Bane of the Stricken

The Boss Killer Among Gems

Bane of the Stricken increases the damage a given target takes from you with every hit you land. Against single, durable enemies the effect keeps stacking, which makes the gem an indispensable pick whenever you need to tear down bosses and Rift Guardians quickly.

Because it works for any class and is built around single targets, it sits among the three equipped gems in nearly every pushing build. The longer a fight drags on, the more obvious its advantage becomes. Tip: Focus your fire on one target instead of swapping between many enemies, since the stacks are tracked per foe. Against long-lived Rift Guardians at high tiers, this gem is often the difference between beating the timer and falling just short.

What 0.80% per Attack Means

The bonus grows with the number of attacks you make against the same target, not with how hard they hit. A fast attack rhythm therefore builds it up more quickly than a few heavy blows. Each single attack adds 0.80%, which adds up over a long fight, while in short skirmishes against enemies that die quickly the gem barely has time to take effect. That is exactly why it shows its strength against Rift Guardians and other durable single targets.

Only Your Own Attacks Count

The power is precise: the enemy takes more damage from your attacks. Your teammates' damage does not rise, so in a group only the player wearing the gem benefits. If you switch targets, the build-up starts from scratch on the new enemy.

The First Gem from Westmarch

The flavor text tells its origin: after the defeat of Malthael, Diadra the Scholar wandered the world, studied the gem cutters of Xiansai and brought their secrets back to Westmarch. Bane of the Stricken is the first gem to come out of her workshop there.

by eRnstl