Vulnerability

Damage and condition damage taken are increased; stacks intensity. — In-game description

Vulnerability

Effect type

Condition

Stacking

Intensity

Game link

“

Damage and condition damage taken are increased; stacks intensity.

— In-game description

Vulnerability is a condition which increases damage the target takes by 1% for each stack, up to a maximum of 25 times.

Related skills

See also: Condition#Related skills

Skills that apply vulnerability

Weapon skills that apply vulnerability

•   Chains of Light — Scepter
•   Spear of Light — Spear
•   Detonate Light — Trident
•   Judgment of Light — Trident
•   Light Ball — Trident
•   Executioner's Calling — Sword
•   Brutal Blade — Sword
•   Preparation Thrust — Sword
•   Shackling Wave — Sword
•   Rapid Assault — Spear
•   Mistsfire — Trident
•   Portal Fire — Trident
•   Reckoning Blast — Trident
•   Torrential Mists — Trident
•   Arcing Mists — Greatsword
•   Mist Slash — Greatsword
•   Mist Unleashed — Greatsword
•   Cyclone Axe — Axe
•   Counterblow — Mace
•   Crushing Blow — Mace
•   Greatsword Slice — Greatsword
•   Greatsword Swing — Greatsword
•   Brutal Shot — Rifle
•   Explosive Shell — Rifle
•   Puncture Shot — Harpoon gun
•   Bladestorm — Dagger
•   Gunstinger — Pistol
•   Jump Shot — Rifle
•   Scatter Mines — Harpoon gun
•   Equalizing Blow — Hammer
•   Negative Bash — Hammer
•   Shock Shield — Hammer
•   Thunderclap — Hammer
•   Sun Edge — Sword
•   Sun Ripper — Sword
•   Energizing Slam — Mace
•   Whirling Defense — Axe
•   Hunter's Call — Warhorn
•   Maul — Greatsword
•   Maul — Greatsword
•   Rapid Fire — Longbow
•   Feeding Frenzy — Harpoon gun
•   Deadly Delivery — Dagger
•   Groundwork Gouge — Dagger
•   Sundering Volley — Axe
•   Savage Slash — Greatsword
•   Savage Shock Wave — Hammer
•   Cloak and Dagger — Dagger
•   Bola Shot — Pistol
•   Tactical Strike — Sword
•   Nine-Tailed Strike — Spear
•   Dust Strike — Staff
•   Punishing Strikes — Staff
•   Malicious Tactical Strike — Sword
•   Brutal Aim — Rifle
•   Deadly Aim — Rifle
•   Vapor Blade — Dagger, when attuned to water
•   Shatterstone — Scepter, when attuned to water
•   Ice Spike — Staff, when attuned to water
•   Electrocute — Trident, when attuned to air
•   Lightning Orb — Warhorn, when attuned to air
•   Fracturing Strike — Scepter, when attuned to fire and earth
•   Stone Tide — Scepter, when attuned to water and earth
•   Gale Strike — Sword, when attuned to air and earth
•   Natural Frenzy — Sword, when attuned to water and earth
•   Quantum Strike — Sword, when attuned to air
•   Plasmic Strike — Trident, when attuned to fire and air
•   Grand Finale — Hammer
•   Hurricane of Pain — Hammer, when attuned to air
•   Icy Coil — Hammer, when attuned to water
•   Illusionary Leap — Sword
•   Mind Gash — Sword
•   Mind Slash — Sword
•   Phantasmal Warden — Focus
•   Mirror Blade — Greatsword
•   Phantasmal Warlock — Staff
•   Blinding Tide — Trident
•   Split Surge — Greatsword
•   Ambush Assault — Spear
•   Rending Claws — Axe
•   Soul Grasp — Focus
•   Wicked Spiral — Spear
•   Frozen Abyss — Trident
•   Death Spiral — Greatsword
•   Weeping Shots — Pistol

Bundle skills that apply vulnerability

•   Fumigate — Elixir Gun
•   Smack — Tool Kit
•   Whack — Tool Kit
•   Frost Volley — Frost Bow

Transform skills that apply vulnerability

•   Bash — Rampage
•   Corona Burst — Engage Photon Forge
•   Elemental Requiem — Tornado
•   Lich's Gaze — Lich Form

Healing skills that apply vulnerability

•   Selfish Spirit — Legendary Alliance Stance, Luxon
•   Consume Conditions — Corruption

Utility skills that apply vulnerability

•   Sword of Justice — Spirit Weapon
•   Light's Judgment — Trap
•   Gaze of Darkness — Legendary Dragon Stance, Consume
•   Icerazor's Ire — Legendary Renegade Stance
•   "On My Mark!" — Shout
•   Sundering Leap — Rage
•   Automatic Fire
•   Launch Wall — Exceed
•   Superconducting Signet — Signet
•   Mutate Conditions — Cantrip
•   Unnatural Traversal — Cantrip
•   Pitfall
•   Signet of Shadows — Signet
•   Skale Venom — Venom
•   Fist Flurry — Physical
•   Binding Shadow — Cantrip
•   Glyph of Elemental Power — Glyph
•   Glyph of Elemental Power — Glyph, when attuned to air
•   Lightning Storm — Glyph, when attuned to air
•   Signet of Air — Signet
•   Primordial Stance — Stance
•   Mantra of Pain — Mantra
•   Rain of Swords — Psionic
•   Epidemic — Corruption
•   Signet of Spite — Signet
•   Well of Suffering — Well
•   "Nothing Can Save You!" — Shout

