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Skills are the magical attacks unique to each character class in ''Diablo II''. Skills are enabled by spending skill points, improve with more points, and the characters can find a wide variety of items too boost individual skills, whole skill trees, or every skill possessed by that character. Each character has 30 skills unique to their class, but a few of these skills can also be used by other classes if they have special equipment to enable those skills. | Skills are the magical attacks unique to each character class in ''Diablo II''. Skills are enabled by spending skill points, improve with more points, and the characters can find a wide variety of items too boost individual skills, whole skill trees, or every skill possessed by that character. Each character has 30 skills unique to their class, but a few of these skills can also be used by other classes if they have special equipment to enable those skills. | ||
==Starting Skills== | |||
All five classes in D2C and all seven in D2X begin with the same 3 basic skills. '''Attack''', '''Throw''', and '''Unsummon'''. | All five classes in D2C and all seven in D2X begin with the same 3 basic skills. '''Attack''', '''Throw''', and '''Unsummon'''. | ||
* [[Image:Punching.jpg|frame|Punching.]][[Attack]] works with any equipped weapon and is the default function. Using attack will swing whatever weapon is equipped at the target, or fire an arrow/bolt if a bow/xbos is equipped. Characters punch if they have no weapon equipped, though this tends to look more painful than it is. | |||
* [[Throw]] works only when a stack of [[Throwing|throwing weapons]] are equipped, and it will hurl the knife, javelin, axe, or other item at the selected target or location. Throwing weapons can also be used for melee combat, when the Attack skill or other melee range skills are is used. | |||
* [[Unsummon]] is only active when a character has summoned minions of some type (such as the Necromancer's skeletons/golems, the Druid's wolves/bear/spirits/vines, the Amazon's Valkyrie, etc), and when used it will dispel any summoned minion targeted. | |||
* [[Kick]] this skill was present during much of the game's development, but was removed before the beta test. Kick worked a bit like the Paladin's [[Smite]] skill, knocking back, but not stunning, a single target. | |||
These skills are more like abilities, in that they are not located in the skill trees, but are inherent skills all characters possess. Enabling skills in the skill trees requires skill points or special equipment, while a level one character without any gear at all can still attack, throw, or unsummon. | |||
===Special Starting Characters=== | |||
All characters start with a basic weapon and shield of some sort. These do enough damage to deal with the first monsters encountered, but should be upgraded as soon as possible. There are two partial exceptions to this rule. Since the Sorceress and the Necromancer are very weak in combat, they begin the game with weapons that grant them a level one skill. | All characters start with a basic weapon and shield of some sort. These do enough damage to deal with the first monsters encountered, but should be upgraded as soon as possible. There are two partial exceptions to this rule. Since the Sorceress and the Necromancer are very weak in combat, they begin the game with weapons that grant them a level one skill. | ||
* Sorceress begin with a staff that grants +1 to the Fire Bolt skill. | * Sorceress begin with a staff that grants +1 to the Fire Bolt skill. | ||
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These items are only useful to those character classes (another character could equip the staff or wand, but would not gain the skill bonus), and are simply +1 bonuses to individual skills (the same sort of mod that can be found on all wands and staves in the game). When a Sorceress or Necromancer gains a skill point, they can put it into Firebolt or Raise Skeleton, which will give them level 2 in those skills. | These items are only useful to those character classes (another character could equip the staff or wand, but would not gain the skill bonus), and are simply +1 bonuses to individual skills (the same sort of mod that can be found on all wands and staves in the game). When a Sorceress or Necromancer gains a skill point, they can put it into Firebolt or Raise Skeleton, which will give them level 2 in those skills. | ||
==Unique Skills== | |||
=Unique Skills= | |||
[[Image:Skill-tree-asn1.jpg|thumb|300px|Assassin Shadow Disciplines]]All characters have 30 skills, sorted 10 each into 3 skill trees. These skills are unique; no two character classes share exactly the same skill, though many of the skills have at least partially overlapping functions. (For instance, all combat characters have skills that increase their damage and their attack rating, in various ways.) | [[Image:Skill-tree-asn1.jpg|thumb|300px|Assassin Shadow Disciplines]]All characters have 30 skills, sorted 10 each into 3 skill trees. These skills are unique; no two character classes share exactly the same skill, though many of the skills have at least partially overlapping functions. (For instance, all combat characters have skills that increase their damage and their attack rating, in various ways.) | ||
Skills can be divided into two types; passive and active. | Skills can be divided into two types; passive and active. | ||
===Active Skills=== | |||
Active skills are ones that a player uses intentionally. They must be mapped to one of the mouse click button or a hotkey, and will only function when individually enabled. Most active skills are used in place of Attack, and enable your character to strike or shoot or throw or cast something at the monsters; something more effective than the default Attack skill would enable. Almost all active skills cost mana to use, of an amount that varies with the skill points. | Active skills are ones that a player uses intentionally. They must be mapped to one of the mouse click button or a hotkey, and will only function when individually enabled. Most active skills are used in place of Attack, and enable your character to strike or shoot or throw or cast something at the monsters; something more effective than the default Attack skill would enable. Almost all active skills cost mana to use, of an amount that varies with the skill points. | ||
===Passive Skills=== | |||
