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"What a MOOvelous occasion!"

- The Cow King(src)

The Cow King is a Hell Bovine monarch that is associated with The Secret Cow Level.

In-game[]

Diablo II[]

Cow

The Cow King as he appears in Diablo II

In Diablo II, the Cow King is the Super Unique boss of The Secret Cow Level. It looks just like any other Hell Bovine: there aren't any visual clues to identify it, except highlighting. However, the Cow King always spawns inside the fenced enclosure located in the secret cow level, so players who wish to avoid killing him can just avoid the enclosure altogether.

The Cow King, as well as other Hell Bovines, has a chance to drop "Cow King's Leathers".

Stats[]

Attributes:

Besides these two attributes that always appear (as well as lightning immunity), the Cow King gains one additional attribute (random modifier) on Nightmare and two on Hell. One of the most annoying attribute that it can get is Aura Enchanted: a Conviction aura Cow King coupled with its natural lightning enchanted can make fighting the Cow King a very hazardous task. It can also hold a range of immunities which can be quite annoying for pure-elemental Sorceresses and other element-dependent characters. On the other hand, guaranteed lightning immunity prevents accidental kills, making lightning-based characters safe for farming Cow Level.

Celebrity Status[]

The Cow King is known more for his infamy among the rumor mills than for his drops. Ever since his discovery as an easter egg, he has been associated with various other fake hidden eggs. He was supposed to:

Diablo III[]

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Ghost of the Cow King in Diablo III

An NPC called "Ghost of the Cow King" appears in the Old Tristram Road in Diablo III, next to the portal to the Pony Level (the game's Cow Level). The ghost refers to the "fact" that there is "no cow level" after the player character breaks the fourth wall by referring to said level about cows.

In a limited time anniversary level, the ghost of the Cow King introduces the "Tipping Point" event and the unique boss, The Cow Queen can be encountered.

Nephalem Rifts has a very small chance to have a Rift Guardian named Lord of Bells, who takes the form of a huge cow with a two-handed axe, clearly a reference to Cow King. In addition, players may find (and use) his weapons: Bovine Bardiche and Man Prodder.

Non-combat pets named That Which Must Not be Named and Royal Calf can be found in game.

Hearthstone[]

The Cow King can appear in the Diablo-themed tavern brawl in Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft. If the player uncovers all three secrets of Aidan, he will transform into the Cow King.

Trivia[]

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This section contains facts and trivia relevant to this article.
Cow King

the Cow King

  • The Cow King has a male voice (and title), and is overall regarded as a male. However, it has an udder and has been stated to produce milk.[1]. To add even more confusion about the Cow King's gender, two different creatures named The Cow Princess and The Cow Queen can be encountered in Diablo III, and neither of them is the Cow King (as his ghost can still be seen in the same level). The gender of these two creatures is unknown, as they never speak, and no other in-game characters speak of them, neither as 'him' nor as 'her'.
  • In older versions of Diablo II, the portal to the Secret Cow Level could not be opened again on a difficulty if he was killed. This made the Cow King's Leathers the hardest set to complete in one game because there are 3 set pieces and the player only had 3 chances to kill the King - one in each Difficulty. This resulted in a popular tactic among those that wish to run the level to avoid slaying him at all costs. Deliberately killing The Cow King while in a party was often considered a major offense.
  • In Diablo II: Resurrected, the Cow King wears a mantle and a crown to differentiate him further from his bovine subjects.

Development[]

The Cow King in Diablo II has an unused blue color palette due to his lack of palshift.dat file.

Images[]

References[]

Act I
Adenah the Curio Vendor
Alaric
Arghus the Collector
Beleaguered Farmer
Brother Malachi the Healer
Bron the Barkeep
Captain Rumford
Caravan Leader
Crazed Hermit
Deckard Cain
Eran
Ghost of the Cow King
Karyna
Kyr the Weaponsmith
Lady Dunhyld
Leah
Lloigor the Crazed
Mayor Holus
Mira Eamon
Nek the Brawler
Queen Asylla
Radek the Fence
Rodger the Alchemist
Sasha
Tashun the Miner
The Ferryman
Tyrael
Vendel the Armorsmith
Verrall
Virgil
Wandering Tinker
Warriv
Willa Rathe
Wounded Man
Act II
Adria
Aleran
Asheara
Brother Ghaine the Healer
Caliem
Captain Davyd
Captain Ravan
Caravan Leader
Damius
Hakan II
Iron Wolf Jarulf
Javad the Merchant
Jeran
Kadin
Kala
Kohin
Larra
Leah
Lieutenant Vachem
Lugo the Miner
Mehtan the Necromancer
Nek the Brawler
Netharaz
Rasheed
Sadeir the Innkeeper
Silmak the Fence
Squirt the Peddler
Thadar
Tilnan the Collector
Tyrael
Zaven the Alchemist
Zoltun Kulle
Act III
Adria
Andreus the Healer
Beryn
Botulph the Miner
Captain Haile
Drian
Former Mayor Holus
Garell the Quartermaster
Halmin the Alchemist
Ironsmith Maldonado
Leah
Lieutenant Clyfton
Lieutenant Lavail
Lieutenant Merityn
Litton the Fence
Markus
Marta
Messenger Martyns
Nek the Brawler
Nikola
Private Mattius
Sergeant Burroughs
Sergeant Dalen
Sergeant Pale
Tyrael
Vidar the Collector
Act IV
Andreus the Healer
Auriel
Botulph the Miner
Captain Haile
Damotrius
Garell the Quartermaster
Itherael
Litton the Fence
Nek the Brawler
Nikola
Tyrael
Act V
Brother Anselm
Brother Francis
Brycen
Captain Vonn
Clara
Derric
Diadra the Scholar
Emily
Elayne
Enkasi
General Torion
Guardian
Halbu
Halissa
Imperius
Isendra
Ivy
Jamella
Kyla
Lady Serena
Lorath Nahr
Lord Harold Snowe
Master Crusader
Master Necromancer Ordan
Mehtan the Necromancer
Nek the Brawler
Oswyn
Patriarch Anisim
Powell the Miner
Sergeant Samuels
Sophia
Tyrael
Zayl (Humbart Wessel)
Adventure Mode
Abd al-Hazir
Dane Bright
Djank Mi'em the PTR Vendor (PTR only)
Daivin the Adventurer
High Cleric
Kadala
King Kanai
Lorath Nahr
Orek
Quentin Sharpe
Skular
The Crazed Man
Tyrael
Urshi
Artisans
Covetous Shen
Haedrig Eamon
Myriam Jahzia
Zoltun Kulle (Kanai's Cube)
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