Skill Changes

This page lists skill changes from the vanilla game. For a list of player-vs-player skill changes, see PvP Changes. Also see: All Skills

This page has outdated info - the Skill Overview section has not been updated (see Patch Notes)

= Skills on Items = All item auras and oskills are listed below with details about changes from the vanilla game:

When a single character/mercenary has multiple items that grant the same aura, the level of the aura granted to that character/mercenary will be the sum of those auras' levels

Oskills are capped at +3 when used by their native class - otherwise they grant the full amount.

Note that many items have also gained new or improved chance-to-cast effects. For example, Pus Spitter casts Lower Resist on striking, Stormspire casts Static Field on striking, Head Hunter's Glory casts Amplify Damage on attack, and Demon Machine casts Multiple Shot on striking.

Skills only obtainable from items:
 * Blink - Enigma, Naj's Puzzler, Spellsteel
 * Lesser Fade - Spirit Ward
 * Blade Dance - Chaos
 * Bone Nova - The Third Eye

= Skill Overview = The info here is based on the changelogs for each skill, which may include more details. The Portal Skill Planner may also be useful for comparing vanilla & PD2 skills.

In addition to the skill changes listed here, all characters also gain access to the "Move Only" skill, which simply makes them walk/run toward a location without attacking.

Summon AI has been improved across the board, and the delay before summoned minions perform actions has been reduced.

Javelin and Spear Skills
Impale has been replaced with Javelin and Spear Mastery

Passive and Magic Skills
Avoid has been merged with Dodge

Slow Missiles has been reworked as Slow Movement

Martial Arts
Charge-up skills reworked
 * Instead of charges being generated one-at-a-time per charge-up attack and the effects only applying when consumed by a finishing move or normal attack:
 * Charge-up attacks immediately apply the attacks' effect of the appropriate stage (1-3) and generate charges until the character has that many charges of the attacks' type. Charges are "shared" between charge-up attacks so the first attack will apply a stage 1 effect and generate 1 charge, the second attack will apply a stage 2 effect and generate 1-2 charges, and the third attack will apply a stage 3 effect before the charges are reset and the cycle repeats.
 * Since charges are reset after the 3rd attack rather than before the first attack of the next cycle, it's impossible to have 3 charges of any single type; to get 3 charges, they must be of different types. A finishing move can be used at any point to consume the charges as usual.

Shadow Disciplines
Claw Mastery is now Claw and Dagger Mastery

Traps
Traps are now affected by +% to Elemental Skill Damage (full effectiveness) and -% To Enemy Elemental Resistance (half effectiveness)

Chain Lightning Sentry is new

Combat Masteries
Sword Mastery, Axe Mastery, Mace Mastery, Polearm Mastery, & Spear Mastery have been replaced with General Mastery and Polearm and Spear Mastery

Increased Stamina has been reworked as Combat Reflexes

Elemental Skills
Gust is new

Summoning Spells
Raise Skeleton is now Raise Skeleton Warrior

Summon Resist has been removed, Blood Warp and Raise Skeleton Archer are new

Poison and Bone Spells
Poison Explosion has been reworked as Desecrate

Poison Dagger has been reworked as Poison Strike

Curses
Curse Mastery and Dark Pact are new

Combat Skills
Holy Nova, Holy Light, and Joust are new

Cold Spells
Frozen Armor has been replaced with Cold Enchant

Ice Barrage is new

Fire Spells
Enchant is now Enchant Fire

Combustion and Lesser Hydra are new