Area Level (Diablo II)

Area Level denotes the level that an area has in Diablo II. The level affects monsters objects spawned in it.

Monsters[]

For Normal difficulty, area level has no impact on monsters whatsoever. In Nightmare and Hell difficulties however, monster levels are identical with the area level unless they're considered boss monsters by the game. This means that all monsters found within a given level will have identical levels, and thus largely identical drops as well.

Monster Levels[]

As monster levels are adjusted by the area level and not the monster level in Nightmare and Hell, some discrepancies appear. Because of this, a single monster can have large level variations, depending on where it spawns. Since hit points, attack rating, damage, armor class and the experience of a monster depends directly on the level the monster has, this can lead to large differences.

A good example of this is the regular Zombie in Hell. In nightmare, level progression is fairly even: areas close to each other usually have the same level, give or take a few levels. In Hell however, this is not necessarily the case. There, the Blood Moor has an area level of 67, meaning all the monsters there also receive a monster level of 67. The Den of Evil however has an area level of 79, giving all monsters in there a significantly higher level. Because of this, a Zombie in the Den is not only harder to kill, it also drops significantly better loot.

Exceptions[]

There are several exceptions to this, namely all monsters which are considered boss monsters by the game. These monsters will still use their own monster level regardless of what the area level is. As such, Ubers are always level 110, and Griswold is level 87 Hell, while all other monsters on Tristram are level 76.

Below is a complete list of all boss monsters:

All Act Bosses
- Andariel
- Duriel
- Mephisto
- Diablo
- Baal
All Ubers
Some regular bosses
- Blood Raven
- Griswold
- Radament
- The Summoner
- Izual
- Nihlathak
Other
- All Putrid Defilers. Why they are defined as bosses is unknown, perhaps because of their ability to spawn Pain Worms.

Chests[]

Similar to monster level, the area level will decide what items that chests can drop on that level. Higher area level means better items from chests.

Areas[]

List of all area levels:

Normal difficulty[]

Act I[]

Rogue Encampment: none
- Secret Cow Level: 28
Blood Moor: 1
- Den of Evil: 1
Cold Plains: 2
- Cave:
  - level 1: 2
  - level 2: 2
Burial Grounds: 3
- Mausoleum: 3
- Crypt: 3
Stony Field: 4
- Underground Passage:
  - level 1: 4
  - level 2: 4
- Tristram: 6
Dark Wood: 5
Black Marsh: 6
- Forgotten Tower:
  - level 1: 7
  - level 2: 7
  - level 3: 7
  - level 4: 7
  - level 5: 7
- Hole:
  - level 1: 5
  - level 2: 5
Tamoe Highland: 9
- Pit:
  - level 1: 7
  - level 2: 7
Monastery Gate: 8
Outer Cloister: 9
Barracks: 9
- Jail:
  - level 1: 10
  - level 2: 10
  - level 3: 10
Inner Cloister: 10
Cathedral: 11
- Catacombs:
  - level 1: 11
  - level 2: 11
  - level 3: 12
  - level 4: 12

Act II[]

Lut Gholein: none
- Sewers:
  - level 1: 13
  - level 2: 13
  - level 3: 14
- Harem:
  - level 1: none
  - level 2: 13
- Palace Cellar:
  - level 1: 13
  - level 2: 13
  - level 3: 13
Rocky Waste: 14
- Stony Tomb:
  - level 1: 12
  - level 2: 12
- Dry Hills: 15
  - Halls of the Dead:
    - level 1: 12
    - level 2: 13
    - level 3: 13
- Far Oasis: 16
  - Maggot Lair:
    - level 1: 17
    - level 2: 17
    - level 3: 17
- Lost City: 17
  - Ancient Tunnels: 17
- Valley of Snakes: 18
  - Claw Viper Temple:
    - level 1: 14
    - level 2: 14
- Arcane Sanctuary: 14
- Canyon of the Magi: 16
  - Tal Rasha's Tomb: 17
  - Tal Rasha's Chamber: 17

Act III[]

Kurast Docks: none
Spider Forest: 21
- Arachnid Lair: 21
- Spider Cavern: 21
Great Marsh: 21
Flayer Jungle: 22
- Swampy Pit:
  - level 1: 21
  - level 2: 21
  - level 3: 21
- Flayer Dungeon:
  - level 1: 22
  - level 2: 22
  - level 3: 22
Lower Kurast: 22
Kurast Bazaar: 22
- Ruined Temple: 23
- Disused Fane: 23
- Sewers:
  - level 1: 23
  - level 2: 24
Upper Kurast: 23
- Forgotten Reliquary: 23
- Forgotten Temple: 24
Kurast Causeway: 24
- Disused Reliquary: 24
- Ruined Fane: 24
Travincal: 24
- Durance of Hate:
  - level 1: 25
  - level 2: 25
  - level 3: 25

