Claws of Thunder | Diablo 2 Wiki | Effects, Stats, Skill Tree and Synergies

Claws of Thunder is an Assassin Skill in Diablo 2. Claws of Thunder is part of the Martial Arts Skill Tree and requires level 18 to be unlocked. Skills usually define a character's playstyle and are divided by Class and Skill Tree. Some Skills have synergies, which provide benefits to other skills on the same Skill Tree.

 

Using her weapon’s metal blades as conductors, an Assassin charges the ions
surrounding her and delivers a devastating lightning attack to any who dare
challenge her.

 

Claws of Thunder Information

Important Note: With the release of Patch 2.4 this skill has suffered some changes:

Effect

• Charge-Up Skill
  Consecutive hits add lightning damage to finishing moves. Can only be used with claw-class weapons. Must use a dragon finishing move or normal attack to release charges. 
• Cast Delay: None
• Lightning is perhaps the most powerful element in Hell mode both because of its high damage and because most lightning resistance can be removed with runeword infinity equipped on a merc. This being the case, Claws of Thunder can be an amazing skill at high skill level, synergized, and using infinity.

• Releasing one charge of Claws of Thunder produces lightning damage delivered to a single target. Releasing two charges of Claws of Thunder Produces a nova that will damage all targets within about a ~5m radius of the target that the charges were released on. Releasing three charges of Claws of thunder produces the same nova as with 2 charges as well as ~14 charged bolts that radiate out from the target that the charges were released on.
• There is also the issue of next-delay. Some skills have a property called Next Delay that causes mobs to be invulnerable to attack for a period after the skill is used. Charges two and three of Claws of Thunder trigger a 4-Frame Delay. After either 2 charges or 3 charges are released, there will be a period of (4 Frames) 0.16 seconds where nothing can damage the mobs that were previously damaged. What this means is that mobs that are struck by the nova released with three charges will not be damaged by the charged bolts unless the bolts took more than .16 seconds to travel to them. Using knockback can help knock single targets back into bolts that otherwise would not have damaged them. Without knockback, 2 and 3 charges are best when used on groups rather than single targets.
• The +% lightning damage of lightning facets work for only one charge of Claws of Thunder. The nova or bolts released from 2 or 3 charges will not be affected by the +% damage of lightning facets. The -% enemy lightning resist of lightning facets will work for all three charges.
• Claws of Thunder + Tiger Strike + Dtail is a powerful and fun build. The knockback on Dtail helps to counter the Next Delay issue, Fire+Lightning Damage helps to limit immunity problems, and Dtail can get amazing damage with Claws of Thunder +Tiger Strike charges.
• Phoenix Strike builds also commonly max 2 of the three elemental charge ups, and Claws of Thunder is a popular choice.

 

 First Level

• Mana Cost: 4
• Attack Rating +%: 25 Before Patch 2.4 was 15%
• Charge 1 Lightning Damage: 1-80
• Charge 2 Nova Damage: 1-30
• Charge 3 Charged Bolt Damage: 1-40

 

Requirements

• Claws of Thunder Required Level: 18
• Claws of Thunder Prerequisites: Fists of Fire

 

Claws of Thunder Synergies

Claws of Thunder Receives Synergy From:

• Phoenix Strike: +8% Lightning Damage Per Level

Claws of Thunder Provides Synergy to:

• Phoenix Strike: +13% Lightning Damage Per Level

 

Claws of Thunder Progression

The following chart displays the upgrade values for each level of Claws of Thunder

Mana Cost: 4

Important Note: With the release of Patch 2.4 this skill has suffered some changes:

• Attack Rating bonus increased from +15% to +25% baseline, and from +7% to +10% per level

 

Notes and Tips

• With the release of Patch 2.4 this skill has suffered some changes
• Notes & Tips go here

 

Accept Terms and Save Close Preview Close Editor