As a "Mystery Dungeon" game, House of Necrosis has a variety of enemies that you'll find roaming the halls.

And the vast majority of them want to kill you!

The purpose of this guide is to help you figure out what you're looking at, where it likes to show up, and when. It'll include the in-game description of the enemy as well just to be sure, though there'll be some info here that you might not be told by the game directly.

Do note, however, that this includes the entire game's bestiary, and thus will be laden with spoilers! So if you don't want that, try to stick to sections that reflect how far down you've gotten into the game.

Just to preface basically everything, have you ever wondered why some enemies come as red or purple, and are super-buffed as a result? Well, those are Grim Foul and Necrotic versions of those enemies, respectively.

Under normal circumstances, damn near every mob can semi-rarely spawn as a Foul variation, which comes tinted red. In post-game scenarios, Necrotics come into play, and have a distinctive purple.

Both buff variants of mob will drop a piece of loot when killed, with Necrotics dropping two pieces of gear at once, and it was my understanding that Necrotics have a higher chance of dropping higher-rarity gear, especially in post-game zones.

But... you want to make your own to get that sweet, sweet loot? Apart from simply waiting for them to merely exist, you can...

• Find a way to bait enemies into attacking each other. This actually doesn't happen under the influence of Confusion, so that means the amount of enemies capable of this is actually relatively slim.
  
• Throw stat-boosting items at an enemy, like Experience Serums or Elixirs of X. That should ramp them up to Foul, and then Necrotic. Granted, you're about to have a much bigger problem on your hands, but surely, you know what you're doing... right?

And just so you know, yes, I HAVE personally seen Necrotic bosses, but that seems to be limited to the post-game. Otherwise, you'll have to manually buff them via items.

EDIT: I don't know why, but I called them "Grim" instead of the actual in-game term of "Foul". I'm gonna be real, I don't know how I did that, but I corrected it.

Here's how this guide will work moving forward.

Above will usually be a picture of the enemy in-game, as seen through the first-person camera (usually accessed via left trigger on your controller).

• In-game Description: "What the actual in-game bestiary says about the enemy in question. I think this gets filled in after actually beating the boss of the associated biome."
  
• Spell: The Spell associated with this particular enemy, usually based off of its capabilities in action.
  
• Biome: Where you find this enemy in normal gameplay. This typically goes out the window in post-game zones, as every enemy gets shoved everywhere in those dungeons, making for potentially lethal combinations.

And below the list will be some blurbs about my personal experiences with this particular enemy. I'll add more stuff depending on what people comment based on what they've seen, because there's probably some stuff that I missed for some reason or another.

• In-game description: "The severed torso of a reanimated zombie."
  
• Spell: Decrepify
  
• Biome: Mansion

Half of a basic-ass zombie. Like all zombie-type enemies in the game, it takes two turns for it to do anything, allowing you to deal with it fairly easily.

These can sometimes occur when you kill a regular zombie, though this isn't particularly common. When this DOES happen, though, it'll be ready to act after you do, so either kill it quick or move out of the way so it wastes its turn moving into position.

• In-game Description: "A scavenging bird, feeding on the fallen."
  
• Spell: Murder of Crows
  
• Biome: Mansion

A crow. Not much else needs to be said, although if you look closely, it almost looks as though it has teeth.

They move and attack without delay. Weaker than zombies, but when you're starting out, damage can add up.

On occasion, they'll call for help, which summons another crow in a valid space near it.

They're considered enough of a "trash mob" that their associated spell turns any non-boss within the vicinity into Crows.

• In-game Description: "A mindless undead, slow but relentless."
  
• Spell: Slashing Strikes
  
• Biome: Mansion

A basic-ass zombie. Like all zombie-type enemies in the game, it takes a couple of turns to act, so use this to your advantage. You can attack and step away. If you DO get hit, there's a chance you'll be inflicted with Bleeding.

On occasion, zombies get cut in half to form Crawlers, which are ready to act after you do if you don't immediately kill it.

• In-game Description: "A ferocious canine with a deadly bite."
  
• Spell: Feral Strike
  
• Biome: Mansion

Doge.

