The Diablo franchise has since 1997 never failed to deliver on its main concept—traveling to Hell and hunting the Devil. As one would expect, all iterations of the Diablo games are filled with terrifying monsters and demons that the hero must face in battle, each scarier than the last.

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Some of these horrifying creatures - that range from immortal demons, to various types of beasts and creatures - continue to haunt players even after defeating them in battle. In terms of Diablo lore, gameplay mechanics, and looks, these monsters and demons are the most terrifying to date in the Diablo games.

10 The Rat King

Mutated Vermin That Spew Toxins From Their Backs

Diablo 3 The Rat King

Rat Kings can be found in Diablo Immortal and Diablo 3, and they stalk the sewers of the cities in Sanctuary, feeding on the flesh of those unfortunate enough to encounter them. What makes these super rats highly repulsive is the fact that they reproduce by the female laying eggs on the male Rat King's back, and the larvae crawling into it, creating huge holes.

When defeated in battle, a nest of rats erupts from the Rat King's corpse to attack the player. For those scared of vermin, the Rat King is a truly unpleasant encounter.

9 Mallet Lord

Eerie Demonic Creatures That Tower Above All On The Battlefield

Diablo Mallet Lord Illustration

Also known as Mallet Demons, these creatures from the Burning Hells first appear in Act 4 of Diablo 3 in the Hell Rifts. While they present a fair challenge in battle, having a few heavy-hitting attacks, in terms of appearance especially, they seem to come straight out of a nightmare.

Mallet Lords have four long arms that they use for walking, and their faces are reminiscent of the xenomorphs from the classic horror franchise, Alien. Their pale elongated heads (that are covered in spiky armor), along with sharp teeth and very long arms are a sight to behold.

8 Duriel

A Lesser Evil With Gaping Jaws For A Stomach

Diablo 4 Duriel The Lord of Pain

Duriel is one of the four lesser evils that spawned from the seven heads of Tathamet and appears in almost every Diablo game to date. This lesser evil is also known as the Lord of Pain or as Maggot King and is the twin brother of the equally terrifying Andariel.

As ruler of the Realm of Pain in Hell, Duriel is not only very powerful but also very scary. Duriel has an insect-like body, with a huge horn on his forehead, long spikes for hands, and worst of all, a stomach that opens like a mouth with large teeth, devouring its enemies.

7 Baal

A Demon With A Human Face And An Animal Body

Diablo The Lord of Destruction Baal

One of the three Prime Evils, Baal is also known as the Lord of Destruction and is the brother of Mephisto and Diablo. Like his brothers, Baal also appears in some form or other in most Diablo games, each iteration of the creature more horrific than the last.

In his most recent appearance in Diablo 3, Baal has a pale aged face, with a crab-like lower body. Baal walks on four claw-like legs, with more claws protruding from his back and horns from his head. In some games, his stomach is also open, revealing his guts.

6 Vile Mother

Twisted And Deformed Demons That Spawn Deadly Offspring

Diablo Resurrected Vile Mother Model

Vile Mothers are found in Act 4 of Diablo 2 and mostly in Bilefen in Diablo Immortal. These demons pose a challenge in battle, as they tend to swarm players, while also producing equally deadly offspring in the midst of battle. Additionally, they have a hard-hitting slash attack, and they can be revived by Necromancers, making it hard to get rid of them.

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Apart from their deadliness in battle, these creatures are truly grotesque. In the classic horror style, their backs are twisted, and they walk on all fours. Add a scorpion-like tail, horns, and a demon face, and a monster that truly lives up to its name—Vile Mother—is born.

5 Mephisto

A Prime Evil That Is Half Skeleton Half Demon

Diablo Mephisto

Also known as the Lord of Hatred, Mephisto is Diablo's other brother, and also Lilith, the main antagonist of Diablo 4's, father. Like the other prime evils, Mephisto appears in most Diablo games and is a sight of wickedness to behold when players encounter him.

Mephisto has a skeletal body, partially covered with muscles. In some iterations, he has four arms, in others, two of his arms are replaced with tails that look like spines. Mephisto has two huge horns on his head, and his face is that of an eerie skeleton.

4 Andariel

A Female Lesser Evil With Stingers And Fire-breathing Skeletons On Her Back

Diablo Andariel

Andariel, the sister of the Lord of Pain, Duriel, is as unsettling as her brother. Andariel also goes by the names, Maiden of Anguish and Demon Queen, and she appears in Diablo games from Diablo 2 onward.

In all iterations, Andariel has four spider-like stingers on her back, which is a big no for arachnophobes. Later on, she wears a wooden shrine on her back with two creepy skeleton faces on it. In some promotional images for Diablo 4, these two skeletons even breathe fire.

3 Belial

A Floating Menace That Operates In The Shadows

Belial Diablo 3 Concept Art (1)

Also known as the Lord of Lies or the Great One, Belial is a lesser evil that has an insect-like appearance - he resembles an oversized and considerably more terrifying type of bee. Belial makes his debut in Diablo 3 and is the brother of the horrific Azmadon.

For those scared of bees - or any type of flying insect in fact - Belial is a true horror. Belial's body is insect-like, and he has two claw-like arms that extend from huge shoulders and a head with four horns on it. To make it even creepier, there are eyes on Belial's shoulders that compliment his demonic-looking face.

2 Azmadon

The Fire-wielding Commander Of Demons

Diablo 3 Azmadon Artwork

Like his brother, Belial, Azmadon is a power-hungry lesser evil that is fear-inspiring. Azmadon features mainly in Diablo 3, as the final boss of Act 3. This huge demon sits in a pool of flames as he launches attacks on the player.

While Belial has an insect-like lower body, Azmadon resembles a crustacean, with six crab-like legs carrying his oversized body around. Azmadon has large spikes for shoulders, horns on his head, and fire in his mouth - a representation of everything grotesque and ugly.

1 The Butcher

An Eerie Monster That Butchers Human Beings And Keeps Their Corpses

The Butcher Boss in Diablo

Most fans will agree that The Butcher is the most horrific monster that one can encounter in Diablo. In Diablo 1, his words "Ah... Fresh meat" echo through the corridors as one enters The Butcher's room, which is filled with skinned and deformed corpses hanging from the ceiling.

The Butcher himself is also an unpleasant-looking guy - sharp teeth, horns, a muscular body, and a huge knife that he uses for cutting up his victims. While The Butcher is the least scary in terms of looks, the idea of a monster that cuts up human beings and hangs them on his ceiling is in itself enough to make one's skin crawl.

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Diablo 4
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9 /10
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Released
June 5, 2023
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WHERE TO PLAY

SUBSCRIPTION
DIGITAL
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Developer(s)
Blizzard
Genre(s)
Action RPG, Hack and Slash