Mechanic

Shock

Shock is a non-damaging Lightning Ailment that makes a target take 20% increased damage by default. Lightning Hits gain a chance to Shock based on post-mitigation damage relative to the target's Elemental Ailment Threshold.

0.5.4d

Current data

Catalog version 0.5.4d

No direct 0.5 patch change is linked to this page. The displayed values are current for catalog version 0.5.4d.

What Shock does

Current rules

By default, a Lightning Hit gains 1% chance to Shock for every 4% of the target's Elemental Ailment Threshold dealt after mitigation. A successful Shock normally makes the target take 20% increased damage. It lasts four seconds on players and eight seconds on non-players, and Shock Magnitude can scale the damage-taken effect up to the 100% maximum.

Lightning Hits supply the chance: Lightning damage from Hits contributes to chance to Shock by default. Lightning damage over time does not Hit, so it does not use this default application rule. Another damage type contributes only when explicit wording permits it.
Chance uses post-mitigation damage: The game compares the Lightning damage actually dealt by the Hit after mitigation with the target's Elemental Ailment Threshold. The default rate is 1% chance to Shock for each 4% of that threshold dealt, equivalent to 25% base chance when the Hit deals 100% of the threshold.
Critical Hits do not guarantee Shock: A Critical Hit has no inherent rule that always applies Shock. Its larger damage can raise the calculated chance, but the application still needs a successful chance roll unless another effect says the Hit always Shocks.
Base Magnitude is 20%: A default Shock makes the target take 20% increased damage. Shock Magnitude modifiers change this value, and the default maximum Shock effect is 100% increased damage taken.
Increased damage taken is additive: Shock's damage-taken value is additive with other increased damage taken modifiers. It affects eligible damage from any source and is not limited to the Lightning Hit that inflicted the Shock.
Duration depends on the target: Shock lasts four seconds on players and eight seconds on non-players by default. Shock Duration modifiers change that duration; Shock Magnitude changes the damage-taken value instead.
Only the strongest Shock applies: Several Shock instances can retain independent durations, but Shock does not normally stack its effect. Only the highest-Magnitude active Shock affects the target, and a weaker remaining Shock can take over after the stronger one expires.
Strike Twice is an explicit exception: The Stormweaver passive Strike Twice allows a target to be affected by two of your Shocks at once, while applying 25% less Magnitude to your Shocks. That exception does not change the normal one-Shock rule for other characters.
Resistance affects application indirectly: Lightning Resistance reduces the Hit before chance to Shock is calculated. Lightning Penetration applies to that Hit, while Lightning Exposure lowers the target's actual Resistance. Both can improve application indirectly but do not modify an existing Shock.
Shocked Ground is a delivery source: Shocked Ground Shocks targets standing in it without requiring a Lightning Hit. Its default ground duration is six seconds, but a skill or item can provide its own duration and other ground-specific values.
Shock and Electrocution are separate: Shock increases damage taken and uses a chance roll. Electrocution prevents actions and requires specific effects to build Electrocution Buildup. A target can be Shocked without being Electrocuted, and Electrocute Support prevents supported skills from inflicting Shock.
Other damage types need explicit contribution: Physical, Fire, Cold, and Chaos damage do not contribute to Shock chance by default. Skills, items, supports, or passives can explicitly allow another type or all Hit damage to contribute without converting that damage to Lightning.

Applying, scaling, and using Shock

10 cases

High Shock chance skills

Lightning Bolt, Fulminating Concoction, Lightning Spear, Ball Lightning, Storm Wave, and Tempest Flurry include explicit bonuses to chance to Shock. Some also change Shock Magnitude, so check the skill page for the current gem-level values.

Shock supports

Shock Support raises application chance, Lasting Shock trades application chance for longer duration, and Overcharge raises Shock Magnitude but reflects those Shocks back to you. Chance, duration, and Magnitude are separate scaling axes.

Related: Shock, Lasting Shock, Overcharge

Spread and triggered effects

Shock Conduction can Shock nearby enemies when a supported Hit Shocks. Static Shocks turns a Shock from a supported Hit into periodic Lightning pulses, while Galvanic Field consumes its buff when you Shock to attach a firing Orb.

