List of active skills | Witch Doctor Diablo III Guide
Last update: 01 February 2017
Poison Dart
Firing a poison dart which inflicts poison damage after hitting the target. The effect lasts a few seconds.
 | Required level: 1. Resources: Requires mana points.
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Runes for the Poison Dart skill:
 | Splinters - Three poison darts are fired and each dart inflicts smaller poison damage. Required level: 6.
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 | Numbing Dart - Toxins from the poison dart reduce movement speed of the attacked enemy. Required level: 13.
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 | Spined Dart - Each time a dart hits an enemy the main character regains some of his mana points. Required level: 25.
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 | Flaming Dart - The dart is set on fire and thanks to that it inflicts increased fire damage. Required level: 43.
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 | Snake to the Face - The poison dart turns into a snake that has a chance to stun the target for a short while. Required level: 52.
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Corpse Spiders
Throwing a jar full of spiders. They inflict lesser physical damage during their short lifespan.
 | Required level: 3. Resources: Requires mana points. |
Runes for the Corpse Spiders skill:
 | Leaping Spiders - Leaping spiders are summoned. They inflict more damage and they can leap towards distant targets. Required level: 9.
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 | Spider Queen - A queen is summoned for 15 seconds. It gives birth to smaller spiders which inflict weak poison damage. Only one queen can be summoned at a certain moment of the game. Required level: 18.
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 | Widowmakers - A group of widowmaker spiders is summoned. They regenerate Witch Doctor's mana each time they hit someone. Required level: 33.
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 | Medusa Spiders - Medusa spiders are summoned. Their attacks have a chance of slowing down enemy units. Required level: 45.
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 | Blazing Spiders - Blazing spiders are summoned and they can inflict greater fire damage. Required level: 55.
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Plague of Toads
Releasing a group of toads. They inflict increased poison damage to all enemies that stand in their way.
 | Required level: 11. Resources: Requires mana points.
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Runes for the Plague of Toads skill:
 | Explosive Toads - The toads mutate, exploding and dealing serious fire damage to all enemies they come in contact with. Required level: 17.
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 | Toad of Hugeness - A giant toad is summoned. It remains on the battlefield for a few seconds, swallowing enemies and dealing physical damage. This rune also adds a 5-second cooldown to the main skill. Required level: 24.
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 | Rain of Toads - Toads rain down from the sky. The effect lasts a few seconds and enemies receive increased poison damage. Required level: 35.
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 | Addling Toads - Yellow mutated toads are created. They inflict increased poison damage and they can confuse enemies for a few seconds. Required level: 51.
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 | Toad Affinity - The Plague of Toads skill is used for free. Required level: 54.
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Firebomb
Throwing an exploding skull. The explosion deals small fire damage to all enemies standing nearby.
 | Required level: 21. Resources: Requires mana points.
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Runes for the Firebomb skill:
 | Flash Fire - The skull instead of exploding leaps several times between opponents, dealing less damage after each jump. Required level: 28.
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 | Roll the Bones - The skull bounces several times before exploding. Required level: 31.
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 | Fire Pit - The explosion sets the area on fire. The effect lasts a few seconds and deals small fire damage to all enemies standing in the fire. Required level: 38.
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 | Pyrogeist - A column of flames is created. It spits fire towards the nearest opponent, inflicting increased fire damage for the next few seconds. Required level: 47.
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 | Ghost Bomb - Aside from the first explosion the skull also creates a secondary explosion. It's bigger and it inflicts fire damage. Required level: 60.
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Grasp of the Dead
Causing ghoulish hands to reach out from the ground for a few seconds. They inflict small physical damage and slow down enemy units.
 | Required level: 2. Resources: Requires mana points.
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Runes for the Grasp of the Dead skill:
 | Unbreakable Grasp - Increased strength of the slow down effect. Required level: 7.
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 | Groping Eels - More damage inflicted by the Grasp of the Dead skill. Required level: 15.
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 | Death is Life - Enemies killed by this skill may leave additional health orbs behind. Required level: 25.
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 | Desperate Grasp - Reduced cooldown time of the skill. Required level: 28.
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 | Rain of Corpses - Corpses rain down from the sky. The effect lasts a few seconds and it inflicts physical damage. Required level: 53.
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Firebats
Summoning a swarm of firebats. They burn enemies standing in front of the main character, inflicting increased fire damage.
 | Required level: 5. Resources: Requires mana points.
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Runes for the Firebats skill:
 | Dire Bats - A smaller group of bats is summoned, however they inflict more damage and they can fly further. Required level: 11.
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 | Vampire Bats - The main character receives back some of the damage inflicted by the bats as Life points. Required level: 19.
