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Essence DrainSpell, Projectile, Duration, Chaos, AoE
Level: (1-20)
Cost: (8-23) Mana
Cast Time: 0.70 sec
Critical Strike Chance: 5.00%
Effectiveness of Added Damage: 60%
Requires Level 12Fires a projectile that applies a damage over time debuff when it hits. You are healed for a portion of the debuff damage. The debuff is spread by Contagion.Per 1% Quality:1Superior2Anomalous3Divergent1% increased Chaos DamageRegenerate 0.01% of Debuff Damage as Life5% increased Damage with HitsDeals (31.2-1503.2) Base Chaos Damage per second
Regenerate 0.5% of Debuff Damage as Life
Base duration is 3.8 seconds
Deals (9-433) to (14-649) Chaos Damage
Modifiers to Spell Damage apply to this Skill's Damage Over Time effect
Place into an item socket of the right colour to gain this skill. Right click to remove from a socket.
Essence Drain skill iconEssence Drain inventory icon
Acquisition
Area level: 12
Vendor Prices
Normal1x Orb of Transmutation
Vendor Offer
1x Scroll Fragment
Metadata
Item class: Active Skill Gems
Metadata ID: Metadata/Items/Gems/SkillGemEssenceDrain

Essence Drain skill screenshot


Essence Drain is a chaos spell that fires a projectile that hits for a small amount of chaos damage and applies a heavy chaos damage over time effect. The spell also causes the player to regenerate a portion of the damage over time as life. Essence Drain interacts favourably with Contagion inventory iconContagionContagionSpell, AoE, Duration, Chaos
Level: (1-20)
Cost: (5-20) Mana
Cast Time: 0.60 sec
Radius: 20
Unleashes a vile contagion on enemies, dealing chaos damage over time. If an enemy dies while affected by Contagion, it spreads to other enemies.Per 1% Quality:1Superior2Anomalous3Divergent0.5% increased Area of Effect3% increased Chaos Damage3% chance to Spread when affected Enemy is HitDeals (3.5-235.9) Base Chaos Damage per second
Base duration is 5 seconds
Modifiers to Spell Damage apply to this Skill's Damage Over Time effect
Place into an item socket of the right colour to gain this skill. Right click to remove from a socket.
Contagion skill icon
Contagion inventory icon
, a skill that can spread the damage over time component of Essence Drain to nearby enemies.

Skill functions and interactions[ | ]

