In Diablo 3, I wonder if my life on hit also heals me on DOT effects. More specifically, I have a Barbarian with a certain amount of heal per hit. If I were to use the Rend spell (AOE DOT around me), would every damage tick, heal me for the full amount which is displayed in character details screen?
Diablo – Are heal on hit also applied on dot effects
diablo-3diablo-3-barbarian
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I just ran a few tests because I was curious on this and wanted to know myself since I'm maining a Witch Doctor. My findings are as follows.
Testing Method: I used the abilities on a monster (or multiple) and watched damage against them. I removed gear and equipped it while DoTs were ticking on targets, and I also used INT Boost abilities while DoT effects were ticking on targets. To test Spiders I did something similar but had to time it better. I also had no runes active and no passives active. I didn't try to get screenshots, but if you'd like me to redo the test and try to get good screenshots let me know and I'll edit them in.
Scenario 1: Grasp of the Dead - Gaining INT while Grasp of the Dead is already on the ground does not appear to effect Grasp of the Dead's damage. Damage is calculated when spell is cast and damage dealt doesn't appear to change when INT is increased post cast.
Scenario 2: Corpse Spiders (already thrown) - Gaining INT while Spiders are already on the ground does not appear to effect Corpse Spiders' Damage. This was also true for Tiki Men.
Scenario 3: Haunt and Locust Swarm - Gaining INT while Haunt and Locust Swarm are already on a target does not appear to effect Haunt and Locust Swarm's Damage. Additionally, the damage of Locust Swarm bounces ALSO does NOT appear to be effect by INT gains.
Scenario 4: Summoned Pets/Minions - As far as damage is concerned: Damage is calculated for Gargantuan ON HIT. Meaning when he swings at a mob your stats at that moment are the deciding factor on how much he hits. This was also true for Zombie Dogs. I was not able to test if and how INT effects their other stats because I don't know a way to display that information for summoned minions.
Additionally, I also tested if weapon damage being applied changes the situations and all of the above scenarios are still true.
These tests show the following:
1) Damage calculation for persistent effects (DoTs, AoE Damage Pools, Non-Minion Summoned Creatures, and etc) is calculated as soon as the spell is cast and damage is not retroactively applied when the player's stats increase.
2) Damage calculations for minions (Gragantuan and Zombie Dogs) is calculated when that minion hits a creature, thus will gain bonuses for increased INT.
These were all tested on a level 60 Witch Doctor so I can't say if they apply to all classes, but I can probably safely assume they do. I also didn't test how damage is calculated for hired mercenaries, but from the test we can also probably assume it is on hit.
An easy way to test this yourself would be to go into Act 1 of any difficulty (I suggest the highest you can go). Then go outside the first area with INT items unequiped and use abilities on the zombies in that area and then equip them mid fight, and hitting enemies with abilities like Soul Harvest and looking at the damage increase. You can display your damage dealt to enemy creatures by going to Options -> Gameplay -> and Checking "Display Damage Numbers"
Here's what I've compiled, based on the Diablo lore and the Heroes of the Storm character backstories.
Female Demon Hunter: Valla
Diablo III: Hatred and Discipline, Demon Hunter short story
Valla went on, "It was a good dream... but for now it must remain just that—a dream."
The sawyer's daughter pulled her hood up. "I'm back. I'm back, and I'm ready... to continue the hunt."
She turned away.
"Where do you think you're going?" Josen asked flatly.
"Tristram. The others asked you to send the best. I am the best. I'm going, and you have less than a few heartbeats to try and stop me."
Valla waited with her back to the master hunter, then lifted her scarf... An instant later she strode away, crested a rise, and was gone from sight.
Heroes of the Storm: Valla, Demon Hunter
Valla witnessed the ferocity of the hellspawn firsthand as the demons ravaged her village and left her for dead. Now, with no people to call her own, her only allegiance is to her cause: to rid Sanctuary of the demonic filth corrupting its lands.
Male Witch Doctor: Nazeebo
Not named in Diablo III, however the character background in Heroes of the Storm is consistent with that of the heretical Witch Doctor encountered by Benu in the Doubtwalker short story.
You stray far from the truth. What is true is this: the Unformed Land is not as the high priests teach. The one you call heretic knew this. That is why he defied law.
Images swirled and flashed before Benu like smoke and lightning. He glimpsed the so-called heretic wandering through strange lands the young witch doctor did not know. A falling star blazed in the night sky, and Benu followed it to where it crashed on the earth—a small town beset by evil.
Heroes of the Storm: Nazeebo, Heretic Witch Doctor
With cabalistic incantations and vestments of feather and bone, the Witch Doctor Nazeebo calls upon spirits from the Unformed Land to aid him in battle. Few outlanders ever encounter a Witch Doctor in the flesh, without losing their own.
Female Barbarian: Sonya
Not named in Diablo III, however the character background in Heroes of the Storm seems consistent with that revealed in the game.
Heroes of the Storm: Sonya, Wandering Barbarian
From the frozen Dreadlands of the north come the mighty Barbarian warriors. After surviving the destruction of her home and death of her tribe, Sonya wanders Sanctuary in search of battle and a better life for her people.
Male Barbarian: Kehr Odwyll (questionable)
- The Diablo III Barbarian short story Wayfarer names the protagonist, but notes that he lacks the beard and long hair typical of Barbarian warriors. Either Kehr is not the same Barbarian in the game, or some time has passed and he has grown more hair.
The peasant took a few quick steps ahead, trying to catch Kehr's eye. "I doubted at first. You lack the wild beard and locks mentioned in the tales..."
He cleared his throat.
"If you do not want to speak, I understand. I wanted only to thank you."
Tilting his head in a bow, he let the barbarian stride past.
- The Diablo III Barbarian short story Wayfarer names the protagonist, but notes that he lacks the beard and long hair typical of Barbarian warriors. Either Kehr is not the same Barbarian in the game, or some time has passed and he has grown more hair.
Female Wizard: Li-Ming
Diablo III: Firefly, Wizard short story
But understand this: Li-Ming did not lie. There are tomes within our library that describe the events that may now be coming to pass. It all begins with a star falling from the heavens, and such a star did fall the day I fought Li-Ming.
I know the true nature of magic and of who and what I am. Li-Ming knows these things as well, but she has come to a different course. This is the puzzle put before us, assassin. I am not blind to the evil that stalks us, but I fear for what Li-Ming might seek to undertake. Thus I consign to death my brightest student, perhaps the world's best hope for salvation, and pray that I have chosen rightly.
Heroes of the Storm: Li-Ming, Rebellious Wizard
It’s a generally agreed upon fact of life among the denizens of Sanctuary that wizards and magical mayhem are never far apart. Although she understands people’s concerns, Li-Ming is entirely unapologetic for the destruction in her wake. She delights in unleashing devastating spells on her foes from afar, then teleporting away to frustrate her enemies’ attempts at striking back. Small minds may fear this kind of power, but Li-Ming wields the arcane forces of the universe with confidence and unmatched skill.
Best Answer
DOTs return the life per hit amount ONLY on the initial hit, if we take rend here as an example, you gain your Life per Hit x the Proc coefficient(I'll come later to that) per enemy hit with the initial use of Rend.
If you use a rune which makes a DOT spread, like Bloodbath in the Rend example, you again gain the Life per Hit x Proc Coefficient per enemy spreaded to.
You don't gain the Life if you Hit enemies who are immune to damage (shielding).
Proc coefficients for all abilities are listed HERE
Sources: Own Experience, SOURCE 1 SOURCE 2