Knock Down is one of the strongest Crowd Control effects in Diablo 4. When applied, it forces an enemy to the ground and leaves them completely unable to act until the animation finishes, unless they have resisted it. Unlike Knock Back, it does not move enemies away from the player, it simply disables them outright for a short window.
What Knock Down Does and Does Not Do
When an enemy is Knocked Down:
- They are forced to the ground at your feet and left unable to act.
- They are unable to move, attack, or perform any actions until the effect ends.
- They must complete a recovery animation before standing up, which is basically just standing up again, but it's a useful second.
- They are left exposed and vulnerable during this time.
- It can be cleansed by effects that grant Unstoppable or Immune.
- Bosses can not be knocked down but Knock Down will help to fill up their Stagger bar.
Knock Down is a true disable effect and functions similarly to Stun (CC).
Why Use Knock Down?
Knock Down excels at:
- Stopping enemies before they can attack, especially if they telegraph such as with charging or channelling abilities.
- Giving the player a safe window to reposition or set up burst damage.
- Allowing coordinated follow-ups from party members during the disable window.
It's one of the most reliable ways to interrupt Elite abilities, especially attacks that cannot be interrupted by weaker forms of CC.
Skills That Apply Knock Down
Several classes have access to Knock Down through skills or enhancements:
- Barbarian: - Furious Hammer of the Ancients and Mighty Kick
- Druid: - Wild Maul and the Passive Thick Hide
- Rogue: - Enhanced Poison Trap, Advanced Penetrating Shot and Rain of Arrows
- Spiritborn - Sharp Thunderspike, Advantageous Crushing Hand, Measured Vortex, Concussive Stomp and Harmonious Seeker
- Raheir (Merc) - Valiance
- Subo (Merc) - Trip Mines
- Varyana (Merc)' - Shockwave, Crushing Force, Reprisal, Earth Breaker
Items That Apply Knock Down
- Windforce - Unique Bow. Rogue.
Summary
Knock Down is a hard crowd control effect that puts enemies flat on the ground and completely unable to act. It doesn’t move them like Knock Back does, but it does provide a longer and more reliable window to inflict damage and/or escape.