Triune Leader Blood Guard



The Triune Leader Blood Guard was to be a new type of monster to be introduced in Diablo III. It bears an uncanny resemblance to the Dark Berserker. They may also have a relation with Triune Leader Death Guards.

However, the monster did not move anywhere beyond the concept artwork, and is not present in game.

Appearance
The Blood Guard bears a striking resemblance to the Dark Berserker, right from the blinds on its eyes to the kind of hammer that it holds. Seeing the similarities, it can be said that the Berserker is either a variant of the Blood Guard or the Blood Guard is a more powerful version of the Berserker.

The Blood Guard is a heavily muscular entity, personifying the true power of brute force and melee in combat. They are hulking members of the Triune who are related to (or are possibly the same as) the Dark Cultists.

Its concept art reveals some facts about the Blood Guard's abilities and nature. It has blinders covering its eyes like a work-animal, so that it can concentrate on only one target at a time. Their targets are chosen not by themselves but by a higher power who are only known as their masters at this time. These masters may either be the Triune Leaders themselves or some other commander type monster which may spawn with them in the game.

They are always in a berserk state of mind, which can be seen by their frenzied stance in the concept art. A point to be noted is that their hammers have what are called the Teeth of Diablo. These so-called Teeth have also been mentioned in the concept artwork of the Activated Vessel. These Teeth confirm a relation between the Triune and the Dark Cultists. These Teeth may serve to augment their demonic powers or, in the case of the Blood Guard, their melee attacks in their frenzied state.

In-game
The Triune Cultist Blood Guard seen in the artwork is mentioned to be a Gladiator type monster. This seems to indicate the existence of another, or possibly a number of, variants of the Blood Guard.

They were supposed to be the personal bodyguards of the Triune Leaders (i.e. Maghda), who may spawn with them. The Blood Guard may in fact be the base monster name of the Dark Berserker type of monsters, looking at their similar states and functioning. Another theory doing the rounds is that the Berserkers were only a beta version of the Blood Guard.