Super Unique Monsters (also known as Sub-bosses) are a type of Unique Monsters. The main difference between them is that the names and location of Unique Monsters are always random, while Super Uniques have a fixed name and spawn in the very same location in every game.
Characteristics[]
Diablo I[]
Though they are called Unique Monsters in here, they are always the same in every aspect and created by hand just like the Super-Uniques from Diablo II. In this game there were no special modifiers however they had custom set statistics and had some features that didn't return in the second game: apart of preset locations most of them would be found in a random spot of the Dungeon Level they are set to if their base monster appeared, and some of them were set to use different monsters AI.
Diablo II[]
Super Unique Monsters are somewhat harder to kill than normal uniques. Some of their base monster types are unique; some show up as normal enemies in areas later than those where the super unique is encountered, like the Brutes of Treehead Woodfist, some have the look of other variants like Bonebreaker in Act 1 which is resembling a Burning Dead from Act 2.
In this game they are always found in Preset locations (locations that don't have a randomized layout or have only a couple of variants), or Preset fragments (special map fragments that always spawn in a particular location and only once).
All the Act Bosses are Super Uniques. Some Super Unique Monsters are associated with Quests, though most are not required to be killed to complete the specific quest(s) (excluding Act Bosses, that is).
Due to their nature, some Super Unique Monsters will have complete Immunity against certain Spells and Skills. They have a set amount of minions (or no minions), always with 1 more minion on Nightmare and 2 more on Hell. They have only their set bonuses on Normal, but gain 1 random unique bonus on Nightmare and 2 on Hell.
They use the same color palettes as Uniques though not randomly as they are always set to a particular one. Some monster types don't have a palette file so they don't use the random palettes and the Super-Uniques don't use the unique look specified in the code: Council Members, Thresh Socket, Frozenstein, Bonesaw Breaker, Pindleskin, Snapchip Shatter, Lister The Tormentor.
They have all the bonuses of Uniques but have these additionally:
- -% target defense is only 50% effective on Super-Uniques,
- Crushing blow works only in half effectiveness (still very effective)
- No damage regeneration (Act Bosses/Diablo Clone and Pandemonium Event Bosses can regenerate)
Diablo II[]
This is a list of all the Super Unique Monsters present in Diablo II. They are listed by act, in the order in which they are/may be encountered.
Act I[]
- Corpsefire
- Bishibosh
- Coldcrow
- Blood Raven*
- Bonebreaker
- Rakanishu
- Treehead Woodfist
- Griswold*
- The Countess
- The Smith*
- Pitspawn Fouldog
- Flamespike the Crawler (removed in Diablo II: Lord of Destruction)
- Bone Ash
- Andariel*
- The Cow King*
Act II[]
- Radament*
- Creeping Feature
- Bloodwitch the Wild
- Beetleburst
- Coldworm the Burrower*
- Dark Elder
- Fangskin
- Fire Eye
- The Summoner*
- Ancient Kaa the Soulless
- Duriel*
Act III[]
- Sszark the Burning
- Witch Doctor Endugu
- Stormtree
- Battlemaid Sarina
- Icehawk Riftwing
- Ismail Vilehand
- Geleb Flamefinger
- Toorc Icefist
- Wyand Voidbringer
- Maffer Dragonhand
- Bremm Sparkfist
- Mephisto*
Act IV[]
- Taintbreeder (removed)
- The Tormentor (removed)
- Darkwing (Winged Death) (removed)
- Riftwraith the Cannibal (removed)
- Izual*
- Hephasto the Armorer*
- Infector of Souls
- Grand Vizier of Chaos
- Lord De Seis
- Diablo*
Act V[]
- Dac Farren
- Shenk the Overseer
- Eldritch the Rectifier
- Sharptooth Slayer
- Eyeback the Unleashed
- Thresh Socket
- Frozenstein
- Bonesaw Breaker
- Pindleskin
- Hell's Belle (Anodized Elite) (removed)
- Nihlathak*
- Blaze Ripper (removed)
- Magma Torquer (removed)
- Vinvear Molech (removed)
- Snapchip Shatter
- Talic*
- Madawc*
- Korlic*
- Axe Dweller (removed)
- Colenzo the Annihilator
- Achmel the Cursed
- Bartuc the Bloody
- Ventar the Unholy
- Lister the Tormentor
- Baal*
*base monsters are unique.
Super-uniques, except Act Bosses, have 1-3 special attributes that are fixed. In Nightmare and Hell Difficulty, they get 1 and 2 bonus random attributes respectively as well.
It can be a very easy fight against super-uniques by knowing their fixed attributes beforehand, and preparing for them.
