An apparatus having a plurality of power pads of an integrated circuit, a plurality of transistors, and one or more diodes is disclosed. Each transistors may have a drain that forms a junction with a conductive layer of the integrated circuit. The diodes may be coupled between two of the power pads. A first portion less than all of an electro-static discharge that passes through a first of the two power pads and the conductive layer may be transferred through a first of the drains in a first of the transistors. A second portion less than all of the electro-static discharge may be transferred sequentially through (a) at least one of the diodes and (b) a second of the drains in a second of the transistors.