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Chain Lightning

From Diablo 4 Wiki

Chain Lightning is a Sorcerer skill from the Core skill tree. Its features are:

Grants Player Exploits Condition
Lightning Dmg Critical Strike Chance
+ Crackling Energy Critical Strike Dmg
Core
Shock

'Creates Condition' means this skill creates this condition i.e it could make a target Vulnerable that other skills can take advantage of. 'Exploits Condition' means this skill takes advantage of a condition, not necessarily of its own making. So for example another skill might Stun and this skill could take advantage of that.


chain lightning

Chain Lightning

Unleash a stream of lightning that deals 36% damage and chains between Nearby enemies and you up to 5 times, prioritizing enemies.

Mana Cost: 35

Enchantment Slot Effect

Chain Lightning forms automatically after spending 100 Mana.

Damage: Lightning

Lucky Hit Chance: 25%

Tags: Core, Shock

Upgrades

Upgrade Hub
Enhanced Chain Lightning

Chain Lightning gains +3% increased Critical Strike Chance per bounce.

Upgrade Hub
Greater Chain Lightning

Each time Chain Lightning bounces, it deals x 5% increased damage for its duration.

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Destructive Chain Lightning

When Chain Lightning Critically Strikes, it has a 30% chance to spawn a Crackling Energy.


Items that work with Chain Lightning

The following items either:

  • Grant a bonus when using Chain Lightning
  • Create a condition Chain Lightning can exploit
  • Exploit a condition Chain Lightning creates

Legendary Aspects

Accelerating Aspect
Offensive Critical Strikes with Core Skills increase your Attack Speed by 9.0%[+] for 5 seconds.

Gloves, Offhand, 1H Weapon, 2H Weapon (+100%), Ring, Amulet (+50%)

N/A Extraction All
Aspect of Abundant Energy
Offensive Crackling Energy has a 34% chance to chain to an additional enemy.

Gloves, Offhand, 1H Weapon, 2H Weapon (+100%), Ring, Amulet (+50%)

N/A Extraction Sorcerer
Aspect of the Expectant
Offensive After attacking enemies with a Basic Skill, increase the damage of your next Core Skill cast within 5 seconds by 4%[x], up to 30%[x].

Gloves, Offhand, 1H Weapon, 2H Weapon (+100%), Ring, Amulet (+50%)

Underroot
(Map)
Codex of Power All
Aspect of the Unbroken Tether
Offensive Chain Lightning has a 24% chance to chain 4 additional times.

Gloves, Offhand, 1H Weapon, 2H Weapon (+100%), Ring, Amulet (+50%)

N/A Extraction Sorcerer
Charged Aspect
Mobility Collecting Crackling Energy increases your Movement Speed by 9%[+] for 8 seconds.

Boots, Amulet (+50%)

Maddux Watch
(Map)
Scosglen Sorcerer
Elementalist's Aspect
Offensive Core Skills cast at or above 100 Mana gain a 24.0%[+] increased Critical Strike Chance.

Gloves, Offhand, 1H Weapon, 2H Weapon (+100%), Ring, Amulet (+50%)

Pallid Delve
(Map)
Dry Steppes Sorcerer
Recharging Aspect
Resource Each time Chain Lightning bounces, gain 0.6 Mana.

Ring

Zenith
(Map)
Fractured Peaks Sorcerer
Smiting Aspect
Offensive You have 12%[x] increased Critical Strike Chance against Injured enemies. While you are Healthy, you gain 24%[x] increased Crowd Control Duration.

Gloves, Offhand, 1H Weapon, 2H Weapon (+100%), Ring, Amulet (+50%)

N/A Extraction All
Stable Aspect
Offensive While Unstable Currents is not active, your Shock Skills have a 6.0% chance to trigger a free cast from it.

Gloves, Offhand, 1H Weapon, 2H Weapon (+100%), Ring, Amulet (+50%)

N/A Extraction Sorcerer

Unique Items

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Ahavarion Spear of Lycander

"The angel Lycander left us a portion of her power in this spear. It is all the proof I need that she watches over us still." - Oracle Argoysni

Type: Ancestral Unique Staff
Class: Druid, Sorcerer

Description: Gain a random Shrine effect for 20 seconds after killing an Elite enemy. Can only occur once every 30 seconds.