Diablo Immortal[]
In Diablo Immortal, super unique monsters are normally quest mini-bosses or bosses of side quests
- Aisah
- Bessie
- Bitru
- Bloodsworn Priestess Innaloth
- Bortus the Gorger
- Crimson Arach
- Enormous Rockworm
- Fallen Adept
- Fallen Matriarch
- Incarnate of Valostre
- Ironbreaker
- Jacktar Brute
- Kaphzet, Devouring Maw
- Korax the Ruinmaker (cut)
- Magilla
- Muckmire
- Nathrum
- Okkrok
- Priestess Vassarici
- Rigglot
- Secret-Eater
- "Talva Silvertongue"
- Thiago the Bloodthirsty
- Verdugo (removed)
- Vizibor
Diablo III[]
Even though the Super Unique type does not make an official return in Diablo III, as well as its expansion, many players use the Super Unique term to describe Unique monsters that will spawn in every game, no matter the player's luck with the game's randomization factor, including Bosses.
These monsters are usually vital to the storyline and must be defeated to advance further in game. However, some of them can be skipped, if for whatever reason players do not want to fight them. Note that in Adventure Mode some of guaranteed spawn monsters will appear at different locations or even not appear at all, even though they always spawn in Campaign Mode.
Guaranteed spawn monsters in Diablo III, in order of appearance:
Act I[]
- Wretched Queen
- Captain Daltyn
- Headcleaver
- Mira Eamon
- Manglemaw (can be skipped)
- Chancellor Eamon
- Jondar
- Skeleton King (boss)
- Odeg the Keywarden (keywarden, can be skipped)
- Urik the Seer
- Nigel Cutthroat
- Ezek the Prophet
- Brother Larel
- Brother Karel
- Brother Moek
- Urzel Mordreg
- Queen Araneae (boss)
- Lord of Goats (can be skipped)
- Nalghban the Foul (can be skipped)
- Grand Inquisitor (can be skipped)
- The Warden
- The Butcher (boss)
Act II[]
- Shatterbone (can be skipped)
- Maghda (boss)
- Goz'turr the Torturer
- Sokahr the Keywarden (keywarden, can be skipped)
- Ancient Guardian (can be skipped)
- Ssthrass (can be skipped)
- Gavin the Thief
- Mage Lord Misgen (can be skipped)
- Random Sentinels: Vile Sentinel, Molten Sentinel, Frost Sentinel, Charged Sentinel (two per game, can be skipped)
- Eternal Guardians (two at a time)
- Zoltun Kulle (boss)
- Kamyr
- Belial (boss)
- Theodosius Jordan (can be skipped)
- Hematic Father Feldman (can be skipped)
- Vidian (boss, can be skipped)
Act III[]
- Dragus (can be skipped)
- Xah'Rith the Keywarden (keywarden, can be skipped)
- Ghom (boss)
- Demonic Ballistae (three per game)
- Trebuchet
- Siegebreaker Assault Beast (boss)
- Cydaea (boss)
- Azmodan (boss)
Act IV[]
- Iskatu (boss)
- Rakanoth (boss)
- Hammermash (can be skipped)
- Sledge (can be skipped)
- Nekarat the Keywarden (keywarden, can be skipped)
- Razorclaw (can be skipped)
- Aspect of Terror (can be skipped)
- Random Aspect: Aspect of Lies, Aspect of Pain, Aspect of Anguish (can be skipped)
- Izual (boss)
- Random Aspect: Aspect of Sin, Aspect of Destruction, Aspect of Hatred (can be skipped)
- Diablo (boss)
Note: in Campaign, all Aspects spawn in a disguised form, therefore players need to speak to them in order to reveal the demons' true visages.
Act V[]
- Kasadya
- Drygha
- Catharis
- Maidens of Flame (three per game, can be skipped)
- Lord Wynton (can be skipped)
- Urzael (boss)
- Gruewl (can be skipped)
- Adria (boss)
- Maiden Lamiel
- Belphegor
- Random Siege Runekeepers: Korchoroth, Rekkar, Emikdeva, Volux the Forgotten (two per game)
- Erelus (always spawns if Volux the Forgotten appears as Siege Runekeeper)
- Realmwalker (can be skipped)
- Thilor
- Mordrath
- Seraziel
- Random Guardians of Malthael: Zalud, Xoren, Esiel (one per game, can be skipped)
- Malthael (boss)
- Random Unclean One: Aletur, Garan, Tala, Korae and Samae (one per game, can be skipped)
- The Crazed Man (can be skipped)
Diablo IV[]
Dry Steppes[]
- Addrine of the Taan (Carrion Fields, Season of Blood only)
- Togna of Corbac (Carrion Fields, Season of Blood onl)
Fractured Peaks[]
- Devmir (Nevesk)
- Enforcer Gelak (Derelict Lodge)
- Enforcer Rag'log (Derelict Lodge)
- Gate Keeper (Defiled Catacomb)
- Isbel (Nevesk)
- Kozira (Nostrava)
- Lord Avitus (Hallowed Ossuary)
- Negala (Nostrava)
- Onore of the Ancients (Season of Blood only)
- Sir Lynna (Kulsik Plateau)
- Stanis (Nevesk)
- Torvala (Nostrava)
- Vani (Nevesk)
- "Wrathful" Osgar Reede (Bellowing Ravine)
- Xereph of the Ancients (Season of Blood only)
Kehjistan[]
- Norwalc of Kurast (Sunken Library, Season of Blood only)