Critical hit

A critical hit, also known as a critical strike or simply crit, is a type of hit that deals more damage (minimum 150% base + critical damage) than a regular hit. Many effects from weapons or traits inflicting conditions rely on a critical hit to trigger. When an attack is a critical hit, the damage dealt is displayed in larger text than normal and highlighted with a red splash. The boon fury increases critical chance. Condition damage such as bleed and poison cannot inflict critical hits. Damage over time skills, such as turrets or ground-based area of effect skills, are considered direct damage and have a chance to critical on each pulse or hit.

Every profession has a chance of landing a critical hit with their attacks and spells; this chance is governed by the primary attribute Critical Chance, which can be increased with the precision attribute, traits, and some upgrade components.

Relationship to expected damage output with regards to Critical Chance and Critical Damage can be determined by the following formula:

Expected damage = Base damage * (((0.50 + Critical Damage / 100) * (Critical Chance / 100)) + 1)

where Critical Chance is converted from percent to a numerical value.

Related traits, skills and upgrade components

Skills that increase critical chance

• 
  
   Arcane Power — Your next five attacks do critical damage.

Traits that increase critical chance

• Right-Hand Strength — Critical-hit chance with one-handed weapons is increased by 15%.
• Blademaster — Increases your critical-hit chance with a sword by 10%.
• Critical Burst — Burst skills have a 10% increased critical chance.
• Heightened Focus — Gain a 2% critical-hit chance for 1 stage of adrenaline, 5% for 2 stages, and 9% for 3 stages.
• Unsuspecting Foe — 50% critical-hit chance against stunned foes.
• Scope — Gain 10% critical hit chance while standing still.
• Target the Weak — 10% increased critical-hit chance against foes with less than 50% health.
• Precise Strike — Opening strike always critical hits.
• Combo Critical Chance — Dual skills have a +5% chance to critical hit.
• Side Strike — +7% chance to critical hit when hitting a foe from behind or the side.
• Hidden Killer — 100% critical hit chance while in stealth.
• Precise Wrack — 10% higher critical-hit chance with Mind Wrack.

Traits that trigger on critical hits

• Vigorous Precision — Gain 5 seconds of vigor when you deliver a critical hit. This effect can only trigger once every 5 seconds.
• Empowering Might — Nearby allies gain might (5 seconds) when you land a critical hit.
• Furious Speed — 10% chance to gain swiftness (3s) on critical hits.
• Precise Strikes — 33% chance to cause bleeding on critical hits.
• Rending Strikes — 33% chance to cause vulnerability on critical hits.
• Forceful Greatsword — Gain might on critical hit with a greatsword or spear. Greatsword and spear skill [sic] recharge 20% faster.
• Sharpened Axes — Critical hits with axes grant extra adrenaline.
• Furious — Critical hits grant an extra adrenaline strike.
• Incendiary Powder — 100% chance to inflict burning for 4 seconds on critical hits. This effect can only trigger once every 10 seconds.
• Sharpshooter — 30% chance to cause bleeding for 3 seconds on critical hits.
• Infused Precision — 50% chance to gain swiftness for 5 seconds on critical hits. This effect cannot trigger more than once every 5 seconds.
• Go for the Eyes — Critical hits with the rifle have a 50% chance to inflict blindness for 5 seconds. This effect cannot trigger more than once every 10 seconds.
• Precise Sights — 50% chance to cause vulnerability on critical hits
• Companion's Might — Critical hits grant might to your pets.
• Honed Axes — Your[sic] do 10% more critical damage when wielding an axe in your main hand.
• Carnivorous Appetite — Pets gain health on critical hits.
• Sharpened Edges — Chance to cause bleeding on critical hits.
• Ankle Shots — Critical hits with a pistol have a 60% chance to cripple foes for 3s. (Cooldown of 10 seconds).
• Sundering Strikes — 40% chance to cause vulnerability for 5 seconds on a critical hit (1-second cooldown).
• Opportunist — Critical hits have a 20% chance to restore one initiative (1-second cooldown).
• Critical Haste — 10% chance to get quickness (2s) on a critical hit (30-second cooldown).
• Burning Precision — 30% chance to cause burning on a critical hit.
• Weak Spot — 60% chance to cause vulnerability on critical hits.
• Arcane Precision — Skills have chance to apply a condition on critical hits.
• Renewing Stamina — Gain vigor when you deliver a critical hit. This effect can occur only once every 5 seconds.
• Critical Infusion — Gain 5 seconds of vigor on delivering a critical hit. This effect can only trigger once every 5 seconds.
• Barbed Precision — Critical hits have a 66% chance to cause bleeding.
• Reaper's Precision — You have a 33% chance to gain 1% life force on critical hits.
• Withering Precision — 25% chance to cause weakness on critical hits.
• Vampiric Precision — Siphon health whenever you critical hit.

Upgrade components that increase critical chance

• Superior Sigil of Intelligence - Your next attack while swapping to this weapon in combat has a 100% critical chance.
• Sigil of Accuracy - +x% Critical Chance

Upgrade components that trigger effects on critical hits

• Sigil of Air - Chance on Critical: Cause a Lightning Strike
• Sigil of Blood - Chance to life steal on critical
• Sigil of Earth - Chance on Critical: Inflict  Bleeding
• Sigil of Fire - Chance on Critical: Trigger a Flame Blast for AoE Damage
• Sigil of Frailty - Chance on Critical: Inflict  Vulnerability
• Sigil of Ice - Chance on Critical: Inflict  Chilled
• Sigil of Rage - Chance on Critical: Gain  Quickness
• Sigil of Strength - Chance on Critical: Gain  Might
• Superior Sigil of Nullification - Chance on Critical: Remove a Boon

Table

Below is a table with some margin values. Top row is Critical Damage bonus and left column is Critical Chance. Cell contains expected damage bonus given by these stats. Ex: a character with 20% critical chance and 5 critical damage will deal approximately 11% more damage on average over a long course of time.

