Returning Projectiles | PoE2 Mechanic

What Returning Projectiles does

Current rules

A Projectile returns only when its Skill, Support, item, or another effect explicitly makes it return. It first completes its outward travel, including any condition required by the source, then travels back toward the entity that originated it. Extra behavior on the return path, such as piercing all targets, applies only when the source states it.

Return needs an explicit source: Projectiles do not return by default. The Skill, Support, item, passive, or another effect must explicitly say that the Projectile Returns.
The Projectile finishes outward travel first: A returning Projectile begins its return after reaching the end of its travel or after hitting its final target. Effects that require Pierce or another outward event must satisfy that requirement before the return begins.
It returns to its originating entity: The return destination is the entity that originated the Projectile. The definition does not universally replace that entity with the player.
Return-path behavior is source-specific: Returning does not inherently say that the Projectile Pierces every target on the way back. Breachlord's Amalgam and Reversing Arrows add that behavior explicitly.
Conditional Return checks exact wording: Drillneck requires an Attack Projectile to Pierce at least its rolled threshold of 2 to 4 times. Ironbound requires an Arrow to Pierce a target that had Fully Broken Armour. Failing the named condition means that source does not make the Projectile return.

Current Return sources and conditions

5 cases

01

Drillneck

Attack Projectiles Return after they have Pierced at least the item's rolled threshold of 2 to 4 times. Its damage and Critical Hit bonuses also scale with the number of Pierces.

RequiresLevel 55100% chance to Pierce an Enemy+(60-90) to maximum Life(8-12)% increased Attack SpeedGain Deflection Rating equal to (24-32)% of Evasion RatingAttack Projectiles Return if they Pierced at least (2-4) timesProjectiles deal (42-64)% increased Damage with Hits for each time they have PiercedProjectiles have (42-64)% increased Critical Hit chance for each time they have Pierced"Why waste such a fine arrow on just one man?"- Kiravi, Vaal Archer, Pierce, Projectile, Critical Hit

02

Ironbound

Arrows Return if they Pierced a target that had Fully Broken Armour. The Armour state is checked as part of this item's condition and is not a universal Return requirement.

Physical Damage12-20Critical Hit Chance5%Attacks per Second(1.21-1.27)Armour(100-150)RequiresLevel 11, 23 Dex(25-35)% chance to Chain an additional time+(100-150) to Armour(5-10)% increased Attack Speed+12% to Block chance(3-5)% increased Block chance per 100 total Item Armour on Equipped Armour ItemsHits with this weapon have (1-2) to (4-5) Added Physical Damage per 1% Block ChanceArrows Return if they have Pierced a target which had Fully Broken ArmourEach crest was a Thane's word, bolted to Ivor's bow.They would join the Count's side, or die by his hands., Pierce, Armour

03

Soaring Midnight

The thrown Shield Returns at the end of its flight. Catching it skips the Skill's cooldown, giving this Skill a separate payoff for completing the return.

Related: Soaring Midnight, Projectile

04

Breachlord's Amalgam

This Lineage Support adds a cooldown to eligible Lightning or Cold Projectile Skills, makes their Projectiles Return, and makes the Returning Projectiles Pierce all targets.

05

Reversing Arrows

Reversing Arrows Pierce all targets and Return to you. This is a named arrow property, not a rule inherited by every returning Projectile.

Related: Projectile, Pierce

Limits and exceptions

5 rules

Return is a Projectile behavior and does not describe returning an item, character, Minion, or resource.
Projectiles do not Return unless an effect explicitly grants Return.
Piercing all targets on the return path is not part of the generic Return definition.
A conditional Return source does nothing until its full condition has been satisfied.
The entity that originated the Projectile is the return destination unless the source gives a more specific destination.

Related pages

9 connections

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.

mechanicPierce

A Projectile that Pierces damages a target and continues through it instead of ending at that collision.

unique itemDrillneck

+(60-90) to maximum Life

DrillneckUnique | Penetrating Quiver

RequiresLevel 55100% chance to Pierce an Enemy+(60-90) to maximum Life(8-12)% increased Attack SpeedGain Deflection Rating equal to (24-32)% of Evasion RatingAttack Projectiles Return if they Pierced at least (2-4) timesProjectiles deal (42-64)% increased Damage with Hits for each time they have PiercedProjectiles have (42-64)% increased Critical Hit chance for each time they have Pierced"Why waste such a fine arrow on just one man?"- Kiravi, Vaal Archer

unique itemIronbound

+(100-150) to Armour

IronboundUnique | Warden Bow

Physical Damage12-20Critical Hit Chance5%Attacks per Second(1.21-1.27)Armour(100-150)RequiresLevel 11, 23 Dex(25-35)% chance to Chain an additional time+(100-150) to Armour(5-10)% increased Attack Speed+12% to Block chance(3-5)% increased Block chance per 100 total Item Armour on Equipped Armour ItemsHits with this weapon have (1-2) to (4-5) Added Physical Damage per 1% Block ChanceArrows Return if they have Pierced a target which had Fully Broken ArmourEach crest was a Thane's word, bolted to Ivor's bow.They would join the Count's side, or die by his hands.

skillSoaring Midnight

Hurl your Shield as a Projectile which Returns to you at the end of its flight. While the Shield is in flight, this skill is replaced with Embrace the Fall. This skill's cooldown is skipped if you catch the Shield as it Returns, or destroy an Ice Crystal with the Embrace the Fall.

supportBreachlord's Amalgam

Supports Lightning or Cold skills you use yourself which fire Projectiles and do not already have cooldowns, adding a cooldown and making the Projectiles return, piercing through targets as they do so.

mechanicLineage

Lineage Supports are powerful Support Gems obtained as drops or encounter rewards. They cannot be engraved from an Uncut Support Gem, and each named Lineage Support normally has a character-wide socket limit of one.

mechanicCritical Hit

Critical Hits deal +100% extra damage (i.e. twice as much damage) by default. Critical Damage Bonuses can further modify this value.

mechanicArmour

Armour reduces applicable damage from Hits. By default it applies only to Physical Hit damage, and its reduction depends on the raw damage of each Hit rather than providing one fixed percentage.

Items and gems using this mechanic

4 connections

Direct relationBreachlord's Amalgam