In all seriousness, this Cerberus-esque enemy has a unique quirk in that it has one of the game's first instances of delayed effects. In addition to a standard melee bite, it'll occasionally charge up a one-turn attack that'll deal extra damage. In this case, I highly recommend stepping out of the glowing square or moving the dog if you can.

• In-game Description: "A devotee of the dark arts, channeling power from unknown sources."
  
• Spell: Cursed Tongue
  
• Biome: Mansion

The game's first spellcaster. It has a melee attack, but that's actually the least of your worries.

The first spell it has is Enrage, which boosts its attack power. The second spell is Confusion, which takes a turn to come out, but if you don't move out of the way, you'll get... well, confused!

I believe they're also capable of using Cure, but even in the early game, a lot of stuff that isn't a Sentinel or the Carnifex tends to die fairly quickly. I think Cure would only be a problem if it was constantly spammed, but for some reason, the Mystic has other priorities.

• In-game Description: "An eternal guardian, turned to stone by ancient magic.
  
• Spell: Petrify
  
• Biome: Mansion

The first "stationary" type enemy. Looks kinda like a Lloid, doesn't it?

It may not look like it does much at first, but if you linger around in front of it for too long, it'll turn to face you. Hang around it for even further, it'll start to shake, and then it'll start coming at you!

These things hit pretty hard, and have high HP that you'll not want to mess with until you have better gear or have some cheesy item/trap strats in mind. Making matters even worse is that if you evade them for long enough that they turn back to stone, they restore most if not all damage you might've dealt during the chase.

The good thing is that they're worth a LOT of EXP if you do decide to take them on before the late game...

• In-Game Description: "A horrific mutated human with a long, whip-like tongue."
  
• Spell: Rapid Fire
  
• Biome: Mansion

These knock-off Lickers have fearsome claws that deal some heavy damage up close. But that's not the worst part--these guys have a delayed attack that allows them to spew a three-space long tongue attack! I wouldn't recommend being stuck in a hallway with these guys if you don't feel confident in being able to move or kill them quick enough.

On a personal side note, I dunno how "Rapid Fire" relates to stuff the thing can do, but whatever helps the player, I guess...

• In-game Description: "A monstrous creation, fueled by rage and a hunger for flesh."
  
• Spell: Whirlwind
  
• Biome: Mansion

The boss of the Mansion portion of the main game. This Tyrant-looking mofo saw to your first death, and it's ready to do it all over again if you give it a chance!

With the previous enemies, you'll almost certainly have been taught about the AoE mechanics of the game, and this boss uses that in addition to a devastating attack that it'll use when you're close! In fact, it has TWO AoE attacks that you need to watch out for!

The first attack is when it readies a charging attack, for chasing you down hallways. You can try to get out of the hallway in question, or use a Push Hex or other way of forcibly moving the Carnifex to cancel it if you aren't confident you'll be able to make it. It takes three turns for this attack to actually come out. If an enemy was in the way, I believe the Carnifex ends up healing itself!

The second big attack is a spinning slash that it uses in rooms, where it spins around, damaging anything within its indicated zone. Again, you've got three turns to move out of the way, or use some means of forced movement to get it to stop! And again, any enemy that dies to this move heals the Carnifex.

A Necrotic version of this appears in one of the post-game dungeons, the Crimson Destiny. Since you won't be able to take any of your gear with you in there or use any spells... yeah, good luck with that. Hopefully you find good stuff on your way!

• In-game Description: "A venomous serpent, delivering potent poison with its fangs."
  
• Spell: Antidote
  
• Biome: Courtyard

These funny little snakes may be weak as all hell, but they make up for it with being able to impart Poison with its attacks! As far as I know, unless you've got poison-proof armor, it's basically guaranteed if you give it a chance.

• In-game Description: "A monstrous organic trap, hungry for the flesh of the living."
  
• Spell: Nature's Wrath
  
• Biome: Courtyard

For something that's considered a "trash mob" if its associated spell is any indication, these things are something to watch out for in the early game.

