[[Image:Skullofflame multistrike.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Witch Doctor's Skull of Flame.]]'''Area of Effect''' is a general term for effects, skills, spells or abilities that will affect an area, and the inhabitants of that area, rather than a single target. Also known as '''Splash Damage''' or '''Line Damage'''. Most Many attacks in [[Diablo III]] will have the potential to affect more than one target. Some skills will need to be upgraded with points in a mastery skill (The [[Wizard]]'s [[Storm Skill Tree#Tornado|Tornado]] originally produces one tornado, but adding skill points to [[Storm Skill Tree#Epic Storms|Epic Storms]] increases the amount of tornados allowed at once) or at least multiple targets used in conjunction with the use of [[Rune|Skill Runes]](The [[Witch Doctor]]'s [[Spirit Skill Tree#Skull of Flame|Skull of Flame]] used with a multi-strike rune allows the skull to ''skip'' along the ground and explode multiple times) to affect muliple targets.

The area that is affected can vary greatly, from a few [[monster]]s up close to from a [[Barbarian]]'s skill: attacking with [[Juggernaut Skill Tree#Cleave|Cleave]], or a dozen monsters being crushed under a [[destructible]] wall.

The effects can also vary, as effect of an AoE damage does not necessarily need varies from a damaging attack to cause damage. It can be an AoE a [[buff]] or /[[debuff]] cast on friends or foesallies/enemies.<gallery>Image:Barb cleave3.jpg|Female Barbarian using Cleave.Image:Barb-warcry1.jpg|Male Barbarian using Battle Cry.Image:WD SoulHarvest.jpg|Female Witch Doctor using Soul Harvest.</gallery>

The actual area of an AoE effects skill can be of any shape or size, depending on the source. Many effects have Some examples are: circular AoEeminating from the player ([[Wizard]]'s [[Storm Skill Tree#Frost Nova|Frost Nova]]), but this is not a given rule. Some are also "specific area the player chooses ([[Wizard]]'s [[Conjuring Skill Tree#Meteor Storm|Meteor Storm]]), Line Damage"([[Wizard]]'s [[Arcane Skill Tree#Disintegrate|Disintegrate]]), and do damage in a square/elliptic shape with a width. It can be a crescent shape, and even square in some casesor jumping from one target to another ([[Wizard]]'s [[Storm Skill Tree#Electrocute|Electrocute]]).