Monster Champion

Burning crown identifies a monster champion

Introduced in Update 24 and reworked in Update 34, some enemies gain randomized buffs on Hard, Elite, and Reaper difficulties in quests with an effective level of 5 or higher (i.e. starting with level 4 quests on Hard difficulty, and level 3 quests on Elite or Reaper). These enemies are called Champions, and they have an always-visible, unless sneaking or invisible, burning crown above their heads to mark them.

Monster Champions do not spawn in any quest on Solo, Casual, or Normal difficulty; nearly all raids (except Killing Time and Legendary Shroud's Part 5, where enemies are granted champion buffs but cannot drop Remnants); nor any wilderness area (with the singular exception of Balthan Korl, who again cannot drop Remnants). Furthermore, Reapers and red-named and purple-named enemies cannot spawn as Champions.

Tiers

Not all champions are alike: some are tougher (Tier 2), some are a lot tougher (Tier 3). All champions have a set of buffs — basic abilities and/or resistances — and many (11/20 varieties) have an extra vulnerability to a certain type of magical damage. Tier 2 and 3 champions gain extra abilities on top of these. The more dangerous champions are only encountered at higher difficulty settings.

• Solo/Casual/Normal - no champions
• Hard - Tier 1 only
• Elite - Tier 1 and 2
• Reaper - Tier 1, 2 or 3

For a normal mob or yellow-named champion, the color and size of crown designates whether it is Tier 1, Tier 2 or Tier 3:

  A single-pointed yellow crown indicates it is Tier 1

  A tri-pointed orange crown indicates it is Tier 2

  A tri-pointed red crown with a central gem indicates it is Tier 3

Orange-named (mini-boss) champions always wear the red crown, but may be either Tier 1, Tier 2 or Tier 3, subject to the difficulty setting.

Spawn rate

Hard

• Normal monsters: 6%
• Orange-named monsters (mini-bosses): 33%

Elite & Reaper

• Normal monsters: 9%
• Orange-named monsters (mini-bosses): 66% (DDO Forums ^{ARCHIVE ME!})

Rewards

When defeated, champions have a chance to drop Mysterious Remnants

• Regular (yellow) champions have a chance to drop Mysterious Remnants, which will appear at the feet* of the character that delivered the killing blow. Similar to treasure bags, any and all characters can "use" these remnants to collect them, even characters entering a quest after that champion is killed. These remnants only last in place for a minute or so, then disappear.

  * This includes if the character is in mid-jump or mid-fall. In these situations, remnants will be suspended mid-air, occasionally making them challenging to collect.

• Mini-boss (orange) champions have a chance to drop a chest when defeated, which will always include Mysterious Remnants along with randomly generated treasure appropriate to the modified level of the quest.
  • These chests remain for 3 minutes, then turn red and disappear after one more minute.
  • Just like standard chests, only characters that are in the quest when the chest is first opened may loot them.
  • These chests are all considered unique, so are not subject to the chest ransack mechanic.

• Event-specific champions drop event consumables.

Drop rates:

• 33% chance to drop chest or remnants (and 66% during Double Remnant events) (Vargouille ^{ARCHIVE ME!})
• Player data (older) ^{ARCHIVE ME!}

Buffs

Champions come in 20 different varieties, and it's random which will be applied to any one champion. Each variety has their own template of abilities based on a theme inspired by one of the Outer or Inner Planes of the Forgotten Realms, where they get these powers. Players can see the variety of Champion they are facing by looking at the creature's title, and additional detail can be found in the examination window.

All champions receive the basic champion buff, Damage Boost - I deal extra damage.

• On occasion, this is the only buff applied; think of this as Tier 0 (this may be limited to orange-named enemiesneeds verification)

Many have True Sight, making Invisibility ineffective against them:

• 7 of 20 Tier 1 champions, 10 of 20 Tier 2, and 15 of 20 Tier 3.
  • Note that Mark of Chaos champions can randomly receive True Sight, however this is not included in the above tallies.

