Mephisto

"The evil of Mephisto, Lord of Hatred, was so pervasive that even after he had been defeated and entombed in a soulstone, his demonic essence oozed upwards into Travincal and corrupted the Zakarum priests. Though he fell to the same heroes who killed his brothers, I fear for us should he ever return."

- Deckard Cain

Dul'Mephistos, the Lord of Hatred, commonly referred to as Mephisto, is one of the three Prime Evils.

Biography
"I am eternal, creature. Hatred always survives."

- Mephisto

The Great Conflict
"All worlds will fall before the burning standards of Hell. I have seen it."

- Mephisto Like all the Great Evils, Mephisto was born from one of the seven heads of the great dragon Tathamet. His realm in the Burning Hells was the Realm of Hatred, and he watched with joy as its denizens schemed and warred against each other. He acted as the mentor of Belial.

As with all of demonkind, Mephisto warred against the High Heavens in the Eternal Conflict. However, he preferred to operate from the shadows rather than lead an army in the open.

One battle bore angels right into the heart of his lair, making an attack against Mephisto himself. One of the angels managed to draw blood, causing it to spill onto the ground. This led to the creation of the Magma Demons, who rose up to defend their master and drove the angels back.

Mephisto and his brothers almost achieved victory against the High Heavens at the Fifth Battle of the Diamond Gates. However, confident of victory, the Primes began arguing over who would get the spoils of war, and thus, their attack failed.

The Sin War
"Cursed am I to lead an army of the blind. They do not perceive that the angels are fleeing this realm, and the ones they find are merely trapped or lost. A great change is upon us. Withdraw from the fields, my brothers. Some battles can only be won with words."

- Mephisto, upon seeing the signs of the Worldstone's disappearance. While leading his forces on the battlefields of Pandemonium, Mephisto noticed that the angels were withdrawing. He ordered his forces to withdraw so he could analyze the situation. Baal, losing patience, stormed the Pandemonium Fortress and discovered that the Worldstone was missing. Thus, the Eternal Conflict ground to a halt. Eventually, tales of demons summoned into a new realm and a new people reached the ears of the Prime Evils. They sensed within humanity the dormant powers of their nephalem forefathers, and thus resolved to corrupt humanity into a weapon to use against the High Heavens. So it was that Mephisto and his brothers cast their influence into mortal minds, spreading their ideas across Sanctuary. Their whispers led to the creation of the Triune, where each Prime Evil took on the role of a seemingly compassionate deity. Mephisto took on the persona of Mefis, Spirit of Love. Their actions were countered by the rogue angel Inarius, who formed the Cathedral of Light to counter their influence. Thus began the Sin War, as the Prime Evils and Inarius secretly vyed for influence over humanity.

The Sin War ended with a final battle between the forces of Heaven, Hell, and the Edyrem, after which Mephisto met with the Angiris Council. Mephisto offered to let Sanctuary be untouched by either angel or demon to see what the children may yet become on their own for good or ill. It was agreed that Mephisto cast his mark on the ruins of the Cathedral of Light to seal the flux between worlds and in return, Mephisto was given Inarius. It was agreed that humanity be allowed to find its own path, free of the interference from angels and demons.

The Dark Exile
"Follow my orders, Azmodan, as you did in ages immemorial." "You will lead us only to failure, brother! I make my own way."

- Mephisto and Azmodan In the millennia following the Sin War, the Lesser Evils grew discontent, believing that the Prime Evils had forsaken the Eternal Conflict to focus on humanity. The four Lesser Evils rose up against the Primes, and despite the efforts of Mephisto and his brothers, they were cast out of Hell into the mortal realm, in what would become known as the Dark Exile. In response to the most evil of beings walking Sanctuary, the Archangel Tyrael rallied several of the disparate Mage Clans into an alliance known as the Horadrim, and gave them the soulstones to bind the Three forever. In truth, this series of events had been masterminded by the Prime Evils. Through the soulstones they would corrupt the Worldstone itself and with it, all of humanity. A new army to be used against the forces of Heaven.

