History Main / ChainLightning

%%* ''VideoGame/GodOfWar 3'': the Nemesis Whip can do this.

%%* The [[LightningGun Arc Projector]] Heavy weapon in ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' has this ability. Irritatingly, it is DLC only.

* The [[VideoGame/DeusExHumanRevolution Deus Ex]] promo for ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' came with the Short Circuit secondary for the Engineer, which fires electricity and hits targets in front of Engineer, AND targets near those, even teammates. In a twist, it's extremely weak (it only does 5 damage), and its main purpose is instead to destroy enemy projectiles such as rockets, grenades, and {{Sticky Bomb}}s.

* The Ion Disruptor in the ''[[Videogame/{{X}} X-Universe]]'' is an energy-hog and has very short range, but has the ability to arc between dozens of targets to deal continuous shield damage to them all, provided they're relatively close to each other. It's the best way for dealing with the copious amounts of [[MacrossMissileMassacre missile spam]] from Missile Frigates and Bombers, as it can arc between the [[RecursiveAmmo multi-warhead missiles]]. But beware its tendency to hit friendly ships, as it cannot distinguish between friendly or enemy targets.

* ''[[VideoGame/Dota2 Dota 2]]'': The Maelstrom and Mjollnir items give the holder's attacks a chance to unleash a bolt of lightning that bounces between multiple enemies.

%%* ''VideoGame/{{BioShock 2}}'''s Electro Bolt 2 plasmid can do this.

* VideoGame/Bioshock2 gives the player the potential to upgrade the Electrify Plasmid, letting its user hold to charge the bolt for both a stronger stun and for chain lightning. Curiously, potential targets don’t have to be in the immediate area of the first victim when Electrify 2 was used: if they wander in while the target is convulsing, then the electricity will arc towards them. This upgrade works amazingly well with Melee / Drill builds, which allow the player to take their sweet time smashing Splicers away as the whole room is stunned helpless.
* VideoGame/DestroyAllHumans has chain lightning as a potential upgrade to be purchased for the Zap-O-Matic across all games. There are stronger guns to use to more dramatic effect, but many of them lack the convenience and ease of use that just simply shocking a group of humans to death brings, with no worries to ammo thanks to the weapons rechargeable battery.

* VideoGame/Bioshock2 has the gives the player the potential to upgrade the Electrify Plasmid, letting its user hold to charge the bolt for both a stronger stun and for chain lightning. Curiously, potential targets don’t have to be in the immediate area of the first victim when Electrify 2 was used: if they wander in while the target is convulsing, then the electricity will arc towards them. This upgrade works amazingly well with Melee / Drill builds, which allow the player to take their sweet time smashing Splicers away as the whole room is stunned helpless.

* In the first game, the spell called Chain Lightning is a spreadshot version of the normal Lightning spell. Instead of jumping between monsters, the caster emit several bolts toward the nearest enemies.

* ''F.E.A.R.'''s second expansion pack ''Perseus Mandate'' adds the [=LP4=] Lightning Arc Weapon, a {{BFG}} that will fire an enemy-seeking stroke of lightning strong enough to kill any normal or supernatural enemy with one shot, and will damage nearby enemies around the primary target as an added bonus.

* ''VideoGame/DustAnElysianTail'': Combining the Dust Storm with Fidget's lightning projectiles produces this effect. Great for racking up combos without sending enemies flying off screen.

%%* ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands 2}}'': the new Tesla grenade does this. In the Tiny Tina DLC, Chain Lightning is a Legendary Grenade Mod that functions more like a magic spell (including [[CallingYourAttack shouting the name as you cast it]]) than an actual grenade.

%%* The Peace Maker in ''Franchise/JakAndDaxter'''s sequels. Fires a small orb of electricity that arcs upon impact and instantly kills nearly every enemy in sight. The Arc Wielder in the third game literally fires chain lightning.

%%* The Peace Maker in ''JakAndDaxter'''s sequels. Fires a small orb of electricity that arcs upon impact and instantly kills nearly every enemy in sight. The Arc Wielder in the third game literally fires chain lightning.

