Monster List

Arcane Horror

Rank : Boss

Class : Monster—Spellcaster

Prime Location : Wending Wood

Special Abilities : Drain, Restore, Spirit Blast, Swarm

Description : An arcane horror is a skeleton possessed by a pride demon.

Play Tips: Interrupt an arcane horror's casting as much as possible. Up close, abilities such as Dirty Fighting and Mind Blast work great. At range, Paralyze, Pinning Shot, or Scattershot can break the thing's concentration.

Attributes

The Architect

Rank : Elite Boss

Class : Monster—Tank and Monster—Spellcaster

Prime Location : Drake's Fall

Special Abilities : Cataclysm, Flare, Shivering Shot, Spells (including Hand of Winter, Mind Blast, Chain Lightning, Glyph of Neutralization, Misdirection Hex, Affliction Hex, Drain Life)

Description : One of the two main villains of Awakening, he's the first sentient, reasoning darkspawn and he's discovered a technique to bring sentience to other darkspawn, which involves drinking Grey Warden blood. He leads one branch of the darkspawn terrorizing Amaranthine.

Play Tips : When you enter Drake's Fall as you hunt down the Mother, you meet the Architect face to face. You can choose to side with him (and gain some aid in the final battle against the Mother) or slay him for all the atrocities he's committed against humanity. See the "Lair of the Mother" walkthrough for complete details and strategy tips.

Attributes

Ash Wraith

Rank : Lieutenant

Class : Monster—Spirit

Prime Location : Baroness's Manor in Blackmarsh Undying

Special Abilities : Leap

Description : A wraith is a powerful version of a shade, a spirit that has entered the physical world but does not possess a physical body. In the case of the ash wraith, the spirit has formed a quasi-material body for itself out of ashes (usually the ashes of burnt corpses, but not necessarily). This allows it to interact with and affect the physical world, but the wraith is not dependent on the ashes to survive. If wounded, it can disperse at will and reform later. Such wraiths occasionally use other materials to form their physical bodies such as bones, mold, and even blood.

Play Tips : Watch out for rear or flank attacks, as these creatures can materialize behind or on your side. High spirit resistance will reduce the damage taken from the wraith's main attacks.

Attributes

Bear

Rank : Normal (black bear) or Lieutenant (great bear)

Class : Monster—Tank

Prime Location : Knotwood Hills

Special Abilities : Overwhelm, Rage, Slam

Description : Bears live in forests, often near settlements. They are known for breaking into cabins and stealing food. A particularly territorial bereskarn guards the area near the entrance to the Knotwood Hills.

Play Tips : Any bear form is vulnerable to magic, so mages deliver serious damage. The mage's Shapeshifter specialization transforms the caster into a bear, so you can experience its abilities firsthand.

Attributes

Bereskarn

The bereskarn variant is a lieutenant with twice as much health as the average PC.

Black Bear

Most bears you meet will be the more common black bear variety.

Great Bear

The great bear variant is a more formidable adversary, with lots more health, deadlier claws, and an Overwhelm ability.

Blighted Werewolf

Rank : Normal

Class : Warrior (Monster—Tank)

Prime Location : Blackmarsh

Special Abilities : Leap, Frenzy, Overwhelm, Terrorize

Description : Fereldan lore is full of stories of wolves possessed by rage demons with incredible speed and strength. The ability of dogs to detect werewolves even in their human guise is what first led Fereldans to adopt dogs as indispensable companions in every farmhold. Blighted werewolves have become infected with the darkspawn taint.

Play Tips : Werewolves are very fast and some use stealth. At least one point in Survival will help drastically in detecting werewolves on your mini-map before they are on you.

Attributes

Blighted Shadow Wolf

These wolves use stealth to go invisible and sneak up on the unsuspecting. They inflict higher damage than the normal blighted werewolf.

The Children

Rank : Critter (grub), Normal (hatchling) or Lieutenant (adult)

Class : Warrior (Monster—Tank)

Prime Locations : Blackmarsh, Blackmarsh Undying, Dragonbone Wastes, Drake's Fall, Kal'Hirol, Vigil's Keep

Special Abilities : Capricious Demise, Leap, Metamorphosis, Overwhelm, Pincer Flurry, Spit, Sprout, Virulent Burst

Description : Larval darkspawn born to a broodmother awakened from the "hive mind" of other darkspawn, they are darkspawn children gone wrong.

