Vortex is a Boss Modifier in Diablo III that can be found on Champions and Bosses, but not boss minions. It enables the boss or champions to yank your hero right up to them, which can be very dangerous against hard-hitting melee attackers. It's even worse when facing a boss pack with Molten or Plagued or other AoE attacks, since the pull will bring a character right into the killing field, sometimes resulting in virtually instant death.
There is no hit % chance on Vortex, and monsters cast it periodically, generally every 15 or 20 seconds, though they may do so more or less often. Vortex can not be dodged or avoided or resisted, and surviving against it requires a player to be ready to react the instant the Vortex is cast, pulling them into danger.
Vortex:
- Monster Level Minimum: 15
- Available to: Champions and Bosses, but not boss minions.
- Damage Type: N/A.
- Additional Resistances: None.
- Can Not Spawn With: Knockback, Nightmarish or (as of the v1.0.4 patch[1]) Jailer.
StrategyEdit
As when dealing with a Teleporter boss, it's essential to remain ready for instant action. Do not spend all of your resource while at a safe distance, and make sure at least one of your panic button skills is available for instant use, if the Vortex sucks you in. Vortex is very dangerous, but it's seldom used twice in succession, so if you get away you should be safe for at least a few seconds, which will ideally be long enough for your cooldowns to count off and your defensive skills to become available again.
While melee characters might not be bothered by this effect at all, it's very dangerous for ranged attackers. Even melee characters can fear it though, against hard-hitting enemies or bosses with other deadly AoE effects, such as Molten or Fire Chains or Plagued.
There seems to be a maximum distance outside of which Vortex will not work; character who remain off the screen are very seldom Vortexed in, and it's a pull, not a warp, so geographical features such as walls and other obstacles might stop the pull before a character is yanked right next to the enemy.
The effect can actually work against the AI of some ranged attacker bosses, who will stop attacking and attempt to retreat when the Vortex triggers and they suddenly find a character in close proximity.
DevelopmentEdit
Vortex was first seen by players in the Blizzcon 2010 demo. The effect was shocking and quite effective, but the lack of any sort of graphics to demonstrate the effect was confusing. Players thought perhaps they'd lagged out or had a moment of rubber banding. As Julian Love confirmed[2] at the time, this was a known issue, as the modifier was newly-added to the game and not yet polished.
Once the graphical effect was added the player confusion was abated, at least after a new player sees the effect a few times.
MediaEdit
Vortex does not change the appearance of the boss, so it can only be observed in the tooltip hover text. Or by the effect of the ability, as it yanks your character into danger.
There is a visual for the ability; the boss or champion using the Vortex makes a quick casting animation while glowing with a blue-white light, just before the effect takes place. It's unlikely many players notice the flash of light .3 seconds before they are hauled back to the monster, but it does occur as you can see with close attention to the videos of the boss encounter.
A wizard battles a boss skeleton and his pack with Vortex, Waller, Electrified, and Invulnerable Minions. |
Fallen with Vortex, Arcane Enchanted, and more. |
Monsters of Diablo III[e] Beasts Beasts: Superunique Demons Demons: Superunique Humans Humans: Superunique Undead Undead: Superunique Objects Bosses Boss Mods Monster Info Fanmade |
---|
Beasts | Bat - Beast - Blood Hawk - Demonic Hellflyer - Electric Eel - Khazra - Lacuni - Lamprey - Quill Fiend - Rockworm - Sand Monster - Sand Shark - Sand Wasp - Scavenger - Spider - Spiderling - Swarm - Withermoth - Wood Wraith - |
---|
Demons |
Armored Destroyer - Dark Berserker - Deceiver - Fallen - Ghoul - Hellion - Thrall |
---|
Undead |
Accursed - Bone Reaver - Brigand - Dune Dervish - Ghost - Ghoul - Grotesque - Morlu Caster - Risen Dead - Skeleton - Skeleton Mage - Unburied - Wraith - Wretched Mother |
---|
Primary Quest Uniques |
Act One Bosses:
Araneae -
Skeleton King -
The Warden -
The Butcher
|
---|
| |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Uniques Modifiers |
Strong CC (Limit 1): Knockback -- Nightmarish -- Vortex -- Jailer | ||||
Removed Modifiers |
| ||||
| |||||
Act One Uniques | Araneae - Web Spit | Leoric - Summon Skeleton, Teleport Strike, Triple Cleave | The Butcher - Smash, Grappling Hook, Spear, Frenzy Charge | ||
Act Two Uniques | Maghda - Forcefield, Summoning Ritual, Punish, Moth Dust, Teleport. | Zoltan Kulle - Fiery Boulder, Time Bubble, Ceiling Collapse, Energy Twister,Vanish, Creepy Laugh | Belial - Phase One: Triple Fireball, Summon Vipers. Phase Two: Poison Meteors, Ground Pound, Lightning Strike, Lightning Breath. | ||
Act Three Uniques | Ghom - Acid Slime, Sneeze, Gas Cloud, Chomp. | Siegebreaker - Triple Hit, Charge, Leg Stomp, Grab and Throw. | Cydaea - Pain Bolts, Web Trap, Spider Pits. | Azmodan - Bellyflop, Laser Attack, Falling Corpses, Demon Gate, Pool of Destruction, Globe of Annihilation. | |
Act Four Uniques | Rakanoth - Cleave, Teleport Strike, Blade Strike, Volley, Summon Minion. | Izual - Frost Nova, Frozen, Summon Minions. | Diablo - Phase One: Claw Rip, Charge, Hell Spikes, Shadow Vanish Grab, Curse of Destruction, Ring of Fire, Ground Stomp, Curse of Anguish, Curse of Hatred. Phase Two: Shadow Clone. Phase Three: Overdrive, Lightning Breath. |
Monster Info |
Monsters Basics -
Bosses -
Boss Modifiers -
Champions -
Quest bosses -
Teeth of Diablo -
Fan-made monsters
|
---|