Leech

"Life Leech" redirects here. For the support gem, see Life Leech (support gem). For the passive skill, see Life Leech (passive skill).

"Mana Leech" redirects here. For the support gem, see Mana Leech (support gem).

Life leech restores over time an amount of life relative to damage inflicted on an enemy. Likewise, mana leech restores mana in the same way.

Mechanics

The total amount of life or mana leeched is a percentage of the damage inflicted and is restored over time. This is different from gaining life or mana on hit, which restores a certain amount instantly.

Recovery rate

The leech recovery rate r is given by

r = p * q

where p is the character's maximum life (for life leech) or mana (for mana leech), and q is the recovery rate factor including any modifiers.

Life leech has a fixed recovery rate equal to 20% of the character's maximum life per second. Similarly, mana leech has a fixed recovery rate equal to 12.5% of the character's maximum mana per second.

The leech recovery rate factor, q, is therefore 0.2 for life and 0.125 for mana. There are only a couple of ways for this factor to be altered:

• The of Smothering modifier for maps slows life and mana leech recovery rate by 50%.
• For life leech by a skill supported by the gem, the recovery rate is increased by 1% for each point of quality.
• Vorici's master modifier also offers increased life leech rate.

Example

If the character has 1,000 maximum life and leeches life with the default recovery rate factor of 0.2, that life leech will always restore 200 life per second.

p = 1000

q = 0.2

r = 1000 * 0.2 = 200

Recovery duration

The leech recovery duration in seconds t is given by

t = l / r

where l is the total leech amount, and r is the recovery rate.

Example

If the character has 1,000 maximum life and lands a single hit that would leech a total of 600 life with the default recovery rate factor of 0.2, it would take 3.0 seconds for that amount of life to be restored.

3.0 = 600 / (1000 * 0.2)

Example with successive single hits

Assume the character has 1,000 maximum life and lands a single hit that would leech a total of 300 life with the default recovery rate factor, then after 0.5 seconds the character lands a single hit that would leech a total of 600 life.

Using the formula for recovery duration, the first leech effect would last 1.5 seconds, and the second would last 3.0 seconds. The second leech effect starts 0.5 seconds after the first, so the total duration that any leech recovery would take place is 3.5 seconds. Both of these leech effects have the same recovery rate of 200 life restored per second, which means neither leech effect takes precedence over the other. Because only one leech effect can restore life at any given moment, a total of 700 life is restored over 3.5 seconds.

3.5 * 200 = 700

Example with an area of effect hit

Assume the character has 1,000 maximum life and lands an area of effect hit that would leech a total of 600 life with the default recovery rate factor, and that four enemies are hit simultaneously.

Using the formula for recovery duration, each leech effect would last 3.0 seconds. All four leech effects are applied at the same time, so the total recovery duration is 3.0 seconds. Therefore, 600 life is restored over 3.0 seconds.

3.0 * 200 = 600

This demonstrates that the total amount of leech recovery is not affected by the number of enemies hit.

Example with differing recovery rates

Assume the character has 1,000 maximum life and lands a single hit that would leech a total of 800 life with the default recovery rate factor. After 1.0 second the character uses a skill supported by a quality Life Leech gem and lands a single hit that would leech a total of 400 life with a recovery rate factor of 0.24. Using the formula for recovery duration, the first leech effect would last 4.0 seconds, and the second would last around 1.7 seconds. The second leech effect starts 1.0 second after the first, and ends before the first ends. The total duration that any leech recovery would take place is 4.0 seconds, however the second leech effect has a higher recovery rate and therefore takes precedence during its duration over the first leech effect. As a result, 200 life is restored over 1.0 second, followed by 408 life over 1.7 seconds, and finally 260 life over 1.3 seconds for a grand total of 868 life over 4.0 seconds.

(1.0 * 200) + (1.7 * 240) + (1.3 * 200) = 200 + 408 + 260 = 868

Leech mechanics in The Awakening

The total amount of life or mana leeched is a percentage of the damage inflicted and is restored over time. The life leech recovery rate varies depending on how many enemies have been hit and how many times the enemies have been hit.

Recovery rate

The leech recovery rate r is given by

r = p * n * q

where p is the character's maximum life (for life leech) or mana (for mana leech), n is the number of active leech instances and q is the Base Leech Rate including any modifiers. There is a upper limit of the leech recovery rate which is defined as

rmax = p * qmax

where q_max is the Base Maximum Leech Rate including any modifiers. If r > r_max those values will be substituted with r_max. The upper limit can be reached by hitting at least 1/q_max enemies at once or hitting 1 enemy quick enough that so many leech instances are active at the same time.

There are only a couple of ways for these factors to be altered:

• The of Smothering modifier for maps slows life and mana leech recovery rate by 50%.
• For life leech by a skill supported by the gem.
• From the passive tree.
• Vorici's master modifier also offers increased Life per second.

Note that the only way to increase the 2% Base Life Leech Rate q, is to do so with the affix "X% increased Life Leeched per second". You can't stack Life Leech above 2% with and passives for instance.

The table below displays values of the base leech rates.

Symbol	Value	Description	Unit
q	2 % 2 %	Base Life Leech Rate per second and maximum life. Base Mana Leech Rate per second and maximum mana.	s-1HP-1 s-1Mana-1
qmax	20 % 20 %	Base Maximum Life Leech Rate per second and maximum life. Base Maximum Mana Leech Rate per second and maximum mana.	s-1HP-1 s-1Mana-1

Sources of leech

Sources of leech include support gems, passive skills, and modifiers on equipment.

These keystone passive are related, but don't add any life leech as a percentage of physical damage.

The Vaal Pact Keystone will allow life leech to apply immediately at the cost of losing life regeneration. Ghost Reaver applies life leech to energy shield instead of life.

Immunity to leech

A player can become immune to leech by allocating specific passive skills.

Immunity can also be achieved by equipping certain unique items.