Buff

A Buff is a type of effect that is attached to a creature, which can modify that creature's statistics.

Identifying a buff

Each buff affecting the player will display an icon in the top-left of the screen. This is one way to determine whether or not an effect is a buff - if it does not show an icon, it is not a buff that is attached to the player. The exception to this is charges and elemental status effects, which also show an icon but are not buffs.

The functioning of buffs

A buff simply adds statistics and modifiers to the creature it is attached to. Although a buff may increase the damage of the that the affected creature deals with hits, a buff itself cannot deliver hits or take any action. A buff may include degeneration or damage-over-time effects. For example, if a monster is attacked by a player using the Wrath aura, the monster is not "hit" by the aura, or the buff, it is the player that hits the monster:

1. Wrath is a spell that is cast by the player.
2. The spell creates an aura that applies a buff to any allies within range.
3. The buff contains a modifier that adds lightning damage to the player's attacks
4. The player hits the monster, dealing the added lightning damage

Buff duration

All buffs have a duration, which can be infinite (as in the case of auras). This duration is affected by Buff Duration modifiers, and can also be affected by Skill Effect Duration modifiers if the buff was applied by a skill. For example, the buff from a Quicksilver Flask that provides increased Movement Speed will be affected by Buff Duration modifiers, but not by Skill Effect Duration modifiers, since the buff cam from a flask, not a skill.

Buff effect

The effect of a buff can also be altered, buff effect modifiers alter the numerical values of the buff. For instance, the notable passive skill Inner Force grants an 18% increased Effect of Buffs on you modifier. This will increase:

• The amount of mana regeneration granted by the Clarity aura
• The amount of armour provided by a Granite Flask
• The amount of Fire Damage per second taken by the player using Righteous Fire
• The spell damage bonus provided by a player using Righteous Fire
• etc.

It will not increase the the amount of Fire Damage per second taken by monsters that are nearby a player using Righteous Fire, because Inner Force specifies it only applies to buffs "on you".

Debuffs

A debuff is simply a buff that only provides a detrimental effect to the debuffed creature. Effects must be closely examined to determine whether they are considered a buff or debuff by the game, as it is not obvious. For instance both the bonus spell damage and the self-burn damage from Righteous Fire are part of a single buff, despite the fact that the burn is a detrimental effect. Another example is, poison damage is a debuff, while burn and bleed damage are status ailments.(exception is burn damage from Fire Trap is a debuff)

Incomplete list of buffs & debuffs

• The effects of all Utility Flasks
• The effects from all active aura skills
• The effects from all curses
• The armour bonus from
• The Chaos damage, attack speed, and life leech effects of blood rage
• The charge timers of
• The duration effect placed on enemies by that turns them into minions
• The effect placed on enemies by when hit by , Infernal Blow, or Power Siphon that causes the skill's effects (domination, detonation, and gain power charge respectively) to activate if the enemy dies within a short time after the hit
• The duration effect placed on enemies by Conversion Trap that turns renders them allies
• The defensive bonuses of Tempest Shield

Incomplete list of things that are not buffs or debuffs

• The Ignited, Chilled, Frozen, and Shocked elemental status effects
• The life & mana recovery from flasks
• Any effects that result from modifiers on life & mana flasks, such as the movement speed from the "of Adrenaline" suffix
• Endurance, Frenzy, and Power Charges
• Viper Strike, Puncture and Adder's Touch DoT Effects