Type	Theme	Tier 1	Tier 1	Tier 2	Tier 3	Tier 3	Vulnerability
Aboreian [sic]	Arborea - land of righteous anger and passion	True Sight	Second WindUpon first dropping below 1/2 HP, deals increased damage for 10s	Mind Block	Last StandWhen first damaged to 1/2 HP, gains Uncanny Aim	Great SunderingAttacks reduce enemies' AC, similar to Sunder	None
Archeron [sic]	Acheron - land of endless battle - pro melee and missile	Fortification BonusExtra Fortification	Great SunderingAttacks reduce enemies' AC, similar to Sunder	Second WindUpon first dropping below 1/2 HP, deals increased damage for 10s	Dodge BypassAttacks ignore Dodge	Fortification Bypass BonusExtra Fortification Bypass	None
Beast Mark	Beastlands - animal instincts make me stronger and faster	Dodge BonusExtra dodge	Dodge BypassAttacks ignore Dodge	True Sight	Second WindUpon first dropping below 1/2 HP, deals increased damage for 10s	Fortification Bypass BonusExtra Fortification Bypass	None
Demon Soul	Abyss - chaotic demon	Demonic Energy AbsorptionGains absorb Electricity and Poison damage types	True Sight	Poison Damage on HitAttacks deal extra Poison damage	Poison DoTAttacks deal stacking Poison damage over time	Unknown	Good
Elemental Fury	Elemental Chaos - hostile plane where all the elemental planes combine	Random Elemental AbsorptionGains absorb one of Acid, Cold, Electricity, or Fire damage	Elemental Damage on HitAttacks deal one of extra Acid, Cold, Electricity, or Fire damage	Random Non-Elemental TraitOne of Death Ward, extra Fortification, Freedom of Movement, or Knockdown on contact	True Sight	Fire DoTneeds verificationAttacks deal stacking Fire damage over time	None
Fey Touched	Feywild - blurry, nimble and immune to enchantments and illusions	Blur	True Sight	Enchantment WardImmune to Enchantment spells and effects	Dodge BonusExtra dodge	Save ReductionAttacks reduce enemies's saves	None
Flame Born	Elemental Plane of Fire	Fire Damage on HitAttacks deal extra Fire damage	Absorb Fire	Deathblock	Fire DoTAttacks deal stacking Fire damage over time	True Sight	Cold
Hero's Soul	Ysgard - undying hero; Valhalla-ish	Dodge BonusExtra dodge.	Fortification BonusExtra Fortification	Deathblock	Unyielding SovereigntyActivates first time this drops to 1/2 HP	Knockdown ImmunityImmune to Knockdown effects	None
Infernal Pact	Nine Hells - devilish and evil	Devilish Energy AbsorptionGains absorb Fire and Poison damage types	True Sight	Fortification Bypass BonusExtra Fortification Bypass	Fire DoTAttacks deal stacking Fire damage over time	Vulnerable on HitAttacks cause stacks of the Vulnerable condition	Good
Light Bearer	Mount Celestia - heavenly and lawful	True Sight	Unyielding SovereigntyActivated upon first dropping below 1/2 HP	Deathblock	Uncanny AimAttacks ignore Armor Class	Light Damage on HitAttacks deal extra Light damage	Negative
Mark of Chaos	Limbo - chaos means random type and number of effectsIncluding some that occur nowhere else in this table, eg: Negative or Rust DoT	Random	Random	Random	Random	Random	Lawful
Mark of Law	Mechanus - lawful clockworks, machine-like thinking	Force Damage on HitAttacks deal extra Force damage	True Sight	Guarded Mind	Dodge BypassAttacks ignore Dodge	Deathblock	Chaotic
Pandemonium	Pandemonium - I'm crazy, and I make you crazy	Mind Block	Slow Debuff on HitAttacks reduce movement and attack speed	Vulnerable on HitAttacks cause stacks of the Vulnerable condition	Healing Debuff on HitAttacks reduce healing amplification	Displacement	Lawful
Shadow Marked	Shadowfell - negative energy	Incorporeal	Absorb Negative	Deathblock	Healing Debuff on HitAttacks reduce healing amplification	True Sight	Light
Skyborn	Elemental Plane of Air	Electricity Damage on HitAttacks deal extra Electricity damage	Absorb Electricity	Freedom of Movement	Electricity DoTAttacks deal stacking Electricity damage over time	Deflect Arrows	Acid
Soul of Cruelty	Gehenna - land of greed and ambition	Acid DoTAttacks deal stacking Acid damage over time	True Sight	Guarded Mind	Improved Acid DoTAttacks now deal more stacking Acid damage over time	See Invisibility	None
Soul of Ice	Elemental Plane of Water	Cold Damage on HitAttacks deal extra Cold damage	Absorb Cold	Slow Debuff on HitAttacks reduce movement and attack speed	Cold DoTAttacks deal stacking Cold damage over time	True Sight	Fire
Soulless	Carceri - My soul is locked in the prison plane, won’t you join me?	Slow Debuff on HitAttacks reduce movement and attack speed	SlowedRandomly suffer their own slow effect for ~5s	True Sight	Save ReductionAttacks reduce enemies' saves	Uncanny AimAttacks ignore Armor Class	None
Stone Guard	Elemental Plane of Earth	Absorb Acid	Absorb Piercing and Slashing	Uncanny BalanceGrants immunity to most knockdown effects	Vulnerable on HitAttacks cause stacks of the Vulnerable condition	True Sight	Electricity
Stygian	Hades - death and despair; don’t look back	Deathblock	Absorb Negative	Slow Debuff on HitAttacks reduce movement and attack speed	Save ReductionAttacks reduce enemies's saves	Healing Debuff on HitAttacks reduce healing amplification	None

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There are also four unique event champions (see the event pages for details):

• Ghost of Crystal Cove from Treasure of Crystal Cove
• Scourge of the Snowpeaks from the Snowpeaks Festival
• Shadow of Mabar from The Night Revels

Night Revels crown

Snowpeaks crown

• Psionic Thrall from Illithid Invasion
  • This champion is the only type that can appear in Illithid Invasion's four quests - see the page for more.

For the details of Special Champions which appear in Hardcore Server, see Monster Champion/Hardcore. (Note that as part of some events, such as 2021's Spooky Summer, Hardcore champions can appear on the main servers.)

• These champions work slightly differently - most have no elemental vulnerability, and have all of their possible buffs regardless of Tier. They are often significantly more dangerous than their main server counterparts.

Special appearance during special events

• During the Night Revels, Champions' crowns show a little jack o'lantern under the usual crown of fire.
• During the Snowpeaks Festival, champions of all three tiers have the large tri-pointed crown with a central gem, however it is frosty (blue flame) rather than fiery.

See also

• Monster Champion Feedback (Lamannia) ^{ARCHIVE ME!}
• Monster Champion Feedback (live) ^{ARCHIVE ME!}