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The original Cultists used poorly-made weapons, wore rags and crude metal skulls, and numbered only three identifiable ranks (Brawler, Acolyte, and Priest).
The Cultists of the first game were weak, predictable, but widespread Mooks who only gained some proper menace in the titular Darkest Dungeon, while the Cultists of the second are hardened veterans who act as the forces of Darkness' elite legion. Contrasting Sequel Antagonist: To the original Cult. Combat Medic: Size 1 Cultists have a nasty habit of healing their tankier allies whenever they acquire the Worship status effect, which a lot of their other moves give them. The most human-like are the Cherubs, which resemble winged big mutated babies, while the rest are even less human for starters, their lower limbs have become fleshy cephalopod-like tentacles. All of the Cultists are horribly mutated and barely keep a humanoid form.
Body Horror: Whereas in the last game, they only really developed this in the Darkest Dungeon itself, now all Cultists have mutated sufficiently for this.Arc Symbol: Like the Cultists from the first game, all of their headwear bears the stress symbol (named in-game as the Iron Crown).Cultists are good at generating tokens to protect themselves, so abilities that can get rid of them without wasting an attack are highly useful against them. Evangelists, Heralds, Cherubs and Altars all hate being pulled out of position since it prevents them using their powerful abilities. Achilles' Heel: Movement and token-destroying abilities.