Diablo 3 Guide: Rare Monster Traits

Our guide to Monster Traits will get you primed and ready for action for when you inevitably encounter one of these special monsters. It's pretty much a guarantee you'll run into some less than savory characters -- most of which, the beasts roaming the landscape. However, a select few of these monsters are special -- not meaning their mothers love them very much, but they have special traits that you'd do well to know about before you tangle with them.

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What are monsters with special traits?

You will often run into monsters roaming the land that can be classified Champion, Rare, and minion monsters. They're also known as non-Normal enemies. Usually they'll spawn with affixes (modifying terms you can see underneath their health bar) -- just like with the item system, that refers to their special traits. Each trait is different and imbues unique abilities upon the monster and the damage it may deal. Monsters you'll encounter with traits listed at level 14 or higher will come with more than one trait.

Arcane Enchanted

Minimum Monster Level: 31

Monsters Appearing On: All

Damage Type: Arcane

Resistant To: Arcane

Monsters with this trait are able to summon purple Arcane energy beams that rotate around the Hero, appearing and re-appearing every few seconds. If you walk through the beam or touch the monster, you'll take Arcane damage.

Avenger

Minimum Monster Level: 51

Monsters Appearing On: Champions

Damage Type: Standard

Resistant To: None

Only Champion monster types will spawn with the Avenger trait. If a Champion touting this ability appears, it can imbue all other Champions in the area with the same type of powers it spawned with, increasing movement and attack speed and damage inflicted until the foe is felled. This effect may be stacked up to three times.

Desecrator

Minimum Monster Level: 22

Monsters Appearing On: Rare, Champion

Damage Type: Physical

Resistant To: None

The Desecrator trait allows monsters imbued with it to summon strange, burning voids directly beneath the Hero. It inflicts periodic damage to any other Hero in range. The voids remain locked in place and will disappear after a predetermined amount of time. You may escape a zone by leaving the area. Minions that travel with Desecrators cannot create their own void zones.

Electrified

Minimum Monster Level: 26

Monsters Appearing On: All

Damage Type: Lightning

Resistant To: Lightning

Any monster with the Electrified trait is given the gift of Lightning resistance and additional Lightning damage, as well as a Lightning-based combat ability. When you damage any Electrified foe, it will send charged bolts of Lightning into erratic directions to cause Lightning damage. Electrified minions will also inherit the trait, and may also utilize the same bolts.

Extra Health

Minimum Monster Level: 31

Monsters Appearing On: All

Damage Type: N/A

Resistant To: None

Monsters with Extra Health receive extra HP, which is awared to Champion, Rare, and Minion monsters. They'll also start with 150% of what their normal health margin would be, making them formidable opponents.

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Fast

Minimum Monster Level: 31

Monsters Appearing On: All

Damage Type: N/A

Resistant To: None

Monsters with the Fast trait receive speed bonuses: running speed is increased by 40%, attack speed is increased by 20%, and spell-casting speed is increased by 10%. However, they receive no additional resistances and do no additional damage.

Fire Chains

Minimum Monster Level: 31

Monsters Appearing On: Champions only

Damage Type: Standard

Resistant To: None

This trait sends a fiery chain between Champion monsters all carrying the Fire Chains affix term. Touch or get near the chain and you will suffer Fire damage.

Frozen

Minimum Monster Level: 22

Monsters Appearing On: All

Damage Type: Cold

Resistant To: Cold

Monsters with the Frozen trait can inflict massive amounts of Cold damage, and have a strong resistance to Cold attacks. If they can land a hit on you, they can inflict a slowing status, during which the Hero will turn blue and movement speed is reduced by 50%. Once Frozen monsters are defeated, they explode, sending damaging shards of ice to any Hero within the area at the time. Frozen monsters also possess two special abilities: Icy Touch and Frost Nova.

Health Link

Minimum Monster Level: 51

Monsters Appearing On: Champion packs only

Damage Type: N/A

Resistant To: None

Health Link is unique only to Champion monsters, and only activates if more than one Champion is in the area. This ability will reduce the amount of damage taken by Champions who link their HP to other Champions in the area. This Strength in Numbers ability makes it tougher to clear out Linked Champions, because when one monster takes damage, it's divided among the other Champions also Linked together.

Horde

Minimum Monster Level: 31

Monsters Appearing On: Rare only

Damage Type: N/A

Resistant To: None

The Horde trait will only spawn with Rare monsters and increases the number of minions that appear with a Rare monster -- up to three extras. It's actually a hidden trait that you will not be able to discern with a glance -- the Rare Horder monster will not spawn with the "Horde" affix listed.