These things have a high chance to inflict Bleeding with their attacks. Combine that with their tendency to be around Sporefiends, and, well... you'd better have the gear to get rid of them quickly.

• In-game Description: "A thorny vine, sprouting from the earth."
  
• Spell: Regrowth
  
• Biome: Courtyard

Gee Courtyard, how'd you get TWO stationary enemies?

In all seriousness, Lashers are something to watch out for in the early game. They may not attack immediately, and can only attack adjacent targets, but BOY do they hurt.

Again, they can be found around Sporefiends, allowing them to deal even MORE damage. Try to give these a wide berth if possible if you don't have the means to properly deal with them.

If you can't get around a Lasher to get into or out of a hallway, just note that these things aren't immune to Confusion, which should allow you to slip on by really quickly while it tries to get its bearings back.

• In-game Description: "A decaying Zombie, overgrown by thick poisonous moss."
  
• Spell: Venom Strike
  
• Biome: Courtyard

The Courtyard's zombie type. But, instead of Bleeding, it can inflict Poison.

Like any other zombies, watch your timing. Thankfully, I don't think these things split into Crawlers, so once they're dead, they're dead.

• In-game Description: "Riddled with fungi, releasing toxic spores into the air."
  
• Spell: Sporulation
  
• Biome: Courtyard

The Courtyard's second stationary enemy. Interestingly, it has a walking animation it only uses when forcibly moved. But, enough about that.

These things don't really attack on their own... rather, there's a chance they'll charge up a poison cloud attack, indicated by glowing squares. You'll need to step back if you don't want to get poisoned.

BUT! That's not the worst part. The worst part is that Sporefiends also double as the Courtyard's "caster" enemies, regularly healing enemies within some number of spaces and even buffing their attack. Many enemies become SO much worse when there's a Sporefiend around, even in the late game.

• In-game Description: "Eight legged hunter, spinning webs to ensnare its prey."
  
• Spell: Shackle
  
• Biome: Courtyard (and Caverns)

A step up from the Fleshtraps, if you ask me. They're technically enemies of TWO biomes, but you find them on their own in the Courtyard, so that's why they're at this point of the guide.

These things are capable of holding you in place if they successfully hit you, so you'll need to kill them to free yourself. That's not hard on its own, but it just emphasizes how much you DON'T want to get surrounded in this game, 'cause the ability to move one space over could be the difference between life and death.

• In-game Description: "Once human, now a fierce hunter known for its elaborate traps."
  
• Spell: Disarm
  
• Biome: Courtyard

It's like an evil RE4 Merchant!

These guys attack up close, sure--and it's surprisingly painful--but their real problem is in their name. Every now and then, a Trapster will lay down... well, a trap. It can vary as to what it is, be it a hidden stash, a heal, a warp, or even the activator of a Monster House! So far as I know, Monster House traps won't be laid in hallways, but in a proper room? That's when you want to be careful.

• In-game Description: "A human soul twisted into a sentient tree."
  
• Spell: Stomp
  
• Biome: Courtyard

It's kinda like the tree scene from Evil Dead, isn't it? Or maybe the background of one of MK2's stages.

But anyway, taking these things on up close is a TERRIBLE idea, and difficult to pull off in the first place. They hit hard, AND they push you back a space when they hit. This means you'll likely take more turns than you want to deal with them, and that's assuming you even have the resources to do so in the first place!

And if that wasn't enough, the damn things never stop chasing once they realize that you exist! Honestly, even in the late game, these things are forces to be reckoned with.

As an added piece of trivia, Necrotic Wraithbarks tend to come in both purple AND red, with the base of the tree being red. I don't know why this happens, and Warkus will presumably fix that in the future.

• In-game Description: "A grotesque plant like creature, spreading corrupting seeds throughout the gardens."
  
• Spell: Death Spike
  
• Biome: Courtyard

The boss of the Courtyard, though actually initiating the fight is kinda interesting. It doesn't immediately come at you--you need to throw the first punch. If you aren't careful, you might do just that with your weapons before you're ready!