Play Tips : Identify your childer target and plan accordingly. If you see grubs, expect a swarm attack against the party. Hatchlings will enter melee to use their special abilities effectively. Adults need a tank on them and the full efforts of a party to spill their guts.

Attributes

Alpha Childer

The highest ranked childer of a particular type.

Childer Grub

The smallest of the childers, and only really dangerous in swarms.

Childer Hatchling

An average childer that appears frequently.

Adult Childer

Powerful boss versions of childers.

Corpse

Rank : Normal

Class : Monster—Tank

Prime Location : Shadowy Crypt

Special Abilities : Cold Affinity

Description : Weaker demons crossing over from the Fade may be able to possess a living target. Unable to distinguish that which was once living from that which still is, they sometimes end up in a corpse instead.

Play Tips : Beware of dead bodies strewn upon the ground. Frequently, what appears as the grisly remnants of a massacre is actually an ambush by the various corpse forms.

Attributes

Desiccated Shambling Corpse

More powerful version of the normal shambling corpse.

Devouring Corpse

Devouring corpses are corpses possessed by a hunger demon. These attempt to feed on living victims as quickly as possible.

Enraged Corpse

Enraged corpses are corpses possessed by a rage demon. These go berserk and simply wade into opponents mindlessly.

Shambling Corpse

Shambling corpses are corpses possessed by a sloth demon. These cause enemies to become weak and fatigued.

The Dark Theurge

Rank : Boss

Class : Monster—Tank

Prime Location s: Vigil's Keep

Special Abilities : Aura of Weakness, Mana Clash, Leap, Slam, Spells (including Chain Lightning, Shock, Lightning, Arcane Bolt, Stone Fist, Misdirection Hex, Drain Life, Disorient, Horror)

Description : This spirit still haunts a series of caves beneath Vigil's Keep. It was once a villain of an Avvar tribe that previously inhabited the area. When you stumble upon it in the basement, you release the spirit, which persistently attacks you in many ways before it can finally be dispersed.

Play Tips : To complete the quest beneath Vigil's Keep, you have no choice but to release the Dark Theurge. For complete details and combat strategies see the "It Comes from Beneath" and "Sealing the Great Barrier Doors" side quests.

Attributes

Deepstalker

Rank : Critter or Normal

Class : Monster—Agile

Prime Location : Kal'Hirol

Special Abilities : Acid Spit, Overwhelm, Scare, Slowing Spit

Description : This bizarre creature evolved in the deep caverns beneath the dwarven cities. When rolled up, the creature resembles a large rock; stalkers often look like boulders strewn through the dwarven tunnels. Once prey approaches, they unroll and leap at their victims.

Play Tips : Deepstalkers hunt in packs. If you see one, others are nearby ready to pounce. Try to spot the large group and raze them with AoE damage.

Attributes

Deepstalker Leader

The leader ranks as normal with slightly higher attack and defense values.

Deepstalker Spitter

The spitter has a ranged poison attack. Where other deepstalkers charge into melee, this one will hang back and spit, then engage.

Desire Demon

Rank : Lieutenant

Class : Monster—Balanced Mental

Prime Location : Blackmarsh Undying

Special Abilities : Cursed Dance, Scream

Description : Of all the threats from beyond the Veil, few are more insidious and deceptively deadly than the desire demon. In popular folklore, such demons are characterized most commonly as peddlers of lust, luring their prey into a sexual encounter where they are slain at the culmination. While a desire demon can indeed deal in pleasure, in truth they deal with any manner of desire that humans can possess: wealth, power, and beauty to name a few.

Far more intelligent than the bestial hunger and rage demons, and more ambitious than the demons of sloth, these dark spirits are among the greatest at tempting mages into possession. Many who serve the whims of a desire demon never realize it.

They are manipulated by illusions and deceit if not through mind control, though these demons are reluctant to resort to such crude measures. Instead, they seem to take great pleasure in corruption. The greater the deceit, the greater their victory.

Play Tips : Desire demons in the Blackmarsh Undying work together as a cabal of three. Because they are intent on their unholy ceremony, drop a strong, continuous AoE attack on them and wait for the wounded desire demons to come to you for the rest of their punishment.

