Retaliation

Reflect incoming damage back to its source; stacks duration. — In-game description

Retaliation

Effect type

Boon

Stacking

Duration

Game link

“

Reflect incoming damage back to its source; stacks duration.

— In-game description

Retaliation is a boon that damages anyone who hits the affected target. The attacker will not be damaged if the attack fails to hit. Retaliation does not reduce or prevent damage taken. Damage dealt depends on the level and power of the retaliation's source (i.e. whoever gave retaliation to the entity being attacked). Retaliation will stack in duration up to a maximum of 5 times.

Calculation

In PvE:

(0.075 * Power) + (0.03 * (Level^2)) + 8 damage,

(0.075 * Power) + 200 damage at Level 80.

In PvP and WvW, retaliation damage is reduced by 50% and calculated with this formula:

(0.0375 * Power) + (0.02 * (Level^2)) + 5 damage,

(0.0375 * Power) + 100 damage at Level 80.

Related skills

See also: Boon#Related skills

Weapon skills that grant retaliation

•   Symbol of Wrath — Greatsword
•   Refraction — Trident
•   Whirling Defense — Axe
•   Chaos Storm — Staff

Bundle skills that grant retaliation

•   Chapter 2: Daring Challenge — Tome of Courage

Utility skills that grant retaliation

•   Hallowed Ground — Consecration
•   "Save Yourselves!" — Shout
•   "Stand Your Ground!" — Shout
•   Signet of Judgment — Signet
•   Imminent Threat — Meditation
•   Elixir B — Elixir
•   Signet of Inspiration — Signet

Healing skills that grant retaliation

•   Soothing Stone — Legendary Dwarf Stance
•   "We Heal As One!" — Command

Elite skills that grant retaliation

•   Portent of Freedom — Mantra
•   Unhindered Delivery — Final Charge

Profession mechanic skills that grant retaliation

•   Toss Elixir B — Elixir, Tool belt
•   Consume Plasma — Stolen skill
•   Detonate Plasma — Stolen skill

Racial skills that grant retaliation

•   Pain Inverter

Skills that convert confusion to retaliation

Primary article: Boon#Skills that convert conditions into boons

Common skills that grant retaliation

•   Consume Plasma — Plasma
•   Energy Defense — Illusory Essence
•   Exhaust — Ghostbore Musket (weapon)
•   Rally Missile 2.0 — Rocket Jump\Parachute 2.0
•   Rally Missile — Rocket Jump\Parachute

Related traits

See also: Boon#Related traits

Traits that grant retaliation

• Wrathful Spirit (Zeal) — Aegis grants boons when it ends.
• Healer's Retribution (Radiance) — Gain retaliation when using a heal skill.
• Retaliatory Subconscious (Virtues) — Gain retaliation and aegis when disabled. Disables include stun, daze, knock back, pull, knock down, sink, float, launch, taunt, and fear.
• Virtue of Retribution (Virtues) — Gain retaliation when you activate a Virtue. Retaliation you grant has increased duration.
• Spiritual Reckoning (Retribution) — Gain retaliation when you use an elite skill.
• Retaliatory Evasion (Retribution) — Gain retaliation after you dodge.
• Spirit Boon (Invocation) — Invoking a legend grants boons to nearby allies based on the legend that was invoked.
• Wrought-Iron Will (Renegade) — Evading an attack inspires you with Kalla's Fervor and grants boons to nearby allies.
• Spiked Armor (Defense) — Gain retaliation when you block or are struck by a critical hit. Retaliation gives you damage reduction.
• Experimental Turrets (Inventions) — Turrets. Turrets create a reflective barrier when built and grant boons to allies around them on a regular interval.
• Purity of Purpose (Alchemy) — When you would cleanse a condition from an ally, convert it into a boon instead.
• Fortifying Bond (Nature Magic) — When you gain a boon, it is shared with your pet.
• Fresh Reinforcement (Soulbeast) — Entering beastmode grants you the boons affecting your pet.
• Auspicious Anguish (Chaos) — Convert damaging conditions to boons whenever you gain Distortion or become disabled. Disables include stun, daze, knockback, pull, knockdown, sink, float, launch, taunt, and fear.
• Feed from Corruption (Scourge) — When you remove or corrupt a boon from an enemy, gain that boon.