  • Modifiers to Spell Damage apply to this skill's Damage Over Time Effect: Modifiers to spell damage only affect the damage over time effect of Essence Drain granted by the gem and do not affect other sources of damage over time which may be applied by the skill, such as poison or Decay Support.
  • Contagion inventory iconContagionContagionSpell, AoE, Duration, Chaos
    Level: (1-20)
    Cost: (5-20) Mana
    Cast Time: 0.60 sec
    Radius: 20
    Unleashes a vile contagion on enemies, dealing chaos damage over time. If an enemy dies while affected by Contagion, it spreads to other enemies.Per 1% Quality:1Superior2Anomalous3Divergent0.5% increased Area of Effect3% increased Chaos Damage3% chance to Spread when affected Enemy is HitDeals (3.5-235.9) Base Chaos Damage per second
    Base duration is 5 seconds
    Modifiers to Spell Damage apply to this Skill's Damage Over Time effect
    Place into an item socket of the right colour to gain this skill. Right click to remove from a socket.
    Contagion skill icon
    Contagion inventory icon
    : When an enemy affected by both Contagion and Essence Drain dies, Contagion will proc and spread the remaining duration of both effects to nearby enemies.
  • Regeneration: The amount of life regenerated from the damage over time caused by Essence Drain is dependent solely on the tooltip damage over time, and not on the actual damage dealt to the enemy. Essence drain will increase the players life regeneration by 0.005 * tooltip DoT per enemy affected. This means that increasing the damage an enemy receives through effects such as Despair inventory iconDespairDespairSpell, AoE, Duration, Chaos, Curse, Hex
    Level: (1-20)
    Cost: (16-33) Mana
    Cast Time: 0.50 sec
    Radius: 22
    Requires Level 24Curses all targets in an area, lowering their chaos resistance and increasing damage over time they take. All hits will deal added chaos damage to the cursed enemies.Per 1% Quality:1Superior2Anomalous3DivergentCursed enemies take 0.5% increased Damage from Damage Over Time effects0.5% increased Effect of CurseSpell Hits have 0.5% chance to Hinder Cursed Enemies with 30% reduced Movement Speed for 4 secondsBase duration is (9-10.9) seconds
    Cursed enemies have -(20-29)% to Chaos Resistance
    Cursed enemies take (15-25)% increased Damage from Damage Over Time effects
    Adds (9-46) to (12-57) Chaos Damage to Hits against Cursed Enemies
    Curse gains 10 Doom per second if you Cast this Spell yourself
    +(0-10) to radius
    Place into an item socket of the right colour to gain this skill. Right click to remove from a socket.
    Despair skill icon
    Despair inventory icon
    , Wither inventory iconWitherWitherSpell, AoE, Duration, Chaos, Channelling
    Level: (1-20)
    Cost: (3-9) Mana
    Cast Time: 0.28 sec
    Requires Level 10Casts a debilitating debuff on enemies in an area, hindering their movement and also inflicts the Withered debuff, which increases the Chaos Damage they take and can stack up to 15 times.Per 1% Quality:1Superior2Anomalous3Divergent1% increased Skill Effect DurationHindered Enemies deal 0.2% reduced Chaos Damage5% chance to apply an additional Withered Debuff if you Cast this Spell yourself(30-36)% reduced Movement Speed
    6% increased Chaos Damage taken
    Base duration is 0.5 seconds
    Withered lasts 2 seconds
    (0-19)% increased Area of Effect
    Place into an item socket of the right colour to gain this skill. Right click to remove from a socket.
    Wither skill icon
    Wither inventory icon
    , or the Occultist Void Beacon notable will not change the amount of regeneration provided by Essence Drain.
  • Traps and Mines: Essence Drain can not be supported by Trap Support inventory iconTrap SupportTrap SupportSupport, Trap
    Icon: T
    Level: (1-20)
    Cost & Reservation Multiplier: 120%
    Requires Level 8Supports spells, or attacks that use bows or wands. Instead of using that skill, you will throw a trap that will use the skill for you when an enemy walks near it. Traps cannot use channelling skills.Per 1% Quality:1Superior2Anomalous3DivergentSupported Skills have 0.5% increased Trap Throwing SpeedSupported Skills deal 0.5% increased DamageSupported Skills have 1% increased Trap Trigger Area of EffectTrap lasts 4 seconds
    Supported Attack Skills cannot be used with Melee Weapons
    Supported Skills have (0-19)% increased Trap Throwing Speed
    Supported Skills deal (0-38)% increased Trap Damage
    This is a Support Gem. It does not grant a bonus to your character, but to skills in sockets connected to it. Place into an item socket connected to a socket containing the Active Skill Gem you wish to augment. Right click to remove from a socket.
    Trap Support inventory icon
    and Blastchain Mine Support inventory iconBlastchain Mine SupportBlastchain Mine SupportSupport, Mine
    Icon: Y
    Level: (1-20)
    Cost & Reservation Multiplier: 50%
    Requires Level 8Supports spells, or attacks that use bows or wands. Instead of using that skill, you will throw a mine that will use the skill for you when you detonate it. Mines cannot use channelling skills.Per 1% Quality:1Superior2Anomalous3DivergentSupported Skills have 0.5% increased Mine Throwing SpeedSupported Skills have 1% reduced Mana ReservedMines from Supported Skills have 1% increased Detonation SpeedMine lasts 5 seconds
    Supported Skills deal (40-33)% less Damage
    Supported Skills deal 5% more Damage for each prior Mine in Detonation Sequence
    Supported Skills have a Base Mine Detonation Time of 0.25 seconds
    Supported Attack Skills cannot be used with Melee Weapons
    This is a Support Gem. It does not grant a bonus to your character, but to skills in sockets connected to it. Place into an item socket connected to a socket containing the Active Skill Gem you wish to augment. Right click to remove from a socket.
    Blastchain Mine Support inventory icon
    .
  • Explosion: The explosion added to Essence Drain in 3.6 only occurs on projectile destruction, similar to Fireball inventory iconFireballFireballProjectile, Spell, AoE, Fire
    Level: (1-20)
    Cost: (6-25) Mana
    Cast Time: 0.75 sec
    Critical Strike Chance: 6.00%
    Effectiveness of Added Damage: 240%
    Projectile Speed: 1040
    Radius: 9
    Unleashes a ball of fire towards a target which explodes, damaging nearby foes.Per 1% Quality:1Superior2Anomalous3Divergent4Phantasmal1% increased Projectile Speed2% reduced Projectile Speed
    3% increased Area of Effect
    3% increased Effect of non-Damaging Ailments on Enemies
    -2% more Damage with Ignite
    0.25% chance to Debilitate Enemies for 1 second on Hit
    Deals (9-1095) to (14-1643) Fire Damage
    (20-39)% chance to Ignite enemies
    Projectiles gain Radius as they travel farther, up to +(0-9) Radius
    Place into an item socket of the right colour to gain this skill. Right click to remove from a socket.
    Fireball skill icon
    Fireball inventory icon
    's explosion mechanic. Since the Essence Drain damage over time debuff is applied through this explosion any sort of subprojectile effect will cause the debuff to not affect a given target unless it is in range of the projectile itself being destroyed.