  • +35.0% Damage to Crowd Controlled Enemies

Affixes: (Item Power 925)
  • +16.0% Critical Strike Chance
  • +20.0% Attack Speed
  • +35.0% Damage
  • Lucky Hit: Up to a +28.0% Chance to Stun (CC) for 2 Seconds
2403703913.png

Banished Lord's Talisman

"His name has been lost to history, but to have been exiled from a land as cursed as Hawezar, his deeds must have been truly depraved." - Scholar's Notes

Type: Ancestral Unique Amulet
Class: All Classes

Description: After you spend 275 of your Primary Resource, your next All Classes_Skill_Tree#Core|Core Skill is guaranteed to Overpower. Your Critical Strikes that Overpower deal [20 - 60]%[x] increased damage.

  • +25.0% Resistance to All Elements

Affixes: (Item Power 925)
  • [5.0 - 12.0]% Resource Generation
  • +[21.0 - 42.0]% Overpower Damage
  • +[1.8 - 5.0]% Critical Strike Chance
  • +1 to Core Skills
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Blue Rose

"Her lover's spirit faded, and in her sorrow she wept frozen tears. Where they fell, roses of the purest ice would blossom each winter." - Greenslade's Tales, Chapter 7: "The Myth of Irina Coldheart"

Type: Ancestral Unique Ring
Class: Sorcerer

Description: Lucky Hit: Damaging an enemy has up to a 30% chance to form an exploding Ice Spike, dealing [75 - 112] Cold damage. Triple this chance if the enemy is Frozen (CC).

  • +10.0% Resistance to All Elements
  • +10.0% Cold Resistance

Affixes: (Item Power 925)
  • +[3.2 - 6.0]% Lucky Hit Chance
  • +[21.0 - 42.0]% Ice Spike Damage
  • +[14.0 - 21.0]% Critical Strike Damage
  • [9.5 - 16.5]% Mana Cost Reduction
3125733840.png

Esadora's Overflowing Cameo

The only thing more potent than Esadora's magic was her endless hatred of humanity. As she lay dying, the pale amulet around her neck drank in both.

Type: Ancestral Unique Amulet
Class: Sorcerer

Description: Upon collecting Crackling Energy, there's a 15% chance to release a lightning nova, dealing [180 - 240] Lightning damage, increased by 50%[x] for every 100 Intelligence you have.Current Bonus: 0%[x]

  • +25.0% Resistance to All Elements

Affixes: (Item Power 925)
  • [4.2 - 7.0]% Cooldown Reduction
  • +[21.0 - 42.0]% Crackling Energy Damage
  • +[1 - 2] to Shocking Impact
  • +[10.5 - 17.5]% Movement Speed
4161198287.png

Esu's Heirloom

"While scholars have proven these boots were not created by Esu herself, it is noteworthy that they have been passed down since the formation of the Mage Clans." - Barrett's Book of Implements

Type: Ancestral Unique Boots
Class: Sorcerer

Description: Your Critical Strike Chance is increased by [20 - 30]% of your Movement Speed bonus.Current Bonus: -[20.0 - 30.0]%


Affixes: (Item Power 925)
  • +[10.5 - 17.5]% Movement Speed
  • +[14.0 - 28.0]% Movement Speed for 4 Seconds After Killing an Elite
  • [4.2 - 7.0]% Mana Cost Reduction
  • +[14.0 - 21.0]% Critical Strike Damage
2103676465.png

Flickerstep

"Considered a failure by their creator, it wasn't until the assassination of an "untouchable" Caldeum noble that these boots' true power was understood." - Barrett's Book of Implements

Type: Ancestral Unique Boots
Class: All Classes

Description: Each enemy you Evade through reduces your active Ultimate Cooldown by [2.0 - 4.0] seconds, up to 10 seconds.

  • Attacks Reduce Evade's Cooldown by 1.5 Seconds

Affixes: (Item Power 925)
  • +[10.5 - 17.5]% Movement Speed
  • +[10 - 18] All Stats
  • [7.0 - 14.0]% Damage Reduction from Close Enemies
  • +[31.5 - 52.5]% Ultimate Damage
3180767857.png

Frostburn

A touch so frigid it stops the heart and chills the very soul.

Type: Ancestral Unique Gloves
Class: All Classes

Description: Lucky Hit: Up to a [15 - 25]% chance to Freeze enemies for 2 seconds.


    Affixes: (Item Power 925)
    • +[3.0 - 8.0]% Critical Strike Chance
    • +[4.4 - 10.0]% Attack Speed
    • +[13.0 - 20.0]% Freeze Duration
    • Lucky Hit: Up to a 5% Chance to Restore +[7.0 - 14.0]% Primary Resource
    943322383.png

    Gloves of the Illuminator

    After Inarius returned to Sanctuary, he sought a way back to the High Heavens. His first step was to reignite the religion he had abandoned millennia before: the Cathedral of Light.

