'''Leech''' (or '''lifesteal/manasteal''') effects take away [[life]] or other [[resource pool|resource]] like [[mana]] from a target and giving it to the [[caster]], or transform a % of the damage dealt to health or mana/resource. The resource received does not have to correspond with the damage dealt, and in many cases a character could get a part of the health back, or a multiplication of the damage dealt.

The resource received does Leech/lifesteal is not have the same as [[drain]] or [[bleed]], but the effects are similar, and can sometimes be combined. There is life leech in Diablo III[], though it is much less common than it was in Diablo II. Characters are meant to correspond rely chiefly on [[health orbs]] and playing with caution, rather than the huge percentages of life leech (and damage dealtreduction) that made melee combat possible on Hell difficulty in Diablo II. Some forms of "mana" leech exist in Diablo III, though these differ for each class and are never as simple as the "percent of damage dealt" item modifers that were so common in many cases Diablo II. The issue is complicated by all classes possessing a character could get a part of unique resource ([[Spirit]] for the [[Monk]], [[Fury]] for the [[Barbarian]], [[Mana]] for the [[Witch Doctor]], [[Arcane Power]] for the [[Wizard]], and [[Hatred]]/[[Discipline]] for the health back[[Demon Hunter]]), and different skills and item modifiers custom tailored for the generation or a multiplication regeneration of the damage dealttheir individual resources. See their respective resource pages for more details.

Leech was quite overpowered in Diablo II, was widely available on all types of weapons and also on many unique and set helms, armors, gloves, belts, and more. This contributed to that game's erratic difficulty curve. Thanks to the ready availability of leech (and to a much lesser extent potions[[potion]]s), all well-equipped melee characters in Diablo II could keep their health (and mana) constantly topped off. As a result, monsters needed to be able to kill a character almost instantly in order to pose any real threat. The Diablo III team has learned from this issue, and besides largely removing potions from the game (and adding in [[health orbs]], they've greatly reduced the frequency of leech. It will be found rarely on equipment, and comes only from a few [[skills]] and [[traits]].

The Diablo III team has learned from this issue, and besides largely removing potions from the game (and adding <blue><font color="#FFFFFF">Will there be life stealing in D3? I know there’s [[health orbsLife After Each Kill]], they've greatly reduced the frequency of leech. It but will there be found very rarely (if at all) on equipmentmore ways to get health back? --Spiri7walker</font><br>There are skills that have life leech ability, and comes only from a few [[skills]] and [[traits]]literal life leech affixes. They’re not as crazy as they were in Diablo II.--Diablo</blue>