Gem level progression[ | ]

LevelRequired LevelRequired DexterityRequired IntelligenceMana
Cost
Chaos
Damage
per sec
Chaos
Damage
Exp.Total Exp.
1121421831.29 to 1400
2151725940.612 to 181524915249
31921301056.416 to 244151756766
42324351176.722 to 3381983138749
527284112102.730 to 44147968286717
63132461313639 to 59250557537274
735365114178.451 to 77405086942360
838385515217.463 to 944477181390078
94141591626476 to 1146153182005396
1044446316319.492 to 1388346392840035
1147476717385.3111 to 16615707604410795
1250497118463.5133 to 20016339876044782
1353527519556.1160 to 24021510308195812
1456557919665.7192 to 288281218911008001
1559588320795.2229 to 344509936016107361
1662608721948.1273 to 410940073125508092
17646290211065307 to 4601527336640781458
18666492221195.5344 to 5162628658267068040
19686695221341386 to 57962890590129958630
20706898231503.2433 to 649212046017342004647
217270100241683.9485 to 727N/AN/A
2274N/AN/A241885.3543 to 814N/AN/A
2376N/AN/A252109.6608 to 911N/AN/A
2478N/AN/A252359.2679 to 1019N/AN/A
2580N/AN/A262637759 to 1139N/AN/A
2682N/AN/A262946.1848 to 1273N/AN/A
2784N/AN/A273289.8947 to 1421N/AN/A
2886N/AN/A2736721058 to 1586N/AN/A
2988N/AN/A284096.81180 to 1770N/AN/A
3090N/AN/A284568.81316 to 1974N/AN/A
3191N/AN/A284824.11389 to 2084N/AN/A
3292N/AN/A295093.11467 to 2200N/AN/A
3393N/AN/A295376.61548 to 2323N/AN/A
3494N/AN/A295675.41635 to 2452N/AN/A
3595N/AN/A295990.21725 to 2588N/AN/A
3696N/AN/A3063221821 to 2731N/AN/A
3797N/AN/A306671.51921 to 2882N/AN/A
3898N/AN/A307039.72027 to 3041N/AN/A
3999N/AN/A307427.52139 to 3209N/AN/A
40100N/AN/A317836.12257 to 3385N/AN/A

Item acquisition
Questionmark

Upgrade paths

This item can be acquired through the following upgrade paths or vendor recipes:

AmountIngredientGeneral
Notes
Type
3Divination card inventory iconThe Bitter BlossomThe Bitter Blossom card artDivination card frameThe Bitter Blossom3Level 21 Chaos Gem
Quality: +23%
Corrupted
The pain you feel is of no consequence, it is evolution, to be made whole within something greater.
Divination card inventory icon
random corrupted superior level 21 Chaos gem with 23% qualityAutomatic
8Divination card inventory iconDying AnguishDying Anguish card artDivination card frameDying Anguish8Level 19 Gem
Alternative Quality: +19%
Moribund, he gazed upon the journey taken as blood trickled down his chin. His eye closed on the city ahead that he would never call home.
Divination card inventory icon
random level 19 gem with 19% alternative qualityAutomatic
1Gemcutter's Incubator inventory iconGemcutter's IncubatorGemcutter's IncubatorAdds an incubated Quality Gem item to an equippable item
Item drops after killing # monsters
Quality GemRight click this item then left click an item to apply it. The Incubated item drops after killing a specific number of monsters.
Gemcutter's Incubator inventory icon
random superior gemAutomatic
6Divination card inventory iconThe FoxThe Fox card artDivination card frameThe Fox6Level 20 Gem"Masters of wit, strength and cunning. To survive the harsh winters, you must be like the fox."
- Ezomyte Proverb
Divination card inventory icon
random level 20 gemAutomatic
13Divination card inventory iconThe CataclysmThe Cataclysm card artDivination card frameThe Cataclysm13Level 21 Spell Gem
Corrupted
The mighty warriors traded in blows, the nimble archers in arrows, yet it was the brazen thaumaturgists who would bring catastrophe to all.
Divination card inventory icon
random corrupted level 21 Spell gemAutomatic
3Divination card inventory iconGemcutter's PromiseGemcutter's Promise card artDivination card frameGemcutter's Promise3Superior Gem
Quality: +20%
"I swore to use my position to help the people. What good is power when it just accumulates on the already-powerful?" - Erasmus, Imperial Gemcutter
Divination card inventory icon
random superior gem with 20% qualityAutomatic
1Divination card inventory iconThe VoidThe Void card artDivination card frameThe Void1Reach into the Void and claim your prize.Divination card inventory iconrandom divination card set exchangeAutomatic