At first, the Darkseed doesn't seem to do much, but after being hit three times, it starts producing deadly spikes from the ground, indicated by glowing spaces. This is a fight where I SERIOUSLY recommend stocking up on Escape Hexes, 'cause sometimes, where you want to go isn't ideal. Luckily, other enemies aren't immune to being spiked, but being spiked inflicts Bleed. There are three rounds of spikes, at the end of which, the Darkseed summons three Fleshtraps to keep you occupied. If you get too close to the Darkseed, it'll attack and Weaken you.

When its HP starts dipping, the Darkseed uproots itself and starts chasing after you! If it bites you, you get Weakened, like in its usual phase! It'll root itself eventually and start bringing up spikes again, but at this point, a single hit is all it takes to uproot itself.

NOTE: Spideregg is in its final stage in this picture.

• In-game Description: "A pulsating sac, filled with spiderlings, ready to burst."
  
• Spell: Arachnophobia
  
• Biome: Caverns

The Labyrinth's "stationary" enemy, though it doesn't actually do anything on its own. It seems to have just... a lot of HP... right?

Unfortunately, take too long to deal with it, and it'll start to grow. It has about three or four "phases" before it bursts, releasing three Spiders that'll start coming at you!

Small Slime

Large Slime

• In-game Description: "A shapeless mass, capable of splitting into multiple individuals."
  
• Spell: Splitting
  
• Biome: Caverns

The Labyrinth's "self-replicating" enemy, kinda like how the Crows call for help. They have just a basic attack, but they actually kinda hurt.

Slimes come in two sizes, large and small. Naturally, small ones don't deal as much damage, but the big ones... well, they're why they have the Splitting spell. Any kind of damage to a large Slime causes it to spawn a small Slime, even a killing blow. It can theoretically spawn an infinite number of small Slimes, assuming there's a valid adjacent space for it to do so.

Let's just say that things like this are what the Triad weapon mod was made for...

• In-game Description: "A repulsive horror that burrows into their hosts, infesting them."
  
• Spell: Infestation
  
• Biome: Caverns

Ew, nasty.

Parasites deal damage as it is, but every attack has a chance to inflict Infested. When you're Infested, there's a chance that, with every action, another Parasite will burst out of you for extra damage! It's not actually guaranteed, though, and I don't know if being Infested actually affects your performance in any meaningful way apart from the risk of potentially having a big-ass bug pop out of you for massive damage.

• In-game Description: "A mischievous thief, disappearing with your belongings in a blink."
  
• Spell: Steal
  
• Biome: Caverns

Oh ♥♥♥♥! MORE hands! Or I guess they're more like Wall Masters?

At any rate, as the description suggest, Snatchers have a chance to steal a random unequipped item from your inventory with every attack. Granted, if that happens, you don't take damage, but you'll be down an item, and you'll have to go around the floor if you want it back.

You can mitigate this with a steal-proof Armor mod, but that could mean more damage you're eating. You win some, you lose some.

• In-game Description: "A fast and aggressive undead, driven by violent hunger."
  
• Spell: Enrage
  
• Biome: Caverns

Crimson Heads on steroids.

Unlike basically every other zombie-type in the game, Ravagers have no delay to their actions.

And that's a problem.

If given the chance to attack, Ravagers become Enraged, which allows them to attack multiple times if given an opportunity to do so. It'll take a few turns for this to subside, but that could be a LOT of damage that you don't need to be eating.

Without ridiculous armor, this is something you seldom ever want to see as a Foul or a Necrotic without some serious cheese strats ready to be abused.

• In-game Description: "A skeletal warrior, wielding a scythe made from its own bones."
  
• Spell: Omnicut
  
• Biome: Caverns

The REAL zombie-type of the Labyrinth. And even then, it's got caveats that can catch you off-guard.

Sure, it has "delays", but that's only for movement. Its attacks do not have such issues, and those attacks HURT. Combine that with a fair amount of HP, and you've got a problem that you definitely need to keep a weather eye on whenever it shows up.

Oh, and did I mention that it can sometimes cause you to Bleed, too? Guess that explains why Omnicut is its associated Spell.

• In-game Description: "A master of conjuration, commanding a legion of summoned allies."
  
