Pull In is a movement-based effect that forcefully drags enemies toward a specific point. The destination depends on the skill or effect that applies it. Pull In is commonly used to group enemies tightly so they can be hit by powerful area damage abilities.
Blizzard references Pull In in patch notes and skill changes, but they have not provided an official standalone definition. Its behaviour is determined through in-game functionality.
How Pull In Works
Pull In moves enemies toward one of several possible anchor points, depending on the skill:
| Anchor Type | Description | Example Skills |
|---|---|---|
| Player (caster) | Pulls enemies to the player's position | Steel Grasp, Thunderspike, Vortex |
| Placed skill location | Pulls enemies toward a ground-placed effect | Death Trap, Inferno |
| Corpse or object target | Pulls enemies to a targeted corpse/object | Corpse Tendrils |
Pull In itself does not apply a disabling Crowd Control state. Enemies can usually still perform attacks or begin new actions while being moved, and the effect only lasts for the duration of the pull.
Although Pull In is sometimes referred to as a "Crowd Control" effect in patch notes, it does not reliably trigger damage bonuses such as:
- Damage to Crowd Controlled Enemies
- Damage Reduction from Crowd Controlled Enemies
Pull In should be considered a positional displacement effect rather than a traditional CC type such as Stun, Knockdown, Slow, or Immobilize.
Pull In itself deals no damage; it only repositions enemies.
Pull In Behaviour by Class
Rogue
- Death Trap - Can be placed at a distance. When triggered, it pulls enemies toward the trap’s centre, not toward the Rogue.
Sorcerer
- Inferno - Creates a burning vortex that pulls enemies toward the centre of the Inferno’s location.
Spiritborn
- Thunderspike - Pulls enemies toward the player.
- Vortex - Creates a vacuum effect that pulls enemies inward toward the Spiritborn.
Barbarian
- Steel Grasp - Hooks enemies and pulls them directly to the Barbarian.
Necromancer
- Corpse Tendrils - Pulls enemies toward a targeted corpse chosen by the player.
Why Pull In Is Useful
Pull In helps with:
- Grouping enemies tightly for large AoE attacks
- Controlling enemy positions
- Preparing enemies for follow-up Crowd Control (such as Stun or Knockdown)
Notes
- Most Pull In effects briefly interrupt enemy movement.
- Pull In works on elites unless they have CC immunity.
- Some Pull In effects contribute to boss stagger progression.