Attributes

The Disciples

Rank : Boss (Alpha or Emissary) or Lieutenant (Heretic)

Class : Warrior (Monster—Tank) or Mage (Monster—Spellcaster)

Prime Locations : Various

Special Abilities : See "Disciples' Special Abilities" chart

Description : The Architect awakened other darkspawn from their former "hive minds." These are known as the disciples. They're stronger, powerful warriors and mages. Some, however, were infuriated with the Architect for freeing them, so they joined sides with the Mother.

Play Tips : You face off against many of the disciples, such as the Withered and the Lost, as bosses at the end of major quests. See the individual walkthrough chapters for more details and strategy tips.

Attributes

Alpha Disciple

These disciples rely on melee weapons to deal high damage.

Emissary Disciple

Battlemages make up this segment of the disciples.

Heretic Disciple

Though only lieutenants, these disciples generally travel in groups and can be warriors or archers.

Disciple's Special Abilities

Dragon

Rank : Lieutenant

Class : Monster—Balanced Physical

Prime Location s: Dragonbone Wastes, Silverite Mine

Special Abilities : Buffet, Fire Spit, Flame Breath, Grab, Overwhelm, Rake, Roar, Shred, Slap, Sweep

Description : At about 100 years of age, female dragonlings undergo a metamorphosis, darkening in color and growing wings. After their wings grow, these dragon females become very adventurous, traveling long distances from their original hatching grounds and feeding widely on wild beasts and livestock as they range out to find their own burrows.

Human encounters happen most often with these nomadic adult females. Adult dragons are the most aggressive and commonly seen; however, while deadly, they are not regarded with the awe usually reserved for high dragons.

Play Tips : Everyone stand back except the tank. Send your tank in to pull as much threat as possible. When the dragon gets angry enough to unload its fire breath on the tank, have a mage cast Force Field to shield the tank for the duration of the attack. Everyone else unloads high-powered damage on the dragon while it concentrates on the invulnerable tank.

Attributes

Dragon Thrall

In the depths of the Silverite Mine, the Architect nurtures two dragon thralls in his arena to test the mettle of adventurers such as yourself. The new red dragons are more fearsome than dragonlings, but not as powerful as a high dragon .

Dragonling

Baby dragons of both genders hatch from eggs into dragonlings, which are roughly the size of a deer. These dragonlings are wingless and slender and are born in vast numbers because they are still very vulnerable to predation. The dragonlings stay for a short time in their mothers' lairs, then venture out into the world where they spend several decades in their small, vulnerable state.

High Dragon

Any dragon is a formidable adversary, but a high dragon is even more: an elite boss. High dragons are adult female dragons, the mountainous classic dragons into which the dragons mature. Relatively few dragons survive to this stage of adulthood. When they do, they take possession of a burrow (either an abandoned tunnel complex that they further hollow out, or the lair of another high dragon that they challenge and displace). The high dragons then spend most of their time sleeping and mating, living off the prey that their drakes hunt and bring back. A high dragon guards the entrance to Drake's Fall in the Dragonbone Wastes.

Drake

Rank : Lieutenant

Class : Monster—Balanced Physical

Prime Location : Silverite Mine

Special Abilities : Flame Breath, Overwhelm, Rake, Roar, Shred, Slap

Description : At about 50 years of age, male dragonlings undergo a metamorphosis, as the skin of their forelimbs stretches and grows into wings, leaving them with no separate forelegs. These drakes immediately begin searching for mates, seeking out the lairs of adult female high dragons (which are many times larger).

When they find high dragon mates, drakes move into the female's lair and spend the rest of their lives there, emerging only to hunt and bring food back for the female and dragonlings. For any given high dragon, usually a dozen or so drakes live in her lair and fight among themselves for the right to mate. If the high dragon or dragonlings are attacked, the drakes defend the lair. Drakes live only about 100 years, and often much less when the casualties of combat are considered.

Play Tips : Drakes guard the hurlock dragon-tamer if you try to complete the "Last Wishes" side quest. Many fine pieces of fire-resistant armor are made from the scales you find from these creatures.

Attributes

Genlock

Rank : Normal (normal genlock) or Lieutenant (alphas and emissaries)

Class : Default or Ranged (for archers)Warrior (Monster—Tank), Monster—Spellcaster (for emissaries)

Prime Location : Anywhere

Description : Genlocks originate from dwarven broodmothers and are the most numerous of all the darkspawn. They have stocky dwarven bodies and a robust appearance. Their skin is pale white or yellow, and their heads are large and bald, with sunken eyes and cheeks. Genlocks have both the strength and hardiness of their dwarven origins and are difficult to kill. They also commonly possess the dwarven resistance to magic, though this trait is strongest in alpha and emissary genlocks.

