Spirit Barrage
Spirit Barrage is a Decay Witch Doctor skill unlocked at level 17. It's an attack skill, one that calls down projectiles from above, striking all enemies, with Arcane damage, in the target zone.
Contents
Background
Skill Rune Effects
Refer to the Spirit Barrage rune effects article for thorough descriptions of all five rune effects in this skill, including screenshots, videos, and strategy tips.
| Name | Level | Description |
|---|
<skill subcat="Spirit spell" class="WitchDoctor">Spirit Barrage</skill> <skill class="WitchDoctor" rune="The Spirit Is Willing">Spirit Barrage</skill> <skill class="WitchDoctor" rune="Well of Souls">Spirit Barrage</skill> <skill class="WitchDoctor" rune="Phantasm">Spirit Barrage</skill> <skill class="WitchDoctor" rune="Phlebotomize">Spirit Barrage</skill> <skill class="WitchDoctor" rune="Manitou">Spirit Barrage</skill>
Skill Design
Like most Witch Doctor skills, this one relies on striking numerous enemies at once, or stacking multiple attacks simultaneously.
Synergies
The following Witch Doctor passives provide a benefit to Spirit Barrage, runed or not:
| Name | Level | Description |
|---|
<skill class="WitchDoctor">Pierce the Veil</skill> <skill class="WitchDoctor">Rush of Essence</skill>
Development
Spirit Barrage was first seen in the BlizzCon 2009 demo as a Tier IV skill on the Spirit Skill Tree, but was not yet implemented. It was also listed in the BlizzCon 2010 demo, though there are no gameplay reports of this skill from that event.
Beta
Skill tiers were removed shortly before the beta started in September 2011, and Spirit Barrage became a level 21 skill, out of the reach of beta players. Fortunately, it was one of the skills available in the BlizzCon 2011 PvP Arena, and Adivirgi described using it:[1]
...this ability was a bit slower to hit targets then firing the darts, but its major advantage was that once you targeted someone, the bolt would basically track the target until it hit them, so you didn’t really miss using this ability. The other major advantage was that you could shoot it through walls. It was nice to sit behind walls safely away from the battle and send these bolts out at enemies.
The skill system was once again overhauled for the Beta Patch 13 in February 2012, and Spirit Barrage was classified as a Decay skill and moved to level 17. It was nerfed slightly for Beta Patch 14, and had its mana cost increased for Beta Patch 15.
Media
Spirit Barrage can be seen in action on video here:
- No videos yet.
You can find pictures in the Diablo III screenshot and picture gallery:
References
- BlizzCon 2009 Full Witch Doctor Skill Trees and Stats
- Zediono's translation of JudgeHype's pre-beta report — IncGamers 1st Aug 2011
- BlizzCon 2011 PvP Demo: The Witch Doctor — IncGamers 27th Oct 2011
- Witch Doctor Active Skills — Blizzard's Official Diablo III Site
| 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: |
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| Fan-made Classes | Fan-made Skills [e] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
• Alchemist |
• Flagellant |
• Ranger |
Dragon Warrior Skills |
Aurian Mage Skill | |
| | |||||