Mana before Life

Mana before Life is a defensive technique that allows players to get greatly increased effective life using The Agnostic and Mind over Matter skill tree nodes. It operates by allowing a percentage of incoming damage to be taken from the Mana pool before it is deducted from the Life pool. It is increased in effectiveness using related mods on items and skilltree jewels.

In realistic builds, players can obtain 50% mana before life which increases the effective life points by 1.5x of their original value. For example a player with 5,000 life will now have an effective life of 7,500 hitpoints.

In theoretical non-realistic builds, players can obtain upto 100% mana before life, which increases the effective life points by 2x of their original value. For example a player with 5,000 life will now have an effective life of 10,000 hitpoints.

It is generally used by spellcaster builds with a large Mana pool, and such builds also often use Archmage SupportArchmage SupportLightning, Arcane, Support, Spell
Icon: ^
Level: (1-20)Requires Level 31Supports spell skills that deal damage with hits and have no reservation. Cannot support arcane skills, Brand skills, Orb skills, Vaal skills, or skills used by totems, traps or mines. Cannot modify the skills of minions.Supported Skills gain Added Lightning Damage equal to (10-19)% of Unreserved Maximum Mana
Supported Skills have added Mana Cost equal to 5% of Unreserved Maximum Mana

Additional Effects From 1-20% Quality:
Supported Skills deal (0.5-10)% increased Spell DamageThis is a Support Gem. It does not grant a bonus to your character, but to skills in sockets connected to it. Place into an item socket connected to a socket containing the Skill Gem you wish to augment. Right click to remove from a socket. for their primary spell.

Mechanics

Incomining damage that would be inflicted on the character's life is deducted from mana instead. If the character has insufficient mana, then the remainder of the damage will be taken from life.

Damage is applied to energy shield before life, and as a result there is no opportunity for any damage to be absorbed by mana.

When the passive skill Eldritch Battery is allocated energy shield protects mana instead of life. This energy shield will absorb the converted non-chaos damage before it is applied on mana. Since chaos damage bypasses energy shield the chaos damage will then be applied directly on mana.

It does not reduce total incoming damage or increase a player's actual life total, and so does not affect the threshold or effectiveness of stun and ailments applied to players.

Items

Commonly used by Archmage builds:

• Atziri's FoibleAtziri's Foible
  Paua AmuletRequires Level 16(20-30)% increased Mana Regeneration Rate+100 to maximum Mana
  (16-24)% increased maximum Mana
  (80-100)% increased Mana Regeneration Rate
  Items and Gems have 25% reduced Attribute RequirementsThe world is but a piece of parchment, blank and symmetric.
  We label each side: one Good, one Evil; one Black, one White.
  The divine truth, however, is that both are one and the same.
  -Jaetai, Vaal Advisor - Required for rapid regeneration of Mana
• Alternatively any rare amulet with high Mana regeneration can be used

Not used by Archmage builds:

• The AylardexThe Aylardex
  Agate AmuletRequires Level 32+(16-24) to Strength and Intelligence+(30-50) to maximum Life
  +(50-70) to maximum Mana
  +1 to Maximum Power Charges
  10% increased Mana Regeneration Rate per Power Charge
  (80-100)% increased Power Charge Duration
  1% of Damage is taken from Mana before Life per Power Charge
  40% reduced Critical Strike Chance per Power ChargeShackled fires dance about;
  Might within from force without. - Grants 1% of Damage is taken from Mana before Life per Power Charge
• Mind of the CouncilMind of the Council
  Harlequin MaskEvasion: (518-666)
  Energy Shield: (155-208)Requires Level 57, 64 Dex, 64 Int(230-260)% increased Evasion and Energy Shield
  +(15-20) to maximum Energy Shield
  (20-30)% increased maximum Mana
  10% chance to Shock
  +20% chance to be Shocked
  30% of Lightning Damage is taken from Mana before Life
  Attack Skills have Added Lightning Damage equal to 6% of maximum Mana
  Lose 3% of Mana when you use an Attack SkillYou think we do not know.
  We know all that you think. - Grants 30% of Lightning Damage is taken from Mana before Life

