Diablo IV

Varshan boss fight guide for Diablo 4 Lord of Hatred. All mechanics, multi-phase transformation strategy, Lair Key summon, drop table, and best build picks.

Initiate Lair Boss Lord of Hatred 9 min read

Varshan, the Consumed — Boss Guide

By the DiabloBytes team · Updated May 2026

Varshan is the cheapest entry-level Lair Boss and the recommended first farm after hitting level 100. Two-phase fight that opens with a stationary heart-on-corpse-pile, then transforms into a stitched husk body around 75% HP that summons add packs at the arena corners. Listed drops include Eaglehorn and Levin Grasp.

⚡ TL;DR

Location: Malignant Burrow, beneath the Tree of Whispers (Hawezar).
Summon cost: 1 Lair Key at the Bloodied Altar.
Two-phase fight: heart-on-pile → husk body transformation at 75% HP.
Drops: Eaglehorn, Levin Grasp.

Fight Mechanics

Phase	Mechanic	How to Handle
Phase 1	Heart-on-pile state	Fight begins with Varshan as a pulsing heart-and-head fused to a pile of corpses in the center of the room. He fires tracking putrid projectiles and lays down ground rot. Close the gap and burn — this phase has the smallest hitbox and the cleanest damage window.
Phase 1	Tracking ground rot	Pink corruption tiles bloom in shifting patterns under your feet. Three patterns rotate — fixed, expanding ring, and chasing trails. Step out before the tile cracks. The pattern radius grows as the fight runs longer, so don't stall on this phase.
Transformation	Husk assembly	Around 75% Varshan stitches a body together from the corpse pile and stands up. Damage windows pause during the animation — use the gap to reposition, drink a potion, and pre-stack a CC effect for the stagger bar.
Phase 2	Echoing Husks + Mauling Mongrels	Varshan summons add packs at the four corners of the arena and tries to absorb them. Cleave them down before he eats them — every absorbed minion buffs his damage and HP. Mongrels are the priority because they apply Slow on melee hits.
Phase 2	Bone wave projectile	Late-fight ranged attack. Varshan rears back and launches a wide bone wave in a forward cone. The wave splits into three lanes mid-flight — sidestep into the gap between lanes, not perpendicular to the cone.
Throughout	Stagger bar	Standard Lair Boss stagger contribution from CC + DoT. Varshan staggers easily — Frozen Orb, Stun Grasp, and any class Petrify hit the bar hard. During stagger he stops summoning adds entirely, making it the cleanest single-target burst window in the fight.

Drop Table

Eaglehorn (Unique) Listed Varshan drop on current target-farm tables.
Levin Grasp (Unique) Listed Varshan drop on current target-farm tables.
Class Unique pool Lair Boss class-Unique table.
General Mythic Unique pool Hoard chest has a chance to roll Mythic Uniques from the universal pool.
Resplendent Spark Tormented kill grants 1 Spark. 2 Sparks craft 1 targeted Mythic at the Jeweler after the LoH update (down from 4).

Best Builds for Varshan

Whirlwind Barbarian

Sit on the heart-pile and tornado through Phase 1. Iron Skin shrugs the bone wave.

Ball Lightning Sorcerer

Top single-target burst trivializes the heart-pile phase before adds come out. Teleport out of the bone wave and chain orbs back through him during stagger.

Penetrating Shot Rogue

Stay back, pierce through the heart pile and the husks in a single shot. Cold Imbuement freezes the Mongrel adds before they apply Slow stacks.

Wing Strikes Paladin

Defiance Aura passive damage clears the corner adds while you stay glued to Varshan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I fight Varshan in Lord of Hatred?

The Malignant Burrow, beneath the Tree of Whispers in Hawezar. Interact with the Bloodied Altar and spend 1 Lair Key to open the encounter and Hoard chest. Varshan has the lowest gear floor on the ladder and is the standard first farm after hitting level 100.

How do I get Lair Keys?

Lair Keys are earned from endgame activities (Whisper rewards, Helltides, Nightmare Dungeons, Lair Boss Hoards). They are the universal entry currency for Lair-tier bosses in the current system.

What changes in Tormented Varshan?

Tormented Varshan requires a Stygian Stone in addition to the standard summon cost. Same mechanics, higher HP and damage. Tormented kill grants 1 Resplendent Spark, doubles Unique drop rolls, and unlocks the Mythic Unique loot table.

How does the multi-phase strategy actually work?

Phase 1 is a stationary heart on a corpse pile — burst window, smallest hitbox, no add pressure. Phase 2 starts when he transforms into the husk body around 75% HP. The transformation animation is your free reposition window. After transformation, focus the Echoing Husks and Mauling Mongrels at the corners before Varshan absorbs them — each absorbed add buffs him. Burn through stagger windows when they appear; he stops summoning during stagger.