Trait skills that grant retaliation

•   Lesser Symbol of Wrath (Zealot's Speed) — Symbol. Sear a mystic symbol into the target area, damaging foes and granting retaliation to allies.
•   Lesser Elixir B (Hidden Flask) — Elixir. Quaff an elixir, gaining boons.
•   Lesser Chaos Storm (Method of Madness) — Create a magical storm at the target location that applies random conditions to foes and boons to allies. The first strike of the storm dazes foes.
•   Sand Shards (Dune Cloak) — Strike nearby foes, removing a boon from them. Gain a copy of any boon removed.
•   Spiteful Spirit (Spiteful Spirit) — Cripple nearby foes and convert their boons into conditions. Gain retaliation for each foe you strike. Converts additional boons on foes below the health threshold.

Traits that improve retaliation

• Righteous Instincts (Radiance) — Retaliation increases your chances to critically strike and grants might each interval.
• Retribution (Radiance) — Retaliation grants you increased damage.
• Virtue of Retribution (Virtues) — Gain retaliation when you activate a Virtue. Retaliation you grant has increased duration.
• Vicious Reprisal (Retribution) — While you have retaliation, deal increased damage and gain might when you strike foes. Retaliation granted to you lasts longer.
• Spiked Armor (Defense) — Gain retaliation when you block or are struck by a critical hit. Retaliation gives you damage reduction.

Traits that convert confusion to retaliation

Primary article: Conditions#Traits that convert conditions into boons

Related effects

Effects that grant retaliation

•  Light Aura

WXP Upgrades

Players can spend their World Ability Points on the following tracks.

Upgrade	Rank	Ability	Cost
Defense Against Guards Total Cost: 35  Reduces the damage you take from enemy guards	1	4% reduced damage from guards	1
	2	8% reduced damage (total) from guards	3
	3	12% reduced damage (total) from guards	6
	4	16% reduced damage (total) from guards. Bonuses now apply to lords and supervisors too.	10
	5	20% reduced damage (total) from guards. Gain retaliation for 10s when taking damage from guards (20s cooldown).	15

Notes

• The damage from this effect cannot critically strike.

Quotes

• When retaliation is applied to a character they will occasionally shout out one of the following lines, depending on their race and gender.

Race	Gender
	Male	Female
Asura	Feedback loop initiated.	Go ahead, hit me!
Charr	Go ahead and hit me!	Retaliation incoming!
Human	Go ahead, hit me!	Pain for pain!
Norn	I'll return the favor!	Come on, hit me! I'll hit back.
Sylvari	I dare you, hit me.	This rose has thorns, and here they are!

Version history

Patch	Changes
July 28, 2020	Reduced base damage from 133 to 100 in PvP and WvW. Reduced power scaling from 0.05 to 0.0375 in PvP and WvW
October 18, 2016	The duration-based boons Protection, Quickness, Regeneration, Resistance, Retaliation, and Vigor will now only stack up to 5 times instead of 9.
July 26, 2016	Fixed a bug in which invulnerable gadgets could be defeated by retaliation.
June 23, 2015	Specialization update: Boon to Condition Conversion: Retaliation converts to 3 stacks of confusion for 5 seconds. (+2 stacks).
April 30, 2013	Retaliation now has its own iconic damage floater. WvW: Updated confusion and retaliation effects to do the same damage as they do in sPvP.
October 22, 2012	Retaliation now uses the former stability icon.
September 17, 2012	This boon no longer reflects damage received from siege weapons.
August 28, 2012	Game release: Retaliation has been added to the game.

Trivia

• The effect for using a blast finisher in a light field was changed from AoE retaliation to an AoE condition clear in the February 22nd, 2017 update.
• Prior to October 22nd, 2012 update, retaliation had an effect monitor icon resembling that of a starburst.

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Effects (stacking)