%%* ''KingsBounty'' has the Lightning spell, which initially only strikes one target.

** The Sorceress in ''Diablo 2'' gets a Chain Lightning spell, which jumps between enemies in this manner. Its crowd-clearing potential makes it a staple of lightning-focused builds.

%%* This shows up several times in the ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}}'' series.
%%** An ability of the Sorceress in ''Diablo 2''.
%%** "Proc-ing" items that give X chance to cast X level Chain Lightning upon Attack/Striking/When Struck.
%%** [[OhCrap Multi-Shot]] [[DemonicSpiders Lightning]] [[YetAnotherStupidDeath Enchanted]] [[ThatOneBoss Boss]]. Thankfully, that quirk of MSLE monsters have been addressed from v1.10 onwards.
%%** The Wizard's Electrocute ability in ''VideoGame/DiabloIII'' does this, and can be upgraded with one of its runes to target more monsters.

* ''VideoGame/{{Warcraft}} 3'': [[MagikarpPower Nature's Prophet]] has a global-range chain as an ultimate ability that hits 7% harder at every jump.

* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'': The Chain Lightning spell. After hitting its primary target it arcs to the nearest target (losing 1d6 of damage), doing so again and again until it runs out of energy. The chain lightning spell was modified in 3.0/3.5; this is the first and second edition version. The new version just has secondary targets all taking half damage rather than gradually reducing damage.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* The Zaguruzemu spell in ''Manga/ZatchBell'' had this as one of its many effects.

[[folder:Film]]
* In ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk'', the Ark is apparently capable of generating an effect that jumps from person to person.
[[/folder]]

* ''TabletopGame/IronKingdoms'': This is [[TheFederation Cygnar's]] shtick aside from being [[MoreDakka shooty]], from warcaster to infantry level.

* ''Tabletopgame/SpheresOfPower'' has the Chain Blast blast shape, allowing you do give this any destructive blasts. [[NonIndicativeName Even for blasts that aren't electrical in nature.]]
* In ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'', the card [[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=201126 Chain Lightning]] is an interesting example in that the spell's first target (or the target's owner) gets to choose the next target. As long as each player is willing and able to spend [[ElementalRockPaperScissors red mana]] on the spell, the process repeats itself.
** Some more direct examples of Chain Lightning effects would be [[http://magiccards.info/10e/en/194.html Cone of Flame]] (the classic decreasing damage effect), [[http://magiccards.info/lw/en/221.html Incremental Growth]] (a buff-like spell) and [[http://magiccards.info/arc/en/17.html Incremental Blight]] (almost the same as Cone of Flame, but hits creatures only).
** [[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=386478 Arc Lightning]] is ''almost'' this trope, instead allowing the caster to spread a set amount of damage to multiple targets.
* ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}'': This is generally how lightning-themed attacks work, for example the Warplightning Cannon. An older edition's Lightning Dragons had a BreathWeapon with this effect. A later edition added a Heavens spell actually called Chain Lightning, it has a chance to jump to a second target after the first, then a third after the second and so on until it fails to jump.

[[folder:Toys]]
* ''Toys/{{BIONICLE}}'': the Makuta have Chain Lightning abilities, as do the Rahkshi of Chain Lightning that they can spawn. In ''BIONICLE Heroes'' for the DS, the fully upgraded Air [[LightningGun weapon]] will do this against multiple enemies.
[[/folder]]

* The Farseer hero in ''VideoGame/{{Warcraft}} 3'' has chain lightning. Several neutral hostile units have a weaker version, as well.
** Several heroes have it in ''VideoGame/DefenseOfTheAncients'', a GameMod for ''Warcraft 3''.
*** One example is [[MagikarpPower Nature's Prophet]] who has a global-range chain as an ultimate ability that hits 7% harder at every jump. This spell is normally used to Globally last hit everything in vision, augmenting Prophet's tendency to obtain [[ItemCaddy large amounts of income for himself.]]

