Thorns (Diablo II)

Thorns Enemies take damage when they cause melee damage to party members.

Class: Paladin Skill Tree: Offensive Auras Required Level: 6 Damage Type: Varies Cast Delay: - Aura Prerequisites: None

Skill progression Level 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Mana Cost {{{Mana1}}} {{{Mana2}}} {{{Mana3}}} {{{Mana4}}} {{{Mana5}}} {{{Mana6}}} {{{Mana7}}} {{{Mana8}}} {{{Mana9}}} {{{Mana10}}} Damage {{{Damage1}}} {{{Damage2}}} {{{Damage3}}} {{{Damage4}}} {{{Damage5}}} {{{Damage6}}} {{{Damage7}}} {{{Damage8}}} {{{Damage9}}} {{{Damage10}}} Radius 10.6 12 13.3 14.6 16 17.3 18.6 20 21.3 22.6 Damage Returned +% 250 290 330 370 410 450 490 530 570 610 {{{Variable C}}} {{{C1}}} {{{C2}}} {{{C3}}} {{{C4}}} {{{C5}}} {{{C6}}} {{{C7}}} {{{C8}}} {{{C9}}} {{{C10}}} {{{Variable D}}} {{{D1}}} {{{D2}}} {{{D3}}} {{{D4}}} {{{D5}}} {{{D6}}} {{{D7}}} {{{D8}}} {{{D9}}} {{{D10}}} {{{Variable E}}} {{{E1}}} {{{E2}}} {{{E3}}} {{{E4}}} {{{E5}}} {{{E6}}} {{{E7}}} {{{E8}}} {{{E9}}} {{{E10}}}   Level 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Mana Cost {{{Mana11}}} {{{Mana12}}} {{{Mana13}}} {{{Mana14}}} {{{Mana15}}} {{{Mana16}}} {{{Mana17}}} {{{Mana18}}} {{{Mana19}}} {{{Mana20}}} Damage {{{Damage11}}} {{{Damage12}}} {{{Damage13}}} {{{Damage14}}} {{{Damage15}}} {{{Damage16}}} {{{Damage17}}} {{{Damage18}}} {{{Damage19}}} {{{Damage20}}} Radius 24 25.3 26.6 28 29.3 30.6 32 33.3 34.6 36 Damage Returned +% 650 690 730 770 810 850 890 930 970 1010 {{{Variable C}}} {{{C11}}} {{{C12}}} {{{C13}}} {{{C14}}} {{{C15}}} {{{C16}}} {{{C17}}} {{{C18}}} {{{C19}}} {{{C20}}} {{{Variable D}}} {{{D11}}} {{{D12}}} {{{D13}}} {{{D14}}} {{{D15}}} {{{D16}}} {{{D17}}} {{{D18}}} {{{D19}}} {{{D20}}} {{{Variable E}}} {{{E11}}} {{{E12}}} {{{E13}}} {{{E14}}} {{{E15}}} {{{E16}}} {{{E17}}} {{{E18}}} {{{E19}}} {{{E20}}}

Synergies No synergies {{{Synergy2}}} {{{Synergy Effect2}}} {{{Synergy3}}} {{{Synergy Effect3}}} {{{Synergy4}}} {{{Synergy Effect4}}} {{{Synergy5}}} {{{Synergy Effect5}}} {{{Synergy6}}} {{{Synergy Effect6}}}

Description

Thorns is capable of being quite a powerful skill in Normal Difficulty. The damage returned gets insane at higher skill levels, and it is a perfectly viable strategy to use to complete the entire game.

It does however lose its use as the player progresses into Nightmare and Hell. The higher difficulties give massive boosts to monster hp, whereas their damage doesn't increase at the same rate; thus it takes longer for monsters to die, meaning they have to hit the character more. This in turn is a problem, for while monster damage doesn't increase proportionally to their hp, the damage increase is noticeable for the player, and since Thorns requires the monster to deal damage in order for it to be returned, this tactic becomes quite deadly for the Paladin in the long run.

Lore

An eye for an eye is sometimes not enough. Those who would strike the emissaries of the Light had best take warning, for retribution shall be swift and certain. The might of your blows shall be felt a hundred fold unto you!