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 | Plague Bats - Plague bats are summoned and they cause infections among enemy units. The poison damage is small at first, however it gains in strength over time. Required level: 29.
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 | Hungry Bats - Fast bats are summoned. They seek out nearest targets, inflicting increased fire damage. Required level: 45.
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 | Cloud of Bats - A swirl of bats is summoned and they inflict fire damage to all nearby enemies. The damage increases each second, reaching a certain level. Required level: 56.
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Haunt
Summoning a ghost which follows an enemy for some time, dealing increased arcane damage. If the target has died the ghost starts to follow another opponent.
 | Required level: 12. Resources: Requires mana points.
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Runes for the Haunt skill:
 | Consuming Spirit - The summoned ghost regenerates Witch Doctor's health each second. Required level: 18.
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 | Resentful Spirit - A vengeful ghost is summoned. It stays on the battlefield only for a few seconds, however it deals more damage. Required level: 23.
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 | Lingering Spirit - If there no more targets on the battlefield, then the ghost stays longer, seeking for new enemies. Required level: 35.
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 | Grasping Spirit - Reduced movement speed of enemies haunted by the ghost. Required level: 48.
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 | Draining Spirit - The summoned ghost regenerates Witch Doctor's mana each second. Required level: 57.
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Locust Swarm
Releasing a locust swarm which attacks an enemy, inflicting increased poison damage for a few seconds. The swarm also leaps to other nearby targets.
 | Required level: 21. Resources: Requires mana points.
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Runes for the Locust Swarm skill:
 | Pestilence - A chance for the swarm to leap to two targets instead of one. Required level: 27.
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 | Devouring Swarm - The Witch Doctor receives some mana points for every enemy attacked by the swarm. Required level: 33.
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 | Cloud of Insects - Extended duration of the skill. Required level: 37.
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 | Diseased Swarm - Enemies killed by the swarm leave a cloud of locusts behind. The cloud remains for a few seconds, dealing lesser poison damage to all affected units. Required level: 42.
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 | Searing Locusts - An enemy is surrounded by a burning swarm which inflicts increased fire damage. Required level: 59.
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Summon Zombie Dogs
Summoning zombie dogs which follow the Witch Doctor and attack enemy units, inflicting small physical damage.
 | Required level: 4. Resources: Requires mana points.
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Runes for the Summon Zombie Dogs skill:
 | Rabid Dogs - Zombie dogs infect their victims when they bite them, dealing small poison damage that lasts a few seconds. Required level: 12.
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 | Final Gift - A chance for a health orb to appear after a zombie dog has died. Required level: 19.
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 | Life Link - Zombie dogs absorb some of the damage received by the Witch Doctor. Required level: 28.
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 | Burning Dogs - Fiery dogs are summoned and they burn nearby enemies, inflicting lesser fire damage. Required level: 40.
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 | Leeching Beasts - Some of the damage dealt by the zombie dogs returns to them and to the Witch Doctor as Life points. Required level: 54.
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Horrify
Putting on a spectral mask which horrifies nearby enemy units, causing them to flee. The effect lasts a few seconds.
 | Required level: 8. Resources: Requires mana points.
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Runes for the Horrify skill:
 | Phobia - Extended duration of the horrify effect. Required level: 14.
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 | Stalker - The Witch Doctor moves faster for a few seconds. Required level: 21.
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 | Face of Death - Extended range of the Horrify skill. Required level: 34.
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 | Frightening Aspect - The Witch Doctor receives an armor bonus that stays active for a few seconds. Required level: 44.
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 | Ruthless Terror - The Witch Doctor receives back some mana for each opponent he managed to scare away. Required level: 56.
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Spirit Walk
Leaving physical body and entering the spirit realm. The Witch Doctor can move freely in this form and the effect ends when his body receives major damage.
 | Required level: 16. Resources: Requires mana points.
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Runes for the Spirit Walk skill:
 | Jaunt - Extended duration of the skill. Required level: 23.
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 | Honored Guest - The Witch Doctor regains mana points each second he spends in the spirit realm. Required level: 29.
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 | Umbral Shock - When the journey to the spirit realm ends the Witch Doctor's physical form explodes, dealing lesser fire damage to all nearby enemies. Required level: 38.
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 | Severance - Enemies that the Witch Doctor passes through in his spirit form receive physical damage. Required level: 47.
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 | Healing Journey - The Witch Doctor regains Life points each second he spends in the spirit realm. Required level: 53.
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Hex
Summoning a fetish shaman for 12 seconds that transforms enemies into chickens. Enemies in the chicken form can't attack and are more vulnerable to receiving damage.
 | Required level: 22. Resources: Requires mana points.
