Life Tap



Life Tap was a level 34 warlock spell that converted health into mana.

Life Tap epitomizes the character of the warlock, sacrificing a chunk of their own life in exchange for a rapid injection of power. This tradeoff can allow warlocks to produce an endless stream of damage and death - while their health holds.

Strategy
This spell has a big impact on how to play a warlock. It means that a warlock will never run out of mana, provided sufficient healing is available.

A warlock in a party with a healer can boost their mana if the healer agrees. Note that the self-inflicted damage will rank low on the healers priority list - after the tank, and party members taking aggro. Healers should be willing to heal a Life Tapping warlock, as use of the ability is often critical to maintaining good DPS, as long as the warlock is reasonably considerate in their usage.

When using Life Tap in parties, be considerate of the extra strain this places on the healer. Try to tap regularly and if possible at times when incoming damage is low. Tapping for a large amount of your health all at once, especially when you or other party members are already at low health, can stress and alienate your healer. A little communication never hurts. If you're planning on using Life Tap in unexpected ways (such as Life Tapping 30% of your health between boss phases), try to warn your healer first.

While Life Tap will allow you to continue casting, it does trigger your GCD, reducing your overall DPS, and should be used sparingly.

Trivia

 * Life Tap is a Necromancer ability in Diablo II. Similarly to the Necromancers' ability, the Warlocks' Life Tap involves reaching into the wellspring of mortality and drawing out life's essence.
 * In Hearthstone, Life Tap is the Warlock Hero Power.