Crippling Wave

Crippling Wave is a Monk Tier 3 skill unlocked at level 6. The Monk debuffs his enemies by reducing their damage and speed.
This is one of 7 combo skills available to the Monk.

Background

Diablo III Skill [e]
Crippling Wave Active, 5 ranks
Used by:	Monk
Skill Description:
Light attacks that apply a series of increasingly debilitating debuffs.
Skill Details:
Type:	Debuff
Quantity:	None
Effect:	Self
School:	Physical
Spirit cost:	None
Cast time:	Instant
Duration:	Unknown
Cooldown:	1.5 sec
Synergies:	None
Requires:	N/A
Prereq of:	N/A

As Monks are relatively frail without heavy armour or shields, they have developed techniques to hit enemies where it hurts the most, slowing them down, and making their attacks less successful.

Skill Design

Crippling wave in action.

An interesting sort of combo attack, since it's about defensive bonuses. The damage is lower than any other Monk attacks, lower even than just plain attack (which I never used once during my BlizzCon play time). Like Inner Sanctuary, this one was never needed at BlizzCon. There's no big end boss anywhere, and the only dangers came from large mobs. This skill could be useful against those, but they were generally easier to just destroy with many fast hits than to weaken first.

This one seems like it would be very useful against big bosses, since it makes them susceptible to damage, while making them deal less to you. Throwing in stage 2 or 3 of this in the midst of other more useful combo attacks could be helpful, now and then, since the curse-like debuff can hit multiple enemies in close proximity.

Combo skills are essential for Monks. Combos do bonus damage, grant special properties (i.e. lightning damage and interrupt attacks on Hands of Lightning), and build up the Spirit needed to cast other skills. All combos have three stages, each progressively more powerful and flashier.

Skill Rank Table

• Rank 1:
  • First hit: Deals 50% of weapon damage. Enemy movement speed reduced 50% for 2 seconds. Generates X Spirit.
  • Second hit: Deals 50% weapon damage. Enemy damage reduced 25% and they take 25% more damage from attacks. Generates X Spirit.
  • Third hit: Deals 60% weapon damage. Debuffs refreshed on all targets. Generates X Spirit.
• Rank 2:
  • First hit: Deals 60% of weapon damage. Enemy movement speed reduced 60% for 2 seconds. Generates X Spirit.
  • Second hit: Deals 60% weapon damage. Enemy damage reduced 30% and take 30% more damage from attack. Generates X Spirit.
  • Third hit: Deals 75% weapon damage. Debuffs refreshed on all targets. Generates X Spirit.

Synergies

Various Monk traits augment this skill. (Since most Monk skills depend on base weapon damage and probably attack speed, traits which enhance those, and not the skill specifically, are also listed here.)

• Precision: Increase melee damage for each point in dexterity.
• Intimidation: Increases damage done and reduces vendor costs.
• Cruelty: Increases chance of critical strikes.
• Weak Spot: Increases critical strike damage.
• Rapid Strikes: Increases attack speed.
• Frenzied Attacks: Increases chance of critical strikes as well as their damage.

Note: The current trait list is very out-of-date and will no doubt be overhauled before game release.

Skill Rune Effects

• None known.

Development

Crippling Wave was first shown at BlizzCon 2009 as one of the originals when the Monk was unveiled. Flux was able to try it out:[1]

This one seems like it would be very useful against big bosses, since it makes them susceptible to damage, while making them deal less to you. Throwing in stage 2 or 3 of this in the midst of other more useful combo attacks could be helpful, now and then, since the curse-like debuff can hit multiple enemies in close proximity.

Previous Versions

See the Monk skill archive for more details on previous versions of Crippling Wave and other Monk skills.

Media

You can find pictures in the Diablo III screenshot and picture gallery:

• Diablo III screenshots and pictures
• Crippling Wave specific gallery contents

• 

  Crippling Wave in use.

References

BlizzCon 2009 Full Monk Skill Tree stats and discussion