Resistances are a displayed on the Character Screen. They are numerical values that can resist a percentage of damage from the four elemental attacks: Fire, Cold, Lightning, and Poison.
- For example, if a character's Fire resistance is 12, all incoming Fire damage the player receives is reduced by 12%.
Increasing Resistances[]
In order to gain resistances, the player must equip a items that grant the character an elemental resistances. In most cases, only magical or better items grant resistance, though Paladin Shields may spawn with innate resistances to all elements.
The Paladin and Barbarian have an advantage when it comes to resistances. The Paladin's shields and Resist Fire, Resist Cold, Resist Lightning, and Salvation Auras can help him increase his and his party's resistances. The Barbarian has the passive skill Natural Resistance to increase his own resistances permanently.
Resistances can also be permanently increased by a Scroll of Resistance, created by powerful healers like Malah in Harrogath.
Minimum Resistances[]
A character's base resistance varies with each difficulty:
For Diablo II:
For Diablo II: Lord of Destruction, the penalty was increased:
- Normal: 0
- Nightmare: -40
- Hell: -100
Having a negative resistance value increases the amount of damage a character or creature receives.
The Paladin's Conviction Aura and Necromancer's Lower Resist Curse can also lower resistances by a set amount. Negative resistances are capped at -100.
Maximum Resistance[]
A character's default maximum resistance value is 75%, although certain Unique items and skills can raise that number as high as 95%. Therefore, a character can never become completely immune to elemental attacks with resistances alone.
Anything with a resistance of above 100% in any of the elemental damage types becomes immune to it. Though players' resistances cannot surpass 100%, monsters' can. For more information, see Damage Reduction.
Elemental Resistances[]
There are 4 types of elemental resistances a player can acquire:
- Fire
- Cold (Does not protect from being frozen; only reduces the amount of damage taken.)
- Lightning
- Poison (Does not protect from being poisoned; only reduces the amount of damage taken.)
| Character Attributes | ||
|---|---|---|
| Diablo I | Diablo II | Diablo III |
| Strength — Damage • Health Regeneration Dexterity — Attack Rating • Defense • Block Vitality — Life Magic — Mana • Mana Regeneration Resistances |
Strength — Damage • Health Regeneration Dexterity — Attack Rating • Defense • Block Vitality — Life • Stamina Energy — Mana • Mana Regeneration Resistances |
Strength — Armor, Barbarian Damage Dexterity — Dodge, Demon Hunter & Monk Damage Intelligence — All Resistances +0.1, Wizard & Witch Doctor Damage Vitality — Life Armor • Resistances |