Life force

In-game screenshot of life force meter.

A "bubble" of life force.

Life force is part of the necromancer's profession mechanic. This resource is gained from nearby deaths and certain skills, and fuels their necromantic Shrouds: Death Shroud for necromancers, Reaper's Shroud for Reapers, and Shade skills and Desert Shroud for Scourges.

Life force is stored permanently on the life force pool. The capacity of this pool is equal to 69% of the necromancer's health pool, meaning that the vitality attribute increases its capacity. Nearby deaths (approximately within a range of 1,200 units), not only of enemies but also of allies, replenishes 10% of the maximum life force. Certain traits can increase both the capacity of the life force pool, the amount of life force gained from all sources, or even passively replenish life force up to a percentage, as seen in the section below.

Related skills

Weapon skills that grant life force

•   Ghastly Claws — Axe, Life Force: 12%
•   Dark Pact — Dagger, Life Force: 5%
•   Necrotic Bite — Dagger, Life Force: 8%
•   Necrotic Stab — Dagger, Life Force: 4%
•   Devouring Darkness — Scepter, Life Force: 8%; Life Force per Condition: 1%; Life Force per Foe: 2%
•   Feast of Corruption — Scepter, Life Force: 8%; Life Force per Condition: 1%
•   Soul Grasp — Focus, Life Force: 11%
•   Locust Swarm — Warhorn, Life Force: 10.5½%
•   Necrotic Grasp — Staff, Life Force: 4%
•   Reaper's Scythe — Spear, Life Force: 3%
•   Crimson Tide — Trident, Life Force: 2%
•   Feast — Trident, Life Force: 5%
•   Chilling Scythe — Greatsword, Life Force: 5%
•   Death Spiral — Greatsword, Life Force: 2% (in PvP, WvW); Life Force: 3% (in PvE)
•   Dusk Strike — Greatsword, Life Force: 1% (in PvP, WvW); Life Force: 2% (in PvE)
•   Fading Twilight — Greatsword, Life Force: 2% (in PvE); Life Force: 1% (in PvP, WvW)
•   Grasping Darkness — Greatsword, Life Force: 10% (in PvE); Life Force: 4% (in PvP, WvW)
•   Harrowing Wave — Torch, Life Force: 3%
•   Vile Blast — Pistol, Life Force Gain per Target: 4% (in PvE); Life Force Gain per Target: 3% (in WvW, PvP)
•   Weeping Shots — Pistol, Life Force Gain per Bullet: 10.5½%

Transform skills that grant life force

•   Life Transfer — Death Shroud, Life Force: 3%
•   Life Reap — Reaper's Shroud, Life Force: 10.5½%
•   Vital Draw — Harbinger Shroud, Life Force: 3%

Healing skills that grant life force

•   "Your Soul Is Mine!" — Shout, Life Force: 10%; Life Force per Hit: 5% (in PvE); Life Force per Hit: 3% (in WvW, PvP); Life Force per Melee Hit: 3%

Utility skills that grant life force

•   Haunt — Life Force: 10%
•   Necrotic Traversal — Life Force: 10%
•   Signet of Undeath — Signet, Life Force per 3 Seconds: 4% (in PvE, WvW); Life Force per 3 Seconds: 2% (in PvP)
•   Spectral Armor — Spectral, Gain life force when taking damage.: 8%
•   Spectral Grasp — Spectral, Life Force: 15%
•   Spectral Ring — Spectral, Life Force: 4%
•   Spectral Walk — Spectral, Life Force per Condition: 4%
•   Well of Corruption — Well, Life Force: 1%
•   Desiccate — Punishment, Life Force per Hit: 2%; Life Force: 10%
•   Elixir of Bliss — Elixir, Life Force per Condition: 3%

Elite skills that grant life force

•   Lich Form — Spectral, Life Force When Ending: 15% (in PvE, WvW); Life Force When Ending: 5% (in PvP)

Common skills that grant life force

•   Soul Link — Seneschal's Keystaff, Life Force per Hit: 3%

Skills that grant life force under special conditions

 Soul Marks - Marks become unblockable and generate life force when triggered.

•   Mark of Blood — Staff, Life Force: 3%
•   Chillblains — Staff, Life Force: 3%
•   Putrid Mark — Staff, Life Force: 3%
•   Reaper's Mark — Staff, Life Force: 3%
•   Lesser Mark of Blood — Mark of Evasion, Life Force: 3%

Related traits

Traits that grant life force

• Unholy Martyr (Blood Magic) — Entering shroud transfers conditions from allies to you. Exiting shroud consumes conditions currently on you and converts them to life force.
• Soul Marks (Soul Reaping) — Marks become unblockable and generate life force when triggered.
• Fear of Death (Soul Reaping) — Your fear effects have increased durations. Inflicting fear generates life force.
• Eternal Life (Soul Reaping) — Gain life force every interval up to the threshold when not in shroud. Gain protection when you enter shroud.
• Chilling Victory (Reaper) — Striking a chilled foe grants might and life force. Single attacks can activate this trait more than once before recharging.
• Blighter's Boon (Reaper) — Gain life force when you apply a boon to yourself or remove a boon from an enemy. If you are in reaper's shroud, gain health instead.
• Nourishing Ashes (Scourge) — Gain life force when you inflict burning, and remove or corrupt a boon.
• Corrupted Talent (Harbinger) — Gain life force when you enter Harbinger Shroud.

Traits that improve life force

• Soul Comprehension (Death Magic) — Your passive life-force generation from nearby deaths is increased. Kills grant carapace.
• Gluttony (Soul Reaping) — Increases the amount of life force gained from all sources.
• Soul Battery (Soul Reaping) — Maximum life force is increased.

Other related traits

•  Signets of Suffering — Improves life force gain from Signet of Undeath.
•  Unholy Sanctuary — Requires a minimum amount of life force to activate.

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Skill types and profession mechanics