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An important feature of combat in Diablo 4 is Crowd Control, a category of effects that all affect movement in some way. If an ability can impede, control, or limit an enemy's movement, there's a good chance it's thanks to one of the many Diablo 4 CC effects proccing.
Many weapon modifiers buff damage to CC'ed enemies, and limit incoming damage while under the effects of Crowd Control oneself. In World Tiers 3 and 4, CC is rampant, so it's important to know what you're up against and how to reduce – or entirely avoid – the effects of CC.
All 11 Types of Crowd Control in Diablo 4
In total, there are 11 types of CC in Diablo 4, including obvious Crowd Control effects like Chill and Immobilize, but also some not-so-obvious ones like Pull In and Tether. All CC effects in Diablo 4 will proc modifiers that are based on CC during their duration and no longer.
As a few examples, while an enemy is running away while Feared, while Frozen in place, or while briefly Knocked Down, CC buffs will apply.
Chilled Effect
When the Chill effect is inflicted, the target's movement speed will be lowered. Additionally, Chill can build up and eventually Freeze a target.
The Chill effect is primarily used by the Sorcerer and Rogue classes.
Dazed Effect
When a target becomes Dazed, they are unable to attack or use abilities until the effect disperses. If players are Dazed, their screen becomes obscured.
The Daze effect is primarily inflicted by the Rogue class.
Feared Effect
When a target is Feared, they will stop everything and will run in the opposite direction of the ability's caster. This is impeded by walls and the Immobilized effect, which roots enemies in place.
Fear is primarily used by the Necromancer class (on certain Aspects), but also is featured on the Butcher's Cleaver unique item.
Frozen Effect
When a target becomes Frozen, they are unable to take any actions while stuck in place. However, some abilities that break players out of Frozen (such as through Immune or Unstoppable) remain usable.
Frozen is primarily inflicted by the Sorceress and Rogue classes.
Immobilized Effect
When Immobilized, a target can't move, but can still use abilities and attack. This keeps all affected enemies at arm's length for ranged attacks, though it does nothing to impede their own ranged damage.
The Immobilize effect is primarily used by the Druid class, but it also is featured on Aspects, Uniques, and select skills in every other Diablo 4 class.
Knockback Effect
When a target is Knocked Back in Diablo 4, they will be sent a short distance away from the caster. This can be inhibited by walls, though the effect still prevents movement even if no distance is traveled.
Knockback is primarily inflicted by the Rogue, Druid, and Barbarian classes.
Knockdown Effect
While Knockback will push enemies away, Knockdown instead paralyzes targets for a moment in place, giving about a second of CC and an interrupt.
Knockdown is used primarily by the Druid and Rogue classes.
Pull In Effect
Some abilities can Pull In enemies to a location, whether towards the caster, or towards a fixed point. Some enemies – usually those wielding giant hooks, like The Butcher – can pull players into melee range with their long-ranged abilities.
The Pull In CC is primarily used by the Barbarian class, though some other classes like Necromancers and Rogues have access to the Pulled effect through items and modifiers, too.
Slowed Effect
The Slowed effect can be inflicted by a variety of abilities, and has a lot of variance. One ability may Slow enemies only a little bit, while others Slow enemies by upwards of 70%.
Slow is available to every class in Diablo 4, either through the Skill Tree or a variety of Aspects and Uniques, but is primarily used by the Sorceress and Rogue classes.
Stunned Effect
When a target is Stunned, their attacks are interrupted, they are rooted, and they can't attack or use abilities save for those that break the Stun. This effect can last for different times when procced by different abilities, but typically lasts for no more than a few seconds.
Stun is available to every class in Diablo 4, either through the Skill Tree or Aspects and Uniques.
Tether Effect
A target is Tethered when an ability limits their movement to a small area around a point without rooting them in place. The Tomb Lord dungeon boss, and several other enemies in Diablo 4, will use abilities that proc Tethered. These appear with a circle on the ground and will launch out a kind of chain towards the player when they step inside its bounds.
The Tethered effect is primarily used by enemies in Diablo 4.
Diablo 4 Changes How Crowd Control Works vs. Bosses
Though some debuffs affect bosses the same way they affect normal monsters, Diablo 4's Crowd Control effects instead build up a Stagger bar. Below bosses' health meters is a bar that will slowly grow outward as players inflict more CC damage to them. When the Stagger meter reaches its limit, the boss will be stunned for about 10 seconds.
It's considered to be under the effects of every Crowd Control effect at once while Staggered. Though it might not seem like CC does much against bosses, this window can prove invaluable in the race to down a World Boss in time, and gives builds centered on buffed damage on CC'ed enemies a time to let loose.
How To Counter CC Effects In Diablo 4
There are two things players can do to lessen the effects of Crowd Control in Diablo 4: use abilities that grant Unstoppable or Immune, and prepare beforehand with resistances and modifiers for self-defense.
The Unstoppable effect will immediately break all forms of CC on its caster (or target), while Immune makes players completely immune to all effects. Of the two, Immune is the better, but it's much more rare.
Unstoppable can be generated by every class in some fashion, though some builds – like Pulverize Druids – have much easier access to it.
Modifiers on equipment can help to mitigate Diablo 4 CC effects. There are a plethora of effects that reduce damage while affected by Crowd Control, reduce the amount of time spent CC'ed, and more. Pay careful attention to the secondary modifiers that roll on dropped equipment, as these can have a huge effect on a player's ability to deal with CC in higher Diablo 4 World Tiers.
Diablo 4 is available on PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S