At some point during the Exile, Mephisto was present in Aranoch. He bound the spirits of demons into the mummies that slept beneath the sands of Lut Gholein, hordes of undead emerging to bring woe to the living.

Mephisto was the first of the Three to be captured. During their hunt for him, the Horadrim led an army against his Fortress of Bone, but the common soldiers found themselves hard pressed to advance against the seemingly endless tides of undead that he summoned, and were nearly overwhelmed. Eventually, Mephisto was found in or around one of the urban centers of Kehjistan. The fight cost many innocent lives, but eventually, the Horadrim succeeded in defeating the Lord of Hatred and imprisoning his essence inside the soulstone. It was then entrusted to the Zakarum priests and kept sealed in the Guardian Tower of the Temple of Light in Travincal.

The Corruption of Zakarum
"The skies shall rain fire, and the seas will become as blood. The righteous shall fall before the wicked, and all of Creation shall tremble before the burning standards of Hell!"

- Mephisto Over the generations, Mephisto was able to corrupt the High Council of Zakarum, and the body became a mockery of its former glory. The first signs of this were as early as the 11th century. Two centuries after this, Mephisto cemented his control over the Church. He had been able to overcome the soulstone enough to have the Zakarum priests to work spells to shatter the soulstone into seven shards, breaking the mystic seal and freeing him. The Que-Hegan Khalim proved immune to his corruption, so Mephisto had the priesthood slay and dismember him. The priest Sankekur became the new Que-Hegan and consequently, Mephisto's embodiment on the mortal plane. The corrupted High Council fashioned the Compelling Orb to control the rest of the Zakarum faithful and used their powers to conceal the lair of their master. Years passed, and eventually, Lazarus was sent west to reawaken Diablo.

Thus, Diablo arrived in the form of the Dark Wanderer, with Baal at his side. The two entered the temple's innermost chamber where Mephisto's soulstone was kept, and released him. Mephisto possessed Sankekur (already under Mephisto's control), whose body was twisted to represent Mephisto's hideous visage. After nearly three centuries, the Prime Evils were united. Within the chamber, the Three devised a final stratagem to reclaim the Burning Hells and claim vengeance upon those who overthrew them, along with enslaving humanity to their will. Diablo, assuming his true form, crossed through the Infernal Gate into Hell to rally those still loyal to the Three. Baal began his journey north to corrupt the Worldstone while Mephisto remained behind, bent on destroying anything that could oppose their plan.

It wasn't long before a group of mortal heroes arrived intent on doing such a thing. In the fevered combat that followed, Mephisto worked diligently to turn his foes' own anger and distrust against them. But despite the long hunt and many hours of battle, the heroes defeated Mephisto and imprisoned his essence within his soulstone. The artifact was later destroyed at the Hellforge, which would, in theory, cast his spirit into some unseen netherworld.

The Black Soulstone
"When I found the Lord of Hatred's soul, it fought back with a rage I had not anticipated. More than once, it seized control of my mind, and if my ritual did not have safeguards built into it, I would have been lost. Nevertheless, I completed my task."

- Adria

Mephisto's essence ended up in the Black Soulstone, as per the machinations of Adria. He was the fourth and final Great Evil to be marked by her in her preparation for Diablo's return. When she found his soul, Mephisto fought back with a rage that she had not anticipated. More than once, he was able to take control of the witch's mind, and if not for the safeguards Adria had employed in the ritual, she would have been lost. Nevertheless, she succeeded in marking his essence.

Mephisto was briefly merged into Diablo as a single Prime Evil, but Diablo was defeated by a new hero and the Great Evils were drawn back into the Black Soulstone, their souls screaming for release. Because of Malthael, the stone was destroyed, and Diablo was freed, still containing Mephisto's essence and those of the other Evils. Eventually however, Mephisto's spirit was able to break free from Diablo, just as all the other Evils.

Reign of Enmity
By the Reign of Enmity, Mephisto had cursed specific areas of Sanctuary, turning them into the Fields of Hatred. Humans who entered these areas were compelled to turn upon their fellow mortals.