Act IV[]

The Pandemonium Fortress: none
Outer Steppes: 26
Plains of Despair: 26
City of the Damned: 27
River of Flame: 27
Chaos Sanctuary: 28

Act V[]

Harrogath: none
Bloddy Foothills: 24
Frigid Highlands: 25
- Abbadon: 39
Arreat Plateau: 26
- Pit of Acheron: 39
Crystalline Passage: 29
- Frozen River: 29
Glacial Trail: 29
- Drifter Cavern: 29
Frozen Tundra: 27
- Infernal Pit: 39
Nihlathak's Temple: 32
- Halls of Anguish: 33
- Halls of Pain: 34
- Halls of Vaught: 36
The Ancients Way: 29
- Icy Cellar: 29
Arreat Summit: 37
- Worldstone Keep:
  - level 1: 39
  - level 2: 40
  - level 3: 42
- Throne of Destruction: 43
- Worldstone Chamber: 43

Nightmare difficulty[]

Act I[]

Rogue Encampment: none
- Secret Cow Level: 64
Blood Moor: 36
- Den of Evil: 36
Cold Plains: 36
- Cave:
  - level 1: 36
  - level 2: 37
Burial Grounds: 36
- Mausoleum: 37
- Crypt: 37
Stony Field: 37
- Underground Passage:
  - level 1: 37
  - level 2: 38
- Tristram: 39
Dark Wood: 38
Black Marsh: 38
- Forgotten Tower:
  - level 1: 38
  - level 2: 39
  - level 3: 40
  - level 4: 41
  - level 5: 42
- Hole:
  - level 1: 38
  - level 2: 39
Tamoe Highland: 39
- Pit:
  - level 1: 39
  - level 2: 40
Monastery Gate: 40
Outer Cloister: 30
Barracks: 40
- Jail:
  - level 1: 41
  - level 2: 41
  - level 3: 41
Inner Cloister: 41
Cathedral: 42
- Catacombs:
  - level 1: 42
  - level 2: 42
  - level 3: 43
  - level 4: 43

Act II[]

Lut Gholein: none
- Sewers:
  - level 1: 43
  - level 2: 43
  - level 3: 44
- Harem:
  - level 1: none
  - level 2: 47
- Palace Cellar:
  - level 1: 47
  - level 2: 47
  - level 3: 48
Rocky Waste: 43
- Stony Tomb:
  - level 1: 44
  - level 2: 44
- Dry Hills: 44
  - Halls of the Dead:
    - level 1: 44
    - level 2: 45
    - level 3: 45
- Far Oasis: 45
  - Maggot Lair:
    - level 1: 45
    - level 2: 45
    - level 3: 46
- Lost City: 46
  - Ancient Tunnels: 46
- Valley of Snakes: 46
  - Claw Viper Temple:
    - level 1: 47
    - level 2: 47
- Arcane Sanctuary: 48
- Canyon of the Magi: 48
  - Tal Rasha's Tomb: 49
  - Tal Rasha's Chamber: 49

Act III[]

Kurast Docks: none
Spider Forest: 49
- Arachnid Lair: 50
- Spider Cavern: 50
Great Marsh: 50
Flayer Jungle: 50
- Swampy Pit:
  - level 1: 51
  - level 2: 51
  - level 3: 51
- Flayer Dungeon:
  - level 1: 51
  - level 2: 51
  - level 3: 51
Lower Kurast: 52
Kurast Bazaar: 52
- Ruined Temple: 53
- Disused Fane: 53
- Sewers:
  - level 1: 52
  - level 2: 53
Upper Kurast: 52
- Forgotten Reliquary: 53
- Forgotten Temple: 54
Kurast Causeway: 53
- Disused Reliquary: 54
- Ruined Fane: 54
Travincal: 54
- Durance of Hate:
  - level 1: 55
  - level 2: 55
  - level 3: 55

Act IV[]

The Pandemonium Fortress: none
Outer Steppes: 56
Plains of Despair: 56
City of the Damned: 57
River of Flame: 57
Chaos Sanctuary: 58

Act V[]

