Hillock

For the Immortal Syndicate member, see Hillock, the Blacksmith.

Hillock
Hillock
Level	1
Location	The Twilight Strand (Act 1)
Quest	Enemy at the Gate
Category	Undead
Skill	Default Attack

Hillock is the first unique monster and boss encountered by the player, located at the end of The Twilight Strand (Act 1).

Defeating him is the objective of the quest Enemy at the Gate and grants access to Lioneye's Watch (Act 1). Defeating him at level 1 will always level the player up to 2, regardless of experience.

In Ruthless mode, he is guaranteed to drop a QuickstepQuickstepSpell, Movement, Travel, Blink
Level: 1
Cooldown Time: 10.00 sec
Can Store 1 Use(s)
Cast Time: 0.15 secPerforms a series of quick teleports towards a targeted location, stopping if you would overlap with monsters or terrain. If using the "Attack in Place" option, the direction is reversed. Shares a cooldown with other Blink skills. Cannot be supported.200% increased Cooldown Recovery Rate if used while a Unique Enemy is in your Presence
Quality has no effect
This Spell's Cast Speed cannot be modified

Additional Effects From 1-20% Quality:
Quality has no effectPlace into an item socket of the right colour to gain this skill. Right click to remove from a socket. skill gem.

Mechanics

Phase One

Hillock seems unarmed initially. His only skill is Default Attack, using melee attack to deal physical damage.

Phase Two

When Hillock reaches 50% life for the first time, he will pull the sword out of his chest and recover to full life. He will now use the sword to attack and deal significantly more damage.

Recommendations

Hillock is quite slow, but hits hard. If a new player has trouble for this fight, they may want to check the followings:

• Equip the skill gem and support gem found earlier into linked item sockets
• Use the equipped skill to attack and use a mana flask when mana is running out
• Dodge his attacks by circling him especially during the phase two
• Use a life flask when life is low

Special variant

Hillock with Oni-Goroshi in the chest

There is an extremely low chance for Hillock to be replaced by a stronger version of himself, which is commonly known as "Uber Hillock". Visually, the sword normally found in his chest is replaced by a glowing sword - the Oni-GoroshiOni-Goroshi
Charan's SwordOne Handed Sword
Physical Damage: 5-11
Critical Strike Chance: (8.50-9.50)%
Attacks per Second: 1.45
Weapon Range: 1.1 metres40% increased Global Accuracy RatingUses both hand slots
(70-90)% increased Critical Strike Chance
Adds 2 to 3 Physical Damage to Attacks per Level
Gain Her Embrace for 3 seconds when you Ignite an Enemy
While in Her Embrace, take 0.5% of your total Maximum Life and Energy Shield as Fire Damage per second per Level
Has 6 Linked Sockets (Hidden)
Uses goddess player audio (Hidden)"Your name is Demon Slayer? Really? Good name for rotgut, that."
She said: I prefer "The Goddess Of Swords". Much more dignified. And accurate.
"Demon Slayer The Cheap And Nasty it is then. Burns going down, burns coming up?"
She said: Every single time, Charan. And still...you'll bathe me, and you'll drink my love. Until you can't.. He is guaranteed to drop the unique sword on death.

As a player character cannot return to this area after entering Lioneye's Watch (Act 1), obtaining the sword can be a very tedious process.

See also: Guide:Obtaining Oni-Goroshi

Mechanics

This variant of Hillock generally acts the same as the normal version, but has far more life and damage.

In phase two, he will sometimes jump towards the player with Leap SlamLeap SlamAttack, AoE, Movement, Travel, Slam, Melee
Level: (1-20)
Cost: (6-10) Mana
Attack Damage: (136-314)% of base
Effectiveness of Added Damage: (136-314)%
AoE Radius: 15Requires Level 10Jump through the air, damaging and knocking back enemies with your weapon where you land. Enemies you would land on are pushed out of the way. Requires an Axe, Mace, Sceptre, Sword or Staff.(20-39)% increased Stun Duration against Enemies that are on Full Life
+0.55 seconds to Attack Time
Base radius is 1.5 metres
Damaging Hits always Stun Enemies that are on Full Life

Additional Effects From 1-20% Quality:
(2-40)% increased Stun Duration against Enemies that are on Full LifePlace into an item socket of the right colour to gain this skill. Right click to remove from a socket., dealing massive damage and summon a bunch of fast moving zombies around him at the same time.

Lore

Just like the player and the Dying Exile, Hillock has been exiled from Oriath. It is suggested that he lived in a place called Slaugh originally and committed multiple serious crimes.

Hillock of Slaugh

You have transgressed against your God and your fellow Man. You have been a willing vessel for the following Sins.

Mortal Wrath

Six counts of Common Homicide

One count of Infanticide

Two counts of Homicide with post-mortem Desecration

Unlawful Avarice

Twelve counts of Extortion through Threat of Mortal Harm

Seven counts of Armed Larceny

Two counts of Armed Larceny resulting in Mortal Harm

Unsolicited Lust

Four counts of Rape

Two counts of Attempted Rape

Mortal Wrath

One count of Rape resulting in Mortality

God has charged me with your redemption. You are hereby Exiled to Wraeclast where, it is hoped, you shall come to repent your Sins, and make your peace with your beloved Father.

- High Templar Dominus, Letters of Exile

By the time our exile arrived at The Twilight Strand, Hillock had already become a zombie.