Skill tree

Players can obtain 40-50% mana before life from skill tree passive nodes:

• Mind over Matter - provides 30% of Damage is taken from Mana before Life
• The Agnostic - Allows rapid regeneration of life by stealing mana (the engine of the defense mechanism)
• Hierophant - Ascendancy that grants an additional 8% of Damage is taken from Mana before Life
• Divine Guidance - Ascendancy that grants an additional 10% of Damage is taken from Mana before Life

Jewels

Players can obtain 10% mana before life from skill tree jewels:

• Watcher's EyeWatcher's Eye
  Prismatic JewelLimited to: 1(4-6)% increased maximum Energy Shield
  (4-6)% increased maximum Life
  (4-6)% increased maximum Mana
  <Two or Three random aura modifiers>One by one, they stood their ground against a creature
  they had no hope of understanding, let alone defeating,
  and one by one, they became a part of it.Place into an allocated Jewel Socket on the Passive Skill Tree. Right click to remove from the Socket. with the mod 10% of Damage is taken from Mana before Life

Body armour

Players can obtain 10% mana before life from body armour:

• Cloak of DefianceCloak of Defiance
  Lacquered GarbEvasion: (1144-1645)
  Energy Shield: (236-340)
  Movement Speed: -3%Requires Level 52, 76 Dex, 76 Int(300-400)% increased Evasion and Energy Shield
  +(100-150) to maximum Mana
  Regenerate 1% of Mana per second
  Mind Over MatterWhen the throat roars,
  As eyes weep,
  When the hand grips hard
  With trembling fingers,
  When belly twists
  Yet legs stand strong,
  That is the work
  Of the Defiant Heart. provides 10% of Damage is taken from Mana before Life
• Any Shaper body armour with 10% of Damage is taken from Mana before Life

Related Mods

Damage taken Gained as Mana when Hit

If the character has equipped items with the x% of Damage taken Gained as Mana when Hit modifier, this can help with maintaining mana. This mana gain is spread over 4 seconds following the hit. This modifier can be found on certain items and passive skills:

• MindspiralMindspiral
  Aventail HelmetArmour: (101-119)
  Energy Shield: (21-25)Requires Level 37, 42 Str, 42 Int+(100-120) to maximum Mana
  Gain (10-15)% of Maximum Mana as Extra Maximum Energy Shield
  Enemies Cannot Leech Mana From you
  (10-20)% of Damage taken Recouped as Mana
  Cannot Leech ManaWhere top is bottom and weak is strong.
• PraxisPraxis
  Paua RingRequires Level 22+(20-30) to maximum Mana+(30-60) to maximum Mana
  Regenerate (3-6) Mana per second
  -(8-4) to Total Mana Cost of Skills
  8% of Damage taken Recouped as ManaThe Thaumaturgical masters of the Eternal Empire,
  as unpredictable and varied as they were,
  all understood one thing:
  Free thinking leads to free action.
• Victario's FlightVictario's Flight
  Goathide BootsEvasion: (84-135)Requires Level 12, 26 Dex+15 to Dexterity
  +15 to Intelligence
  (100-150)% increased Evasion Rating
  (10-20)% increased Movement Speed
  (10-20)% increased Movement Speed when on Low Life
  Quicksilver Flasks you Use also apply to nearby AlliesAlive but not unscathed, Victario fled
  as slaughter blossomed at the gates.
• Any Warcry w/ Spirited ResponseSpirited Response
  Cobalt JewelLimited to: 1
  Radius: Medium(7-10)% increased maximum Mana
  With at least 40 Intelligence in Radius, 10% of Damage taken Recouped as Mana if you've Warcried RecentlyThe Purity Rebels fought with heart and soul,
  To free their empire from corruption.
  And the fires of war did merely serve,
  To temper the steel of their spirits.Place into an allocated Jewel Socket on the Passive Skill Tree. Right click to remove from the Socket.
• Battle Rouse