Bombardment

Active Skill · Conviction · Crusader

5 Runes
From level 61

Effect

Cooldown: 60 seconds

Call in an assault from afar, raining 5 spheres of burning pitch and stone onto enemies around you, dealing 2850% total weapon damage to enemies within 12 yards of the impact zone.

Runes

5 Runes

Barrels of Spikes

from level 63 · Physical damage · Proc coefficient 0.48

In place of the burning spheres, barrels of spikes are hurled. Damage of each barrel is increased by 200% of your Thorns.
Annihilate

from level 65 · Fire damage · Proc coefficient 0.48

Each impact has a 100% Critical Hit Chance.
Mine Field

from level 67 · Fire damage · Proc coefficient 0.48

Each impact scatters 2 mines onto the battlefield that explode when enemies walk near them, dealing 160% weapon damage as Fire to all enemies within 10 yards.
Impactful Bombardment

from level 69 · Physical damage · Proc coefficient 1

A single, much larger ball of explosive pitch is hurled at the targeted location dealing 3320% weapon damage to all enemies within 18 yards.
Targeted

from level 70 · Holy damage · Proc coefficient 0.48

Instead of randomly finding targets nearby, the bombardment will continue to fall on your initial target.

The proc coefficient scales the chance of on-hit effects (e.g. legendary powers, gems, Life per Hit) for each hit of the skill. Game files, version 2.8.0.

Bombardment

Bombardment is an area cooldown that calls in a ranged siege strike: several burning projectiles rain down on nearby enemies and spread massive damage across a large area. The skill is popular both as a burst tool against groups and as the core of dedicated thorns build variants.

For thorns crusaders, Barrels of Spikes is the defining rune, since it ties the damage to your thorns value and so scales completely differently from the standard version. If you want to concentrate the damage rather than scatter it, Impactful Bombardment drops a single larger, harder-hitting orb instead, while Annihilate offers guaranteed crits. Together they let you tune Bombardment toward reliable spikes or focused single hits.

Runes only at the end of leveling

Bombardment itself arrives at level 61: 5 spheres, 2850% total weapon damage within 12 yards of the impacts, and a 60 second cooldown. The runes follow level by level: Barrels of Spikes (63, each barrel adds 200% of your Thorns), Annihilate (65), Mine Field (67, 2 mines per impact dealing 160% Fire), Impactful Bombardment (69, 3320% within 18 yards) and Targeted (70), which directs every impact at your initial target. In practice Barrels of Spikes dominates.

From cooldown to constant fire

The belt Belt of the Trove automatically calls down a Bombardment on a nearby enemy every 4 seconds and raises its damage by 400–500%. The skill no longer depends on its cooldown at all. The two-handed flail The Mortal Drama doubles the number of impacts and also raises the damage by 400–500%.

Thorns of the Invoker

This set ties straight into Bombardment: its 4-piece bonus cuts your damage taken by 50% for 20 seconds after Bombardment damages an enemy. With the belt's automatic impacts you keep that protection up practically all the time. The other bonuses boost Thorns damage through Punish and Slash, one more reason for Barrels of Spikes.

What drives your Thorns value

Iron Maiden raises your Thorns and thus the barrels directly, while Finery supplies Strength. Akarat's Champion and Condemn add damage, and Iron Skin and Steed Charge cover protection and movement.

by eRnstl