Merciless Hammer

This article is about the warrior trait. For the weapon skin, see Merciless Hammer (skin).

Hammer and mace skills deal increased damage when striking a disabled or defiant foe. Gain adrenaline when you disable a foe. Disables include stun, taunt, daze, knockback, pull, knockdown, sink, float, fear, and launch. — In-game description

Merciless Hammer

Specialization

Defense (trait list)

Tier

Master

Type

Major

Training cost

5 Hero points

Game link

API

API

“

Merciless Hammer

Hammer and mace skills deal increased damage when striking a disabled or defiant foe. Gain adrenaline when you disable a foe.
Disables include stun, taunt, daze, knockback, pull, knockdown, sink, float, fear, and launch.

 Damage Increase: 20%

 Adrenaline: 7

— In-game description

Related skills

Weapon skills that are improved by this trait

•   Mace Smash — Mace
•   Mace Bash — Mace
•   Pulverize — Mace
•   Counterblow — Mace
•   Adrenaline Rush — Mace
•   Pommel Bash — Mace
•   Crushing Blow — Mace
•   Tremor — Mace
•   Shield Bash — Shield
•   Hammer Swing — Hammer
•   Hammer Bash — Hammer
•   Hammer Smash — Hammer
•   Fierce Blow — Hammer
•   Hammer Shock — Hammer
•   Staggering Blow — Hammer
•   Backbreaker — Hammer
•   Smoldering Arrow — Longbow
•   Rifle Butt — Rifle
•   Snap Pull — Staff
•   Barbed Pull — Spear
•   Disrupting Throw — Spear
•   Spear Swipe — Spear
•   Repeating Shot — Harpoon gun
•   Disrupting Stab — Dagger

Bundle skills that are improved by this trait

•   Plank Smash — Wooden Plank, Plank (level 10 consumable), Pirate's Peg Leg, Pirate's Peg Leg (bundle), Plank (Tactician Megill), Splintered Gate Piece
•   Plank Spin — Wooden Plank, Plank (level 10 consumable), Pirate's Peg Leg, Pirate's Peg Leg (bundle), Plank (Tactician Megill), Splintered Gate Piece
•   Artillery Slash — Unsheathe Gunsaber

Transform skills that are improved by this trait

•   Uppercut — Rampage
•   Kick — Rampage
•   Throw Boulder — Rampage
•   Seismic Leap — Rampage

Utility skills that are improved by this trait

•   Banner of Strength — Banner
•   Bull's Charge — Physical
•   Kick — Physical
•   Stomp — Physical
•   "Fear Me!" — Shout
•   Wild Blow — Rage
•   Imminent Threat — Meditation
•   Detonate Cartridges

Elite skills that are improved by this trait

•   Head Butt — Rage

Profession mechanic skills that are improved by this trait

•   Skull Crack — Mace, Burst
•   Earthshaker — Hammer, Burst
•   Whirling Strike — Spear, Burst
•   Skull Grinder — Mace, Primal Burst
•   Rupturing Smash — Hammer, Primal Burst
•   Gun Flame — Rifle, Primal Burst
•   Wild Whirl — Spear, Primal Burst
•   Full Counter — Burst

Trait skills that are improved by this trait

•   Magebane Tether — Magebane Tether

Notes

• Skills which apply crowd-control effects in an area like Earthshaker, Rupturing Smash, Stomp, Staggering Blow and Full Counter grant 7 adrenaline per foe hit.
• There is no internal cooldown on this trait.

Version history

For a detailed trait history, see here.

Patch	Changes
November 29, 2022	The bonus damage from this trait will now always affect defiant foes.
October 04, 2022	This trait now also increases damage from mace skills when striking a disabled foe. Reduced adrenaline gain from 10 to 7. This trait no longer reduces the cooldown of hammer skills.
December 11, 2018	The part of this trait that inflicts confusion has been removed. Hammer skills now inflict increased damage on any disabled target, not just those who are dazed, knocked down, launched, or stunned. This trait now grants adrenaline when the warrior disables a foe, regardless of the weapon the warrior wields.
February 06, 2018	Confusion inflicted by this trait has been split and will now apply 6 stacks for 4 seconds in PvP and WvW only.
December 12, 2017	Skills, traits, and sigils that have bonus effects when interrupting foes will now activate when used against foes with defiance bars as though they had been interrupted, with a 3-second cooldown. Merciless Hammer: Confusion application only.
August 08, 2017	Path of Fire pre-patch: This trait has moved to the Strength line and takes the slot previously taken by Axe Mastery. In addition to its previous functionality, this trait now also causes interrupts to inflict 4 stacks of confusion for 8 seconds.
June 23, 2015	Specialization update: Updated this trait to reflect the introduction of the specialization mechanic. This trait has been moved to the Grandmaster tier.
April 15, 2014	Damage to stunned and knocked down foes has been decreased from 25% to 20%.
August 28, 2012	Game release: Merciless Hammer has been added to the game.