Carrion Bat

"Some foul new disease has taken hold in this land, and the carrion bats are near the heart of it. Since returning to Tristram, I have seen their numbers surge. The evil forces that linger here give them strength, and I fear that the worst is yet to come."

- Deckard Cain

Carrion Bats are monsters in  and in Diablo III. They are often encountered in the Cathedral and generally attack the player in large packs.

Lore
Carrion Bats are, as their name suggests, flying creatures that feast on carrion meat, especially attracted to the bones of demons. Though their origins remain unknown, the death and destruction wrought by the Prime Evils in the western lands has done much to increase their numbers. These poisonous pests litter the fields and dungeons of Khanduras and do not shy away from attacking living creatures. Leah said that Deckard Cain used to call these creatures "Death with wings".

In-game
Carrion Bats count as Beasts. They are encountered in Acts I and II, both in dungeons and in open fields. Whilst not much of a threat on their own, as their numbers grow they can become a significant threat to lower level players. Carrion Bats are continuously spawned from the grotesque Carrion Nests. It is advised to always look for a nest when encountering bats and take it out first, after that the remaining bats should not be much of a problem. Though the Carrion Bats lack any special abilities or spells, a potent poison courses through their bodies, meaning that their attacks deal additional Poison damage. Cave-inhabiting bats are often infused with Lightning, dealing extra Lightning damage instead.

Carrion Bats are generally weak and can often be one-shot by the numbers. In area's with multiple nests players run the risk of being swarmed by bats, and in large groups their attacks certainly hurt. Remember that they can fly over impassable terrain, or even ascend from the pits to ambush the player.

In, they are replaced by Vile Bats, which have similar traits.

Zao'Kapazao and Thieves Guild Summoners can summon Vile Bats at their side, which are a variant of Carrion Bats.

Unique Carrion Bats

 * Firestarter (Cathedral)
 * Glidewing (Cathedral)
 * Hellscream (Unknown Depths)
 * Sicklefang, Scourge of the Harvest (Carrion Farm event)

Trivia

 * Carrion Bats somewhat resemble the Winged Fiends from Diablo and Bat Demons from Diablo II. Their ability to spawn from Carrion Nests seemingly comes from Blood Hawks from the second game.


 * The Bats have a single large eye in the center of their body, which is strange for a creature that is supposed to live in caves, for in real world most bats (and other animals that live in the pitch dark) either have no eyes or rely on their sonic echolocaton more than on their sight.