Harrogath: none
Bloddy Foothills: 58
Frigid Highlands: 59
- Abbadon: 60
Arreat Plateau: 60
- Pit of Acheron: 61
Crystalline Passage: 61
- Frozen River: 61
Glacial Trail: 61
- Drifter Cavern: 61
Frozen Tundra: 60
- Infernal Pit: 62
Nihlathak's Temple: 63
- Halls of Anguish: 63
- Halls of Pain: 64
- Halls of Vaught: 64
The Ancients Way: 62
- Icy Cellar: 62
Arreat Summit: 68
- Worldstone Keep:
  - level 1: 65
  - level 2: 65
  - level 3: 66
- Throne of Destruction: 66
- Worldstone Chamber: 66

Hell difficulty[]

Act I[]

Rogue Encampment: none
- Secret Cow Level: 81
Blood Moor: 67
- Den of Evil: 79
Cold Plains: 68
- Cave:
  - level 1: 77
  - level 2: 78
Burial Grounds: 80
- Mausoleum: 85
- Crypt: 83
Stony Field: 68
- Underground Passage:
  - level 1: 69
  - level 2: 83
- Tristram: 76
Dark Wood: 68
Black Marsh: 69
- Forgotten Tower:
  - level 1: 75
  - level 2: 76
  - level 3: 77
  - level 4: 78
  - level 5: 79
- Hole:
  - level 1: 80
  - level 2: 81
Tamoe Highland: 69
- Pit:
  - level 1: 85
  - level 2: 85
Monastery Gate: 70
Outer Cloister: 70
Barracks: 70
- Jail:
  - level 1: 71
  - level 2: 71
  - level 3: 71
Inner Cloister: 72
Cathedral: 72
- Catacombs:
  - level 1: 72
  - level 2: 73
  - level 3: 73
  - level 4: 73

Act II[]

Lut Gholein: none
- Sewers:
  - level 1: 74
  - level 2: 74
  - level 3: 75
- Harem:
  - level 1: none
  - level 2: 78
- Palace Cellar:
  - level 1: 78
  - level 2: 78
  - level 3: 78
Rocky Waste: 75
- Stony Tomb:
  - level 1: 78
  - level 2: 79
- Dry Hills: 76
  - Halls of the Dead:
    - level 1: 79
    - level 2: 81
    - level 3: 82
- Far Oasis: 76
  - Maggot Lair:
    - level 1: 84
    - level 2: 84
    - level 3: 85
- Lost City: 77
  - Ancient Tunnels: 85
- Valley of Snakes: 77
  - Claw Viper Temple:
    - level 1: 82
    - level 2: 83
- Arcane Sanctuary: 79
- Canyon of the Magi: 79
  - Tal Rasha's Tomb: 80
  - Tal Rasha's Chamber: 80

Act III[]

Kurast Docks: none
Spider Forest: 79
- Arachnid Lair: 79
- Spider Cavern: 79
Great Marsh: 80
Flayer Jungle: 80
- Swampy Pit:
  - level 1: 80
  - level 2: 81
  - level 3: 82
- Flayer Dungeon:
  - level 1: 81
  - level 2: 82
  - level 3: 83
Lower Kurast: 80
Kurast Bazaar: 81
- Ruined Temple: 84
- Disused Fane: 85
- Sewers:
  - level 1: 84
  - level 2: 85
Upper Kurast: 81
- Forgotten Reliquary: 84
- Forgotten Temple: 85
Kurast Causeway: 81
- Disused Reliquary: 85
- Ruined Fane: 85
Travincal: 82
- Durance of Hate:
  - level 1: 83
  - level 2: 83
  - level 3: 83

Act IV[]

The Pandemonium Fortress: none
Outer Steppes: 82
Plains of Despair: 83
City of the Damned: 84
River of Flame: 85
Chaos Sanctuary: 85

Act V[]

Harrogath: none
Bloddy Foothills: 80
Frigid Highlands: 81
- Abbadon: 81
Arreat Plateau: 81
- Pit of Acheron: 82
Crystalline Passage: 82
- Frozen River: 83
Glacial Trail: 83
- Drifter Cavern: 84
Frozen Tundra: 81
- Infernal Pit: 83
Nihlathak's Temple: 83
- Halls of Anguish: 83
- Halls of Pain: 84
- Halls of Vaught: 64
The Ancients Way: 82
- Icy Cellar: 83
Arreat Summit: 87
- Worldstone Keep:
  - level 1: 85
  - level 2: 85
  - level 3: 85
- Throne of Destruction: 85
- Worldstone Chamber: 85