Elites in Diablo 4 are basically the big baddies aka the mini-bosses and main bosses. They have much higher HP, attack power and defense as compared to the normal enemies. To make things even more challenging, Elites in Diablo 4 usually have certain affixes or status effects that grant them elemental power-ups and certain non-elemental utilities.
An Elite can have multiple affixes, making them the ultimate challenge in Diablo 4’s world. The higher you go up in difficulty, the more Elites you will encounter with multiple affixes. We are here to help guide you with Elite’s affixes, their nature, pattern and how you can avoid them to gain an upper hand against the ultimate baddies of Diablo 4.
Diablo 4 Elemental Affixes
These affixes are related to the five main elements in Diablo 4. Elites with Elemental affixes can be scary when first encountered, but their patterns can be memorized easily due to their repetitive nature.
Cold Affixes
Cold Enchanted
If the players come in contact with the elite enemies using the Cold Enchanted affix, they receive cold damage and chill status effect build-up. This can result in a Frozen state if you the players get hit by these elites repeatedly. Take your time and learn the patterns to avoid getting hit.
Chilling Wind
Elites with Chilling Wind summon a wall of ice-wind around them. Players take chill damage if they move inside the wind wall. Ranged attacks/effects also slow down due to massive wind storm around the elites. Keep your distance and wait it out.
Frozen
Elites with Frozen summon ice pillars that have chill AoE attack. These pillars burst causing Frozen damage to the players. Dodge through the crystals as their AoE is relatively small.
Tempest
Elites with Tempest affix can summon multiple ice spikes/claws that can pull the players in their range of melee attacks. Be extra vigilant and use dodge when necessary.
Fire Affixes
Fire Enchanted
Elites with Fire Enchanted shoot three fireballs in random directions that can cause fire damage to the players. These elites explode on death and release three more waves of fireballs that can kill the players if they get greedy for loot.
Explosive
Elites with Explosive summon fireballs that explode near players. This causes massive fire damage and put players on Burn status effect. Keep your distance and dodge when the time is right.
Mortar
Elites with Mortar affix shoot four fire projectiles in the air that hit the ground at their designated locations. The landing of mortars usually takes a few seconds and the area of impact is marked on the ground. Move away from the target area or the resulting impact can cause fire damage.
Lightning Affixes
Lightning Enchanted
Elites with Lightning Enchanted affix release lightning bolt and lightning orbs when struck. The bolts land at random places and lightning orbs moves in random directions. These orbs deflect from walls making it a nuisance to avoid them.
Make sure to have proper lightning protection and keep your distance when attacking these elites.
Electrified Obelisks
Elites with Electrified Obelisks affix summon multiple obelisks with electric charge. These obelisks connect with each other through chains of lightning, causing shock damage to the players that are present in the area.
Killing the elite before it can summon all the obelisks can solve this problem. Otherwise, move away and try to be outside the area between the obelisks.
Shock Lance
Elites with Shock Lance affix summon an electrified lance that moves in a circle around a pivot. This is a very difficult avoid and dodge situation for melee players. However, ranged players can avoid this affix without any trouble.
Teleporter
One of the most terrifying status buff elites can have. Elites with Teleporter affix can move to any area in the arena, creating a massive electrical field around them upon their arrival on the new location. This is a very hard-to-dodge attack and can kill the players instantly. Kill the elites as fast as you can.
Poison Affixes
Poison Enchanted
If players come in contact with the elites using Poison Enchanted affix, they receive poison damage nonstop. These elites produce a pool of poison beneath the players upon hitting them. Avoid getting hit by learning the elites’ patterns and move away from the poison pool fast.
Poison-enchanted elites also create a pool of poison upon their death. Don’t be greedy for the loot.
Plaguebearer
Elites with Plaguebearer affix summons a pool of poison upon their death which explodes shortly after. This causes poison damage to the players in the vicinity. Wait for a few seconds after the explosion until the poison cloud disperses before collecting the loot from the elite.
Shadow Affixes
Shadow Enchanted
Elites with Shadow Enchanted summon their clone for a few seconds. This clone uses the same attacks and patterns. Hitting the clone doesn’t affect the elite’s HP. Avoiding two elites of the same nature at a time can be a daunting task, but we recommend keeping your distance until the clone disappears.
Terrifying
Elites with Terrifying casts two pentagrams on the floor which activate after a few seconds. If the players are standing on the pentagram when it activates, it inflicts Fear status on them. Use dodge and be swift on your feet.
Non-Elemental/Utility Elite Affixes
Elites with Non-Elemental Affixes in Diablo 4 are way scarier and more dangerous to avoid because of the random nature of their attacks.
Hellbound
Elites with Hellbound affix summon totems that bind players to a location. Players can attack or use skills but they can’t leave the area. These totems also drastically reduce the players’ speed. Avoid the totems and kill the elites as quickly as possible.
Multishot
Elites with Multishot hit players with projectiles that split into three. Each shot is as powerful as the combined one and if the player encounters all three, it is three times the original damage and basically game over.
Keep your distance as the chance of getting hit with all three projectile increases astronomically when you are close to the elite.
Summoner
The elite Summoners can summon up to 6 minions at a time to aid them. These minions have more HP and attack power than the normal enemies.
Suppressor
Elites with Suppressor covers themselves with massive silos which makes it impossible to hit them from afar. The only way to deal with these elites is to get up close and personal.
Vampiric
The elites with Vampiric affix drains health from players with each successive attack. This health is then granted to these elites, making them a chore to go through. Make sure to avoid getting hit by learning the patterns of Vampiric elites.
Waller
Elites with Waller can trap players within summoned corridors. The walls of the corridors can be broken to avoid getting killed. Be very quick on your feet and leave the area as soon as possible. If there are multiple enemies in the area, focus on getting rid of the walls instead of getting out of the maze.
These are all the Affixes elites can have in D4. Some elites can have up to 4 affixes at one time (end-game). If you follow our guide and keep a close eye on the elites and their status buffs, you will be walking all over them without getting killed over and over again.
