The epic war between heaven and hell continues with Diablo 4, with Sanctuary serving as the battleground once again. A lot of newcomers to the series might be confused, since Diablo himself doesn't appear in the most recent installment in the franchise, but there are plenty of other demons in the infernal hierarchy to back him up.
The main plot revolves around a family squabble involving certain members of his extended family, with daughter Lilith taking a major role in this chapter's story. His influence is still significant, it's just a question of branding and name-dropping at this point.
Updated July 4, 2024, by Kristy Ambrose: Season 5 is on its way for Diablo 4, and the PTR for the upcoming stage of the game that ran from June 25 to July 2 enjoyed a positive reception. The new campaign is old news, but it's still a compelling part of the game for newcomers to discover. Most players know the basic storyline and the major characters in the plot have revealed themselves, their alliances, and their motives. This includes the demons, the angels, and the adventurers that are caught between them.
17 Astrogha
The Spider Demon
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Place in the Demonic Hierarchy |
A pet of Diablo, the Lord of Terror |
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Astrogha might be considered a pet by Diablo, but he's also a cunning demon and among the most powerful beings in the lore of Diablo 4. Lucion, a powerful demon who has a place among the Prime Evils, summoned the spider demon to Sanctuary to aid in his fight against Lilith.
This fearsome being isn't just a giant spider, but a gruesome mix of spider and human, equipped with several hand-like limbs on his torso and upper body. When he's not acting as a battle pet for the most powerful demons in the Hells, Astrogha can be found in the Temple of the Triune, where he can be easily found should his master call for him.
16 Rathma
First-Generation Nephalem
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Place in the Demonic Hierarchy |
The son of Lilith and Inarius |
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A first-generation Nephalem, Rathma had the powers of both demons and angels. The Cult he started in Sanctuary bore his name, the Priests of Rathma, and he participated in the infamous Sin War. Those who saw the Diablo 4 trailer, which showed him bringing his mother Lilith into the world of Sanctuary via a wall of sanctified flesh, wouldn't hesitate to call him a monster from Hell.
Rathma led the gruesome ritual that brought his mother back from the void where Inarius had imprisoned her and unleashed her on Sanctuary. By doing so, Rathma earned the anger of his father Inarius, who killed him not only for releasing Lilith but for refusing to relinquish the key to the Gates of Hell.
15 Skarn
The Herald Of Terror
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Place In The Demonic Hierarchy |
Lieutenant of Diablo, one of the chaos gods of the Sahptev faith. |
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Media Appearances |
Diablo Immortal |
Skarn only appears in one game, which is why there's not a lot of publicity or information surrounding his character. Yet, he's still one of the most powerful and intimidating figures in Diablo Immortal. His best time was during Hell's civil war. He was able to rise to power when the denizens of Hell were split between following either Azmodan or his rival, Belial.
Whether he commanded his own army during this time is unknown, but the game lore does specify that he ruled over his own corner of Hell during this era. His plan to gain rulership in Hell, by trying to obtain one of the Worldstones with Diablo now dead, is a major part of the game's storyline. He used the power contained in Diablo's skull to create his own personal Realm of Damnation and within it, his residence, the Halls of Punishment, where both angels and demons are tortured for his pleasure.
14 Lucion
Primus Of The Triune
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Place in the Demonic Hierarchy |
The son of Mephisto and leader of the Triune during the Sin War |
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Lucion is Mephisto's son, one of the Prime Evils in Diablo. Based on his heritage alone, one would expect him to be a powerful creature. However, he was one of the first few demons who failed to take over Sanctuary.
The demon spawn's plans were cut short after a demon-angel hybrid called a Nephalem defeated him in a rather humiliating struggle which ended in Lucion's powers and abilities being willed out of existence. Other demons were seemingly more resistant to such forms of defeat, but this unique fate might foreshadow the same vulnerability in other demons.
