Among the many horrors lurking in the world of Sanctuary, few names carry the same dread as Andariel, the Maiden of Anguish. One of the original Lesser Evils, Andariel returns in Diablo 4 Items with a terrifying new design and brutal mechanics that test even the most seasoned adventurers. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to face her — from lore background and preparation tips to detailed attack breakdowns, strategies, and class recommendations to ensure your victory.

Whether you’re fighting her for story progression or farming her for high-tier loot, this Andariel walkthrough will help you master the battle and survive the Maiden’s deadly poisons and flames.

1. Who Is Andariel? – The Maiden of Anguish Returns

Andariel has long been one of the most recognizable faces of Diablo’s demonic pantheon. Known as the Maiden of Anguish, she represents the embodiment of torment and suffering, delighting in the agony of mortals and demons alike. Alongside her brother Duriel, the Lord of Pain, she served as one of the four Lesser Evils who opposed the Prime Evils—Diablo, Mephisto, and Baal—during the Eternal Conflict.

In Diablo 4, Andariel reemerges as a powerful boss tied to the storylines of Hatred and corruption, bringing her signature poison-based attacks and infernal presence to the modern battlefield. Players who faced her in Diablo II will recognize familiar themes — the mix of deadly toxin clouds, rapid melee strikes, and infernal flames — but with an updated and much more dangerous twist.

2. Where to Find Andariel in Diablo 4

Depending on your progression, Andariel may appear as part of the endgame boss rotation or in specific Nightmare Dungeon encounters tied to demonic corruption. Typically, she’s found in an underground ruin or infernal lair filled with signs of her

dominion — pools of greenish poison, charred corpses, and torture chambers hinting at her influence.

Recommended Level: 70+ (World Tier III and above)

Encounter Type: Dungeon/Endgame Boss

Primary Damage Types: Poison, Fire, Physical

Resistance Needed: High Poison Resistance

Before you begin, make sure your gear is optimized for both sustain and mobility, as Andariel’s poison DoT (Damage over Time) can melt even tanky characters if left unchecked.

3. Preparing for the Fight

Preparation is everything when facing Andariel. She doesn’t just hit hard — she overwhelms players through damage-over-time effects, area denial, and crowd control. Here’s what you should focus on before stepping into her chamber:

1. Stack Poison Resistance

Most of Andariel’s attacks inflict poison, either through clouds, trails, or direct strikes. Any item or elixir that grants Poison Resistance will drastically reduce incoming damage. Craft and activate Poison Resistance Elixirs before the fight.

2. Bring Antidote Potions and Healing Buffs

If your build allows for self-healing or purification skills (like Cleanse or Purge effects), use them frequently. Andariel’s poison lingers even after you dodge, so periodic healing is key.

3. Focus on Mobility

Andariel’s arena becomes increasingly chaotic, filled with toxic zones and flame bursts. Builds that rely on dashing, teleporting, or evasion have a big advantage. Equip boots with Movement Speed bonuses and consider aspects that grant invulnerability frames.

4. Damage Type Selection

Andariel is highly resistant to Poison and somewhat resistant to Fire. However, she is vulnerable to Cold, Lightning, and Shadow damage. Builds using these elements will see better results.

5. Group Coordination

If you’re facing her in a party, make sure roles are clear:

One player handles crowd control.

One focuses on boss DPS.

One keeps poison zones clear or kites summoned adds.

Cooperation is crucial since standing still or clustering together is often fatal.

4. Andariel’s Arena Breakdown

The battle takes place in a circular, dungeon-like chamber filled with demonic runes, cages, and pits of greenish flame. There are no environmental hazards at the start — but as the fight progresses, Andariel fills the battlefield with poison pools and fire bursts that make movement increasingly difficult.

Key features of the arena:

Outer Ring: Constantly becomes toxic in later phases; avoid lingering here.

Inner Ring: The safest area early on, but will occasionally ignite with fire jets.

Central Area: Ideal for melee classes, though Andariel frequently jumps to its center to unleash AoE attacks.

Positioning is the key to survival — stay mobile and avoid getting cornered by her spreading poison clouds.

5. Phase 1: The Maiden Emerges

At the start of the battle, Andariel appears from a pit of flame and poison, releasing a demonic shriek that signals the beginning of combat. Her initial moves are fairly straightforward but punishing if underestimated.

Primary Attacks (Phase 1)

Poison Claw Swipe: A quick melee combo that inflicts stacking poison damage. Dodge backward immediately after the first swipe.

Poison Trail: She leaves behind a green trail that persists for several seconds. Don’t stand in it — it applies heavy poison DoT.

Web Snare (Slow): Andariel throws sticky webs at players, reducing movement speed drastically. Break free quickly using mobility skills.

Flame Burst: She periodically slams the ground, sending out fiery waves in four directions. Dodge diagonally between the gaps.

During this phase, focus on learning her rhythm — dodge the claw attacks, move out of poison trails, and keep medium range if possible. Melee characters should only strike during her recovery frames after Flame Burst or Poison Claw.