Play Tips : Load up on silverite runes if you know you're about to battle darkspawn. Even a novice silverite rune grants +1 damage against the fiends, and a grandmaster silverite rune gives +5!

Attributes

Genlock Alpha

Alphas are more cunning versions of the base genlock and have higher magic resistance. They are ranked as lieutenants and can dual wield.

Genlock Emissary

Genlock emissaries are the most intelligent genlocks and have the highest magic resistance. They are ranked as lieutenants.

Genlock Emissary Special Abilities

Ghoul

Rank : Lieutenant

Class : Monster—High Damage

Prime Location : Vigil's Keep Basement

Special Abilities : Unholy Swarm

Description : A ghoul is a man or woman twisted and corrupted by the darkspawn taint. They differ from regular darkspawn in that they are not born from broodmothers. Adria the Ghoul leads a swarm of them in the basement of Vigil's Keep.

Play Tips : Invest in cold iron runes. A novice cold iron rune grants +1 against ghouls while a grandmaster cold iron rune grants a +5 against ghouls.

Attributes

Golem

Rank : Lieutenant

Class : Monster—Tank

Prime Location : Kal'Hirol

Special Abilities : Hurl, Quake, Slam

Description : Dwarves built golems, creatures of hewn stone or sheets of metal animated with a spark of lyrium. They were once a crucial part of Orzammar's defenses, but the secret to their manufacture was lost over 1,000 years ago. What few golems remain are guarded closely by the Shaperate of Golems, and only brought out when the battle with the darkspawn grows desperate enough to risk their loss.

No one now would sell a golem for any price, but in ancient times, dwarves sold many golems to the magister lords of the Tevinter Imperium. A magical, not mechanical, process animates the golem, making it more of a living "iron/stone creature."

Play Tips : The warrior's Shattering Blows talent increases damage against golems and other constructs. A warrior heading into Kal'Hirol might be wise to spend a few points in the Two-Handed school.

Attributes

Inferno Golem

In addition to a large increase to armor and health, the giant inferno golem uses the abilities Ignite, Searing Quake, and Searing Slam.

Steel Golem

The steel golem has large natural bonuses to electrical resistance (+50) and cold resistance (+50).

Stone Golem

The stone golem has large natural bonuses to fire resistance (+50) and cold resistance (+50).

Hunger Demon

Rank : Lieutenant

Class : Monster—Spellcaster

Prime Location : Blackmarsh Undying

Special Abilities : Abomination Rage, Abomination Triple Strike

Description : When the Lonely Soul appears, she seems like an innocent and frightened young woman, and runs off into the Shadow Crypt. When you follow her, you discover that she's a hunger demon in disguise.

Play Tips : In the "A Maiden in Distress" side quest inside the Fade, you meet a hunger demon in the form of the Lonely Soul. It's surrounded by putrid devouring corpses. Lock your tank warrior on the hunger demon while the rest of the party kills off the corpses. When you have no corpses to hack, concentrate all your efforts on the hunger demon.

Attributes

Hurlock

Rank : Normal (normal hurlock) or Lieutenant (alphas and emissaries)

Class : Warrior (Monster—Tank)

Prime Location : Anywhere

Special Abilities : See "Hurlock Special Abilities" chart

Description : Hurlocks originate from human broodmothers. Muscular and tough, they are the most common foot soldiers of the darkspawn during a Blight. They are the shock troops of the darkspawn and often form the strongest part of their armies, wielding primitive swords and axes and wearing patchwork armor.

Hurlock skin ranges from pale white to dark brown; there is generally a lot of variance, and most do not possess hair (it is always black in those who do). Hurlocks consider themselves superior to other darkspawn races, treating them roughly and adorning themselves in crudely carved tattoos to keep track of kills and deeds.

Play Tips : Identify hurlocks as soon as a fight ensues. Emissaries are your immediate priority. Alphas can be trouble, but you'll probably want to eliminate the regular hurlocks first to reduce the numbers against you.

Attributes

Hurlock Alpha

Darkspawn hatched by a broodmother have to fight among themselves for food during the first month of life; usually, a tenth to a quarter of the litter will survive. Occasionally one will prove stronger than the rest of its siblings and be the only one remaining at the end of the month.