	0	5	10	15	20	25	30	35	40	45	50	55	60	65	70	75	80	85	90	95	100
5%	1.025	1.028	1.030	1.033	1.035	1.038	1.040	1.043	1.045	1.048	1.050	1.053	1.055	1.058	1.060	1.063	1.065	1.068	1.070	1.073	1.075
10%	1.050	1.055	1.060	1.065	1.070	1.075	1.080	1.085	1.090	1.095	1.100	1.105	1.110	1.115	1.120	1.125	1.130	1.135	1.140	1.145	1.150
15%	1.075	1.083	1.090	1.098	1.105	1.113	1.120	1.128	1.135	1.143	1.150	1.158	1.165	1.173	1.180	1.188	1.195	1.203	1.210	1.218	1.225
20%	1.100	1.110	1.120	1.130	1.140	1.150	1.160	1.170	1.180	1.190	1.200	1.210	1.220	1.230	1.240	1.250	1.260	1.270	1.280	1.290	1.300
25%	1.125	1.138	1.150	1.163	1.175	1.188	1.200	1.213	1.225	1.238	1.250	1.263	1.275	1.288	1.300	1.313	1.325	1.338	1.350	1.363	1.375
30%	1.150	1.165	1.180	1.195	1.210	1.225	1.240	1.255	1.270	1.285	1.300	1.315	1.330	1.345	1.360	1.375	1.390	1.405	1.420	1.435	1.450
35%	1.175	1.193	1.210	1.228	1.245	1.263	1.280	1.298	1.315	1.333	1.350	1.368	1.385	1.403	1.420	1.438	1.455	1.473	1.490	1.508	1.525
40%	1.200	1.220	1.240	1.260	1.280	1.300	1.320	1.340	1.360	1.380	1.400	1.420	1.440	1.460	1.480	1.500	1.520	1.540	1.560	1.580	1.600
45%	1.225	1.248	1.270	1.293	1.315	1.338	1.360	1.383	1.405	1.428	1.450	1.473	1.495	1.563	1.540	1.563	1.585	1.608	1.630	1.653	1.675
50%	1.250	1.275	1.300	1.325	1.350	1.375	1.400	1.425	1.450	1.475	1.500	1.525	1.550	1.575	1.600	1.625	1.650	1.675	1.700	1.725	1.750
55%	1.275	1.303	1.330	1.358	1.385	1.413	1.440	1.468	1.495	1.523	1.550	1.578	1.605	1.633	1.660	1.688	1.715	1.743	1.770	1.798	1.825
60%	1.300	1.330	1.360	1.390	1.420	1.450	1.480	1.510	1.540	1.570	1.600	1.630	1.660	1.690	1.720	1.750	1.780	1.810	1.840	1.870	1.900
65%	1.325	1.358	1.390	1.423	1.455	1.488	1.520	1.553	1.585	1.618	1.650	1.683	1.715	1.748	1.780	1.813	1.845	1.878	1.910	1.943	1.975
70%	1.350	1.385	1.420	1.455	1.490	1.525	1.560	1.595	1.630	1.665	1.700	1.735	1.770	1.805	1.840	1.875	1.910	1.945	1.980	2.015	2.050
75%	1.375	1.413	1.450	1.488	1.525	1.563	1.600	1.638	1.675	1.713	1.750	1.788	1.825	1.863	1.900	1.938	1.975	2.013	2.050	2.088	2.125
80%	1.400	1.440	1.480	1.520	1.560	1.600	1.640	1.680	1.720	1.760	1.800	1.840	1.880	1.920	1.960	2.000	2.040	2.080	2.120	2.160	2.200
85%	1.425	1.468	1.510	1.553	1.595	1.638	1.680	1.723	1.765	1.808	1.850	1.893	1.935	1.978	2.020	2.063	2.105	2.148	2.190	2.233	2.275
90%	1.450	1.495	1.540	1.585	1.630	1.675	1.720	1.765	1.810	1.855	1.900	1.945	1.990	2.035	2.080	2.125	2.170	2.215	2.260	2.305	2.350
95%	1.475	1.523	1.570	1.618	1.665	1.713	1.760	1.808	1.855	1.903	1.950	1.998	2.045	2.093	2.140	2.188	2.230	2.278	2.320	2.368	2.410
100%	1.500	1.550	1.600	1.650	1.700	1.750	1.800	1.850	1.900	1.950	2.000	2.050	2.100	2.150	2.200	2.250	2.300	2.350	2.400	2.450	2.500

See also

• Precision
• Critical Damage

Related mechanics

• Glancing
• Miss

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Attributes

Primary	Power (Attack)	Precision (Critical Chance)
	Toughness (Armor)	Vitality (Health)
Secondary	Condition Duration	Condition Damage	Critical Damage
	Boon Duration	Healing Power	Agony Resistance
	Magic Find
Profession-specific	Guardian	Warrior
	Engineer	Ranger	Thief
	Elementalist	Mesmer	Necromancer