    Type: Ancestral Unique Gloves
    Class: Sorcerer

    Description: Fireball now bounces as it travels, exploding each time it hits the ground, but its explosion deals [35 - 25]% less damage.


      Affixes: (Item Power 925)
      • +[3.0 - 8.0]% Critical Strike Chance
      • +[4.2 - 7.0]% Fireball Attack Speed
      • Lucky Hit: Up to a 5% Chance to Restore +[13.0 - 20.0]% Primary Resource
      • +[2 - 3] to Fireball
      2403703919.png

      Melted Heart of Selig

      "Do not allow your passions to become obsessions. Fuel the fire that burns within you, but it is madness to allow yourself to become ash to please an uncaring universe." - Last words of Master Selig

      Type: Ancestral Unique Amulet
      Class: All Classes

      Description: Gain 60 Maximum Resource.When taking damage, 75% is drained as 2 Resource for every 1% of Maximum Life you would have lost.

      • +25.0% Resistance to All Elements

      Affixes: (Item Power 925)
      • +36 All Stats
      • +17.5% Movement Speed
      • +70.5% Damage while Healthy
      • 12.0% Resource Generation
      3468537878.png

      Mother's Embrace

      "Every tome, every scroll, every book in this temple produces the same answer. The only being willing to stand against the Eternal Conflict, against the Prime Evils, was Lilith." - Elias

      Type: Ancestral Unique Ring
      Class: All Classes

      Description: If a All Classes_Skill_Tree#Core|Core Skill hits 4 or more enemies, [30 - 50]% of the Resource cost is refunded.

      • +10.0% Resistance to All Elements
      • +10.0% Shadow Resistance

      Affixes: (Item Power 925)
      • +[10 - 18] All Stats
      • +[3.2 - 6.0]% Lucky Hit Chance
      • +[14.0 - 21.0]% Critical Strike Damage
      • +[403 - 873] Maximum Life
      2820920553.png

      Paingorger's Gauntlets

      Crafted from fragments of Duriel's carapace, wearing these gloves, or being struck by them, causes an agonizing sensation akin to pushing one's hands through a thousand shards of glass.

      Type: Ancestral Unique Gloves
      Class: All Classes

      Description: Damaging enemies with a Non-Basic Skill cast marks them for 3 seconds. When a Basic Skill first hits a marked enemy, the Basic Skill's damage is echoed to all marked enemies, dealing [100 - 200]%[x] increased damage.


        Affixes: (Item Power 925)
        • +[18.5 - 39.5]% Basic Damage
        • +[4.4 - 10.0]% Attack Speed
        • +[10 - 18] All Stats
        • +[3.0 - 8.0]% Critical Strike Chance
        1903997083.png

        Ring of Starless Skies

        "Yours is the power to pluck the stars from the heavens with the ease of a child gathering fruit from the bough." - Unknown

        Type: Ancestral Unique Ring
        Class: All Classes

        Description: Spending your Primary Resource reduces the Resource cost of your Skills and increases your damage by 10%[x] for 3 seconds, up to 40%[x].

        • +10.0% Resistance to All Elements
        • +10.0% Resistance to All Elements

        Affixes: (Item Power 925)
        • +6.0% Lucky Hit Chance
        • +5.0% Critical Strike Chance
        • +17.5% Critical Strike Damage
        • +19.5% Core Damage
        595234013.png

        Staff of Endless Rage

        "Leaving even blackened bones for your kin to mourn is too good an end for you." - Josiah

        Type: Ancestral Unique Staff
        Class: Sorcerer

        Description: Every 3rd cast of Fireball launches 2 additional projectiles and deals [40 - 60]%[x] increased damage.

        • +35.0% Damage to Crowd Controlled Enemies

        Affixes: (Item Power 925)
        • +[25.0 - 39.0]% Core Damage
        • +[33.0 - 47.0]% Damage to Close Enemies
        • +[21.0 - 35.0]% Fire Damage
        • +[1 - 2] to Inner Flames
        595234045.png

        Staff of Lam Esen

        "Also known as the Greatstaff of the Old Religion, this powerful relic is one of only a small handful of Skatsimi artifacts that have survived to this day." - Barrett's Book of Implements

        Type: Ancestral Unique Staff
        Class: Sorcerer

        Description: Your casts of Charged Bolts have a [40.0 - 60.0]% chance to be attracted to enemies and last 300% longer.