** The Shaman class has chain lightning. After hitting its initial target, it will jump to the nearest enemy, but each jump reduces the damage it does.
** Shaman players also have access to a Glyph that causes their Chain Lightning attacks to jump through five targets rather than the usual three, but do 10% less initial damage.
** Some of the Mobs and bosses invert this with each jump doing more damage to encourage players to spread out.
*** In particular, C'thun, one of the [[EldritchAbomination Old Gods]], is infamous for his beam attack. If the entire group is standing together, the last unlucky sap to get hit by the beam can sustain up to ''[[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill seven million]]'' damage[[note]]This was at a time when top raid geared tanks barely pushed 10k HP, and DPS topped out around 5k or less.[[/note]]. Watch the carnage [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJVRgun7M7c here]].
** There is also Chain Healing, which functions similar and does exactly what you think it does.
* ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'' [[http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Chain_Lightning invokes both the name and function of this trope in a spell.]]
* ''VideoGame/BrutalLegend'' features an [[AnAxeToGrind axe]] modification named Chain Lightning that has this effect. The Drowning Doom's Lightning Rod unit has a double-team ability that does this too.
* All ''VideoGame/HeroesOfMightAndMagic'' games have this. Succubi in the fifth game have a fire variant. It can't hurt other demons, which makes it safe to use
* A recurring spell in the ''Franchise/DragonAge'' series:
** In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'', any enemy mage with this spell instantly becomes a [[DemonicSpiders Demonic Spider]]. For a few levels at least: it's the only spell whose damage doesn't increase with spellpower, so it rapidly drops off to 'ow that tickles'.
** In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'', an upgraded Chain Lightning spell is one of the easiest ways to clear the field of lower-level {{mooks}}, since even the ricochets do enough damage to kill them.
** Returns in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition''. It's now capable of friendly fire (if enabled), but it can cause a fair amount of damage to weak demons like Wraiths (especially if you couple it with a powerful staff).
* Lightning spell in ''VideoGame/{{Fable}}'' turns into this at higher levels. {{Nerf}}ed in the sequels.
* This shows up several times in the ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}}'' series.
** The original game has a spell that is called "Chain Lightning" but isn't actually chain lightning. Instead, it shoots piercing lightning bolts at all enemies within range for massive damage against tightly packed enemies.
** An ability of the Sorceress in ''Diablo 2''.
** "Proc-ing" items that give X chance to cast X level Chain Lightning upon Attack/Striking/When Struck.
** [[OhCrap Multi-Shot]] [[DemonicSpiders Lightning]] [[YetAnotherStupidDeath Enchanted]] [[ThatOneBoss Boss]]. Thankfully, that quirk of MSLE monsters have been addressed from v1.10 onwards.
** The Wizard's Electrocute ability in ''VideoGame/DiabloIII'' does this, and can be upgraded with one of its runes to target more monsters.
* Some of the pins in ''VideoGame/TheWorldEndsWithYou'' have psychs allow you to make lightning bolts that hit multiple targets.
* One of the weapons in the Nazi Zombies mode of ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty World at War'' did this.
* When you level up Spyro's lightning ability in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfSpyro'', it gains the Chain Lightning ability.
* ''Franhchise/{{Castlevania}}''
** This was a soul in ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaDawnOfSorrow''.
** Also featured as one of Charlotte's spells in ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaPortraitOfRuin''.

** 3 features the Atomizer, a BFG Lightning Gun that will chain electricity once it upgrades to Level 2[[note]]The name of the upgrade is appropiately Arc Charger[[/note]].
* Starkiller in ''VideoGame/TheForceUnleashed'' and its sequel can fry multiple mooks with Force Lightning.
* ''VideoGame/{{BioShock 2}}'''s Electro Bolt 2 plasmid can do this.
* ''VideoGame/BioshockInfinite'': an upgrade to the Shock Jockey vigor does this.

