Locust Swarm
Locust Swarm is a Secondary Witch Doctor skill unlocked at level 21, which sends forth a torrent of locusts which swarm over and devour anything they meet. The Locusts converge on one target and if they kill it they will chain to another target, potentially spreading their damage over a large number of enemies.
Contents
Background[edit | edit source]
The Witch Doctor sends a swarm of locusts to literally devour the flesh of his enemies.
Skill Rune Effects[edit | edit source]
The following is a very quick summary. See the Locust Swarm rune effects page for a more thorough description of rune effects, or any of the individual rune pages for numbers, screenshots, blue quotes, and much more.
| Name | Level | Description |
|---|
<skill subcat="Physical realm spell" class="WitchDoctor">Locust Swarm</skill> <skill class="WitchDoctor" rune="Pestilence">Locust Swarm</skill> <skill class="WitchDoctor" rune="Devouring Swarm">Locust Swarm</skill> <skill class="WitchDoctor" rune="Cloud of Insects">Locust Swarm</skill> <skill class="WitchDoctor" rune="Diseased Swarm">Locust Swarm</skill> <skill class="WitchDoctor" rune="Searing Locusts">Locust Swarm</skill>
Skill Design[edit | edit source]
A really nice skill against packs of monsters, working like a disease that affects one monster and then the rest of the group. It can spread quite fast, so casting this spell just once is enough, and by the time it is done, you would have used a few other skills. Enemies who are killed by Locust Swarm leave behind a skeleton, a most pleasant visual effect.
Video[edit | edit source]
A video of Locus Swarm in use can be seen below, courtesy of the DiabloInc You Tube channel.
Synergies[edit | edit source]
The following Witch Doctor passives provide a benefit to Locus Swarm, runed or not:
| Name | Level | Description |
|---|
<skill class="WitchDoctor">Bad Medicine</skill> <skill class="WitchDoctor">Pierce the Veil</skill> <skill class="WitchDoctor">Fetish Sycophants</skill>
Development[edit | edit source]
Locust Swarm premiered with Diablo III in the WWI 2008 gameplay video as a Tier II skill in the Plague Skill Tree (later renamed the Zombie Skill Tree). The first version of this skill could be cast on Mongrels, enhancing them with poison damage.
By BlizzCon 2009, Locust Swarm had been moved to Tier III in the Voodoo Skill Tree and could no longer be cast on Mongrels (renamed to Zombie Dogs). Flux discussed its utility:[1]
The skill isn’t that damaging, but the way the locusts can spread from target to target makes it fairly amusing to use in large crowds. This one might have long term viability, even if the damage is negligible in the end game, simply as a sort of poisonous AoE attack.
At BlizzCon 2010, Locust Swarm was still in the game (moved up to Tier 4 in the new tree-less system), but wasn't one of the Witch Doctor's starting skills.
Beta[edit | edit source]
Skill tiers were removed shortly before the beta started in September 2011, and Locust Swarm became a level 19 skill, too high to try out. The skill system was once again overhauled for the Beta Patch 13 in February 2012, and Locust Swarm was classified as a Secondary skill and move to level 20. For Beta Patch 14, it was slightly nerfed, but (strangely) for Beta Patch 15, it was considerably buffed, as well as moved to level 21.
Previous Versions[edit | edit source]
See the Witch Doctor skill archive for more details on previous versions of Locust Swarm and other Witch Doctor skills.
Media[edit | edit source]
Locust Swarm can be seen in action on video here:
You can find pictures in the Diablo III screenshot and picture gallery:
ACHOOO! Uh, I don't feel so good.
References[edit | edit source]
- BlizzCon 2008 Witch Doctor Gameplay Report
- BlizzCon 2009 Full Witch Doctor Skill Trees and Stats
- Zediono's translation of JudgeHype's pre-beta report — IncGamers 1st Aug 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] | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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|
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] |
| 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] |
| 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] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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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 | |
| | |||||
