Shade

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Disambig icon.png This article is about the Scourge mechanic. For the NPC, see Shade (NPC).

Shade is a skill type exclusive to necromancers with the scourge elite specialization that involves summoning area of effect markers occupying the F1-F5 slots and using their abilities. These skills are activated by the minor trait Mantle of Sand and they replace the Death Shroud. Using a shade ability strikes enemies near you and your shades. Shade abilities can strike 3 targets in PvE and PvP, but only 2 targets in WvW.

List of shade skills[edit]

# Skill Activation.png Tango-recharge-darker.png Description

Scourge icon small.png Scourge

F1 Manifest Sand Shade.png Manifest Sand Shade 0.5½ Shade. Manifest a sand shade using some of your life force[sic]. Using a shade ability strikes enemies near you and your shades.
F2 Nefarious Favor.png Nefarious Favor 5 Shade. Your shades convert a condition on nearby allies into a boon.
Targets affected by this ability can only be affected once per cast.
F3 Sand Cascade.png Sand Cascade 10 Shade. Sand rises up near your shades to shield nearby allies.
Targets affected by this ability can only be affected once per cast.
F4 Garish Pillar.png Garish Pillar 15 Shade. Induce fear in enemies around your sand shades.
Targets affected by this ability can only be affected once per cast.
F5 Desert Shroud.png Desert Shroud 20 Shade. Enter the desert shroud, gaining a powerful barrier and pulsing necrotic energy around your sand shades.
Targets affected by this ability can only be affected once per pulse.

Mechanics[edit]

  • Shade skills happen around the scourge and any already existing sand shades created by the Manifest Sand Shade skill.
  • Using any Shade skill will strike nearby enemies with Manifest Sand Shade.
    • Manifest Sand Shade inherits traits that modify "Shroud skill 1". For example, with Reaper's Might the scourge will gain might when using any shade skill or with Dhuumfire the strike from Manifest Sand Shade will apply burning on hit as well.
      • Traits that modify other shroud skills will only work on their respective skill. For example, Transfusion only happens when using Garish Pillar.
  • If any sand shade is out of range or the scourge does not have line of sight to that shade, using any Shade skill will display the appropriate 'out of range' or 'no line of sight' message indicating that that particular sand shade was unable to carry out the command.
  • Targets can only be affected by Shade skills once, regardless of how many sand shades and/or the scourge are in range. Each sand shade and the scourge have a limit on how many targets they can affect.
    • This behavior, and the radius of sand shade, may be modified with the trait Sand Savant. See the following table:
Game mode Trait Maximum number of sand shades Targets per shade and scourge Total maximum number of targets Radius Charge recharge
PvE Default 3 sand shades 3 12 180 8 seconds
With Sand Savant 1 greater shade 5 10 300 10 seconds
PvP Default 3 sand shades 3 12 180 15 seconds
With Sand Savant 1 greater shade 5 10 300 30 seconds
WvW Default 3 sand shades 2 8 180 15 seconds
With Sand Savant 1 greater shade 2 4 300 30 seconds

Related traits[edit]

Trait skills that have the type shade

  • Scourge icon small.pngSandstorm Shroud Sandstorm Shroud (Herald of Sorrow) — Shade. Enter the final shroud, pulsing barrier to allies around yourself and priming the shroud for a powerful detonation that damages enemies and bolsters allies. Targets can only be affected by this skill once per activation.

Traits that improve shade skills