Chain Lightning

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 Mana Cost: 35 Lucky Hit Chance: 25% Unleash a stream of lightning that deals 43% damage and chains between Nearby enemies and you up to 5 times, prioritizing enemies. Enchantment Chain Lightning forms automatically after spending 100 Mana. Cooldown 1 second. Damage: Lightning Tags: Core, Shock, Chain

Upgrades

Enhanced Chain Lightning Chain Lightning gains +3% increased Critical Strike Chance per bounce.	Greater Chain Lightning Each time Chain Lightning bounces, it deals x 10% increased damage for its duration, up to x 30%.
	Destructive Chain Lightning When Chain Lightning Critically Strikes, it has a 30% chance to form 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 30.0 - 50.0%[+] 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 20% chance to chain to an additional enemy and also deals 40 - 60% [x] increased damage. Gloves, Offhand, 1H Weapon, 2H Weapon (+100%), Ring, Amulet (+50%)	N/A	Extraction	Sorcerer
Aspect of the Expectant	Offensive	Basic Skills grant 4.0 - 6.0% [x] increased damage for 4 seconds, stacking up to 10 times. Gloves, Offhand, 1H Weapon, 2H Weapon (+100%), Ring, Amulet (+50%)	N/A	Extraction	All
Aspect of the Unbroken Tether	Offensive	Chain Lightning has a 25 - 45% chance to chain 5 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 15 - 30%[+] for 8 seconds. Boots, Amulet (+50%)	N/A	Extraction	Sorcerer
Elementalist's Aspect	Offensive	Skill Casts at or above 100 Mana gain a 25.0 - 45.0%[+] increased Critical Strike Chance. Gloves, Offhand, 1H Weapon, 2H Weapon (+100%), Ring, Amulet (+50%)	N/A	Extraction	Sorcerer
Recharging Aspect	Resource	Absorbing Crackling Energy grants you 4.0 - 6.0 Mana Regeneration for 2 seconds, stacking up to 5 times.	N/A	Extraction	Sorcerer
Smiting Aspect	Offensive	You have 13 - 23%[+] increased Critical Strike Chance against Injured enemies. While you are Healthy , you gain 25 - 45%[+] 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 6.5 - 17.0% chance to trigger a free cast from it. Gloves, Offhand, 1H Weapon, 2H Weapon (+100%), Ring, Amulet (+50%)	N/A	Extraction	Sorcerer

Unique Items

	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: Mythic 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.	+18.0% All Stats +33% Movement Speed +66 Resistance to All Elements Lucky Hit: Up to a 15% Chance to Restore +22.0% Primary Resource
	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: 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.	Affixes: (Item Power 800) +[489 - 526] Maximum Life +[55.0 - 65.0]% Overpower Damage +[8.3 - 10.0]% Attack Speed +[1 - 2] to Core Skills
	Blue Rose Armor: 111 All Resist "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: Unique Ring Class: Sorcerer Description: Skills that form Ice Spikes deal [40 - 60]% [x] increased damage. Lucky Hit: Up to a 15% chance to form an exploding Ice Spike , dealing 225 Cold damage.
	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: Unique Amulet Class: Sorcerer Description: Crackling Energy now gains 10% [x] damage for every level in Shock Skills you have equipped and enemies hit have a 5% chance to refund a charge. Upon reaching maximum Crackling Energy , you rapidly unleash all charges on the closest enemy to you dealing [40 - 80]% [x] increased damage. You cannot gain charges from hits while rapidly discharging.	Affixes: (Item Power 800) +[10.5 - 15.0]% Intelligence [1.4 - 2.0]% Damage Reduction per Crackling Energy Charge +[16.0 - 25.0]% Movement Speed for 4 Seconds After Picking Up Crackling Energy +[365.0 - 500.0]% Crackling Energy Damage
	Esu's Heirloom Armor: 600 Armor "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: Unique Boots Class: Sorcerer Description: Your Critical Strike Chance is increased by [20 - 40]% of your Movement Speed bonus. Current Bonus: 0.0%
	Flickerstep Armor: 600 Armor "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: Unique Boots Class: All Classes Description: Each enemy you Evade through reduces your active Ultimate Cooldown by [3.0 - 4.0] seconds, up to 10 seconds.
	Frostburn Armor: 600 Armor A touch so frigid it stops the heart and chills the very soul. Type: Unique Gloves Class: All Classes Description: Lucky Hit: Up to a 50% chance to Freeze enemies for 1 second. You deal [40 - 50]% [x] increased damage to Frozen (CC) enemies.
	Gloves of the Illuminator Armor: 600 Armor 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: Unique Gloves Class: Sorcerer Description: Fireball now bounces as it travels, exploding each time it hits the ground, but its explosion deals [70 - 100]% of normal damage.	+[69 - 83] Intelligence +[2 - 3] to Fireball
	Melted Heart of Selig Armor: 157 All Resist "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: Mythic Unique Amulet Class: All Classes Description: Damage is dealt to your Primary Resource before Life and damage taken this way is drastically reduced. Your Primary Resource is doubled but Maximum Life is reduced by 75% .	+12.0% All Stats +15.0% Lucky Hit Chance +25% Movement Speed 20.0% Resource Generation
	Mother's Embrace Armor: 111 All Resist "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: Unique Ring Class: All Classes Description: If a All Classes_Skill_Tree#Core|Core Skill hits 4 or more enemies, [50 - 60]% of the Resource cost is refunded.
	Paingorger's Gauntlets Armor: 600 Armor 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: 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 - 125]% [x] increased damage.
	Ring of Starless Skies Armor: 118 All Resist "Yours is the power to pluck the stars from the heavens with the ease of a child gathering fruit from the bough."- Unknown Type: Mythic 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 50% [x] .	+15.0% Attack Speed +12.0% Critical Strike Chance +12.5% Lucky Hit Chance +2 to Core Skills
	Staff of Endless Rage "Leaving even blackened bones for your kin to mourn is too good an end for you." - Josiah Type: Unique Staff Class: Sorcerer Description: Fireball deals [40 - 60]% [x] increased damage and every 3rd Cast launches 2 additional projectiles.
	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: Unique Staff Class: Sorcerer Description: Charged Bolts deal [55 - 80]% [x] increased damage, last 300% longer and seek enemies.
	Tal Rasha's Iridescent Loop Armor: 111 All Resist "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: Unique Ring Class: Sorcerer Description: Casting a Pyromancy , Shock , or Frost Skill increases your damage by [10.0 - 20.0]% [x] for 8 seconds, stacking once per Element. Casting again refreshes all bonuses if the previous skill was a different Element.

