Crippling Wave

Crippling Wave is a Tier 1 skill from the Monk's Skill Tree B. It is also a Combo skill.

Background

Diablo III Skill [e]
Crippling Wave Active, 2 ranks
Used by:	Monk
Skill Description:
Light attacks that apply a series of increasingly debilitating debuffs.
Skill Details:
Type:	n/a
Quantity:	None
Effect:	Self
School:	Physical
Mana cost:	Unknown
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 hurt 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.

Skill Rank Table

Rank: 1/2

First hit: Deals 50% of weapon damage. Enemy movement speed reduced 50% for 2 seconds.

Second hit: Deals 50% weapon damage. Enemy damage reduced 25% and they take 25% more damage from attacks.

Third hit: Deals 60% weapon damage. Debuffs refreshed on all targets.

Rank: 2/2

First hit: Deals 60% of weapon damage. Enemy movement speed reduced 60% for 2 seconds.

Second hit: Deals 60% weapon damage. Enemy damage reduced 30% and take 30% more damage from attack.

Third hit: Deals 75% weapon damage. Debuffs refreshed on all targets.

Synergies

• None known.

Skill Rune Effects

• None known.

Development

This skill was first shown at BlizzCon 2009 as one of the originals when the Monk was unveiled.

Media

Change "Crippling Wave" to the skill name below.

You can find pictures in the Diablo 3 screenshot and picture gallery:

• Diablo 3 screenshots and pictures
• Crippling Wave-specific gallery contents

• 

  Crippling Wave in use.

References

Full Monk Skill Tree stats and discussion