Consume Shock payoffs

Primal Strikes can refresh and then consume Shock, Siphoning Strike consumes it for a shockwave and Power Charge, Snap consumes it for an elemental blast and Infusion, and Shockchain Arrow consumes Shock but not Electrocution.

Damage against Shocked enemies

Lightning Conduit deals more damage to Shocked enemies and distributes extra bolts when one is present. Herald of Thunder, Innervate, Shock Siphon, and other effects instead react to hitting or killing a Shocked enemy.

Shock event resources

Cast on Elemental Ailment and Elemental Invocation gain Energy when you Shock. Siphon Elements can create an Infusion Remnant, and Spear of Solaris gains Glory from inflicting Shock, Freeze, or Ignite. Each resource follows its own gain and cooldown rules.

Contribution-changing items

Voltaxic Rift lets Chaos Hit damage contribute to Shock chance. Periphery lets all Elemental Hit damage contribute, while The Three Dragons makes Fire contribute to Shock and prevents Lightning from doing so by redirecting it to Freeze Buildup.

Physical Damage47-79Critical Hit Chance5%Attacks per Second(1.32-1.38)Lightning Damage1 to (300-500)RequiresLevel 79, 163 DexAdds 1 to (300-500) Lightning Damage(10-15)% increased Attack Speed100% of Lightning Damage Converted to Chaos DamageChaos Damage from Hits also Contributes to Shock ChanceThe eldritch storm descended upon us, and bruised lightningrained down. Metal withered and flesh melted before itsarcane power. There was no escape, no shelter. Only despair., PeripheryPeripheryUnique | Heartwood Shortbow

Physical Damage41-76Critical Hit Chance5%Attacks per Second(1.35-1.43)Fire Damage(48-59) to (75-97)Cold Damage(35-53) to (65-80)Lightning Damage(1-8) to (123-152)RequiresLevel 67, 134 DexGrants Skill: Azmerian Swarms (Level 19)Adds (48-59) to (75-97) Fire DamageAdds (35-53) to (65-80) Cold DamageAdds (1-8) to (123-152) Lightning Damage(8-14)% increased Attack SpeedElemental Damage from Hits Contributes to Flammability, Ignite, and Chill Magnitudes, Freeze Buildup, and Shock ChanceAs the Maji approached the edge of Nothingness, she strungfragments of the Wildwood's carcass together. When shenocked her arrow, she pulled upon the elements of life itself., The Three DragonsThe Three DragonsUnique | Solid Mask

Evasion Rating(161-184)Energy Shield(51-59)RequiresLevel 45, 36 Dex, 36 Int(40-60)% increased Evasion and Energy Shield+(10-20)% to all Elemental ResistancesFire Damage from Hits Contributes to Shock Chance instead of Flammability and Ignite MagnitudesCold Damage from Hits Contributes to Flammability and Ignite Magnitudes instead of Chill Magnitude or Freeze BuildupLightning Damage from Hits Contributes to Freeze Buildup instead of Shock Chance"The ice seared his naked feetAs the lightning stilled his heart,But it was the flames upon his lover's faceThat roused him to vengeance."- From 'The Three Dragons' by Victario of Sarn, Contributes

Shock scaling items

Skysliver and Earthbound increase chance to Shock. Levinstone raises both chance and Magnitude. Wake of Destruction instead drops Shocked Ground while moving, using ground application rather than a Hit chance roll.

Physical Damage12-22Critical Hit Chance5%Attacks per Second(1.96-2.21)Weapon Range1.5Lightning Damage1 to (80-120)RequiresLevel 16, 12 Str, 25 DexGrants Skill: Spear Throw (Level 25)No Physical DamageAdds 1 to (80-120) Lightning Damage(15-30)% increased Attack Speed(50-100)% increased chance to ShockRolls only the minimum or maximum Damage value for each Damage TypeHeads fall to the sand, just as the star fell from the sky, Earthbound, Levinstone, Wake of Destruction, Shocked Ground

Immunity and mitigation

Grounding Charm activates when you become Shocked and grants immunity. Byrnabas prevents Shock, Shackles of the Wretched grants a six-second lockout after Shock, Obern's Bastion reduces Shock Duration, and Bronzebeard reduces Shock effect on you.