This is indicative of a superior version of the race and it will be known as an "alpha." Alphas are generally taller, stronger, and much more intelligent than others of their kind. They will be the commanders and generals who direct the others in combat and are intelligent enough to direct the slavery of humanoid races in lands they conquer. As lieutenants, they act as warriors with the Weapon and Shield and Two-Handed talents.

Hurlock Emissary

Very few alphas have proven themselves to be not only incredibly intelligent, but also naturally gifted with arcane abilities akin to blood magic in their effects. These few are known as "emissaries." Darkspawn armies are fairly disorganized, but the different races usually group together (genlocks with genlocks, hurlocks with hurlocks, etc.).

Hurlock Guardian

This tough warrior hurlock shows up in the siege of Amaranthine, and attempts to ambush you outside the Chantry.

Hurlock Sniper

These ranged DPS hurlocks show up in the siege of Amaranthine, and attempt to ambush you outside the Chantry.

Hurlock Special Abilities

The Mother

Rank : Elite Boss

Class : Monster—High Damage

Prime Location : The Nest

Special Abilities : Animus Lash, Tentacle Ward, Scream, Rotting Gas, Vomit, Sweep, Spit, Slam, Glyph of Neutralization, Stinging Swarm, Chain Lightning

Description : The Mother was a young human woman infected with the Blight and transformed into a monstrous creature built only for birthing darkspawn. Her mind was subsumed by her dark impulses—but when the Architect freed her from those impulses, she regained a bit of her identity...only to discover that she was now a tormented, hideous creature twisted by corruption. She went insane. Now she is a creature of chaos, a gibbering mad monster determined to be queen of the darkspawn so that she can destroy herself and the world along with her.

Play Tips : Your final battle will be against the Mother. For complete details on this epic encounter see the "Lair of the Mother" walkthrough chapter.

Attributes

Ogre

Rank : Lieutenant or Normal

Class : Monster—High Damage

Prime Location : Anywhere

Special Abilities : Grab, Hurl, Ram, Stomp, Sweep, Whirlwind

Description : Ogres originate from qunari broodmothers; they are rare, but growing in number. They are massive: taller and broader than even hurlock alphas, with dark, rough-colored skin covered in patches of thick fur. They possess huge, curved horns and are said to charge their enemies like bulls, slamming into them with devastating effect: they can even barrel through thick stone walls.

Play Tips : Avoid the ogre's long reach: an ogre can grab and choke the life out of you. If an ogre grabs a companion, stun it with attacks like shield bash to break its hold.

Attributes

Armored Ogre

A fully geared ogre is a much more dangerous foe. The armored ogre has an extra 2,000 health, +35 armor, and +15 magic resistance. An armored ogre can also spin to inflict tremendous damage to all surrounding foes.

Pride Demon

Rank : Boss (lesser is ranked Lieutenant)

Class : Monster—High Damage

Prime Location : Blackmarsh

Special Abilities : Drain, Fire Blast, Fire Bolt, Frost Bolt, Frost Burst, Mana Wave, Shockwave

Description : Demons can exist in both the real world (through possession) and in the Fade. Demons spend their time searching out new territory and pushing their boundaries. For this reason, they are the Fade dwellers most commonly seen in the mortal realm. While in the Fade, demons rail at a sleeper, forcing him into dark realms of nightmare where the demons feed off the negative energy created by his fear.

The demons are, in order of increasing power and intelligence: rage, hunger, sloth, desire, and pride. Greater pride demons are bosses, while lesser pride demons are ranked as lieutenants.

Play Tips : Watch out for the pride demon's Drain ability. When a pride demon grabs a target, it drains health from the target to heal itself. Break the effect immediately with stuns or a spell like Force Field.

Attributes

Queen of the Blackmarsh

Rank : Elite Boss

Class : Monster—Tank

Prime Location : Blackmarsh

Special Abilities : Flurry of special melee attacks (tail, wings, arms, legs), Lightning Breath, Lightning Spit, Roar

Description : This spectral dragon now exists solely in the Fade. If you complete "The Lost Dragon Bones" side quest, you can summon forth the Queen of the Blackmarsh to the mountaintop in Blackmarsh.

Play Tips : You need a fully geared party of at least level 24 to attempt this dragon encounter. See "The Lost Dragon Bones" side quest description for strategy tips on the fight.

