Knockback | PoE2 Mechanic · WikiHere PoE2

What Knockback does

Current rules

A Knockback can move less than its listed or calculated distance when terrain, another entity, immunity, or another obstruction interferes. Expected Knockback is the unobstructed distance the effect would have produced, and some payoffs use that value even when the enemy does not travel the full distance.

Knockback requires a Hit: Knockback is applied by a Hit from a skill, item, passive, or support that states it Knocks Back enemies or has a chance to do so. Damage over time does not apply Knockback by itself.
Standard direction is away from you: A skill with ordinary Knockback pushes the enemy away from your character when the skill Hits. A skill can define more specific behavior for its own origin or area.
Empire's Grasp reverses direction: Empire's Grasp reverses Knockback direction, so Knockback that would push an enemy away instead pulls the enemy toward you. The item changes direction, not whether the Hit can Knock Back or how far it is calculated to move.
Distance modifiers change displacement: Increased Knockback Distance modifiers combine additively with one another. More or less Knockback Distance modifiers multiply the result at their own calculation stage. A source-specific modifier applies only to the Knockback named by that source.
Actual distance can be obstructed: Terrain, other entities, and other mitigating circumstances can stop or shorten the enemy's actual movement. The presence of a Knockback effect does not guarantee that the target visibly travels the full calculated distance.
Expected Knockback ignores obstruction: Expected Knockback is the distance the target would have moved if terrain, other entities, and other mitigating circumstances had not impeded it. Effects that name Expected Knockback use this calculated value rather than measuring only visible movement.
Explicit immunity prevents displacement: A target with Cannot be Knocked Back is not displaced. Do not assume every Unique enemy is immune: skills such as Wind Serpent's Fury explicitly grant more Knockback Distance against Unique enemies.
Knockback and Stun are separate: Knockback moves the target. Stun interrupts actions and uses Stun Buildup and Stun Threshold. A skill can apply both, but increasing Knockback Distance does not by itself increase Stun Buildup.

Knockback sources and payoffs

7 cases

01

Knockback Support

Supported Skills Knock Enemies Back on Hit and have 40% more Knockback Distance. The support changes both application and distance for the supported skill.

Related: Knockback Support

02

Tempest Bell

A Hit that would have caused Knockback increases the Bell shockwave's Area of Effect by 30% more per 0.1 metres of that Knockback. The payoff uses the Knockback the Hit would have caused, so it is not limited to visible travel.

Related: Tempest Bell

03

Punch Through

Supported Melee Attacks apply Easy Target when they Knock Back an enemy. Easy Target gains 3% Magnitude per metre of Expected Knockback Distance, then benefits the next Projectile Attack Hit.

Related: Punch Through, Projectile, Melee

04

Wind Serpent's Fury

Both the thrust and each Wind Serpent Knock Back. They have 200% more Knockback Distance against Unique enemies, and quality can provide up to 30% more Knockback Distance.

Related: Wind Serpent's Fury

05

Whirling Slash and Whirlwind Lance

Their Whirlwind collapse Knocks Back enemies and gains 10% more Knockback Distance per additional stage. This distance scaling belongs to the staged Whirlwind component.

06

Repulsion

Hitting an enemy affected by Repulsion triggers a wave that Knocks Back other nearby enemies with 200% increased Knockback Distance. Its extra Stun Buildup is calculated separately from the displacement.

Related: Repulsion, Stun

07

Tyranny's Grip

Its Strikes Knock Back enemies on Hit. This is guaranteed application for eligible Strike Hits, but terrain and immunity can still prevent full movement.

Physical Damage(23-27) to (30-36)Critical Hit Chance5%Attacks per Second(1.36-1.44)Weapon Range1.5RequiresLevel 5, 10 DexGrants Skill: Spear Throw(150-200)% increased Physical Damage(10-15)% reduced Attack Speed+(15-30) to StrengthStrikes deal Splash DamageKnocks Back Enemies on HitCannot use Projectile AttacksThe might of the Eternal Empire was formidable,but rebels of every culture stood together as one., Strike

Limits and exceptions

5 rules

Knockback does not deal damage by itself.
A chance to Knock Back applies only when its stated Hit and condition occur.
Increased Knockback Distance does not create a chance to Knock Back if the skill or character has no Knockback source.
Visible movement can be shorter than Expected Knockback because of terrain, nearby entities, or immunity.
Reversed Knockback changes direction but does not convert Knockback into a separate Pull mechanic with different scaling.

