While Darkest Dungeons 2 sits in early access, many of the enemies could get harder or easier depending on both feedback and what the creators feel is right. However, since there are so many enemies in this challenging roguelike, many can throw you off the scent and force you to misjudge an attack, sometimes costing lives.
Ultimately, there are some enemies that can really pack a punch, unsuspecting or otherwise. You need to be prepared for some of the hardest enemies in Darkest Dungeons 2. Here are all the ones to watch out for.
Updated on May 28, 2023 by Matt Arnold: The roster of monsters in Darkest Dungeon 2 hasn't changed that much since launch, but we've made a few changes to this list to include some truly tenacious opponents. Read on to see which enemies have sent us back to the Crossroads the most!
10 Sacrificial
It may reveal a large amount about the Sacrificial based on the fact that you can find it in The Sprawl. It clearly loves fire so you need to make sure you're prepared for this relatively strong and firey enemy.
Its main attack, being fire, deals additional burn damage, and without that being taken into consideration, you can quickly find your battle plans going up in flames. Nevertheless, the Sacrificial does have a skill that brings it a space forward in enemy lines, making it a little easier to hit and prioritize.
9 Knight
As the larger armored version of the Foot Soldiers and Lost Souls, you already have a brief idea about what you're getting into. In reality, while the Knight may not be hugely different attack-wise, it's their stats that can really mess things up.
It's worth mentioning that the Knight isn't one you really need to prepare for, it doesn't have many horrendous skills or certain aspects that make it almost unbearable, just some heavy stats when compared to the other Lost Battalion members within The Tangle. Nevertheless, the Knight has a move of 240, ad 45 health, two things that can make it a little trickier to put an enemy down. It's advised you take the Knight down before the other, smaller enemies.
8 Swine Brute
Located in the Sluice, the Swine Brute is essentially a bigger, badder version of the Swine Skulker. Not that it's particularly powerful though, it's more of an annoying inconvenience than one step down from a mini-boss.
Ultimately, the Swine Brutes attacks will more than likely stun you, therefore forcing you to lose your next action, a move that could be critical for you if the other enemies are still present. Not only does it stop you from using your next action, it also inflicts bleed, and a painful one at that! You want to get rid of this pest as soon as you can.
7 Ghoul
While many enemies can be expected when you're in a certain location, some are entirely unpredictable, like the Ghoul. Ghouls can be found in any location and really pack a punch, more so than any other Gaunt creature.
The punch includes the Rend attack which deals bleed and can stun you too. It can also grant itself dodge, stopping you in your tracks during a tough battle. However, its worst ability is its Howl. This causes horror and stress to more than one hero, ultimately ruining a fair amount of battle plans.
6 Dinner Cart
One of the most frustrating aspects of the Dinner Cart is the fact that it always comes with another Plague Eater by its side. They form the Dinner Cart and can really pack a punch if you're not prepared.
It can be found in the Foetor and mainly deals ranged attacks. That's a pain but isn't too hard to deal with, it's the eating corpses that can really make a battle a challenge. When the Dinner Cart eats a corpse it deals Stress and Blight damage to any hero at the back of the line. You need to get the Dinner Cart out of the way before it gets the chance to eat any of the corpses.
5 Lord
Located in the Foetor, the Plague Eater Lord is a foe that looks absolutely disgusting. He's also absolutely disgusting to fight, mainly because of his ability to regenerate and his frustrating use of stun.
It may seem useful that the Lord can consume other enemies that are inflicted with the Fodder Status, but it only makes him stronger, and that's the last thing you want to deal with when fighting more than one. Especially since he can grant other characters strength during the fight. Definitely get rid of the Lord as quickly as possible.
4 Drummer
Support enemies are common in Darkest Dungeon 2, lurking in the back ranks and providing buffs for their tougher counterparts. They can be a nuisance, but usually serve only to make a fight slightly tougher.
The Drummer, however, is another story. These undead musicians provide their team with a buff at the start of the round, before you have a chance to do anything about it, and they have their regular action as well. They force other enemies to take hits for them, making them difficult to eliminate, and direct their teammates to focus on a single hero, quickly wearing down their HP.
If that all weren't bad enough, if the Drummer is caught alone after you've taken out his squad, he'll use Death Before Dishonor to inflict Stress on the party as a parting gift. This is especially dangerous in the General's Keep, as the Dreaming General inflicts a lot of Stress as well.
3 Implication
One of the most frustrating aspects of the Pillaging Brigands is the fact that they are random encounters, so you have no idea if they're going to pop up and destroy your day. Combine this pain of an enemy with the Implication weapon, and you're in a load of trouble.
Essentially, the Pillager is a powerful enemy on its own, capable of some relatively big damage, and is usually the first many get rid of when coming against a bunch of enemies. However, the Implication does some incredible bleed damage. All this combined is a nightmare.
2 Pit Fighter
Located in the Sprawl, the Pit Fighter is one you really can't afford to underestimate. If you aren't prepared for such an annoying and powerful enemy then that may just be the end of your run. That being said, you'll know to never judge Pit Fighters before you fight them.
He starts any battle with a ton of health and usually takes two turns when it's his go, meaning you could be in serious trouble by the end of his turn. The worst attack the Pit Fighter is capable of is the Jawbreaker. This attack can do a ridiculous amount of damage and will make you dazed, as well as pushing you back a position. Ultimately, he's capable of buffs, has many skills, and has more health than you could dream of.
1 Bishop
Located in the Tangle, the Bishop is one of the main enemies that beginner players underestimate. He doesn't look as bad as other enemies so they are often seen as one you can forget for a while until you can dispatch the other monsters around him. This is probably the worst mistake you can make.
One of the biggest skills the Bishop has is to raise the dead. This skill restores the dead creatures hp and essentially starts the battle all over again, it can also inflict stress on you, just to add to the struggle.