Passive skills work all the time, and do not need to be actively selected. Each point in a passive skill will increase a character's chance to perform it, or boost the effect of the skill. Most passive skills work only in certain situations; the Barbarian's six weapon masteries, each of which boosts his damage, accuracy, and critical hit % with one type of weapon. Swords, maces, polearms, etc. The Amazon's Dodge gives her a chance to dodge attacks, but only melee strikes, and only when she's standing still. Avoid does the same but only works against ranged attacks, and Evade only kicks in when she's walking or running. | Passive skills work all the time, and do not need to be actively selected. Each point in a passive skill will increase a character's chance to perform it, or boost the effect of the skill. Most passive skills work only in certain situations; the Barbarian's six weapon masteries, each of which boosts his damage, accuracy, and critical hit % with one type of weapon. Swords, maces, polearms, etc. The Amazon's Dodge gives her a chance to dodge attacks, but only melee strikes, and only when she's standing still. Avoid does the same but only works against ranged attacks, and Evade only kicks in when she's walking or running. | ||
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==Skill Icon Use== | |||
[[Image:Skills-left-click.jpg|thumb|left|Left skill options.]] | [[Image:Skills-left-click.jpg|thumb|left|Left skill options.]] | ||
[[Image:Skills-right-click.jpg|thumb|Right skill options.]] | [[Image:Skills-right-click.jpg|thumb|Right skill options.]] | ||
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When a skill can not be used the icon will display red. This is usually caused by insufficient mana, but can also indicate that a skill is not available because the item that grants it is not equipped, because there's a casting delay, or because your character is in town and it can not be used there. | When a skill can not be used the icon will display red. This is usually caused by insufficient mana, but can also indicate that a skill is not available because the item that grants it is not equipped, because there's a casting delay, or because your character is in town and it can not be used there. | ||
== Skill Points == | |||
=Skill Points= | |||
Characters begin at level one and earn a skill point each time they level up. There are also 4 skill points to be gained from quest rewards, on each difficulty level. | Characters begin at level one and earn a skill point each time they level up. There are also 4 skill points to be gained from quest rewards, on each difficulty level. | ||
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Many skills gain less benefit with additional points, after some level. This is known as "diminishing returns" and it effectively caps those skills at some point. The Amazon skill [[Amazon_Passive_and_Magic_Skills#Critical_Strike|Critical Strike]] starts out at a 16% chance to deal double damage, but each point in the skill adds less than the previous. It's worth 42% at level 5, 55% at level 10, but gains barely 1% per point after that, reaching 68% at level 20, then crawling to 76% by level 40. Some skills are so valuable that they're worth boosting even with diminishing returns, but this depends on the equipment, the play style, and the build. | Many skills gain less benefit with additional points, after some level. This is known as "diminishing returns" and it effectively caps those skills at some point. The Amazon skill [[Amazon_Passive_and_Magic_Skills#Critical_Strike|Critical Strike]] starts out at a 16% chance to deal double damage, but each point in the skill adds less than the previous. It's worth 42% at level 5, 55% at level 10, but gains barely 1% per point after that, reaching 68% at level 20, then crawling to 76% by level 40. Some skills are so valuable that they're worth boosting even with diminishing returns, but this depends on the equipment, the play style, and the build. | ||
Finally, only skill points spent in a skill count for the [[#Skill_Synergies|synergy]] bonuses, +skill equipment does not synergize. | Finally, only skill points spent in a skill count for the [[#Skill_Synergies|synergy]] bonuses, +skill equipment does not synergize, with the exception of summoned creatures like the Necromancer's Skeletons & Druid's Wolves who do get synergies from +skill equipment. | ||
==Skill Allocation== | ==Skill Allocation== | ||
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The [[Runewords|Call to Arms]], which can be made in any weapon, comes with three Barbarian skills: | The [[Runewords|Call to Arms]], which can be made in any weapon, comes with three Barbarian skills: | ||
* + | * +2-6 To Battle Command | ||
* +1-3 To Battle Orders | * +1-3 To Battle Orders | ||
* +1-2 To Battle Cry | * +1-2 To Battle Cry | ||
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These type of bonuses are slightly capped for characters who own those skills naturally. In that case, the bonus can never be more than +3. So a Barbarian using Call to Arms might dual wield two weapons with the runeword in them, but he would not get more than +3 to Battle Orders from either of them, for a total of +6. | These type of bonuses are slightly capped for characters who own those skills naturally. In that case, the bonus can never be more than +3. So a Barbarian using Call to Arms might dual wield two weapons with the runeword in them, but he would not get more than +3 to Battle Orders from either of them, for a total of +6. | ||
=Skill Synergies= | ===Skills on Hit/Death=== | ||
Other items grant the use special skills, but only on hit, when hit, or upon death. [[Unique Jewels|Rainbow Facets]], the unique jewels added in v1.10, are well-known examples, since most of them have a very high level spell that casts 100% of the time upon death. | |||
Items that cast a spell some % of the time when your character is hit or when you hit a monster are more common. Many types of magic and rare armor can spawn with stats like "5% chance to cast Frost Nova when hit." These are usually a novelty, but can be helpful in some cases. The most useful are weapons that have a 5% chance to cast Amplify Damage, but even those are only useful in specialized cases. | |||
The most popular use is for a Bowazon to have a bow on the weapon switch with the "of Amplify Damage" suffix. When facing a large mob, a Bowazon can land dozens of hits a second with Multishot, and that makes even the low 5% chance almost certain to trigger. The instant it does and the wide radius Amplify Damage is cast, the Bowazon switches to her usual bow and deals (approximately) double damage to every cursed monster. | |||
== Skill Synergies == | |||
Synergies were always in the game, but became much more important in the v1.10 patch. Synergies are skills that boost other skills or that are boosted by other skills. Synergies are only added by actual points in a given skill; various +skill equipment will add points to given skills, but those points will not count for the synergy bonuses. | Synergies were always in the game, but became much more important in the v1.10 patch. Synergies are skills that boost other skills or that are boosted by other skills. Synergies are only added by actual points in a given skill; various +skill equipment will add points to given skills, but those points will not count for the synergy bonuses. | ||
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{{Skill navbox D2|Amazon}} | |||
[[category:basics]] | [[category:basics]] | ||
[[category:skills]] | |||