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Runes for the Hex skill:
 | Hedge Magic - The fetish shaman heals his allies from time to time. Required level: 26.
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 | Jinx - Enemies affected by the hex are even more susceptible to receiving damage. Required level: 31.
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 | Angry Chicken - The fetish shaman transforms into an angry chicken for a short while. The chicken explodes, dealing increased physical damage to all enemies standing nearby. Required level: 36.
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 | Painful Transformation - The hex causes enemies to bleed and this effect inflicts small physical damage. Required level: 43.
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 | Unstable Form - Enemies affected by the hex explode when they die, dealing poison damage to other opponents in the area. Required level: 58.
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Soul Harvest
Feeding on the life force of several nearby opponents and receiving a bonus to Intelligence for each hit. The effect lasts 30 seconds.
 | Required level: 9. Resources: Requires mana points.
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Runes for the Soul Harvest skill:
 | Swallow Your Soul - The Witch Doctor receives some mana points with each hit. Required level: 15.
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 | Siphon - The Witch Doctor receives some Life points with each hit. Required level: 21.
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 | Languish - The movement speed of enemy units is reduced for a few seconds. Required level: 32.
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 | Soul to Waste - Extended duration of the skill. Required level: 39.
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 | Vengeful Spirit - Enemies affected by the skill also receive small physical damage. Required level: 49.
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Sacrifice
Banishing the Witch Doctor's zombie dogs, forcing them to explode. The explosions inflict greater weapon damage to all nearby enemies.
 | Required level: 13.
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Runes for the Sacrifice skill:
 | Black Blood - Black substance is created near bodies of killed zombie dogs and it slows down enemy units for a few moments. Required level: 18.
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 | Next of Kin - Each zombie dog that was sacrificed has a chance to become reborn. Required level: 24.
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 | Pride - The Witch Doctor regains mana points for each zombie dog that was sacrificed. Required level: 36.
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 | For the Master - The Witch Doctor regains Life points for each zombie dog that was sacrificed. Required level: 41.
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 | Provoke the Pack - Each time a zombie dog was sacrificed the main character can inflict more damage for some time. Required level: 51.
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Mass Confusion
Causing paranoia among enemy units. The result is that some opponents start fighting alongside the Witch Doctor.
 | Required level: 22. Resources: Requires mana points.
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Runes for the Mass Confusion skill:
 | Unstable Realm - Reduced cooldown time of the Mass Confusion skill. Required level: 26.
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 | Devolution - A chance for the enemies killed in the confused status to turn into zombie dogs. Required level: 34.
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 | Mass Hysteria - Some of the enemies that weren't affected by the paranoia become stunned for a few seconds. Required level: 43.
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 | Paranoia - All enemies within a range of the skill become more susceptible to receiving damage. Required level: 46.
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 | Mass Hallucination - An enormous ghost appears after activating the skill. It assists the Witch Doctor, dealing increased physical damage to all enemies it passes through. Required level: 54.
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Zombie Charger
Summoning a suicidal zombie which deals increased poison damage to all opponents standing in its way.
 | Required level: 14. Resources: Requires mana points.
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Runes for the Zombie Charger skill:
 | Leperous Zombie - The zombie leaves a poisonous vapors behind it and they inflict smaller poison damage. Required level: 21.
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 | Undeath - If the suicidal zombie has managed to kill an enemy, then it will be reborn and will continue to inflict strong poison damage. The effect can be repeated only several times. Required level: 27.
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 | Wave of Zombies - Several charging zombies are summoned and each creature inflicts smaller poison damage. Required level: 33.
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 | Explosive Beast - An exploding zombie dog is summoned. It heads for it target, exploding upon contact and dealing greater fire damage to all nearby enemies. Required level: 42.
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 | Zombie Bears - Zombie bears are summoned to the battlefield. They begin to charge, dealing increased poison damage to all nearby enemies. Required level: 54.
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Spirit Barrage
Bombarding the target with spirit projectiles which inflict serious physical damage.
 | Required level: 17. Resources: Requires mana points.
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Runes for the Spirit Barrage skill:
 | The Spirit is Willing - Each time the barrage hits an enemy the Witch Doctor regains some mana points. Required level: 23.
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 | Well of Souls - Several ghosts are also summoned and they inflict smaller physical damage. Required level: 32.
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 | Phantasm - A spectre is summoned for several seconds and it inflicts lesser physical damage to all nearby enemy units. Required level: 37.
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 | Phlebotomize - The main character receives back some of the damage inflicted by the barrage as Life points. Required level: 44.