Attributes

Rage Demon

Rank : Lieutenant (lesser is ranked Critter)

Class : Monster—Spirit

Prime Location : Blackmarsh Undying

Special Abilities : Fire Bolt, Fire Burst, Slam

Description : Demons can exist in both the real world (through possession) and in the Fade. Demons spend their time searching out new territory and pushing their boundaries. For this reason, they are the Fade dwellers most commonly seen in the mortal realm.

While in the Fade, demons rail at a sleeper, forcing him into dark realms of nightmare where the demons feed off the negative energy created by his fear. The demons are, in order of increasing power and intelligence: rage, hunger, sloth, desire, and pride. Greater rage demons are lieutenants, while lesser rage demons are ranked as critters.

Play Tips : Stick to cold-based spells to deal extra damage. Cone of Cold or Blizzard can freeze them solid and deal significant damage; even Winter's Grasp can be effective.

Attributes

Revenant

Rank : Lieutenant

Class : Monster—High Damage

Prime Location : Blackmarsh

Special Abilities : Double Strike, Mass Pull, Pull

Description : A revenant is a corpse possessed by a pride demon. Many possess spells, but most are armed and armored and prefer to use their martial talents.

Play Tips : A challenging foe, the revenant can pull you toward it with telekinesis; ranged DPS and healing won't be safe at the edge of the battlefield. Don't waste time on ranged positioning. If the revenant does pull, it sets aside its massive blade, which is prime time for melee combatants to get in some licks.

Attributes

Shade

Rank : Lieutenant (lesser version is ranked Normal)

Class : Monster—Spirit

Prime Location s: Blackmarsh, Blackmarsh Undying

Special Abilities : Aura of Weakness, Disorient, Drain Life, Horror, Leap, Misdirection Hex, Slam

Description : Shades are spirits of the dead that have come into the mortal world but have not possessed living beings. Over time, they become so jealous of the living that they can sap life energy with their very touch. They become humanoid shadows, lingering in dead places and draining life whenever it draws near.

Those that have fed on a great deal of life energy become more powerful versions known as "wraiths." Wraiths regain a bit of their intelligence and can use their power to affect the mortal world, usually through control over the elements and by affecting the minds of the living.

Play Tips : Mundane weapons may have a lesser effect, but spells can put a hurt on a shade. Keep your spellcasters protected and let them fire away while the tank and melee DPS hold them at bay.

Attributes

Shriek

Rank : Lieutenant (Normal shriek is ranked Normal)

Class : Monster—High Damage

Prime Location : Anywhere

Special Abilities : Frenzy, Leap, Overwhelm, Terrorize

Description : Thought of as horrors of the night more than as darkspawn, shrieks are tall, lean creatures renowned for their speed, incredible agility, and stealth. Indeed, shrieks have been known to run (with their strange, loping gait: their arms are as long as their legs) as fast as a horse and disappear just as quickly into the shadows.

Shrieks' talons and teeth are incredibly sharp, as their favorite tactic is to leap on their prey and tear it to ribbons within seconds. Shrieks originate from elven broodmothers, and retain both a natural elven agility and relative fragility. Only a couple of solid strikes are needed to kill the creature—getting that strike, however, tends to be the problem.

Physically, shrieks stand between six and seven feet tall but weigh only perhaps 100 to 120 pounds. They are thin, with bark-like skin that ranges from light green to dark brown. Their faces are twisted, with long wild-looking hair and eyes that are sunken into their skull, appearing to be black holes with pricks of dim light shining from within.

Play Tips : Set up a defensive perimeter where each companion can watch the others' backs. Shrieks can materialize out of thin air, and you don't want them ripping and tearing at your exposed side.

Attributes

Skeleton

Rank : Normal

Class : Warrior (Monster—Tank)

Prime Locations : Blackmarsh Undying, Shadowy Crypt, Silverite Mine, Vigil's Keep Deep Roads

Special Abilities : Ancient (ranked bonuses), Archer (ranged), Devouring (increased health), Fanged (Dual Weapon), Normal (Weapon and Shield), Shambling (Two-Handed)

Description : Demons that possess flesh form walking corpses; demons that possess bones form skeletons.

Play Tips : Employ standard party tactics as you would for any melee combatant or enemy archer. The shambling skeletons generally deal more damage and should be a priority, though if you spy an ancient fanged skeleton make it your number-one target.

