Essence (encounter)

Essence

Tooltip

Essence monsters are powerful monsters trapped in crystallised corruption.

Breaking these monsters free allows them to be defeated, dropping the Essence that can then be used to modify equipment.

For the currency, see Essence.

Monsters trapped in essence crystals

Essences are a type of encounter found in both campaign (as early as Act 1 Hunting Grounds) and endgame maps.

Mechanics

Players may occasionally encounter several monsters frozen in crystallised corruption. This always consists of a single rare monster and several normal minions. Clicking on the Essence monolith three times will free the monster, allowing it to fight the player.

The rare Essence monster inherits one or more Essence monster modifiers which correspond to the essences it holds. Once defeated, it will drop each of the listed essences.

Using a Vaal OrbVaal OrbStack Size: 20Modifies an item unpredictably and Corrupts itRight click this item then left click an item to corrupt it. Corrupted items cannot be modified again. on an imprisoned monster will corrupt it and modify the essences it's holding in unpredictable ways. Outcomes include:

• No change.
• Add an additional random essence.
• Reroll all essences, transforming them into the same tier of essences.
• Upgrade a normal essence into its Greater version, and transform Greater Essences into a random Corrupted Essence.
• Essence monsters are freed immediately

Essence encounters do not respawn if reset by character death.

List of Essence monster modifiers

List of Essence monster modifiers

Essence type	Monster modifier description
Essence of Battle
Essence of Electricity	Periodically creates a large donut-shaped ring of lightning around the monster that charges up and explodes
Essence of Enhancement	Periodically creates a ring of bone walls around the monster
Essence of Flames
Essence of Haste	Creates time traps on the ground that inflict Freeze
Essence of Ice	Periodically fires two ice ball projectiles that explode into projectile novas
Essence of Ruin
Essence of Sorcery
Essence of the Body
Essence of the Infinite	Periodically creates yellows spikes on the ground which fly upward.
Essence of the Mind	Creates sigils on the ground that deals lightning damage and inflicts Shock
Essence of Torment	Periodically drops a giant anchor from the sky

Version history

Version	Changes
0.2.0d	Flesh Larva monsters can no longer be imprisoned in Essences.
0.2.0	Essences can now have Vaal Orbs applied to them to corrupt the Essences with a range of unpredictable outcomes. Greater Essences are possible to be upgraded to four new Corrupted Essences.
0.1.1	A number of Maps now have 50% more chance to contain Essences. Maps that are only exclusively found in Biomes containing Citadels now have 50% more chance to contain Essences, Strongboxes and Shrines. Monsters now have increased Toughness per Essence modifier affecting them. Added a small delay before monsters released from Essence Monoliths can use their skills. Improved the telegraphing of the anchor drop from monsters affected by Essence of Torment. Improved the visuals of the area of effect from monsters affected by Essence of Electricity. The time before the area of effect explodes has also been increased. Patrolling monsters can no longer be imprisoned in Essences.
0.1.0	Introduced to the game.