• Spell: Summon
  
• Biome: Caverns

An upgrade to the Mystic... but also kind of a downgrade. Let me explain:

On the one hand, Acolytes still have Confusion in their bag of tricks. They can increase other enemies' attack. They can Cure. They can also use Summon to call in a random valid enemy based on the biome/Depths floor. AND, to top it all off, they're capable of warping next to you!

If there's one thing that they don't do, it's directly attack you. In fact, they don't usually like to come near you intentionally. In my experience, even when they know you're a thing, Acolytes kinda just go wherever.

• In-game Description: "A deceptive predator masquerading as a rare treasure."
  
• Spell: Transmutation
  
• Biome: Caverns

Oh cool, a Red Herb/Upgrade Kit/Special Candy! ...Wait, that's just a Pot of Greed!

In the Caverns, 9 times out of 10, if you find any of the above items on the ground, it's a Cursed Jar. Damn mimics.

Not THAT much to say other than just start swingin' if you see one of those items around. Luckily, even if you try to pick up the item, I don't think it actually immediately attacks you, you just lose the opportunity to get a free hit.

In the Depths, their cover will be prematurely blown if they get buffed by a Sporefiend. They'll also get blown in 1HP rooms of the Depths, as you'll be able to see their HP bar.

• In-game Description: "The lingering echo of a tormented soul."
  
• Spell: Vanish
  
• Biome: Caverns

I was going to put a picture of an empty room, but I figured that'd be just mean.

You know those enemy blips on the map that may or may not kinda blink in-and-out of existence? Or maybe they exchange positions in really odd, non-linear ways? That's an Apparition. They're invisible and they kinda just go wherever.

The problem starts when they get attacked.

If you attack them (or they just so happen to appear on a revealed trap) without killing them, they'll start going after you with high-powered attacks. You'll want to watch your fire or even your melee swings if you don't want to unduly incur their wrath.

• In-game Description: "A powerful assassin, harvesting souls of the living."
  
• Spell: Escape
  
• Biome: Caverns

Jeez, what happened to have Death himself as the boss of the Caves?

The Wraith seems scary--and with good reason--but once you learn how to deal with it, it's not THAT bad. But let's go over the tricks first.

The first is that the Wraith doesn't actively come after you. You need to come into the room that it's in before the fight truly begins, so try to clear things out to give yourself some breathing room.

Once the fight actually begins, one trick that the Wraith will pull off is surrounding you with copies of itself. Depending on how many walls are around, you might find yourself surrounded on all sides, so watch carefully when this happens--You might see the real one turn around after teleporting. When you attack the real Wraith, the clones all die, leaving you alone. Not to mention, picking the right Wraith means you get a free hit!

The second trick is the Wraith's main attack. It'll teleport all around you, giving off glowing attack lines. You'll need to move to the side of those lines if you don't want to be hit for massive damage, so do NOT try to fight this thing in a hallway (which goes for basically every boss in the game, really). After some number of attempts to hit you (I don't think it'll attack other enemies), the Wraith will stand still to give you a very limited window of opportunity to start whacking on it.

If you give yourself a decent size room to fight the Wraith in, you'll find it a very easy battle to deal with, with or without a Triad melee. Kinda disappointing if you ask me...

A Necrotic version of this appears on the final/15th level of one of the post-game dungeons, The Depths. Nothing really changes except how much HP the boss has, so hit it with the best you've got.

• In-game Description: "A bloodsucking fiend, feeding on the lifeforce of the living."
  
• Spell: Vampirism
  
• Biome: Laboratory

If the Courtyard has two "stationary" enemies, the Lab has two "zombie" enemies. The Leecher is the first of the two.

The Leecher's weirdly long head allows it to drain your HP if it attacks you. If. The problem with the Leecher is that it follows the same pattern as the vast majority of other zombie enemies in the game, making it easy to deal with. It's kinda EXP fodder if you decide to start a fresh run right from the Lab.

• In-game Description: "A defeated and reanimated warrior with explosive weaponry."
  