        • +35.0% Damage to Crowd Controlled Enemies

        Affixes: (Item Power 925)
        • +[21.0 - 35.0]% Lightning Damage
        • +[4 - 6] to Charged Bolts
        • +[28.0 - 42.0]% Critical Strike Damage
        • Lucky Hit: Up to a 5% Chance to Restore +[14.0 - 28.0]% Primary Resource
        1785912170.png

        Tal Rasha's Iridescent Loop

        "Fool said he dug it out of the sands near Lut Gholein with a few other 'worthless trinkets'. I hid my delight at receiving such a treasure in exchange for a meager handful of coins." - Rakhaan

        Type: Ancestral Unique Ring
        Class: Sorcerer

        Description: For each type of Elemental damage you deal, gain [10.0 - 15.0]%[x] increased damage for 4 seconds, up to [40.0 - 60.0]%[x] . Dealing Elemental damage refreshes all bonuses.

        • +10.0% Resistance to All Elements
        • +4.0% Resistance to All Elements

        Affixes: (Item Power 925)
        • +[19.0 - 26.0]% Non-Physical Damage
        • [5.0 - 12.0]% Resource Generation
        • +[3.2 - 6.0]% Lucky Hit Chance
        • [4.2 - 7.0]% Cooldown Reduction


        Paragon Glyphs

        magicglyph.png

        Ruin

        Magic: Barbarian / Druid / Necromancer / Rogue / Sorcerer

        Bonus:

        • For every 5 Dexterity (Barb, Druid, Necro, Sorc) / Intelligence (Rogue) purchased within range, you gain + 1.1% increased Critical Strike Damage.


        40int.png

        Charged

        Rare: Sorcerer

        Bonus:

        • For every 5 Intelligence within range, Crackling Energy deals + 2% (lvl 1) - 13% (lvl 21_ increased damage.

        Additional Bonus:

        • Picking up Crackling Energy grants you x 5% increased damage for 5 seconds, up to x 15%.

        Requirements: 40 Intelligence (in radius range)

        25dex.png

        Destruction

        Rare: Sorcerer

        Bonus:

        • For every 5 Dexterity purchased within range, you deal + 4% (lvl 1) - 20% (lvl 21) increased Critical Strike Damage.

        Additional Bonus:

        • Critical Strikes increase all damage the enemy takes from you by x 2% for 10 seconds, up to x 12%.

        Requirements: 25 Dexterity (in radius range)

        25dex.png

        Electrocute

        Rare: Sorcerer

        Bonus:

        • Paragon nodes within range gain + 15% (lvl 1) - 75% (lvl 21) bonus to their Lightning damage and damage reduction modifiers.

        Additional Bonus:

        Requirements: 25 Dexterity (in radius range)

        40int.png

        Elementalist

        Rare: Sorcerer

        Bonus:

        • Paragon nodes within range gain + 15% (lvl 1) - 75% (lvl 21) bonus to their Non-physical damage and damage reduction modifiers.

        Additional Bonus:

        • Dealing Fire, Cold, or Lightning damage to an enemy increases all damage you deal to them by x 5% for 10 seconds, stacking once per element.

        Requirements: 40 Intelligence (in radius range)

        40int.png

        Enchanter

        Rare: Sorcerer

        Bonus:

        • For every 5 Intelligence purchased within range, you deal +2% (lvl 1) -10% (lvl 21) increased Non-physical damage.

        Additional Bonus:

        • For each skill equipped in your Enchantment Slots, gain + 5% Maximum Resistance to that Skill's element.

        Requirements: 40 Intelligence (in radius range)


        Item Affixes

        The following Affixes are particularly useful with Chain Lightning

        Attribute Amulet Ring Helm Chest Legs Gloves Boots Weap 1H Weap 2H Off-Hand
        Ranks to Chain Lightning
        [2 -3]
        Core Skill Damage
        [12.5 - 19.5%]
        Core Skill Damage
        [25 - 39%]
        Shock Skill Damage
        [10.5 - 17.5%]
        Crackling Energy Damage
        [14 - 28%]
        Lightning Damage
        [10.5 - 17.5%]
        Critical Strike Chance
        [1.8 - 5%]
        Critical Strike Chance Against Injured Enemies
        [3 - 8%]
        Lightning Critical Strike Damage
        [10.5 - 17.5%]
        Lightning Critical Strike Damage
        [28 - 42%]
        Critical Strike Damage
        [10.5 - 17.5]
        Critical Strike Damage
        [28 - 42%]
        Attribute Amulet Ring Helm Chest Legs Gloves Boots Weap 1H Weap 2H Off-Hand


        Changes to Chain Lightning

        Patch 1.1.1, August 8, 2023