Quest reward

This item is given as a quest reward for the following quests:

Class →WitchShadowRangerDuelistMarauderTemplarScion
Quest ↓
The Siren's Cadence
Act 1

Vendor reward

This item can be bought at the listed NPC vendors, after completing the following quests:

Class →WitchShadowRangerDuelistMarauderTemplarScion
Quest ↓
The Siren's Cadence
Act 1
Nessa
A Fixture of Fate
Act 3
Siosa
Fallen from Grace
Act 6
Lilly Roth

Related helmet enchantments

The following helmet enchantments affect Essence Drain.

NameFor generated item/monster modifiers the minimum item/monster level respectively. Some generation types may not require this condition to be met, however item level restrictions may be raised to 80% of this value.StatsSpawn Weighting
Enchantment Essence Drain Damage 16625% increased Essence Drain Damagehelmet 100
default 0
Enchantment Essence Drain Damage 27540% increased Essence Drain Damagehelmet 100
default 0
Enchantment Essence Drain Duration 16620% increased Essence Drain Durationhelmet 100
default 0
Enchantment Essence Drain Duration 27530% increased Essence Drain Durationhelmet 100
default 0

Alternate skill effects

Essence Drain has the following alternate skill effects:

ItemEffect(s)
Arcane Essence Drain EffectArcane Essence Drain Effect inventory iconArcane Essence Drain EffectSkill Gem EffectYour Essence Drain becomes a blue arcane effect.Arcane Essence Drain Effect inventory iconYour Essence Drain becomes a blue arcane effect.
Celestial Essence Drain EffectCelestial Essence Drain Effect inventory iconCelestial Essence Drain EffectSkill Gem EffectYour Essence Drain becomes a celestial version.Celestial Essence Drain Effect inventory iconYour Essence Drain becomes a celestial version.
Project Essence Drain EffectProject Essence Drain Effect inventory iconProject Essence Drain EffectSkill Gem EffectYour Essence Drain becomes a Project version.Project Essence Drain Effect inventory iconYour Essence Drain becomes a Project version.
Scientist Essence Drain EffectScientist Essence Drain Effect inventory iconScientist Essence Drain EffectSkill Gem EffectYour Essence Drain becomes a Scientist version.Scientist Essence Drain Effect inventory iconYour Essence Drain becomes a Scientist version.

Version history[ | ]

Version Changes
3.6.0
  • Mana Cost at gem level 1 is now 8 (was 9).
  • Mana Cost at gem level 20 is now 23 (was 27).
  • Now has a cast time of 0.7 seconds (from 0.75).
  • Now explodes on impact, applying the Essence Drain debuff to enemies in a small radius. This explosion deals no hit damage. As a result of this change, Essence Drain now has the Area gem type.
  • Now deals 9 to 14 Chaos damage at gem level 1 (from 6 to 9) and 433 to 649 Chaos damage at gem level 20 (from 334 to 501).
  • Now deals 31.3 base Chaos damage per second at gem level 1 (from 21.3) and 1503.2 base Chaos damage per second at gem level 20 (from 1159).
3.3.0
  • Now specifies it cannot be used by traps or mines.
2.1.1c
  • Fixed an instance crash with Essence Drain [...].
  • Fixed a bug with Essence Drain spreading between enemies.
2.1.1b
  • Fixed a bug where players could get the Essence Drain life recovery effect stuck on their character until changing instances.
2.1.1
  • Essence Drain can now be supported by "Cast On" trigger support gems.
2.1.0
  • Added to the game.
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