• Spell: Detonation
  
• Biome: Laboratory

"C'mere, cupcake." -- Forest Speyer, probably

These self-exploding zombies are the Lab's second zombie-type enemy, and by far the more dangerous kind, despite following the same pattern logic as a typical zombie.

For one, its attacks hurt. There's that. But the real problem comes when its lost most of its HP...

When its HP drops to... I think half, it primes a self-destruct sequence. You need to either kill it or GTFO within two turns--just enough time to escape the blast with your third move--or suffer the firey consequences. You can be cheesy and use this to kill other enemies in a room, but like any other explosion in the game, you won't get any EXP for anything that dies that way.

Fun fact--if a Foul or Necrotic Soldier explodes, you don't lose the loot!

• In-game Description: "A ravenous beast, driven by insatiable hunger."
  
• Spell: Gluttony
  
• Biome: Laboratory

Ah yes, a pastiche of Resident Evil's fetish bait. I mean, what?

Fortunately, for anybody who isn't into that, Gluttons don't eat the player. They just bite the player. I'm gonna assume that Suzi Hunter isn't into that kind of thing.

What they DO eat, however, is anything you try to throw at it. BUT, as it turns out, this is a sort of... weird combination mechanic that's better explained by other guides. If you toss two incompatible items at the same Glutton, it'll spit them back out, so don't kill it immediately if you want the first item back.

That said, when a valid combination IS found, the Glutton dies on the spot, no matter of it's a regular, Grim, or even Necrotic. You don't get any EXP from this, however, so be mindful.

• In-game Description: "A heavily armed machine, programmed to eliminate threats."
  
• Spell: Piercing Shot
  
• Biome: Laboratory

Wait, all the freaked out things running around ISN'T considered a whole laundry list of threats? RIGGED!

...Ahem.

Drones can--and probably will--catch you off-guard plenty of times, taking off chunks of your HP with two and three-range shots each. They'll even try to shoot you through enemies, which could cause a Drone to become Grim or Necrotic, making them an even BIGGER problem! A Triad-mod melee weapon is a MUST to even remotely deal with them in a safe-ish manner, and even then, be prepared to eat hot lead at least once with higher-grade Drones.

• In-game Description: "A former researcher, twisted by their own experiments."
  
• Spell: Insight
  
• Biome: Laboratory

What? They kinda look like they have headcrabs from above!

Okay, anyway, these are a combination of "caster" and "stationary", though their bag of tricks is considerably smaller. Their only real spells are Confuse and Warp, and they Warp almost any time they take non-lethal damage, though they usually do this to get away from you rather than get themselves in a better position. This leads to rather funny scenarios where they Warp all over the place if they get hit with Poison.

They also got a melee attack, but that won't usually be a problem. Usually.

• In-game Description: "A hulking undead monstrosity, possessing immense strength."
  
• Spell: Titan Strike
  
• Biome: Laboratory

TAAAAAAANK!!!

So, take Wraithbark's ability to push away targets with attacks, and give it an extra space of range. ...Yeah.

As of this writing, I've not found a good way to deal with these damn things that isn't Triad or long-range gun spam, and even then. Oh, and did I mention that it's not particularly difficult for Brutes to kill their own allies to get to you, and becoming Grim/Necrotic as a result?

• In-game Description: "Its origins are lost to time, its purpose incomprehensible, its power immeasurable."
  
• Spell: Transformation
  
• Biome: Laboratory

The game's true Tyrant, and the final boss of the main game. And BOY does it earn that even with repeat playthroughs with busted mods/weapons.

It's got a melee attack that inflicts both Bleed AND Confusion if you get too close, on top of just being plain painful to eat.

It has a delayed ability to summon zombie-related enemies to keep you busy.

It's got an AoE spike attack that, if you aren't on a non-glowing square on your third turn, will do massive damage.

And if you try to teleport by some means, I'm pretty sure it teleports with you!

It may not seem "all that much" on repeat playthroughs, but it's enough where you still have to keep on your toes, and it won't be a short fight by most means.

Here's a fun fact, though--If you get the Godslayer and bring it to the fight, you can, in fact, one-shot the boss and get the "good ending". Though, that also includes another dungeon to run through if you're brave enough to try to run it...