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 | Manitou - A spectre is summoned. It stays on the battlefield for some time, following the Witch Doctor and weakening enemies with physical damage. Required level: 59.
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Acid Cloud
Causing an acid to rain down. The attack starts by inflicting poison damage and then it damages enemies standing in the affected area for a few seconds, dealing lesser poison damage.
 | Required level: 22. Resources: Requires mana points.
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Runes for the Acid Cloud skill:
 | Acid Rain - Extended initial range of the acid cloud. Required level: 26.
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 | Lob Blob Bomb - The acid rain creates a poisonous slime that remains on the ground for a few seconds, dealing small poison damage to all enemies it comes in contact with. Required level: 30.
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 | Slow Burn - Acid pools remain longer on the battlefield. Required level: 39.
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 | Kiss of Death - A cloud of acid is spit. It starts by inflicting increased poison damage and then it injures all enemies within its range. Required level: 46.
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 | Corpse Bomb - A corpse explosion is triggered. It inflicts greater poison damage to all nearby opponents. Required level: 55.
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Wall of Zombies
Creating a wall of zombies that stays for a few seconds. The wall damages nearby opponents, dealing small physical damage.
 | Required level: 28. Resources: Requires mana points.
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Runes for the Wall of Zombies skill:
 | Barricade - Increased width of the wall. Required level: 32.
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 | Unrelenting Grip - The zombie wall reduces movement speed of the attacked enemies for a few seconds. Required level: 35.
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 | Creepers - Several burning zombies emerge from the ground. They attack enemies, inflicting fire damage. Required level: 41.
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 | Pile On - A zombie tower is created. The tower falls over, dealing enormous physical damage and knocking back enemy units. Required level: 49.
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 | Dead Rush - Zombies emerge from the ground. They start running in all directions, inflicting increased physical damage. Required level: 60.
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Gargantuan
Summoning a gargantuan zombie which joins the Witch Doctor in battles, inflicting lesser physical damage.
 | Required level: 19. Resources: Requires mana points.
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Runes for the Gargantuan skill:
 | Humongoid - The gargantuan zombie can use a Cleave skill which allows it to attack several opponents at the same time. The damage inflicted by the monster is also increased. Required level: 22.
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 | Restless Giant - Each time the gargantuan zombie encounters an elite opponent or becomes surrounded by a group of enemies it enters rage mode for 15 seconds. While in rage mode the gargantuan has increased movement and attack speed and it also deals more damage. This effect can be activated only once in a while. As for the elite opponents mentioned in the description, here's their list: Champions Rare monsters Bosses Other players Required level: 29.
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 | Wrathful Protector - The gargantuan zombie is summoned for a shorter period of time, however the monster deals serious fire damage and knocks back enemy units. Required level: 39.
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 | Big Stinker - The gargantuan zombie becomes surrounded by a poisonous cloud which inflicts lesser poison damage to enemy units. Required level: 48.
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 | Bruiser - The gargantuan zombie can slam enemies, inflicting massive physical damage and stunning them for a few seconds. Required level: 56.
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Big Bad Voodoo
Summoning a fetish that performs a ritual dance. The effect of the ritual is increased movement and attack speed of the Witch Doctor and his allies that lasts 20 seconds.
 | Required level: 25.
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Runes for the Big Bad Voodoo skill:
 | Jungle Drums - Bonuses provided by the ritual last longer. Required level: 31.
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 | Rain Dance - Mana is regenerated in the area where the ritual took place. Required level: 37.
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 | Slam Dance - Increased damage inflicted by the Witch Doctor and his allies. Required level: 44.
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 | Ghost Trance - Health of the Witch Doctor and his allies is regenerated each second. Required level: 50.
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 | Boogie Man - A chance for enemies killed near the ritual site to transform into zombie dogs. Required level: 58.
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Fetish Army
Summoning an army of fetishes that stays on the battlefield for some time, fighting alongside the Witch Doctor and dealing lesser physical damage.
 | Required level: 30.
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Runes for the Fetish Army skill:
 | Fetish Ambush - Each fetish deals increased physical damage to nearby enemies at the moment when it's summoned. Required level: 34.
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 | Devoted Following - Reduced cooldown time of the Fetish Army skill. Required level: 40.
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 | Legion of Daggers - Increased number of summoned fetishes equipped with daggers. Required level: 46.
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 | Tiki Torches - Additional fire-breathing fetishes are summoned. They inflict small fire damage. Required level: 52.
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 | Head Hunters - Additional fetishes-hunters are summoned. They attack enemies with blowdarts, inflicting small poison damage. Required level: 60.
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