monsters' movement (and their missiles), so this affix can backfire on monsters.

Champion monsters summon one section of the wall each, placing them independently, trying to trap you in a triangle-shaped prison. Rare monsters only have this power on the leader, who summons 3 walls at once, placing a U-shaped trap (with opened end on the monster's side, player being on the closed one).

Waller is more of a threat to ranged heroes like Demon Hunters, than melee classes like Barbarians. The reason for this is that while a Barbarian can just swing through the wall and be able to hit his/her target, the Demon Hunter's projectiles cannot pierce through the wall. This is not to say that Waller is worthless against a melee hero, however; positioned right, retreat is much more difficult. The Reaper of Souls expansion offers multiple ways to overcome Waller:
 * the Legendary Potion drop Bottomless Potion of Kulle-Aid (which only drops in Torment games)
 * Illusory Boots (which are only found in Act II caches)
 * Speed Pylons (which allow characters to break the walls as they move)
 * the Mutilation Guard legendary gem (for seriously wounded characters)

Bug: at very rare occasions, it is possible for a hero to be literally stuck in the wall. This happens if the monster places the wall atop of the player due to pathing error. While stuck, said player won't be able to move until the wall fades. It usually happens when the player is facing Champion monsters, not Rare.

As of patch 2.3.0, individual Champion Waller barriers cannot be placed within 3 yards of each other.

Wormhole

 * Available to: All but Rare Minions
 * Monster Level: 1
 * Damage type: Arcane

Monsters with Wormhole as a trait will occasionally raise two glowing columns of Arcane energy. Should a player step into one of these columns, he/she will suffer a small amount of Arcane damage and appear on the location occupied by the other column. Typically one Wormhole is placed under the player's feet, and the other as close to the caster as possible. There is a delay before one cast on a player activates. After a single teleportation, the Wormhole dissipates.

Wormhole can backfire on a monster, as the columns do not move; it is possible for it to be initially disadvantageous for the player, but ultimately advantageous to step into one.

Caveats

 * At level 60+, Champions and Rares can never spawn with four of the following monster affixes, and even having three of these four is relatively rare compared to other combinations.
 * Arcane Enchanted
 * Desecrator
 * Fire Chains
 * Frozen
 * Frozen Pulse
 * Molten
 * Mortar
 * Orbiter
 * Plagued
 * Poison Enchanted
 * Wormhole
 * Champions and Rares can never spawn with both Plagued and Desecrator at the same time.
 * Champions can never spawn with both Avenger and Health Link affixes at the same time.

Special Affixes
Some Unique Monsters, Bosses and Rift Guardians may have abilities going beyond the simple affixes, such as: These affixes are not displayed, but players will still find them out empirically (that is, by suffering damage from them). For Hardcore characters, it is especially risky, therefore one should check the monster's abilities before engaging.
 * Double or triple attack speed (visually, a small cloud of red cuts appears around the monster)
 * Increased damage of attacks
 * Increased damage, reduced cooldowns and other enhancements for common affixes
 * Additional Elemental Damage on attacks
 * Poison Nova: either a delayed blast of Poison damage in a specific range (shows a green circle before being unleashed) or a volley of Poison Bolts in several directions.
 * Multiple shot (either at different angles or one by one in rapid succession)
 * Fire Nova: releases swirling piercing fireballs in all directions that travel outwards, damaging enemies they touch.
 * Summoning: allows calling additional Minions at the monster's side.

Extra Health

 * Available to: All
 * Monster Level: 31
 * Damage type: N/A

As the name implies, this trait simply gave the monster additional Life, usually +40%. As of patch 2.1.2, it no longer rolls; only Unique monsters retain it as legacy.

Invulnerable Minions

 * Available to: Rare
 * Monster Level: 51
 * Damage type: N/A

This trait, which only applied to Rare monsters, granted their minions Invincibility. Note that Invincible minions were only immune to damage; Status Effects could still work on them. When the Rare monster was killed, the minions would have automatically died.

Vampiric

 * Available to: All
 * Monster Level: 31
 * Damage type: N/A

Monsters imbued with the Vampiric trait used to recover a small portion (roughly 20%) of all unmitigated damage they dealt as Life. This trait was relatively no threat whatsoever in endgame content. The reason for this is because the life leeched was simply too low. Even an unprotected hero unfortunate enough to be hit by a monster with this would generally heal the monster for very little compared to the hits it would have received attempting to do so. In patch 2.1.2, it was removed altogether, only some Unique monsters keeping it as a legacy trait.