Illusionist

Minimum Monster Level: 26

Monsters Appearing On: All

Damage Type: N/A

Resistant To: None

Monsters with the Illusionist trait come armed with the ability (Polymorph) to create two additional clones of itself when damaged, with the same amount of HP as the original monster. These clones cannot clone themselves, and you get no loot or XP for destroying them. Illusionists gain no extra resistances or damages from this ability.

Invulnerable Minions

Minimum Monster Level: 51

Monsters Appearing On: Rare only

Damage Type: N/A

Resistant To: None

You will only find Invulnerable Minions with Rare monsters above level 51. These Rare monsters come equipped with minions that are indestructible until the spawning monster is destroyed. Only by doing this can you wipe all the additional minions out. You can still affect them with status changes, so it's prudent to use slowing or incapacitive magic to do so. Invulnerable Minions Rare monsters' health pools are also increased by a whopping 50%.

Jailer

Minimum Monster Level: 8

Monsters Appearing On: All

Damage Type: N/A

Resistant To: None

Monsters with the Jailer ability can temporarily immobilize any Hero in a makeshift, conjured prison for a short time. You've got a 25% chance that the Jailer may immobilize you. You may still use Dashing Strike to move, but it will not free you from the trap. Spirit Walk will free you entirely.

Knockback

Minimum Monster Level: 0

Monsters Appearing On: All

Damage Type: Standard

Resistant To: None

Any monster with the Knockback trait can possibly add a "knockback" blow to any melee hit they deliver. Any Champion or Rare monster, as well as their minions, can be spawned with this trait. If hit with Knockback, you'll take normal damage and be sent flying backward.

Missile Dampening

Minimum Monster Level: 8

Monsters Appearing On: Rare only

Damage Type: N/A

Resistant To: None

Only Rare monsters receive this ability, which creates a red sphere around the imbued monster. Any type of projectile that enters the field is then slowed by 50%. Once a projectile leaves the field, it speeds up again. Rare monster minions do not receive the same ability.

Molten

Minimum Monster Level: 8

Monsters Appearing On: All

Damage Type: Fire

Resistant To: Fire

As the name Molten implies, any monster with the Molten trait gains Fire resistance and Fire damage to any of their normal attacks, as well as Fire-based abilities: Flame Trail and Explosion. As they move, a string of lava pools are left in their wake. Once destroyed, they will explode in a brilliant rush of fire. Only Champion or Rare monsters at level 8 and above can spawn with the Molten trait. 

 Mortar

Minimum Monster Level: 22

Monsters Appearing On: All

Damage Type: Physical

Resistant To: None

Monsters given the Mortar trait attain the special ability of Grenades, which allows them to launch quick firebombs at the Hero every cycle of 4 to 5 seconds, which will in turn deal Physical damage. These fiery projectiles will not cease until the monster with the Mortar trait is killed.

Nightmarish

Minimum Monster Level: 0

Monsters Appearing On: Rare only

Damage Type: N/A

Resistant To: None

Nightmarish monsters are imbued with the element of Fear, which can quite unfortunately send your chosen warrior running for his mother out of pure terror, should you suffer an attack.

Plagued

Minimum Monster Level: 14

Monsters Appearing On: All

Damage Type: Poison

Resistant To: Poison

Plagued monsters deal damage that is Poison-based, usually delivered via melee strikes. It's clearly visible by the green haze and green slime that marks the Poison attack when the monster is able to land a blow. Plagued monsters also receive Poison resistance and three Poison attacks, including a poisonous gas that deals intermittent damage, and a poisonous punch.

Shielding

Minimum Monster Level: 22

Monsters Appearing On: Rares and minions

Damage Type: N/A

Resistant To: None

Shielding gives Rare monsters as well as their own minions invulnerability to every form of damage, for a very short period of time.

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Teleporter

Minimum Monster Level: 0

Monsters Appearing On: All

Damage Type: N/A

Resistant To: None

Monsters with the Teleporter trait can flit from one area of battle to another to escape danger and hastily return for a counterattack -- also known as Dematerialization. It awards no extra damage or resistance, but can give the monsters a unique edge in battle.

There are many varying abilities each monster can spawn with, each different from the last. Be sure to equip yourself with our guide to make sure you know what you're up against. Which traits have given you the most trouble so far and how have you dealt with them?