Active Skill Slot
Active skill slots are unlocked at character level 1, 2, 6, 12, 18, and 24. Once a slot is unlocked, players can select one active skill to enable via that slot. There are around 25 active skills per class (the number varies), with a new one enabled almost every level from 1 until 30, by which time all skills are available.
Each of the 6 active skill slots can have one active skill assigned to it, granting a huge variety of different bonuses. All skills can be further modified by various runestones. Active skills can be switched freely, especially since the removal of the Nephalem Altar, though there is a 30 second cooldown each time a skill is changed. (The skill switched to can not be used for 30 seconds, as a way to prevent players using skill switching to cheat the cooldown on skill use, or switching with exploitative frequency.)
In Diablo III, all active skills are truly active, functioning as direct attacks, buffs or debuffs with some set duration, movement skills, or other direct actions. There are no passive bonuses or synergies attached to active skills. (See the passive skill slot article for more details on that topic.)
- See the Skills article for full details about skills in Diablo III.
Skills DevelopmentEdit
The skills system underwent as many major changes during Diablo III's development as any system in the game. Skills were originally grouped into skill trees much as we saw in Diablo II, with skill points to spend on a mixture of passive and active skills, which were laid out with synergies and dependencies. This system evolved repeatedly: into a sort of skill tiers format, into a menu with passive and active skills to choose from, into a menu with only active skills, and then further refinements took that to the system we see today.
- See the Skills archive article for a full, illustrated history of the skills system in Diablo III.
Classes of the Diablo games |
Skills - Active skills - Skill runes - Passives - Resource - Movement ability [e] Barbarian Demon Hunter Monk Necromancer Witch Doctor Wizard Followers Other Classes Fan-made |
---|
The Barbarian | Fury - Barbarian Active Skills (Archive) | Barbarian Passive Skills (Archive) [e] | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Primary Might |
Secondary Tactics |
Defensive Rage |
Pound of Flesh (10) |
Superstition (30) |
(X) = the level at which the skill becomes unlocked. |
Barbarian skill categories: Primary Secondary Defensive Might Tactics Rage |
---|
Bash |
Cleave |
Frenzy |
[e] |
Hammer of the Ancients |
Rend |
Seismic Slam |
Whirlwind |
[e] |
Ground Stomp |
Leap |
Sprint |
Ignore Pain |
[e] |
Ancient Spear |
Revenge |
Furious Charge |
Overpower |
[e] |
Weapon Throw |
Threatening Shout |
Battle Rage |
War Cry |
[e] |
Earthquake |
Call of the Ancients |
Wrath of the Berserker |
[e] |
The Demon Hunter | Hatred/Discipline - Demon Hunter Active Skills (Archive) | Demon Hunter Passive Skills (Archive) [e] | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Primary attribute:
|
Primary Hunting |
Secondary Devices |
Defensive Archery |
Tactical Advantage (10) |
Archery (30) |
(X) = the level at which the skill becomes unlocked. |
Demon Hunter skill categories: Primary Secondary Defensive Hunting Devices Archery |
---|
Hungering Arrow |
Entangling Shot |
Bola Shot |
Grenades |
[e] |
Impale |
Rapid Fire |
Chakram |
Elemental Arrow |
[e] |
Caltrops |
Smoke Screen |
Shadow Power |
[e] |
Vault |
Preparation |
Companion |
Marked for Death |
[e] |
Evasive Fire |
Fan of Knives |
Spike Trap |
Sentry |
[e] |
Strafe |
Multishot |
Cluster Arrow |
Rain of Vengeance |
[e] |
Monk skill categories: Primary Secondary Defensive Techniques Focus Mantras |
---|
Fists of Thunder |
Deadly Reach |
Crippling Wave |
Way of the Hundred Fists |
[e] |
Lashing Tail Kick |
Tempest Rush |
Wave of Light |
[e] |
Blinding Flash |
Breath of Heaven |
Serenity |
Inner Sanctuary |
[e] |
Dashing Strike |
Exploding Palm |
Sweeping Wind |
[e] |
Cyclone Strike |
Seven-Sided Strike |
Mystic Ally |
[e] |
Mantra of Evasion |
Mantra of Retribution |
Mantra of Healing |
Mantra of Conviction |
[e] |
Necromancer skill categories: Primary Secondary Corpses Blood and Bone Reanimation Curses |
---|
Witch Doctor skill categories: Primary Secondary Defensive Terror Decay Voodoo |
---|
Poison Dart - Rune effects |
Corpse Spiders |
Plague of Toads |
Firebomb |
[e] |
Grasp of the Dead |
Firebats |
Haunt |
Locust Swarm |
[e] |
Summon Zombie Dogs |
Horrify |
Spirit Walk |
Hex |
[e] |
Soul Harvest |
Sacrifice |
Mass Confusion |
[e] |
Zombie Charger |
Spirit Barrage |
Acid Cloud |
Wall of Zombies |
[e] |
Gargantuan |
Big Bad Voodoo |
Fetish Army |
[e] |
The Wizard | Arcane Power - Wizard Active Skills (Archive) | Wizard Passive Skills (Archive) [e] | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Primary attribute:
|
Primary Force |
Secondary Conjuration |
Defensive Mastery |
Blur (10) |
Conflagration (34) |
(X) = the level at which the skill becomes unlocked. |
Wizard skill categories: Primary Secondary Defensive Force Conjuration Mastery |
---|
Magic Missile |
Shock Pulse |
Spectral Blade |
Electrocute |
[e] |
Ray of Frost |
Arcane Orb |
Arcane Torrent |
Disintegrate |
[e] |
Frost Nova |
Diamond Skin |
Slow Time |
Teleport |
[e] |
Wave of Force |
Energy Twister |
Hydra |
Meteor |
Blizzard |
[e] |
Ice Armor |
Storm Armor |
Magic Weapon |
Familiar |
Energy Armor |
[e] |
Explosive Blast |
Mirror Image |
Archon |
[e] |
Followers | Kormac the Templar | Lyndon the Scoundrel | Eirena the Enchantress [e] | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Level 10: |
Level 5: Level 10: |
Level 15: |
Level 15: Level 20: |
Level 25: Level 30: |
Diablo III Other Classes | Diablo II Classes | Diablo I Classes [e] | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Archetypes: |
Archetype sub-types: |
Other classes: |
Diablo II: |
Fan-made Classes | Fan-made Skills [e] | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
• Alchemist |
• Flagellant |
• Ranger |
Dragon Warrior Skills |
Aurian Mage Skill | |
|