Attributes

Ancient Fanged Skeleton

These are the toughest of all the skeletons, both in terms of the punishment they can withstand and the punishment they can rake out.

Archer

Archer skeletons are bones possessed by a rage demon.

Devouring

Devouring skeletons are stronger versions of the standard skeleton. You'll encounter more than a few of them in the Shadowy Crypt.

Fanged

Fanged skeletons are bones possessed by a hunger demon. They act as warriors with the Dual Weapon talents.

Normal

Normal skeletons are bones possessed by a rage demon. They act as warriors with the Weapon and Shield talents.

Shambling

Shambling skeletons are bones possessed by a sloth demon. They act as warriors with the Two-Handed talents. In the Blackmarsh Undying, mangled shambling skeletons and desiccated shambling corpses can also plague your party.

Spider

Rank : Normal

Class : Monster—Agile

Prime Locations : Kal'Hirol, Wending Wood

Special Abilities : Poison, Overwhelm, Web

Description : These creatures (also called "deep crawlers" by the dwarves) grew in the depths of the dwarven Deep Roads, once having been encouraged to multiply to feed on the numerous species of large bats that the dwarves considered pests. Once the Deep Roads were lost to the darkspawn, these spiders began to feed on genlocks as well as bats, and their numbers were no longer controlled. Some moved up to make their lairs in the surface forests, but most have remained below ground.

Play Tips : Support each other whenever spiders arrive. If you end up apart, a spider's Web or Overwhelm attack can incapacitate a lone companion. Guard webbed allies until they're free. Against an Overwhelm attack, everyone else should immediately focus on the charging spider to kill it before it kills your companion.

Attributes

Corrupted Spider

Corrupted Spiders are those that have feasted on darkspawn flesh. They are more aggressive and stronger than standard spiders.

Giant Spider

These are the most common variety of dungeon spider and will threaten you with an Overwhelm ability.

Poisonous Spider

These spiders can shoot poison at medium range and deal damage over time.

Sylvan

Rank : Lieutenant

Class : Monster—Tank

Prime Location : Wending Wood

Special Abilities : Rage, Roots, Stomp

Description : In forests where the Veil between this plane and the Fade has become thin, spirits can become one with the trees. Sylvans can retain some of the intelligence and even memories of the possessing spirit, which sometimes grow over time. More often, sylvans retain only a smattering of intelligence and are filled with an extreme jealousy of other living things. They kill any who enter their domain, animating branches to swing as fists, enveloping the living in their roots, or uprooting themselves briefly to walk (slowly). Sylvans are heavily resistant to physical damage.

Play Tips : Tread slowly when in a forest around sylvans. The tree creatures blend in with the non-hostile forest and suddenly spring to life as you near. Fire-based attacks do extra damage.

Attributes

Charred Sylvan

Burnt versions of wild sylvans, charred sylvans are even angrier for what has been done to them.

The Old One

This sylvan boss can be slain in the Wending Wood for its ancient sylvanwood that is a crucial component to creating the unique Heartwood Bow or Heartwood Shield.

Wild Sylvan

The forest is "alive" with vengeful spirits who have possessed trees. These creatures are called "wild sylvans."

Wisp

Rank : Critter

Class : Monster—Spirit

Prime Location : Blackmarsh

Special Abilities : Lightning Strike

Description : Wisps are small glowing balls of electrical energy. It is not certain whether they are demon, spirit, or just a Fade disturbance of some kind.

Play Tips : Wisps won't attack you directly. They use their power to heal the Queen of the Blackmarsh, so take them out if you want to fight her effectively.

Attributes

Wolf

Rank : Critter or Lieutenant (alpha)

Class : Monster—Agile

Prime Locations : Blackmarsh, Wending Wood

Special Abilities : Howl, Overwhelm, Shred

Description : These wolves are large and imposing. They hunt in packs and take advantage of large numbers to take down tougher targets.

Play Tips : Wolves will attempt to swarm you. Try not to get flanked and have the party concentrate firepower on one at a time as you trim down their numbers. Also watch out for their Overwhelm ability, which can take a party member down quickly if you're not prepared.

Attributes

Alpha Blight and Marsh Wolf

A stronger variant of their respective wolf family, this lieutenant will lead the wolf charge as a dangerous pack closes in.

Blight Wolf

A wolf twisted by darkspawn taint.