13 Andariel
The Maiden Of Anguish
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Place in the Demonic Hierarchy |
One of the Lesser Evils and the sister of Duriel |
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The only female Prime Evil, Andariel first appeared in Diablo 2, serving as the overall boss for Act 1. This is a time when players are still not at their peak and are just starting in their adventure to chase down Diablo's next incarnation.
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Andariel helped the other three Lesser Evils overtake Hell by exiling the three Prime Evils to Sanctuary. Andariel resurfaces in the lore after siding with Diablo again, anticipating his eventual return to Hell and also wanting to reduce her inevitable punishment. She's a boss in the Diablo 4 campaign as the demon who attempts to possess Taissa, a Witch of the Swamp.
12 Rakanoth
The Lord of Despair
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Place in the Demonic Hierarchy |
A servant of Andariel |
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The demon Rakanoth looks like a shark covered in cutting scales, and anyone can tell you that all it takes is a touch from such an animal to tear the skin off a human's bones. Of course, his master in the lore of Diablo is none other than Andariel, the Maiden of Anguish, and Rakanoth delighted in his service.
Formerly the jailor of the fallen angel Izual, Rakanoth ruled and inhabited the Plains of Despair, and was powerful enough to survive a battle with the Angel Tyrael. He met his end at the hands of the Nephalem that were determined to rescue archangel Auriel, whom he was holding captive in the Library of Fate.
11 Duriel
The Lord Of Pain
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Place in the Demonic Hierarchy |
A Lesser Evil and the brother of Andariel |
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Duriel also faded into obscurity shortly after the four Lesser Evils took over Hell in the Dark Exile coup. He promptly re-appeared in Diablo 2 after being summoned by both Diablo and Baal to guard the Archangel Tyrael after the two of the Prime Evils imprisoned the latter in Tal Rasha's Tomb.
It's reasonable to assume that Duriel also quickly changed sides as soon as it appeared that the Prime Evils were gaining traction once more. He has a higher spot here as a powerful demon because of being an Act 2 boss.
10 Belial
The Lord Of Lies
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Place in the Demonic Hierarchy |
A Lesser Evil and the brother of Azmodan |
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Belial is one of the four Lesser Evils and was among the chief conspirators of the Dark Exile coup mentioned above. Despite his participation in the Hell coup and civil war, he remained one of the most elusive out of the seven Evils of Hell in the Diablo lore.
After the four Lesser Evils took over, Belial eventually waged yet another civil war against Azmodan, one of the four. However, he quickly lost this war in a relatively short time, meaning he was not much more powerful than Andariel and certainly weaker than Azmodan.
9 Hephasto
The Demonic Armorer
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Place in the Demonic Hierarchy |
Formerly a Seraphim Angel |
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Given the name and title, this powerful demon was inspired by the Greek god Hephestos, also known by his Roman name, Vulcan. This god worked his magical forge in a deep volcano and was so hideously ugly that the goddess Aphrodite was forced to marry him as punishment.
Haphasto appears as a boss in Diablo 2 and takes prominent roles in other games and media even if he's only mentioned in expository dialogue or a flashback. He was one of Baal's most trusted and brutal minions and was a guiding force in the destruction of Mephisto's temple during the Sin War.
8 The Smith
Hell's Blacksmith And Keeper Of The Horadric Malus
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Place in the Demonic Hierarchy |
The Smith of Dibalo in Diablo II |
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The Smith might be one of the more obscure demons in the Diablo pantheon, but his power and influence on the overall story make him one of the most powerful. He is not to be confused with Hephasto, although they have similar roles and even share some of the same lines. As opposed to Hephasto, this unique blue demon wasn't much of a fighter and was confined to the forge.
The Smith is the demon who uses the power of the Horadric Malus, an enchanted smithing hammer, to create the weapons for Diablo's army. Thus, he is responsible for the tools carried by the aggressive monsters the protagonist faces. In a quest called "Tools of the Trade" in Diablo II, the protagonist is sent to either slay or trick him and return the Horadric Malus to its rightful owners, the Sisters of the Sightless Eye. This also checks the power of Diablo when it comes to arming his forces, an important part of the quest chain.