Death Nova

Death Nova Class: Necromancer (Diablo III) Required Level: 12 Skill Category: Secondary Active Cost: 20 Essence Unleash a Nova that deals 350% damage as Poison to all enemies within 25 yards. Damage Type: Poison

Death Nova is a Secondary Necromancer skill in Diablo III, loosely based on the Poison Nova.

In-game

This ability deals high damage to all enemies in a considerable radius around the Necromancer, and is castable in quick succession as long as enough Essence is available.

It is the only Necromancer skill that has Poison damage by default.

Runes

• Unstable Compound: Each cast increases the radius of subsequent Novas by 5 yards for a short time, stacking up to 2 times, but fading if the spell is not cast within that time frame.
• Tendril Nova: Damage type changes to Physical, and also heals the Necromancer for 1% of maximum Life per target hit, but damage reduces to 225%.
• Blight: also leaves a lingering patch of blight on the ground, slowing enemies by 60% and causing them to deal 15% less damage, for 1 second.
• Bone Nova: Damage type changes to Physical, damage increases to 475%, but radius reduces to 12 yards. Visually, bone spines radiate outward instead of a nova.
• Blood Nova: Damage type changes to Physical, damage increases to 450%, but each cast costs 10% of maximum Life. Visually, nova becomes a splash of blood.

Non-rune enhancements

• Scythe of the Cycle (Legendary Scythe): deals 350–400% additional damage while Bone Armor is active but each cast reduces the remaining duration of Bone Armor by 4 seconds.
• Bloodtide Blade (Legendary Two-Handed Scythe): deals 300-400% increased damage for every enemy within 25 yards of the Necromancer.
• Nayr's Black Death (Legendary Two-Handed Scythe): each different Poison skill increases the damage of all Poison skills by 75-100% for 15 seconds.
• Iron Rose (Legendary Phylactery): channeling Siphon Blood casts Blood Nova on every tick of damage.
• Bryner's Journey (Legendary Boots): Bone Spikes have a 20-30% chance to cast a Bone Nova at the target location.
• Trag'Oul's Avatar Set (Set Bonus for 6 items): Blood Nova deals 3800% increased damage. Healing from skills is increased by 100%.

Passives

• Blood for Blood: removes the Life cost of Blood Nova rune when picking up a Health Globe, storing up to 10 charges.
• Blood is Power: every 100% of maximum Life drained by the Blood Nova rune will reduce all remaining cooldowns by 20%.
• Rathma's Shield: for 4 seconds after casting Land of the Dead, Army of the Dead or Simulacrum, Blood Nova rune will drain no Life on cast.
• Rigor Mortis: slows affected enemies by 30% and reduces their attack speed by 30% for 5 seconds as long as the damage type remains Poison.

Development

Death Nova was designed to 'fill the void' from the Diablo II Necromancer, as the Diablo III version is not based around an actual poison, but rather the death and decay powers.^[1] As such, it is seen as a replacement for Poison Nova.

This generated some controversy, but Julian Love put forward the question of whether players loved the poison aspect, or simply the ability? Thus, Death Nova is effectively the same ability, but without the poison theme.^[2]

Blood Nova was the first rune to be implemented, leading to the skill being originally called Blood Nova.

References