Related pages

16 connections

unique itemEmpire's Grasp

(150-200)% increased Armour

unique itemTyranny's Grip

(150-200)% increased Physical Damage

Tyranny's GripUnique | Ironhead Spear

Physical Damage(23-27) to (30-36)Critical Hit Chance5%Attacks per Second(1.36-1.44)Weapon Range1.5RequiresLevel 5, 10 DexGrants Skill: Spear Throw(150-200)% increased Physical Damage(10-15)% reduced Attack Speed+(15-30) to StrengthStrikes deal Splash DamageKnocks Back Enemies on HitCannot use Projectile AttacksThe might of the Eternal Empire was formidable,but rebels of every culture stood together as one.

skillTempest Bell

Build Combo by successfully Striking Enemies with other skills. After reaching maximum Combo, use this skill to cause the Bell on your staff to grow to massive size as you drop it on the ground. The Bell damages enemies on impact and can be Hit by your skills, creating a damaging shockwave. Elemental Ailments applied to the Bell cause its shockwaves to deal extra damage of the corresponding type, and Hits which would have caused Knockback increase the area of effect of the shockwaves.

supportPunch Through

Supports Melee Attack Skills. Supported Skills apply Easy Target when Knocking Back Enemies, causing the next Projectile Attack Hit they take to deal increased Damage.

skillWind Serpent's Fury

Consume all Frenzy Charges to perform a gigantic spear thrust that Knocks Back enemies. For each Frenzy Charge consumed, a Wind Serpent follows in the spear's wake. Each Serpent also damages and Knocks Back enemies.

skillWhirling Slash

Perform a circular slash that kicks up a Whirlwind around you, Slowing enemies and Blinding them in its area of effect. Leaving the area collapses the storm, dealing damage and causing Knockback.

skillWhirlwind Lance

Throw a Spear with enough force to kick up a Whirlwind where it lands, Slowing enemies and Blinding them in its area of effect. Entering the Whirlwind collapses it, dealing damage and causing Knockback. Consumes a Frenzy Charge if possible to create the Whirlwind with one more than its normal maximum number of stages.

skillRepulsion

Target an area and Curse enemies within with a Verisium Rune, inflicting them with Fragility. Hitting these enemies causes the Curse to Trigger an explosion to deal damage in an area and apply significant Knockback to other enemies near the Cursed target, with more Stun buildup based on the Fragility on the target Hit.

skillWind Blast

Batter enemies at range by generating a gust of wind as you swing. Enemies will be Dazed and Knocked Back based on how close they are to you.

skillIce Nova

Conjure a wave of ice in all directions, Knocking Back enemies based on how close they are to you. Casting Ice Nova targeting near a Frostbolt Projectile will cause it to originate from the Frostbolt instead of you. Consumes a Cold Infusion if possible to leave a patch of Chilled Ground.

skillLeap Slam

Jump into the air, damaging and Knocking Back enemies with your mace where you land. Enemies you would land on are pushed out of the way.

mechanicHit

A Hit is an instantaneous damage event. Any damage that is not damage over time is Hit damage, whether it comes from an Attack, a Spell, Thorns, or another effect.

mechanicStun

Stun interrupts the target's current action and briefly prevents it from acting. Path of Exile 2 has two related systems: Light Stun is rolled from the damage of one Hit, while Heavy Stun is caused by filling a separate buildup bar.

mechanicProjectile

A Projectile is a moving entity created by an Attack or Spell. Projectile describes delivery, not the source type or damage type, so the Projectile can still be an Attack or Spell and can deal any supported damage type.

mechanicMelee

Melee Attacks directly hit with a Strike or deal Melee damage through a Slam. They usually scale from a Martial Weapon or Unarmed base, but Melee is not a damage type and does not include Projectiles created by the Attack.

mechanicStrike

A Strike is a Melee Attack that directly hits with a weapon or body part. Strike and Slam are mutually exclusive classifications, and Melee Strike Range affects how far a Strike can directly reach.