Corpse Lance

Not to be confused with Bone Spear.

Corpse Lance

Class: Necromancer (Diablo III)
Required Level: 8
Skill Category: Corpses
Active

Targets an enemy to summon bone projectiles from nearby corpses that cause 1750% damage as Physical to the target.

Damage Type: Physical
Other Stats: Requires a corpse; Cannot be cast without a target

Corpse Lance is a Necromancer Corpse skill in Diablo III.

In-game

This skill targets an enemy, consuming up to three nearby corpses (within 60 yards, prioritizing the closest ones) to create a stack of several sharp bones from each. These bones will float in the air for about 0.25 seconds, and then fly at high speed at their designated target, dealing a single hit for high Physical damage per corpse.

Corpse Lance cannot be cast without a specific enemy target. Even the Shift-click will not work.

The Lance does not count as a projectile, and will bypass other enemies and most obstacles to hit its intended target.

The skill costs no Essence to cast, and has no cooldown, so with sufficient corpses, it can be used again and again (including consuming the corpses of foes killed by the previous cast).

Runes

Shredding Splinters: Damage type changes to Poison, and each Lance slows the target by 10% and reduces its damage done by 6% for 10 seconds. Stacks up to 5 times.
Brittle Touch: Damage type changes to Cold, and enemies hit by the Lance become brittle, increasing their chance to be critically hit by 5% for 5 seconds. This effect stacks from multiple Lances, but the duration of each stack is not renewed.
Ricochet: Corpse Lance has a 20% chance to ricochet to one additional target with same damage. This effect may chain repeatedly, if chances roll right. Ricochet target must be different from the previous target hit.
Visceral Impact: also Stuns the target for 3 seconds.

Blood Lance: Each cast of the Corpse Lance will also spend 2% of the Necromancer's total Life to launch an additional Lance from their own body. This extra Lance deals 525% damage as Physical.

Non-rune enhancements

P6 necro corpseLance noRune targetIndicator 02 add — Corpse Lance projectile

The Johnstone (Legendary Amulet): Land of the Dead grants 50 stacks of Macabre Knowledge when it expires. Macabre Knowledge increases the damage of Corpse Lance and Corpse Explosion by 150-200% while outside Land of the Dead. Can store up to 200 stacks.
Corpsewhisper Pauldrons (Legendary Pauldrons): damage is increased by 25-30% for 3 seconds for each cast of any skill that consumes a corpse, stacking up to 20 times.
Trag'Oul's Avatar Set (Set Bonus for 6 items): Blood Lance deals 3300% increased damage. Healing from skills is increased by 100%.
Pestilence Master's Shroud Set (Set Bonus for 2 items): each corpse consumed fires an additional Corpse Lance at a nearby enemy, dealing 800% damage (damage type is chosen based on the highest Elemental Damage skill bonus).
Pestilence Master's Shroud Set (Set Bonus for 4 items): each enemy hit by Corpse Lance reduces the Necromancer's damage taken by 2% for 15 seconds, stacking up to 50%.
Pestilence Master's Shroud Set (Set Bonus for 6 items): increases damage by 1650%, and each corpse consumed grants an Empowered Bone Spear charge that increases the damage of the next Bone Spear by 3300%. Can store up to 100 charges, each cast consuming 1 charge.

Passives

Fueled by Death: grants 3% increased movement speed for 5 seconds, stacking up to 10 times, for each corpse converted to a Lance.
Life from Death: each corpse converted to a Lance has a 20% chance to create a Health Globe.
Blood for Blood: removes the Life cost of Blood Lance rune when picking up a Health Globe, storing up to 10 charges.
Blood is Power: every 100% of maximum Life drained by the Blood Lance rune will reduce all remaining cooldowns by 20%.
Rathma's Shield: for 4 seconds after casting Land of the Dead, Army of the Dead or Simulacrum, Blood Lance rune will drain no Life on cast.

Development

Originally, Blood Lance rune used to launch an extra Lance even when corpses were consumed by other skills. Because of this, in beta it was extremely dangerous to take it in combination with Devouring Aura and Land of the Dead, as it would immediately drain all of the Necromancer's Life, uncontrollably and unstoppably. By the time of live release, this feature was cut.

Necromancer Skills

Primary Skills
Bone Spikes • Grim Scythe • Siphon Blood
Secondary Skills
Bone Spear • Skeletal Mage • Death Nova
Blood and Bone
Bone Armor • Bone Spirit • Blood Rush • Simulacrum
Reanimation
Command Skeletons • Command Golem • Army of the Dead • Land of the Dead
Curses
Decrepify • Leech • Frailty
Corpses
Corpse Explosion • Corpse Lance • Devour • Revive
Passives
Fueled by Death • Life from Death • Stand Alone • Bone Prison • Commander of the Risen Dead • Swift Harvesting • Extended Servitude • Rigor Mortis • Overwhelming Essence • Dark Reaping • Spreading Malediction • Eternal Torment • Final Service • Grisly Tribute • Draw Life • Serration • Aberrant Animator • Blood for Blood • Blood is Power • Rathma's Shield