Hex (mechanic)

Hex is a type of Crowd Control effect used by the Witch Doctors and Eirena in Diablo III. Monsters do not use it, with the only exception of Lysa (whose abilities duplicate Eirena's).

Hexed enemies are transformed into harmless critters (mostly chickens) for a short time. While hexed, they cannot attack, move and cast abilities, passive effects are nullified (even those that have been applied before the transformation: for instance, it suppresses the Reflects Damage affix for the duration), and players can move through them unhindered. It affects even monsters that are immune to Stun.

The effects are very short, however, CC resistance reducing their duration even further. Bosses and some very large monsters (like Demonic Hellbearers) are immune to Hex.

One of the runes of the Hex spell can transform the Witch Doctor into a very angry explosive chicken.

Trivia

 * Hex and Polymorph are identical recurring spells in the Warcraft universe, used by tribal shamans (former) and mages (latter). The animals they may transform an enemy into include chickens, cats, frogs, pigs, penguins and sheeps. However, unlike their Diablo counterpart, these spells usually fade if the victim takes any damage.
 * Cucco uses the hexed chicken model.