** Any weapon with the Shock mod. In ''[[VideoGame/RatchetAndClankGoingCommando Going Commando]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/RatchetAndClankUpYourArsenal Up Your Arsenal]]'' only certain weapons can have it, while in ''[[VideoGame/RatchetDeadlocked Deadlocked]]'' it can be equipped to ''any'' weapon.
** The Shock Ravager/Lightning Ravager (an electricity whip that makes chain lightning in its upgraded form).
** The Tesla Spikes/Storm Spikes (tiny lightning rods that arc electricity between each other when you place two or more of them, and also get a chain lightning effect when the weapon upgrades).
* The Peace Maker in ''JakAndDaxter'''s sequels. Fires a small orb of electricity that arcs upon impact and instantly kills nearly every enemy in sight. The Arc Wielder in the third game literally fires chain lightning.

* Hypercubes in ''VideoGame/Bejeweled'' fire one of these to destroy every gem on the screen.

* ''MetroidPrime'' had a number of "beam combos" which combined a ChargedAttack from one of your elemental beams with missiles. The beam combo for the Wave Beam was the Wavebuster, a stroke of lightning which arced between multiple enemies and could be fired continuously.
* ''VideoGame/GodOfWar 3'': the Nemesis Whip can do this.
* The Thunder Dancer from ''VideoGame/MegaManX 8'' functioned like this.
** In ''VideoGame/MegaManZX Advent'', Ashe's secondary shot in Model A form shoots one stream of electricity that arcs between every enemy you lock onto, as opposed to Grey's which fires a homing bullet at each enemy.
* ''KingsBounty'' has the Lightning spell, which initially only strikes one target.
* One of ComicBook/{{Storm}}'s signature powers in ''VideoGame/XMenLegends'' and ''VideoGame/MarvelUltimateAlliance''.
* ''VideoGame/DungeonCrawl'' has Chain Lightning spell, which is very powerful.
* In ''VideoGame/DungeonDefenders'', the [[SquishyWizard Apprentice and Adept]] can summon a Lightning Tower that follows this trope to a T.
* ''VideoGame/DestroyAllHumans'': Crypto's [[ThingOMatic Zap-O-Matic]] can do this after an upgrade or two.

* Area of effect shock damage spells on later ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' games do this to hit other targets.

* The Thunder Laser in ''VideoGame/RayCrisis'' does this, and you can lock onto additional enemies after firing it.
* ''VideoGame/SwordOfTheStars'': The Emitter class of weapons is essentially this as a starship weapon. It's a fairly good backup PD weapon if you don't have (enough) proper PD weapons.
* The [[LightningGun Arc Projector]] Heavy weapon in ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' has this ability. Irritatingly, it is DLC only.
** In ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'', the Overload ability can be upgraded to this. There's also the "Arc Pistol," a downsized version of the Arc Projector.

* From ''VideoGame/InFamous'', Cole [=McGrath=]'s basic lightning can do this after some upgrading, but it's more prominent with Evil Cole's Arc Lightning.
* Tesla Tanks and Tesla Troopers gains this after promoted to heroic level in ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert2''.
* There's that one [[LightningGun electric beam]] [[BuffySpeak gun thingy]] in ''VideoGame/HellgateLondon''. The beam spreads to nearby enemies, and it can also [[StandardStatusEffects shock]] them, so they stop or move slower.
* [[AvertedTrope Conspicuously absent]] for the longest time in ''VideoGame/CityOfHeroes''. By now, it's become a staple of the later-coming Electric powersets (Electric Melee's ''Chain Induction'', Electric Control's ''Jolting Chain'' and ''Synaptic Overload'' and the Incarnate power ''Ion Judgment''), but is still missing from the earliest one, Electric Blast.

