Life Steal is a combat mechanic of D2R where you gain Life on each successful attack based on a percentage modifier, and the damage that you deal. It follows the formula:
Total Leech = Total Physical Damage * (Leech%) * (Penalty) * (Drain Effectiveness)
Your Leech percent is the summed total of all your "Percent Life Stolen" mods from gear or skills.
The Penalty is a percent modifier based on difficulty. Difficulty Penalty: Normal(100%), Nightmare(50%), Hell(33%).
Drain effectiveness is a multiplier stat that each monster type has, and is also based on difficulty. You can find the Drain effectiveness by looking up different monsters. Some monsters such as skeletons have drain mods of 0, meaning you cannot steal life from them.
Life Steal only works on melee attacks.
Life steal is only available in 3 forms; 3% Life Steal, 5% Life Steal, and Life Stealing. The Life Stealing affix can only be found on The Undead Crown possessed by the Skeleton King, but it offers 0-12.5% life stolen per hit, and stacks with life steal on the hero's weaponry. 3% Life Steal and 5% Life Steal however, cannot stack if a Bard from Hellfire were to try to dual wield weapons with those suffixes. Only the most powerful of the combination applies.
Life Stolen per hit
On a successful weapon strike that deals Physical Damage, return Life to the attacker equal to a % of the damage dealt. This is often referred to as Life Leech (LL).
All % sources from gear are summed together and applied to the Weapon which is used in the successful strike.
Life stolen per hit % on the Off-Hand Weapon is only applied if it is used to make a weapon strike.
Only applies to Skills which do a Melee or Ranged Attack that has a Physical Damage component, excluding:
Blade Sentinel and Smite
In Nightmare Difficulty, Life returned is 1/2 effective, and in Hell Difficulty it is 1/3 effective.
Any modifier which would reduce damage dealt applies to the Life Leech modifier as well. If the amount of LL would be < 1%, then it rounds down to 0%. So no Life is returned on that attack.
Example: Multiple Shot only applies 3/4 weapon damage, so 1% Life Stolen would round down to 0%.
A target's Drain Effectiveness reduces Life returned. If the target has 0% Drain Effectiveness, no Life is returned, regardless of damage dealt. Most Undead type monsters have Drain Effectiveness of 0%.
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Skills with Life Mechanics
Assassin:
Cobra Strike accumulates % Life Stolen per hit that increases per charge and is applied on the next normal Attack or Finisher Move.
Barbarian:
Battle Orders increases eligible Party member's maximum Life x% for the buff's duration.
Druid:
Carrion Vine consumes monster corpses and return a % of the Druid's maximum Life to the Druid.
Feral Rage adds an amount of % Life Stolen per hit for each charge level of Feral Rage the Druid has accrued.
lycnathropy gives additional Increased Maximum Life xx% to the Druid when shape-shifted.
Oak Sage increases the eligible Party member's maximum Life x%, within their aura range.
Werebear gives Increased Maximum Life xx% when shape-shifted into Bear form.
Werewolf gives Increased Maximum Life xx% when shape-shifted into Wolf form.
Necromancer:
Blood Golem returns a % of damage dealt as Life back to the Necromancer. Damage taken is also shared with the Necromancer.
Life Tap causes 50% of Physical Damage dealt to the target to be returned as Life to the attacker. Ignores any penalties or Drain Effectiveness, making it very powerful.
Paladin:
Cleansing heals a small amount of Life every 2 seconds while the Aura is active. The amount is determined by the Skill Level of Prayer.
Meditation heals a small amount of Life every 2 seconds while the Aura is active. The amount is determined by the Skill Level of Prayer.
Prayer heals a small amount of Life every 2 seconds while the aura is active.
Redemption: Consumes monster corpses every 2 seconds and replenishes a flat amount of Life per corpse consumed.