Iron Maiden

For the Crusader skill, see Iron Maiden (Crusader).

Iron Maiden Class: Necromancer Required Level: 12 Skill Tree: Curses Requires: Amplify Damage Active Cost: 5 Mana Reflects damage back at attackers. Damage Type: Physical Other Stats: Only one Curse may be active on a target at a time

Iron Maiden is a Necromancer skill in Diablo II.

Synergies

• Gives synergy to: None
• Receives synergy from: None

Lore

This spell curses a creature, condemning them to receive whatever pains they inflict upon others. The greater the skill of the Necromancer, the greater the magnitude of torment the victim receives for his wrongdoings.

Usage

This Curse causes all damage done by the target to be reflected towards the attacker. On lower difficulties, the reflected damage can kill monsters who are attacking the caster or his/her allies. The more points invested in Iron Maiden, the more damage is reflected — to the point where attackers take more damage than they inflict. Iron Maiden is similar in function to the Paladin's Thorns aura and the Druid's Spirit of Barbs, though it is weaker than the former and more powerful than the latter.

Iron Maiden has several limitations. It only reflects Physical damage, and resulting damage also counts as Physical. Iron Maiden doesn't reflect ranged attacks, with the sole exception of Flayer Blow Darts. Iron Maiden is useless against physical immunities. On Hell difficulty, where all monsters gain 50% physical resistance and have far more health than damage they are capable of dealing, Iron Maiden is not very powerful.

Before Patch 1.13, Necromancers were not the only ones who could use this dangerous curse. The Oblivion Knights in the Harrowing could also use Iron Maiden on the heroes. This was ultimately removed in Patch 1.13, because if they ever cast Iron Maiden on a melee physical attacker, a quick self-inflicted death could ensue.

A popular Necromancers' PvP tactic against unwary melee fighters is casting Iron Maiden curse coupled with Bone Wall and/or Bone Prison. This is often followed by the trapped player's attempt to destroy the bone barrier with their own melee attacks, typically resulting in instant suicide.

Skill Progression

Mana Cost: 5
Radius: 4.6 yards

Level	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
Damage Returned	200%	225%	250%	275%	300%	325%	350%	375%	400%	425%	450%
Duration	12s	14.4s	16.8s	19.2s	21.6s	24s	26.4s	28.8s	31.2s	33.6s	36s

Level	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	25
Damage Returned	475%	500%	525%	550%	575%	600%	625%	650%	675%	800%
Duration	38.4s	40.8s	43.2s	45.6s	48s	50.4s	52.8s	55.2s	57.6s	69.6s

Diablo III

This curse is a spiritual predecessor of Reflects Damage affix in D3, which allows monsters briefly duplicate all damage they suffer on the attacker. Some Skill Runes also allow players to discharge damage taken back to the attacker.

Trivia

This section contains facts and trivia relevant to this article.

• In real world history, iron maidens were medieval torture devices designed to non-lethally impale the victim with spikes.