Armour(35-40)Energy Shield(13-15)RequiresLevel 16, 13 Str, 13 Int(30-50)% increased Armour and Energy ShieldYou cannot be Chilled for 6 seconds after being ChilledYou cannot be Frozen for 6 seconds after being FrozenYou cannot be Ignited for 6 seconds after being IgnitedYou cannot be Shocked for 6 seconds after being ShockedCurses you inflict are reflected back to youCaptivity breeds creativity., Obern's Bastion, Bronzebeard, Charm

Shock modifiers

Relevant modifiers separately change chance to Shock, Shock Magnitude, maximum Shock effect, duration, avoidance, effect on you, immunity, and Shocked Ground. Search the modifier table for exact eligible item classes and current tiers.

Rare monster modifiers

1 linked

All Damage Shocks

Hits always Shock. All Hit damage contributes to Shock chance.

Limits and exceptions

9 rules

Lightning damage over time does not Hit and therefore does not use the default Hit-based chance to Shock calculation.
A Critical Hit does not inherently guarantee Shock in Path of Exile 2.
Chance to Shock, Shock Magnitude, maximum Shock effect, and Shock Duration are separate values.
Several Shock instances can retain durations, but only the strongest normally applies unless an explicit effect allows more than one.
Shock and Electrocution are separate Lightning Ailments with different application and effects.
Shocked Ground applies its own Shock and follows the values supplied by the creating effect when they override defaults.
Cold, Fire, Physical, or Chaos damage contributes only when explicit wording permits it.
Consuming Shock removes it, so another Shock must be applied for a later payoff.
Reflected Shock from Overcharge can affect the player unless the character has suitable immunity or mitigation.

Related mechanics

MechanicElectrocution

Electrocution is a non-damaging Lightning Ailment that interrupts a target and prevents it from performing actions. It lasts five seconds by default, but ordinary Lightning damage cannot build Electrocution without an explicit enabling effect.

MechanicElemental Ailment Threshold

Elemental Ailment Threshold is the defensive comparison value used when Elemental Hits try to apply Ignite, Chill, Freeze, Shock, or Electrocution. A higher threshold makes those ailments harder to apply and reduces Freeze and Electrocution Buildup received.

MechanicAilments

Ailments are damage-type-related debuffs: Bleeding, Ignite, Chill, Freeze, Shock, Electrocute, and Poison. Some deal damage over time, while others impair the target.

MechanicContributes

Damage contribution decides which parts of a Hit are counted for one named Ailment chance, buildup, or Magnitude calculation. It does not convert the Hit or change the damage types it deals.

MechanicMagnitude

Magnitude is the numeric strength of a Buff or Debuff. It changes the values that effect applies, such as damage per second, a Slow percentage, increased damage taken, or Ignite chance.

MechanicEffect

Effect is the multiplier a Buff or Debuff has on its target. Effect modifiers usually come from the affected target and multiply the creator's Magnitude.

MechanicElemental

Elemental Damage is the collective name for Fire, Cold, and Lightning Damage. A modifier to Elemental Damage can scale all three types, but each part is still mitigated by its matching Resistance and keeps its own ailment rules.

MechanicLightning

Lightning Damage is one of the five damage types and one of the three Elemental damage types. Lightning Hits can Shock by default, while Electrocution requires a Skill, item, support, or other effect that explicitly enables Electrocution Buildup.

MechanicPayoff

A Payoff skill gains a powerful extra effect when it Hits an enemy affected by a specified Debuff. It often Consumes that Debuff, and it cannot inflict the same Debuff that enables its Payoff effect.

MechanicLightning Resistance

Lightning Resistance reduces Lightning damage taken. It is tracked independently from the other damage-type Resistances, has a default maximum of 75%, and can have a different uncapped value from the value currently used for mitigation.

MechanicFlammability

Flammability is a stackable Debuff that builds from contributing damage and determines the chance for Hits to Ignite. It is not itself an Ailment, and its magnitude is separate from the magnitude of the resulting Ignite.

MechanicHerald

Herald Skills are Persistent Buffs that reserve Spirit and provide a payoff after a qualifying enemy death or condition. Each Herald has its own trigger, damage component, ailment interaction, and scaling requirements.

MechanicShocked Ground

Shocked Ground applies Shock to targets standing on it and lasts 6 seconds by default. The creating skill or item can specify another duration.