Diablo II

 * "Adventurers fighting in the Durance of Hate may have spotted strange, ghost-like creatures. These "Evil Forces" guard Mephisto and the Infernal gate to the Pandemonium Fortress. Evil Forces can attack and kill those who dare to stick around after Mephisto's demise. The most skilled and tenacious warriors might be able to kill an Evil Force, however, they will discover that the reward is not worth the effort. Some speculate that Evil Forces have some other purpose such as to reveal the way to a hidden world. However, they are simply mindless pawns of Mephisto, like many of the people of Kurast."

Mephisto can be found on the third level of the Durance of Hate. However, before you can get to him you still have to battle a score of Bloodlords and additional Council Member bosses. You can get to Mephisto either by taking the left or the right way around the pool of blood; both rooms contain a Unique Council Member boss.

Mephisto has a range of abilities he will use against the player: several based skills such as  and, a Poison Nova spell and several Cold based skills like Frost Nova. Apart from these abilities, Mephisto has an extremely powerful missile attack that looks like a blazing white orb (referred to as a 'Skull missile' by Blizzard) that can kill most Mercenary units or minions and take away an enormous chunk out of the player's health. Therefore, it is best to stay close to Mephisto. His melee damage isn't very high, though your health can drop steadily if Mephisto combines his Poison Nova and skills. Having enough Cold Resistance and Lightning Resistance once again limits the damage done. In Nightmare and Hell difficulty, Mephisto is immune to life and mana leech (unless Life Tap is cast) so it is best to stock op on health, mana and rejuvenation potions before battling him.

It might also be a good idea to battle Mephisto in one of the rooms on the left or right in order to avoid a trap: in the backroom where Mephisto stands there are restless spirits that sometimes rise up and lash out at players who are in range. These spirits can be killed, but it's very hard to hit them and the experience reward is small and the loot nonexistent, therefore, it's best to avoid them.

The easiest method to defeat Mephisto is to first draw Mephisto's attention by approaching him very slowly, then retreating to the central room that is separated from Mephisto by the pool of blood. Even though he should be perfectly capable of gliding past the pool the same way the player did, his AI, which forces him to only move in the direct direction of the player's position, does not allow him to do this. Mephisto can be defeated eventually with either ranged weapons or missile or area-of-effect spells, and the player can do this with hardly any fear of death as long as he or she stays far enough from him so that he cannot cast spells at the player, although mercenaries and summoned minions may approach too near and be blasted with his magic within seconds. Just be careful not to approach Mephisto too much by any mistake.

When Mephisto dies, a volcano erupts from his body; it doesn't do any damage, however. Now that Mephisto is dead, you can search his room for stashes of gold. Note that he also dropped his Soulstone: this item is needed in a quest in Act IV. If you don't pick it up, Deckard Cain will give it to you later. Walk towards the portal, and a bridge made of bones and skulls should rise from the pool of blood. Cross the small bridge and enter the Infernal Gate to complete Act III.

Quotes

 * "You're too late! [laughs]" (upon approaching Mephisto)
 * "My brothers have escaped you!" (upon approaching Mephisto)
 * "My brothers, at long last we stand reunited. The Infernal Gate has been prepared, and the time of our final victory is at hand. Let the way to Hell be opened!" (cinematic)
 * "And the Evil that was once vanquished shall rise anew. Wrapped in the guise of man, shall he walk amongst the innocent, and Terror shall consume they that dwell upon the Earth. The skies shall rain fire, and the seas will become as blood. The righteous shall fall before the wicked, and all of Creation shall tremble before the burning standards of Hell!" (cinematic)
 * "The Gate stands ready!" (cinematic)
 * "Now my young brother, the time has come to assume your true form! Arise Diablo, Lord of Terror!" (cinematic)
 * "You are the harbinger of our return, Diablo! Send forth your Terror into Hell!" (cinematic)

Diablo III
The Shard of Hate is a Mephisto-themed sword that was released with Reaper of Souls.