Paragon Glyphs

	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.
	Charged Glyph Class: Sorcerer Bonus: For every 5 Intelligence purchased within range, Crackling Energy deals +2.64% increased damage.	Additional Bonus: Picking up Crackling Energy grants you x5% increased damage for 5 seconds, up to x15%. Required (purchased in range): +40 Intelligence Legendary Bonus: Increase Lightning damage by x0.5%.
	Destruction Glyph Class: Sorcerer Bonus: For every 5 Dexterity purchased within range, you deal +4% increased Critical Strike Damage.	Additional Bonus: Critical Strikes increase all damage the enemy takes from you by x2% for 10 seconds, up to x12%. Required (purchased in range): +25 Dexterity Legendary Bonus: Increase Critical Strike Damage by x2.8%.
	Electrocute Glyph Class: Sorcerer Bonus: Grants +25% bonus to all Rare nodes within range.	Additional Bonus: Your Lightning damage has a +15% increased chance to Critically Strike enemies who are Stunned (CC), Immobilized (CC), or Frozen (CC). Required (purchased in range): +25 Dexterity Legendary Bonus: Increase Lightning damage by x0.5%.
	Elementalist Glyph Class: Sorcerer Bonus: Grants +25% bonus to all Rare nodes within range.	Additional Bonus: Dealing Fire, Cold, or Lightning damage to an enemy increases all damage you deal to them by x5% for 10 seconds, stacking once per Element. Required (purchased in range): +40 Intelligence Legendary Bonus: Increase Non-Physical damage by x0.5%.
	Enchanter Glyph Class: Sorcerer Bonus: For every 5 Intelligence purchased within range, you deal +2% increased damage.	Additional Bonus: For each Skill equipped in your Enchantment Slots, gain +5% Resistance to that Skill's Element. Required (purchased in range): +40 Intelligence Legendary Bonus: Increase damage by x0.5%.

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 2.0, October 8, 2024

• Chain Lightning Enchantment - Cooldown reduced from 4 seconds to 1 second.

Patch 1.5.0, August 6, 2024

• Now tracks how many Chain Lightnings are out.
• Damage increased from 36% to 43%.
• Greater Chain Lightning
  • Previous: Each time Chain Lightning bounces, it deals 5% increased damage for its duration.
  • Now: Each time Chain Lightning bounces, it deals 10% increased damage for its duration, up to 30%.

Patch 1.1.1, August 8, 2023

• Greater Chain Lightning - Each time Chain Lightning bounces, it deals 5% increased damage for its duration.
• Destructive Chain Lightning - Chance to form Crackling Energy increased from 25% to 30%.