A [[File:Skeleton-armored2.jpg|right|thumb|150px|Well-armored.]]As iconic as [[zombie]]s, animated human '''skeletonskeletons''' is a re-animated collection of bones from primarily human corpses (one or more) that has have been filled with dark energies as well as spirits featured in all of the dead to act as simple guards or servants of dark Diablo games, and just about every other fantasy RPG ever made. In [[Diablo 3]], plain skeleton warriors are joined [[Skeletal Summoner]]s, [[sorcererSkeletal Archer]]s or , [[Skeletal Shieldman|Skeletal Shieldmen]], [[NecromancerSkeletal Executioner]]sand more. These skeletons spawn in mixed packs and work together with much better AI than they've shown in the previous games in the series. This "plain" sort of Skeleton with a sword is quite straight forward, and is mostly only dangerous in large packs, or together with other skeletal types. Avoid being surrounded, and kill other high priority targets first. They typically have a somewhat slow movement speed, normal swing speed, and low damage.
Skeletons are [[Undead]] [[monster]]s.
<br>
<br>
==Diablo III Monster==
<div style="clear:both;"></div>
{{Monsterbox
|game= Diablo III
|portrait= Mon-skeleton3.jpg
|portrait-width= 125px
<!--|name= Monstername-->
|classif= Undead
|family= Skeleton
|role= Cannonfodder
|life= Unknown
|mana= None
|armor= Unknown
|resist= Unknown
|armament= Sword
|dps= Unknown
|dmg_low= Unknown
|dmg_high= Unknown
|range= [[Melee]]
|speed= Unknown
|movement= Medium
|modifier= None
|spells= None
|found= [[Tristram Cathedral]]<br>[[Forgotten Tombs]]<br>[[Leoric Highlands]]
}}
[[File:Skeleton-armored2.jpg|left|thumb|150px|Well-armored.]]
As iconic as [[zombie]]s, animated human skeletons have been featured in all of the Diablo games, and just about every other fantasy RPG ever made. In [[Diablo 3]], plain skeleton warriors are joined [[Skeletal Summoner]]s, [[Skeletal Archer]]s, [[Skeletal Shieldman|Skeletal Shieldmen]], [[Skeletal Executioner]]s and (perhaps) other types not yet revealed. These skeletons spawn in mixed packs and work together with much better AI than they've shown in the previous games in the series.
==Skeleton Subtypes==
'''Act I'''
* Dark Skeletal Archer
* Returned
* Returned Archer
* Returned Executioner
* Returned Shieldman
* Returned Summoner
* Skeletal Archer
* Skeletal Shieldbearer
* Skeleton
* Tomb Guardian
* Tortured Summoner
'''Act II'''
* Bone Warrior
* Returned Shieldman
* Skeletal Bowmaster
* Skeletal Raider
* Skeletal Ranger
* Skeletal Sentry
* Skeletal Warrior
* Spin Hewer
'''Act III'''
* Blazing Swordwielder
* Dark Skeletal Bow
* Skeletal Marauder
* Skeletal Raider
* Skeletal Warrior
* Skull Cleaver
* Skull Summoner
* Swift Skull Cleaver
==Blazing Swordwielder==
* Appears in Act III - [[The Keep Depths]]
* Physical melee attack with fire damage
<mob>Blazing Swordwielder</mob>
==Bone Warrior==
* Appears in Act II - [[Sewers of Caldeum]], [[Chamber of the Lost Idol]], [[Western Channel]], [[Eastern Channel]], [[Mysterious Cave]], [[Ruined Cistern]], [[Tunnels of the Rockworm]], [[Sirocco Caverns]], [[Cave of the Burrowing Horror]], [[Cave of the Betrayer]], [[The Ruins]], [[Vile Cavern]], [[Vault of the Assassin]] and [[The Forgotten Ruins]]
* Physical melee attack
<mob>Bone Warrior</mob>
==Dark Skeletal Archer==
* Appears in Act I - [[Warrior's Rest]]
* Physical ranged attack with bow
<mob>Dark Skeletal Archer</mob>
==Dark Skeletal Bowman==
* Appears in Act III - [[The Keep Depths]] and [[Battlefield Stores]]
* Physical ranged attack with bow
<mob>Dark Skeletal Bowman</mob>
==Returned==
* Appears in Act I - [[Drowned Temple]], [[The Lyceum]], [[Cathedral]], [[Warrior's Rest]], [[Watch Tower]], [[Crypt of the Ancients]], [[Defiled Crypt]] and [[The Festering Woods
* Physical melee attack
<mob>Returned</mob>
==Returned Archer==
* Appears in Act I - [[Drowned Temple]], [[Watch Tower]], [[Warrior's Rest]] and [[The Festering Woods]]
* Physical ranged attack with bow
<mob>Returned Archer</mob>
==Returned Executioner==
* Appears in Act I - [[Defiled Crypt]], [[Watch Tower]] and [[The Cursed Hold]]
* Physical melee attack with a slow one-handed axe
<mob>Returned Executioner</mob>
==Returned Shieldman==
* Appears in Act I - [[Watch Tower]] and [[Drowned Temple]]
* Physical melee attack. Blocks your attacks with shield but unblocks to attack. The shield can be destroyed leaving the Shieldman unable to block any further attacks with it.
