Mechanic

Surrounded

You are Surrounded when at least five enemies are within 3 metres of your character. Surrounded is a condition, not a Buff: it has no duration, does not stack, and grants nothing by itself. Items, passive skills, and Support Gems check whether the condition is currently true and apply their own listed effects while it is.
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 Surrounded does

Current rules

Count nearby enemies individually. At the default threshold, one boss is not enough because five enemies are required. Constricting Command currently requires two to four fewer enemies, changing the threshold to three, two, or one. A four-fewer roll therefore lets a single boss activate Surrounded while it remains inside the radius. Since version 0.4.0, no modifier can reduce the requirement below one, so Surrounded cannot be permanently active in an empty area.

The default check is five enemies within 3 metres
At least five enemies must be inside the 3-metre area around your character at the same time. Enemy rarity does not provide extra count: a Normal enemy, Rare enemy, or boss is still one enemy for this condition.
It is a current condition, not a timed Buff
Surrounded has no listed duration or stack count. Effects worded while Surrounded apply only while the required enemies are in range. When enough enemies leave the area or die, the condition is no longer met.
Allies and Minions do not satisfy the enemy count
The definition counts enemies within the character's area. Your own Minions, party members, and other allies are not enemies and therefore do not contribute.
The requirement cannot fall below one
Content Update 0.4.0 added a hard minimum of one required enemy. Even if modifiers would mathematically subtract five or more from the default threshold, an enemy must still be within the Surrounded area.
Constricting Command changes the count threshold
The current Constricting Command roll requires two to four fewer enemies. Starting from five, those rolls require three, two, or one nearby enemy respectively. The helmet changes the count, not the default 3-metre area.
A single boss works only at a one-enemy threshold
A boss supplies one enemy. With no reduction, or with a two-fewer or three-fewer Constricting Command roll, the boss alone is insufficient. A four-fewer roll reaches the minimum requirement of one while the boss is within range.
Surrounded Area of Effect changes range, not enemy count
Paranoia and some Cultivation outcomes increase Surrounded Area of Effect. They enlarge the area used for the proximity check but do not reduce the number of enemies required. An increased area percentage is not the same as adding that percentage directly to the 3-metre radius.
One to four nearby enemies can leave a default dead zone
Focused Thrust grants its melee bonus while Surrounded and its projectile bonus while no enemies are within 3 metres. At the default threshold, having one to four enemies within 3 metres satisfies neither condition. Reducing the Surrounded requirement can narrow that gap.
Defy applies only to supported Attacks you use yourself
Defy I makes Hit Damage from supported Attack Skills Lucky while Surrounded. Defy II adds that insufficient Mana does not prevent use. The support excludes proxy-used, Triggered, and Persistent Skills, and it does not apply the benefit to unrelated skills.
Defy II does not remove every skill requirement
Defy II prevents insufficient Mana from blocking use of the supported Attack while Surrounded. Its text does not remove weapon, target, charge, cooldown, or other requirements, and it does not state that the skill has no Mana cost.

Current Surrounded items, supports, and notable passives

16 cases
01
04
Defy I

Hit Damage from supported Attack Skills you use yourself is Lucky while Surrounded.

Related: Defy I, Lucky, Hit, Attack
05
Defy II

Adds the same Lucky Hit Damage condition and prevents insufficient Mana from blocking use of the supported Attack while Surrounded.

Related: Defy II, Lucky, Hit, Attack
06
In the Thick of It

Regenerates 2.5% of maximum Life per second while Surrounded.

Related: In the Thick of It
08
Tactical Retreat

Grants +0.5 metres to Dodge Roll distance and 10% increased Movement Speed while Surrounded.

Related: Tactical Retreat
09
Focused Thrust

Grants 75% increased Melee Damage with Spears while Surrounded. Its separate projectile bonus requires no enemies within 3 metres.

Related: Melee, Projectile, Focused Thrust
12
Paranoia

Grants 50% increased Surrounded Area of Effect. It enlarges the proximity area without changing the enemy threshold.

Related: AoE, Paranoia
14
16
Version 0.4.0

The required enemy count can no longer be reduced below one.

Related: Content Update 0.4.0

Limits and exceptions

10 rules
  • The default requirement is five enemies within 3 metres.
  • Enemy rarity does not grant additional Surrounded count.
  • Allies, party members, and your Minions are not enemies and do not count.
  • The required count cannot be reduced below one.
  • Constricting Command changes the required count but does not inherently enlarge the area.
  • Increased Surrounded Area of Effect does not reduce the enemy threshold.
  • Surrounded is not a Buff, has no stated duration, and does not stack.
  • Effects that say while Surrounded stop applying when the condition is no longer met.
  • Defy supports Attack Skills used by you and excludes proxy-used, Triggered, and Persistent Skills.
  • Defy II does not remove non-Mana requirements from the supported skill.