Hillock was later resurrected by the Mastermind. As a result, he has joined the Immortal Syndicate and is known as Hillock, the Blacksmith.

Map variants

• The Blacksmith in Dunes MapDunes MapMap Level: 69
  Map Tier: 2
  Guild Character: AShifting, morphing, expanding. A reminder
  of the virtues of an agile mind.Travel to this Map by using it in a personal Map Device. Maps can only be used once.
• Jaesyn in Hallowed GroundHallowed Ground
  Cemetery MapMap Level: 71
  Map Tier: 4
  Guild Character: Ð
  Item Quantity: +100%
  Item Rarity: +100%Unique Boss drops 3 additional Maps
  Unique Boss gives 2000% increased Experience
  0.5 Flask Charges recovered every 3 seconds
  +(-2-2) to Monster Level of AreaSome dead have long envied the living.
  When given the chance, they take from us what they can.
  So we offer our suffrage.
  In return, they give only suffering.Travel to this Map by using it in a personal Map Device. Maps can only be used once.

Trivia

Before Version 0.5.1, Hillock was known as the "zombie boss".

Before the redesign of the Path of Exile website, there was a compendium about various monsters. In the article about Hillock, he was a blacksmith but turned into a ruthless murderer after a drunken rage. He was then killed by his victims in his sleep and dumped into the ocean, only to be rediscovered as a zombie months later. Contrary to the Letters of Exile, his exile was not mentioned.

Before Version 3.0.0, it was mentioned that Hillock was sentenced in 1599 IC in the Letters of Exile. All dates were later removed in the letters.

Gallery

• 

  The Shadow fighting against Hillock

Version history

Version	Changes
3.15.0	We have rebalanced various monsters found throughout Act One to make them more dangerous. Note, the balance changes made to Act One Bosses and monsters also apply to their Endgame Map versions. Monster life has been increased by roughly 46% at level 1, tapering down to the same amount of life at level 84. Some bosses and monsters in Act 1, such as Hillock and Oozeback have had their life reduced to partially counteract this change. Various effects improvements have been made to monsters and bosses throughout Act One. Various audio improvements have been made to monsters and bosses throughout Act One.
3.7.0	Improved the early-game experience. Fights in the first three Acts will be tougher but more responsive, involved and dynamic. This includes fights against basic monsters!
3.2.0	The Oni-GoroshiOni-Goroshi Charan's SwordOne Handed Sword Physical Damage: 5-11 Critical Strike Chance: (8.50-9.50)% Attacks per Second: 1.45 Weapon Range: 1.1 metres40% increased Global Accuracy RatingUses both hand slots (70-90)% increased Critical Strike Chance Adds 2 to 3 Physical Damage to Attacks per Level Gain Her Embrace for 3 seconds when you Ignite an Enemy While in Her Embrace, take 0.5% of your total Maximum Life and Energy Shield as Fire Damage per second per Level Has 6 Linked Sockets (Hidden) Uses goddess player audio (Hidden)"Your name is Demon Slayer? Really? Good name for rotgut, that." She said: I prefer "The Goddess Of Swords". Much more dignified. And accurate. "Demon Slayer The Cheap And Nasty it is then. Burns going down, burns coming up?" She said: Every single time, Charan. And still...you'll bathe me, and you'll drink my love. Until you can't. version of Hillock has more life, deals more damage, and has learned a new trick.
3.1.1c	The Oni-GoroshiOni-Goroshi Charan's SwordOne Handed Sword Physical Damage: 5-11 Critical Strike Chance: (8.50-9.50)% Attacks per Second: 1.45 Weapon Range: 1.1 metres40% increased Global Accuracy RatingUses both hand slots (70-90)% increased Critical Strike Chance Adds 2 to 3 Physical Damage to Attacks per Level Gain Her Embrace for 3 seconds when you Ignite an Enemy While in Her Embrace, take 0.5% of your total Maximum Life and Energy Shield as Fire Damage per second per Level Has 6 Linked Sockets (Hidden) Uses goddess player audio (Hidden)"Your name is Demon Slayer? Really? Good name for rotgut, that." She said: I prefer "The Goddess Of Swords". Much more dignified. And accurate. "Demon Slayer The Cheap And Nasty it is then. Burns going down, burns coming up?" She said: Every single time, Charan. And still...you'll bathe me, and you'll drink my love. Until you can't. version of Hillock has been added to the game. [Undocumented]
3.0.0	Cruel and Merciless version of Hillock were removed due to overhaul of the game.
1.3.0c	Fixed a bug where there could be a short clientside freeze when Hillock was killed.
1.1.3	Removed the invulnerability period from Hillock when he is drawing his sword in all difficulties.
1.0.6	Hillock now uses the same triggered effect that the Blacksmith does, in Cruel and Merciless difficulties. The damage of the poison cloud produced by his zombies has been reduced in all instances (including Maps).
0.11.0	Hillock now correctly restores a percentage of his maximum life when he draws his sword. This life restoration increases in higher difficulties.
0.8.2	Hillock is now easier in higher difficulties.
0.8.1	Made starting difficulty Hillock harder.
0.5.11	Hillock and the Brute now drop better items.
0.5.10	Annessa in town will currently reward you with four skill gems for defeating Hillock.
0.5.6	Reduced Hillock's damage, increased his life.
0.5.11	Hillock now drops better items.
0.5.1	Reduced zombie boss (Hillock) damage/life and renamed him.