* There's a skill in VideoGame/DragonNest that's [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin named]] this.
* The Thunderstrike from ''VideoGame/HeavyWeapon'' is this. Upgrading it causes it to hit more enemies and do more damage.
* In ''VideoGame/QuakeIV'', the LightningGun does this after being upgraded by a technician.
* In ''VideoGame/AgeOfWonders'', there's a spell called Chain Lightning that does just this, limited to four units attacked in chain and they must be at a certain distance from node to node.
* ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands 2}}'': the new Tesla grenade does this. In the Tiny Tina DLC, Chain Lightning is a Legendary Grenade Mod that functions more like a magic spell (including [[CallingYourAttack shouting the name as you cast it]]) than an actual grenade.
* One of the {{smart bomb}}s in ''Lightning Fighters'', the Dragon Laser, unleashes a fire dragon that behaves like this.
* The Plasma Laser in ''VideoGame/{{Raiden}} II'' and ''IV''.
* The Witch's Enhanced Magic Missile and Elemental Bomber's [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Chain Lightning]] in ''VideoGame/DungeonFighterOnline''.
* The [[MeaningfulName appropriately-named]] Thunderbird Pro Energy Drive in ''VideoGame/PN03''.
* Present by name in both ''VideoGame/GuildWars'' and [[VideoGame/GuildWars2 its sequel]].
* ''VideoGame/BaldursGateII'' lets your wizards fry opponents with this. [[VideoGame/BaldursGateIIThroneOfBhaal The expansion]] added a mace that randomly triggers this effect when it hits an enemy.
* ''VideoGame/AgeOfMythology'': The [[PhysicalGod Son of Osiris]], an upgraded version of the Egyptian's standard Pharaoh, uses this to zap enemy formations; it's good for killing columns of myth units. The ''Titans'' expansion pack gives the Atlanteans the Man O' War, a jellyfish that does the same against naval flotillas.
* In ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'' activating Volibear's ultimate causes chain lightning to appear when he hits someone.
** The item Statikk Shiv builds up charges whenever its holder moves or attacks, unleashing chain lightning from the target of the first attack made that passes 100 charges.
** Nami has a [[MakingASplash watery variant]], which bounces from ally to an enemy and vice versa, healing allies and hurting enemies.
* ''VideoGame/Vigilante8 Second Offense'' has this as Lord Clyde's special weapon.

* Batman can use the Remote Electric Charge gun in ''Videogame/BatmanArkhamKnight'' to do this to a group of mooks.
* In ''Videogame/DeadSpace3'', if you combine a tesla core with a certain weapon tip, you can create your very own chain lightning gun.
* Naturally, this is an ability for a Sith Inquisitor who chooses the Lightning Sorcerer path in ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic''
* In ''VideoGame/MapleStory'', Ice/Lightning Archmages have this as their primary attacking skill. It is even explicitly called "Chain Lightning."
* The Electric Melee powerset in ''VideoGame/CityOfVillains'' featured a power called "Chain Induction" which had a chance of doing this if other enemies were close enough to the first one hit.
* In ''VideoGame/Wolfenstein2009'', an upgrade for the Tesla Gun granted it this ability.

* ''Webcomic/BobAndGeorge'': George [[http://bobandgeorge.com/archives/070117 fries an entire horde of ninjas]] this way so he can have a moment to talk with his superhero friends.
* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'': One of the favored attacks of Vaarsuvius.

[[folder:Web Original]]
* The thundaspark move from ''Literature/{{Phaeton}}'' does this.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* Botanica from ''WesternAnimation/BeastMachines'' has a very powerful chain lightning attack that single-handedly took out a squad of tank drones.
* ''WesternAnimation/ExoSquad'': [[WrenchWench Maggie Weston's]] E-Frame has a Chain Lighting gun as its AceCustom modification.
[[/folder]]

* In ''StarWarsBattlefront II'', the primary weapon of the Empire's jetpack-equipped Dark Trooper is a lightning cannon which, to make up for its short range, can charge its shots in order to chain up to two additional nearby targets.
* The Thunder Laser in ''RayCrisis'' does this, and you can lock onto additional enemies after firing it.
* ''SwordOfTheStars'': The Emitter class of weapons is essentially this as a starship weapon. It's a fairly good backup PD weapon if you don't have (enough) proper PD weapons.

* The Peace Maker in ''JakAndDaxter'''s sequels. Fires a small orb of electricity that arcs upon impact and instantly kills nearly every enemy in sight.

* One of ComicBook/{{Storm}}'s signature powers in ''VideoGame/XMenLegends'' and ''MarvelUltimateAlliance''.

* Lightning spells in 'VideoGame/'{{Magicka}}'' can hit several nearby enemies at once.