What Are Champions in Diablo 4?

Learn about Champion enemies in Diablo 4: what they are, how to identify them, and why you need to prioritize taking them down in World Tier 3 and beyond.

Alright, so you've made it to World Tier 3, aka Nightmare difficulty, in Diablo 4. Things are starting to get a bit tougher, and you'll notice some new faces popping up. Among these are the 'Champions'. Think of them as a step up from your regular mobs, but not quite as terrifying as the big bad Elites. They're a common sight once you hit WT3, showing up pretty much anywhere and anytime, whether you're just exploring, running a Nightmare Dungeon, or getting caught in a Helltide.

Now, here's the kicker: unlike Elites, Champions don't have those crazy, random special abilities. But don't get complacent! They've got a trick up their sleeve: a damage-reducing aura. This aura doesn't just make them tougher to hit; it also buffs up all the other monsters hanging out with them. So, you might find yourself facing a whole pack of enemies that are suddenly way more resilient. Combined with the general increase in enemy damage in WT3, this means a pack led by a Champion can sometimes feel more dangerous than a standard Elite!

And to make things even more interesting, Elites can actually benefit from these Champion auras too. So, when you're in World Tier 3, especially when you're near a dungeon objective or during an event, you're likely to run into mixed groups of Champions and Elites. It can get pretty chaotic.

You'll spot a Champion pretty easily – they've got this distinct purplish glowing aura around them. Because they make everything else around them so much tougher, your best bet is always to take them out first. If you let them hang around, you risk getting overwhelmed by the buffed-up horde. Once you defeat a Champion, their aura will fade pretty quickly. Other than the trouble they cause with their aura, they're not super special when it comes to loot or their own stats.

Quick Trivia: Back in Diablo 2, Champions were a bit different. They usually appeared in small groups, had boosted stats and levels, and dropped better loot. Later on, they even got different variants like Ghostly or Berserker, each with unique effects. So, they've evolved a bit for Diablo 4!