Hidden

"The Hidden are the boogeymen that haunt our dreams and live in the nightmares of children. Although they dwell at the edge of the Physical and Ethereal Realms where they remain unseen by mortal sight, they can quickly manifest and strike those that appear vulnerable. Metus Occultus and others of their ilk feed upon the essence of fear. When wounded, they will seek to retreat back into the Ether to heal themsleves. It is important to note that even while invisible the creature exists partially on the Physical Realm and can be affected by spells and weapons."

^(src)

A Hidden

The Hidden (lit. Metus Ocultus) are a type of demonic enemy encountered in Diablo I.

Lore

"...Darkness shrouds the Hidden. Eyes glowing unseen with only the sounds of razor claws briefly scraping to torment those poor souls who have been made sightless for all eternity. The prison for those so Damned is named the Halls of the Blind..."

- A rhyme in regards to the Hidden^(src)

Hidden appear as sexless humanoids, sometimes glowing with infernal light. They dwell at the edge of the physical realm and the Ether, where they remain unseen by mortal sight. They can quickly manifest and strike those that appear vulnerable. Hidden and others of their ilk feed upon the essence of fear. Entire groups of Hidden often delight in gathering invisibly in a particuarly good ambush site, only to waylay hapless mortals as they walk into their trap. Hidden become visible when they attack, but for many of their victims, by then, it is too late. When wounded, they will seek to retreat back into the Ether to heal themsleves. While invisible, Hidden exist partially within the physical realm, and can be affected by spells and weapons.

History

"We Vizjerei call them Hiddens. We don't have a better name for them. They were at Viz-jun, though. They were probably within the ranks before the battle even began, waiting for the archdemon's signal. Bartuc used the same tactic as well."

- Sarnakyle^(src)

The Hidden were given the curse of invisibility by the Prime Evils as a punishment for a simple crime. Only during conflict would the curse of their invisibility be broken, and so the Hidden seek it out whenever possible. Through the years, the Hidden learnt to use their curse as a weapon. The Hidden have made a mark on human culture, haunting human dreams, and living in the nightmares of children. Hidden were among the armies of Bartuc and Assur, and were later sighted within the Tristram Cathedral centuries later.

In-game

Hidden death animation

The Hidden are most commonly found in the Catacombs. They are most notable for being main enemies in the "Halls of the Blind" quest on Level 8.

As their name suggests, they are invisible; in terms of gameplay, it means that they only become visible when very close to the player (roughly 1-2 tiles), that is, at the distance where they can attack. In case of danger, they flee, becoming invisible again. However, while invisible, they are not invulnerable, so a well-placed (or lucky) ranged attack can still kill them. The Hidden are somewhat dangerous in groups, as they can surround a hero before she/he is even aware of their presence. Before they can attack, they have to materialize, however, and are vulnerable for a short period of time, allowing adventurers to attack the creatures before they have the chance to strike back.

Unlike all other types of monsters, Hidden can spawn near the exit/entrance of the level, potentially ambushing the character (and perfectly fitting their intended role).

Uniques

• Warpskull - Dungeon Level 3

Variants

• Illusion Weaver
• Invisible One (quest only)
• Stalker
• Unseen

Stats

• Resistance: No resistances.
• Immunity: No immunities.
• Hit Points: 10-22
• Damage: 3-6

During the The Darkening of Tristram in Diablo III, Hidden are represented with Accursed models.

References

Hidden

Variants — Hidden • Stalker • Unseen • Illusion Weaver
Hellfire — Felltwin