How elites behave
Elites are not a separate enemy type — they are the toughened members of each family. The rule of thumb: they telegraph bigger hits and punish bad positioning more than normals, so they are priority targets in a wave.
The elite roster
Grouped by family from the enemy data:
| Family | Elite member(s) |
|---|---|
| Wolves | Alpha wolf |
| Gargoyles | Blood gargoyle |
| Treants | Lumbering treant |
| Crabs | Coral crab |
| Witches | Stake witch (elite definition) |
| Nightmare Cultists | Cultist summoner |
| Scarecrows | Enchanted scarecrow |
| Marsh Ghouls | Festering ghoul |
| Jinns | Evil jinn |
| Knights | Sword knight, Spear knight, Knight mage |
| White Ladies | Masked White Lady |
| Gnolls | Gnoll chieftain |
| Roc Birds | Phoenix roc |
| Nightmares | Snake nightmare, Tentacle nightmare, Stalker nightmare, Elite spider nightmare |
| Thieves | Thief assassin |
| Undead Hogs | Undead hog captain (Chapter 1) |
| Other | Stingy Jack |
Approaching elites
- Focus them early. Their damage output is the real wipe risk in a mixed wave.
- Use your control. Snow Queen’s Chilled and shatter, or Geppetto’s Dummies drawing the elite’s fire, turn a scary fight into a managed one.
- Watch the telegraph. Like bosses, elites announce their heaviest hits; dodge with your defensive ability rather than trading.
- Don’t over-commit. Elites paired with a swarm can still surround a melee hero — keep an escape (Beowulf’s Shield, Melusine’s Move stance) ready.
For the broader enemy picture, see the enemy guide; for chapter placement, the chapter guide.