<mob>Returned Shieldman</mob>
==Skeletal Archer==
* Appears in Act I - [[The Lyceum]], [[Cathedral]], [[The Royal Crypts]] and [[Watch Tower]]
* Physical ranged attack with bow.
<mob>Skeletal Archer</mob>
==Skeletal Bowmaster==
* Appears in Act II - [[The Unknown Depths]], [[The Storm Halls]] and [[Hall of Dusk]]
* Physical ranged attack with bow.
<mob>Skeletal Bowmaster</mob>
==Skeletal Marauder==
* Appears in Act III - [[The Keep Depths]] and [[Battlefield Stores]]
* Physical melee attack with sword. Blocks your attacks with a shield but lowers it to attack. The shield can be destroyed leaving the Marauder unable to block any further attacks with it.
<mob>Skeletal Marauder</mob>
==Skeletal Raider==
* Appears in Act II - [[The Unknown Depths]], [[The Storm Halls]] and [[Halls of Dusk]]
* Physical melee attack with one-handed axe. Blocks your attacks with a shield but lowers it to attack. The shield can be destroyed leaving the Raider unable to block any further attacks with it.
<mob>Skeletal Raider</mob>
==Skeletal Sentry==
* Appears in Act II - [[Sewers of Caldeum]], [[Western Channel]], [[Eastern Channel]] and [[Ruined Cistern]]
* Physical melee attack with one-handed sword. Blocks your attacks with a shield but lowers it to attack. The shield can be destroyed leaving the Raider unable to block any further attacks with it.
<mob>Skeletal Sentry</mob>
==Skeletal Shieldbearer==
* Appears in Act I - [[Cathedral]], [[The Lyceum]], [[The Royal Crypts]] and [[The Festering Woods]]
* Physical melee attack with one-handed sword. Blocks your attacks with a shield but lowers it to attack. The shield can be destroyed leaving the Raider unable to block any further attacks with it.
<mob>Skeletal Shieldbearer</mob>
==Skeletal Warrior==
* Appears in Act II - [[The Storm Halls]], [[Halls of Dusk]] and [[The Unknown Depths]]
* Appears in Act III - [[The Keep Depths]]
* Physical melee attack with sword.
<mob>Skeletal Warrior</mob>
==Skeleton==
* Appears in Act I - [[Cathedral]], [[Cemetery of the Forsaken]], [[Chancellor's Tomb]], [[The Royal Crypts]], [[Defiled Crypt]], [[The Weeping Hollowing]] and the [[Watch Tower]]
* Physical attack
<mob>Skeleton</mob>
==Skull Cleaver==
* Appears in Act III - [[Battlefield Stores]]
* Physical melee attack with slow two-handed axe.
<mob>Skull Cleaver</mob>
This "plain" sort of Skeleton with a sword is quite straight forward, and is mostly only dangerous in large packs, or together with other skeletal types. Avoid being surrounded, and kill other high priority targets first. They typically have a somewhat slow movement speed, normal swing speed, and low damage.
==Skull Summoner==
<!* Appears in Act III --===Spells and Abilities===[[Battlefield Stores]]-->* Attacks with a ranged [[Arcane Orb]]. Can summon up to four Skeletal Marauders at one time.
<mob>Skull Summmoner</mob>
===Known Skeletal Types===
* [[Skeleton]]
* [[Skeletal Archer]]
* [[Skeletal Executioner]]
* [[Skeletal Shieldman]]
* [[Skeletal Summoner]]
==Skull Sword==
<!--===Known Subtypes===Use on a "family" monster article, or a "sub-family" monster article.* Can be used Appears in "Goatman" or the likeAct III - [[Battlefield Stores]]* Can be used in "Goatman Shaman" or the like* Use for things like clan/colouring of same type of enemy* Example: Moon Clan, Blood Clan, Death Clan-->Physical melee attack with sword.
<!--
===Related Monsters===
List any monster that has a relevance, such as other goatmen, or Grotesque/Lamprey.
