Skill Development - Blade Vortex

Blade Vortex was created to first appear late in Act 1 as part of the Shadow's Physical Spellcaster build. As with most skills introduced at level 12, it's less straightforward than the introductory spells like Freezing Pulse and Lightning Tendrils, and with less base area than the level 28 skills like Flameblast and Ball Lightning.

The skill started as a physical object that rotated around the caster and impacted directly with enemies, but we've shifted to having the spinning weapon being representative of a 'radar'-like line that damages all enemies, making it much more reliable and improving behaviour with Area Radius bonuses. Multiple casts will mean you'll have multiple of these 'radar' lines, meaning more hits. The skill also increases in radius as the gem is leveled, as part of an initiative to have players not need to focus as heavily on Area of Effect passives in the tree.

Blade Vortex can be used to great effect by a skillful player, especially at higher levels. By supporting it with Increased Duration, characters can build up a huge number of weapons before wading into the fray, letting the player cast infrequently to maintain an effective storm or to cast heavily before engaging tougher enemies. Its short cast time further help this, letting you quickly deploy a blade in between moving or taking other actions.

Here's a video of the skill in action in act 4 normal. Enjoy!