Rabies

Rabies is a Druid skill in Diablo II.

Synergies

 * Gives synergy to :
 * Poison Creeper: +10% Poison Damage per level
 * Receives synergy from :
 * Poison Creeper: +20% Poison damage per level

Usage
Rabies is a very lethal skill, applying a potent poison damage over time effect to affected enemies, ticking about every second. In PvP, unlike normal Poison, it can kill hostile players after bringing them to 1 Life.

The Rabies spreads to other enemies from the initial target, and therefore effectively cannot be dispelled as long as target is within certain range of other infected foes. Because the source of the poison is untouchable, none of the antidotes in the game will cure rabies directly. Even killing the Druid will not stop the poison until it runs its full course.

It is one of the few skills in game that have Synergies with a skill from another skill tree.

Each enemy spreads Rabies to a limited number of other foes, and only in very short range, but in a dense crowd, biting a single foe will eventually infect them all. However, an infected foe will not renew the duration of existing poison from others, so sooner or later, they will all cure (or die, whichever happens sooner).

Lore
''When a Druid utilizes this ability, he toxifies his own saliva and attacks his enemies with a vicious bite, spreading a contagious disease that wracks the flesh of his infected opponents. ''

Skill Progression
Mana Cost: 10

Trivia

 * In real life, rabies (rabies lyssavirus) is indeed a 100% lethal disease and indeed spreads from a single bite, but does not cause symptoms until after a rather long period (at least 10 days), unlike the in-game version. In addition, it would be just as deadly for the Druid as it would be for their victims (rabies virus has a very wide host range); one might assume that the Druid cures themselves via magic and/or is an asymptomatic carrier.