-->
===Famous Monsters===* [[King Leoric]]<mob>Skull Sword</mob>
<br>
==BackgroundSpin Hewer==Living skeletons in dungeons and country side have existed for a long time in [[Sanctuary]], at least some three hundred years before the the [[Darkening of Tristram]], but in the last two decades they have been a constant higher danger for travellers and any would-be archaeologists. These skeletons are in most cases remains of warriors from one or another war or conflict, and have been reanimated by unnatural forces by a rogue [[Sorcerer]] or a [[demon]]ic being.
* Appears in Act II - [[Chamber of the Lost Idol]]
* Physical melee attack with slow two-handed axe.
===Necromancers and Skeletons===
[[Image:Mon-skeleton1.jpg|thumb|115px|left|Skeleton on the move.]]While many believe that [[Necromancer]]s are evil, they are really Priests of [[Rathma]] who mostly have just received a bad reputation and nickname due to their study of life and death. They dedicate their lives to the sacred balance of life and death as well as the natural balance between [[Order]] and [[Chaos]]. To them, death is merely a natural part of life and they do not seek to deny its arrival. They truly comprehend the balance of all things, and understand and accept their place in what they refer to as the [[Great Cycle of Being]]. In truth, they never suffered corruption from magic that other ancient [[mage clan]]s like the [[Vizjerei]] have. In the end, they use the naturally existing forces and spirits to raise inanimate objects (including Skeletons) to help their cause against imbalance between extra-planar forces on [[Sanctuary]]. In most cases you will find skeletons reanimated by a Necromancer to be of help against the [[Darkness]].
===Skeleton Summoning, Intelligence and Power===[[Image:Mon-skeletal-shieldman4.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Skeletal Shieldman|Shieldmen]] protect [[Skeletal Archer|archers]].]]Skeletons themselves generally have a quite limited intelligence, even if their capability to understand and carry out orders exceed those of a [[Zombie]]. They are more organized, and blindly determined to whatever task is set before them. Even less powerful forms of skeletons are capable of using simple tools, and they have been observed to use swords, clubs, bows, and even armour and shields (often equipped in the same armament in which they fell). They are walking vessels of [[Hell]]'s influence on the mortal realm (besides the ones raised by a [[Priest of Rathma]]), and are corpses and spirits of the deceased, which are twisted and corrupted, are imbued with a hatred for the living that defies understanding. They don't seek consume the flesh of the living like [[Zombie]]s, but they are intent on extinguishing the life of their victims. Some reports have also said that victims of some of these skeletons have risen themselves as skeletal soldiers against the still living. <mob>Spin Hewer</mob>
Contrary to popular belief, they do not need to be bones from the same corpse, however, but can be a composition of several different ones. This makes it possible to form and reform skeletons by a summoner, as broken pieces can easily be replaced. As there generally always are '''some''' bone material from some time in the distant past, a [[necromancer]] or other summoner is able to raise their creatures anywhere. It's just easier to do it in a graveyard.==Swift Skull Cleaver==
* Appears in Act III - [[The Keep Depths]]
* Physical melee attack with slow two-handed axe. His walking speed is faster than the Skull Cleaver.
[[Image:Mon-skeletal-summoner4.jpg|thumb|left|250px|[[Skeletal Summoner]] and skeletons.]] Only a minor magical investment is needed by a summoner to bring a single, unintelligent skeleton to life, which makes it possible to raise armies in the hundreds for a powerful magician. It seems to be a fairly simple equation in terms of intelligence and power, where a summoner can choose between having one truly powerful and intelligent servant, or a hundred daft skeletal warriors, with limited capabilities. The skeleton intelligence is limited by the power and scope of the spell used in the creature's creation. Giving the skeleton enough mental capabilities to protect themselves with [[Skeletal Shieldman|shields]], or [[Skeletal Archer|use bow and arrows]] is just a little bit more demanding than summoning a regular bone warrior.
===More Powerful Skeletons===The bones of truly powerful individuals still retain some part of their essence, and also some of their old power. It's harder to corrupt the truly good or independent, but the effort will at the same time produce even more powerful servants. Using the bones of a deceased [[sorcerer]] makes it easier to create spellcasting undead horrors. They can also be induced with the capability to summon skeletons themselves, making [[Skeletal Summoner]]s truly dangerous. They are more powerful and they attain a higher level of intelligence, making it possible for him or her able to replenish the ranks even in the field.<mob>Swift Skull Cleaver</mob>
==Tomb Guardian=Prime Evil Skeletons===Most [[undead]] (including skeletons) are brought to life on this plane through power from [[Mephisto]]. Some variants are adapted by other [[Prime Evils]], [[demon]] lords or specific dark [[sorcerer]]s of humankind. Some skeleton summonings require extra treatment, especially if the intention is to make the reanimated creature extra powerful. One example is the {{iw|Reanimated_Horde Reanimated Horde}} used by [[Baal]] in the assault of [[Mount Arreat]]. The Reanimated Horde consisted of warriors that had their hearts turned black while they were still alive, and were given a new existence as skeletons, with vengeful fury. They had an extraordinary level of ferocity, and the lingering power in them even allowed them to re-animate themselves if they were destroyed.
