Life Tap

For the similar spell in Diablo III, see Leech (Necromancer).

Life Tap Class: Necromancer (Diablo II) Required Level: 18 Skill Tree: Curses Requires: Amplify Damage, Iron Maiden Active Cost: 9 Mana Curses an enemy, causing them to grant life to their attackers. Damage Type: Magic Other Stats: Only one Curse may be active on a target at a time

Life Tap is a Necromancer skill in Diablo II.

Lore

This skill allows the Necromancer to literally suck the life from their victims. The Necromancer is able to reach into the wellspring of mortality and siphon off its essence, consuming it to replace his own. There is a danger, however, in using the spell too often.

Synergies

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

Usage

This ability curses a group of enemies so that when attacked, their attacker gains 50% of the Physical damage dealt as life. It's essentially like using a 50% Life Leech weapon, but for everybody in the party. The potency of healing does not scale with the skill level.

Life Tap allows players and creatures to be able to leech life from otherwise leech-immune enemies, such as Skeletons. Since Life Tap still requires that physical damage be dealt, however, enemies that are immune to said damage are also effectively immune to the curse, despite the graphic appearing over them.

This ability is very useful in helping to keep summons alive, and it's a powerful aid to melee allies that lack life leech. While Mercenaries also benefit, they can receive equipment with sufficient life steal that Amplify Damage is better for them. This does diminish Life Tap's usefulness to a degree, although useful in its own right.

Attacks of minions do not replenish the Necromancer's own Life. Normal Life Leech stacks with Life Tap.

Items

Several items grant Life Tap skill:

• Wands and Shrunken Heads: +1-3 to class skill staffmod
• Marrowwalk, unique Boneweave Boots: level 12, 10 charges
• Magic or rare Wands, Shrunken Heads, Daggers: level 1-6 charged
• Magic or rare Axes: level 1-3 charged
• Last Wish, sword/hammer/axe runeword: CtC on striking, 10%, level 18
• Wrath, missile weapon runeword: CtC on striking, 5%, level 10
• Dracul's Grasp, unique Vampirebone Gloves: CtC on striking, 5%, level 10
• Exile, auric shield runeword: CtC on striking, 15%, level 5

Skill Progression

Mana Cost: 9
Heals for 50% damage dealt

Level	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
Radius (yards)	2.6	3.3	4	4.6	5.3	6	6.6	7.3	8	8.6	9.3
Duration	16s	18.4s	20.8s	23.2s	25.6s	28s	30.4s	32.8s	35.2s	37.6s	40s

Level	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	25
Radius (yards)	10	10.6	11.3	12	12.6	13.3	14	14.6	15.3	19
Duration	42.4s	44.8s	47.2s	49.6s	52s	54.4s	56.8s	59.2s	61.6s	73.6s