6. Phase 2: Poison Overload

At around 60% HP, Andariel enrages, spreading her wings and releasing a massive poison explosion that covers most of the arena. The outer edges become permanently tainted, forcing you to fight closer to the center.

New Abilities (Phase 2)

Venom Nova: A radial blast that sends waves of poison spikes outward. Roll or teleport through the gaps.

Toxic Geysers: Random sections of the floor erupt in poison fountains. Keep moving to avoid constant DoT.

Summon Painbound Servants: Andariel summons demonic adds that explode upon death, leaving more poison pools. Focus-fire them from range.

Anguish Scream: A high-pitched shriek that stuns players briefly if not interrupted. Use CC immunity skills to avoid this.

This is where endurance becomes critical. You’ll need to balance attacking and surviving, since overextending can quickly drain your health through multiple overlapping poison effects.

Tip: Keep your camera zoomed out and eyes on the ground — poison geysers have subtle green glow indicators before erupting.

7. Phase 3: Flames of Anguish

At 30% HP, Andariel’s poison begins to ignite, and she adds fire damage to her attacks, creating the most chaotic part of the battle. Her wings ignite, and she becomes more aggressive, chaining multiple AoEs back to back.

New Abilities (Phase 3)

Infernal Leap: Andariel leaps across the arena, leaving a trail of fire and poison. Stay near the center to minimize travel distance.

Firestorm Volley: She launches a series of homing fireballs that explode on contact, leaving burning ground effects.

Blazing Venom Cloud: A hybrid ability combining poison and fire. Standing in the mist inflicts double DoT.

Torment Aura (Passive): The longer the fight drags on, the stronger her DoT effects become. DPS quickly to end it.

This phase demands precision dodging and burst damage. Ranged classes should stay mobile and time their big cooldowns after avoiding Firestorm Volley. Melee builds should rely on damage windows between her leaps and use life leech or barrier effects to sustain through incidental damage.

8. Best Classes and Builds for the Fight

While every class can defeat Andariel, some naturally handle her mechanics better than others. Here’s a breakdown of top-performing archetypes:

1. Sorcerer (Lightning or Frost)

Why it Works: Long-range burst damage and teleport mobility make this fight much easier. Frost Nova helps freeze summoned adds.

Key Skills: Teleport, Ice Armor, Frost Nova, Chain Lightning or Blizzard.

Tip: Keep moving clockwise around the arena and use Ice Barrier during poison phases.

2. Rogue (Shadow or Cold Imbuement)

Why it Works: Rogues excel at burst windows and evasion. Dash and Shadow Step let you reposition instantly.

Key Skills: Dash, Shadow Step, Cold Imbuement, Poison Trap (for add control).

Tip: Use Concealment to reset positioning during Venom Nova.

3. Necromancer (Minion or Bone Build)

Why it Works: Minions can absorb aggro and poison zones, giving you breathing room.

Key Skills: Bone Spear, Army of the Dead, Blood Mist.

Tip: Keep minions spread out so they don’t all die to one AoE burst.

4. Barbarian (Bleed or Berserker Build)

Why it Works: High sustain and damage reduction help endure poison over time.

Key Skills: Whirlwind, Wrath of the Berserker, Rallying Cry.

Tip: Save Berserker for Phase 3 to push damage before her Torment Aura scales up.

5. Druid (Lightning or Shapeshift Hybrid)

Why it Works: Excellent sustain and AoE control. Lightning Storm builds work well due to her elemental weakness.

Key Skills: Trample, Hurricane, Cataclysm, Earthen Bulwark.

Tip: Use Trample to break snares and reposition out of poison geysers.

9. Rewards and Loot

Defeating Andariel grants access to high-tier loot tables, particularly Poison-based Aspects, Legendary gear, and Unique drops tied to the Anguish set. She can also drop crafting materials used in endgame elixirs and hellforged upgrades.

Notable Drops Include:

Andariel’s Visage (Unique Helm): Grants life steal and poison nova effects.

Venomous Heart (Aspect): Enhances poison skill damage for Rogues and Druids.

Chains of Anguish (Armor): Provides resistance boosts when standing in poison.

Anguish Sigil: Used to unlock her Nightmare-tier dungeon for repeat battles.

These rewards make her one of the most valuable endgame bosses for players pursuing poison or hybrid builds.

10. Final Tips and Summary

Andariel’s fight is all about adaptation. She punishes players who stay still, rewards those who learn her patterns, and tests your resource management over time. Here are the essentials to remember:

Always keep moving — never linger in one spot.

Prioritize poison resistance over pure damage stats.

Use ranged attacks during poison phases and melee during fire gaps.

Time your big cooldowns after her Infernal Leap or Venom Nova.

Finish the fight fast — Torment Aura scales endlessly.

With preparation, patience, and awareness, Andariel becomes less of an unstoppable nightmare and more of a worthy adversary — one whose fall brings both glory and loot.

So sharpen your blades, stock up on elixirs, and prepare to face Andariel, the Maiden of Anguish — one of cheap Diablo 4 Items most iconic and challenging foes.