* Appears in Act I - [[Cathedral]], [[Cemetery of the Forsaken]], [[Chancellor's Tomb]] and [[The Lyceum]]
* Attacks with a ranged [[Arcane Orb]]. Can summon up to four Skeletons at one time.
===Extraordinary Skeletons===[[Image:Mon-skeleton-king1.jpg|thumb|right|175px|The Black King, [[Leoric]].]]Bones of '''extraordinary''' men and women can be infinitely more powerful than any regular skeleton, and retain a significant portion of their own personality and memories, if not all of them. An example is [[King Leoric]], who was reanimated by the [[Lord of Terror]] himself, as he was not able to overtake his mind completely. Diablo still managed to corrupt Leoric's mind, which is the source of the madness he retained as an [[undead]]. Due to the power of Leoric as an entity, even defeated it was possible to summon him again, 20 years later (in [[Diablo III]]). The amount of power needed to permanently displace his spirit from this realm will be significant.<mob>Tomb Guardian</mob>
==Tortured Summoner="Life" of a Skeleton===Skeletons are generally frail, and the consensus among students of undeath is that you don't have to utterly destroy every single bone to stop a skeleton, but rather just deal enough damage to it in order to dispell the summoning spell. As mentioned, the bones can later be induced with dark energies anew to rebuild it, easily replacing damaged parts. Even though these monstrosities are frail, people find them very dangerous in numbers as a single stab of a sword in the wrong place could potentially bring down any warrior. With enough numbers, they can bring down any hero.
In some cases, the * Appears in Act I - [[undeadThe Cursed Hold]] are being continuously kept alive by their summoner, and killing the controlling * Attacks with a ranged [[necromancerArcane Orb]] or evil [[sorcerer]] will also either dispel the magic keeping the undead moving, or . Can summon up to four Returned Archers at least rendering them immovable, lacking ordersone time.
===Healing===Life energy, primarily channelled through magic granted by the [[High Heavens]] unto [[human]] vessels, such as [[Paladin]]s or priests of the [[Light]] will have a very destructive effect on a Skeleton. [[Magic]] that will [[heal]] living creatures will in turn damage or dispel the [[undead]]. An example is the Paladin [[Holy Bolt]], which can either heal friends of the Paladin, or damage the undead that might cross the path of the hurling spheres of pure Light.<mob>Tortured Summmoner</mob>
==Named=Skeletal Humor===The capability of humour of these creations is strange. The traveller and writer [[Abd al-Hazir]] made the following comment on the topic in his [[Writings of Abd al-Hazir: Entry no. 0008|eight]] entry from the book [[Writings of Abd al-Hazir]]::: ''I am at a loss to explain the average skeleton's somewhat ludicrous mental predisposition, however. Perhaps the implausibility of its own existence makes the skeleton think it hilarious to hide in a barrel, cackling intermittently for some three hundred years until a victim happens by?''
===Permanently Disposing of Skeletons===As with most undead, the only way to permanently destroy the creature, is to burn the bones to ashes on a pyre.*
<!--==Diablo I MonsterGallery==Add this section if you need to discuss Diablo I game monsters of the same name/type.--><!--==Diablo II Monster==Add this section if you need to discuss Diablo II game monsters of the same name/type.--><!--==Development==Notes from development of monster. Might have changed between games, or during Alpha/Beta/Release stages.* Appearance* Concepts* How the unit evolved--><!--==Trivia==Fun facts. If you add a trivia fact, also add the it to the Category:Trivia.--> ==Media==You can find numerous pictures of skeletons in the Diablo 3 screenshot and picture gallery:* Skeletons in [http://diablo.incgamers.com/gallery/search.php?keywords=skeleton&cat=560&x=0&y=0 Act One screenshots].* Skeletons in [http://diablo.incgamers.com/gallery/search.php?keywords=skeleton&cat=561&x=0&y=0 Act Two screenshots].* Skeleton [http://diablo.incgamers.com/gallery/search.php?keywords=skeleton&cat=543&x=0&y=0 concept art].
<gallery>
Image:Mon-skeleton3.jpg|Another regular skeleton.
</gallery>
<!--
==Related Links==
List any links that would be useful for further reading on this particular monster. Try to avoid double links with the "Refereces" section below.
-->
==References==
* [[Writings of Abd al-Hazir: Entry no. 0008]]
* [[Diablo I Manual]]
* [[Diablo II Manual]]
* [[Diablo II: Lord of Destruction Manual]]
{{Monster navbox|undead}}
[[Categorycategory:LoreMonsters]][[category:Undead]]