Manuscripts by Mephisto and the other Prime Evils can be found in the Battlefields of Eternity.

A Mephisto pet is available in the game for those who purchase the Prime Evil Collection, along with Hatred's Grasp (Mephisto-themed wings).

The, based on Mephisto's soulstone, can be obtained.

Diablo IV
Mephisto is responsible for the Fields of Hatred in Diablo IV.

Heroes of the Storm
Mephisto is a playable ranged assassin hero in Heroes of the Storm, and the second Prime Evil added in the game since Diablo himself.

Personality and Traits
"Would that all the misbegotten spawn of my wayward daughter had but one heart I might plunge this through, so that they all might enjoy the gift of my pitiless ire."

- Mephisto

Many claim that Mephisto is the most intelligent and cunning of the Prime Evils. There are some who believe that if there is truly a leader among the Burning Hells, it is Mephisto. There is certainly evidence that Mephisto himself believes this to be the case, declaring that "where I am is Hell."

Forever looking to instigate a skirmish, it is said that Mephisto was most adept at pitting his brothers against each other. While many demon lords rely on force to enact their will, Mephisto relied on manipulation, able to turn neighbor against neighbor for reasons that seem right and good to those who fell victim to his machinations. Diablo and Baal chafed at his manipulations, but more often than not they complied. Deckard Cain speculated that this was because Mephisto provided them with ample opportunities to pursue their ambitions. Perhaps because of this, Mephisto is seen by some to be a unifier and great tactician. It was Mephisto's greatest ambition to pit entire societies against each other, to turn brother against brother, to seed discord and distrust wherever he could. Mephisto shuns companionship, considering it "a comfort of the wretched."

Mephisto views hatred as a tool, though one to be wielded with precision. That said, his hatred has a miasmic effect on wherever he goes. By the Reign of Enmity, his hatred was able to 'bubble up' from Hell, corrupting areas of Sanctuary. He loathes all, including the nephalem and humanity (whose suffering is his delight, and whom he considers to be lacking in both physical and mental strength). His hatred even extends so far as to despise Creation itself. However, his greatest hate is reserved for angels. Ergo, the inhabitants of Sanctuary were seen by him as weapons to be forged in his likeness and directed towards the High Heavens. However, Mephisto does appear to have some level of respect for Auriel, considering her aspect (hope) "the only virtue with purpose," and winking at her during the pact struck at the end of the Sin War.

Mephisto stands at 20 feet (6.1 meters) tall. He possesses "foul blood" and his voice itself is painful for mortals to hear. The undead are the minions of Mephisto. Such was Mephisto's hatred that areas of Sanctuary were tainted by it, compelling mortals to turn upon one another when entering these regions.

Like his brothers, Mephisto, by his nature, is confrontational.

Trivia

 * "Mephisto" is a variation of the name Mephistopheles, the devil figure in the Faust legend, often used as an alternative name for Satan or Lucifer. It may also be derived from the Hebrew words Mephis (מפיץ) which means "Distributor" and Tophel (תפל) which means "Falsehood". I.e. Distributor of superstitions.


 * "Odium" refers to "intense hatred or dislike," usually directed towards a single individual. "Odium theologicum" is a related term that applies to hatred generated by disputes over theology.


 * Mephisto may appear in Diablo Immortal.

Appearance

 * Mephisto's appearance differs between Diablo II, Diablo II: Resurrected, and Diablo III (and associated artwork, such as that found in Book of Cain). This can be attritutable to either a redesign, or Diablo III showing his true form rather than that of a possessed human in Diablo II. In Resurrected, however, Mephisto's cinematic appearance has been altered, with little of his host to be seen. His appearance is far more demonic, veering towards his appearance in Diablo III.


 * A third version of Mephisto is seen in Heroes of the Storm, which appears to combine elements of the two designs. Lines from Mephisto in the game indicate that this is an intermediary form (his true form overcoming Sankekur's), hinting that the Diablo III version (and subsequent interpretations) as his true form.