Block

This article is about the combat technique. For blocking communication from other players, see Contacts and LFG panel. For other uses, see Block (disambiguation).

Blocking is a technique used to negate incoming attacks. A blocked attack deals no damage and inflicts no conditions. The boon aegis will block the next incoming attack, but a few professions have access to skills which will block attacks while active. Some professions have traits which grant benefits on a successful block.

Blocking a projectile destroys it and nullifies all its effects, including stopping projectiles that pierce, as well as projectiles that deal no direct damage (e.g. Infiltrator's Arrow). Note that certain projectiles (such as Captain Mai Trin's electric blast) cannot be blocked. Some skills specifically blocks missiles which will only block projectiles (not melee or other attacks) and also will not trigger effects that grant bonuses from blocking.

Blocking can be bypassed with unblockable attacks, a property that is listed in the skill description. Traps are an example of unblockable skills.

Related skills

Weapon skills

•   Protector's Strike — Mace
•   Shield of Wrath — Focus
•   Warding Rift — Staff
•   Crystal Hibernation — Shield
•   Counterblow — Mace
•   Riposte — Sword
•   Shield Stance — Shield
•   Parry — Spear
•   Static Shield — Shield
•   Shock Shield — Hammer
•   Counterattack — Greatsword
•   Counterstrike — Spear
•   Nine-Tailed Strike — Spear
•   Illusionary Counter — Scepter
•   Illusionary Riposte — Sword
•   Deja Vu — Shield
•   Echo of Memory — Shield

Bundle skills

•   Gear Shield — Tool Kit

Healing skills

•   Shelter

Utility skills

•   Photon Wall — Exceed
•   Bandit's Defense — Physical
•   Arcane Shield — Arcane
•   Fortified Earth — Augment

Profession mechanic skills

•   Shield of Courage — Virtue
•   Vine Shield — Tool belt, Grasping Vines

Racial skills

•   Vine Shield — Tool belt, Grasping Vines

Related traits

Traits that improve Block

• Communal Defenses (Valor) — Blocking an attack grants aegis to nearby allies.
• Might of the Protector (Valor) — Gain might when you block attacks.
• Invigorated Bulwark (Honor) — Increase your healing to other allies each time you block an attack. Mace skills gain reduced recharge and their boons gain increased duration.
• Defender's Dogma (Dragonhunter) — Blocking an attack causes justice to reach its maximum charge and reduces the cooldown of Spear of Justice.
• Hunter's Fortification (Dragonhunter) — Remove conditions when blocking attacks. Receive less damage when you have no conditions on you.
• Shield Master (Defense) — Reflect missiles whenever you are blocking. Gain might when you block an attack or reflect a missile. Shield skills gain reduced recharge.
• Hardened Armor (Defense) — Gain resolution when you block or are struck by a critical hit. Strike damage taken is reduced by a percentage while you have resolution.
• Flow like Water (Water) — Deal increased strike damage when your health is above the threshold. Blocking or evading an attack heals you.
• Mental Defense (Inspiration) — Cast Lesser Phantasmal Defender on your attacker when you successfully block or evade an attack.
• Duelist's Reversal (Virtuoso) — Blocking or dodging an attack grants boons.
• Psychic Riposte (Virtuoso) — Blocking or dodging an attack stocks blades and causes your next Bladesong to be unblockable.

Related equipment

Upgrade components that improve blocking

•   Superior Rune of the Guardian (rank 6) - cause burning when blocking
•   Superior Rune of the Defender (rank 6) - gain health after blocking

Projectile destruction

See also: Reflect

These skills nullify projectile attacks but have no effect on non-projectile attacks. They do not activate on-block effects.

Weapon skills that block projectiles

•   Zealot's Defense — Sword
•   Shield of Absorption — Shield
•   Refraction — Trident
•   Deflecting Shot — Longbow
•   Field of the Mists — Hammer
•   Sublime Conversion — Staff
•   Sniper's Cover — Rifle
•   Ring of Earth — Dagger, when attuned to earth
•   Swirling Winds — Focus, when attuned to air
•   Whirling Stones — Hammer, when attuned to earth
•   Phantasmal Warden — Focus
•   Tides of Time — Shield

Bundle skills that block projectiles

•   Cyclone Trigger — Unsheathe Gunsaber

Transform skills that block projectiles

•   Death's Charge — Reaper's Shroud

Utility skills that block projectiles

•   Sanctuary — Consecration
•   Shield of the Avenger — Spirit Weapon
•   Protective Solace — Legendary Centaur Stance
•   Inspiring Reinforcement — Legendary Dwarf Stance
•   Electric Fence — Armament
•   Launch Wall — Exceed
•   Photon Wall — Exceed
•   Barrier Signet — Signet
•   Smoke Screen — Deception
•   Seal Area
•   Corrosive Poison Cloud — Corruption

Elite skills that block projectiles

•   Winds of Disenchantment — Meditation

Profession mechanic skills that block projectiles

•   Flaming Flurry — Primal Burst, Sword
•   Defense Field — Tool belt, Bulwark Gyro
•   Enveloping Haze

Common skills that block projectiles

•   Smoke Grenade — Charr Harpoon Tank
•   Smoke Grenade — TT6-B Devourer
•   Vent Sulfur — Sulfurthrower

See also

• Aegis
• Invulnerability
• Unblockable
• Reflect