Elite skills that apply vulnerability

•   Jade Winds — Legendary Assassin Stance
•   Plaguelands — Corruption

Profession mechanic skills that apply vulnerability

•   Throw Wrench — Tool belt, Tool Kit
•   Mech Support: Depth Charges
•   Call Lightning
•   Frenzied Attack
•   Kick
•   Primal Cry — Beast
•   Swoop
•   Wicked Bite
•   Venomous Outburst
•   Shoot Rifle — Stolen skill
•   Throw Coral Shard — Stolen skill
•   Throw Crystal Shard — Stolen skill
•   Throw Cursed Artifact — Stolen skill
•   Throw Gunk — Stolen skill
•   Throw Unstable Reagent — Stolen skill
•   Steal Durability — Stolen skill
•   Overload Air — Overload, when attuned to air

Pet skills that apply vulnerability

•   Call Lightning — Jacaranda
•   Frenzied Attack — Moa
•   Jacaranda's Embrace — Juvenile Jacaranda
•   Kick — Rock Gazelle
•   Slash — Feline
•   Swoop — Bird
•   Weakening Venom — Juvenile Cave Spider
•   Wicked Bite — Phoenix

Downed skills that apply vulnerability

•   Discharge Lightning

Skills that convert protection into vulnerability

Primary article: Condition#Skills that convert boons into conditions

Combos that apply vulnerability

•  Combo Field: Lightning ×  Combo Finisher: Physical Projectile
•  Combo Field: Lightning ×  Combo Finisher: Whirl

Racial skills that apply vulnerability

•   Oakheart Swipe — Avatar of Melandru
•   Brutal Swipe — Become the Bear

Common skills that apply vulnerability

•   "Boo!"
•   Aimed Shot — Discarded Rifle
•   Alkar's Alchemical Acid
•   Bodkin Shot — Tengu Longbow (bundle)
•   Centaur Dash — Centaur Banner
•   Charged Shot — Ghost Destructor Rifle
•   Coagulation Touch — Essence Coagulator
•   Debilitating Trap — Debilitating Trap
•   Devastating Shattering Shot — Ballista
•   Dragonsblood Bolt — Ballista (Thunderhead Keep)
•   Dragonsblood Spear
•   Dragonsblood Spear
•   Dragonsblood Spear
•   Eerie Whisper
•   Experimental Laser Blast — Experimental Laser Weapon Variant VL-992, Experimental Laser Weapon Variant VL-992 (bundle)
•   Explosive Leap
•   Fire Shattering Bolt — Ballista (Silverwastes)
•   Fire Shattering Bolt — Ballista, Ballista (United Legions)
•   Greater Shattering Bolt — Ballista
•   Greatsword Slice — Unsheathe Flamesaw
•   Greatsword Swing — Unsheathe Flamesaw
•   Improved Shattering Bolt — Ballista
•   Lunge
•   Lunge
•   Overload Gun — Solvent Sprayer
•   Pliable Shot — Enchanted Armor
•   Poison Spray — Solvent Sprayer
•   Pummel — Dredge Suit
•   Rally Missile 2.0 — Rocket Jump\Parachute 2.0
•   Rally Missile — Rocket Jump\Parachute
•   Reel It In — Harpoon Guns
•   Release the Hound
•   Shoot Rifle — Bombardment Target Marker, Dredge Rifle, Rifle (bundle)
•   Snarl — Cruel Transformation (cat)
•   Soul Link — Seneschal's Keystaff
•   Spot Weakness
•   Steam Stomp — Steam Creature Transformation
•   Throw — Ball of Ooze, Ball of Ooze (Researcher Tramma)
•   Throw Branded Shard — Branded Shard (bundle)
•   Throw Branded Shard — Branded Shard (bundle)
•   Throw Coral Shard — Coral Shard
•   Throw Crystal Shard — Branded Crystals, Inquest Research Data, Crystal Shard (bundle)
•   Throw Crystal Shard — Rat Cache, Depleted Power Crystal, Crystal Shard (bundle)
•   Throw Gunk — Gunk (consumable), Ettin Gunk, Ball of Gunk, Gunk, Swamp Gunk
•   Thrown Dagger — Old Ascalonian Dagger
•   Tranquilizer Dart — Tranquilizer Rifle
•   Vine Pull — Mossheart form
•   Weaken Armor — Golem (Short Fuse)

Other skills

Skills that benefit from vulnerability

•   Fierce Shot — Rifle, gains extra adrenaline
•   Ghastly Claws — Axe, deals bonus damage per stack

Related traits

See also: Condition#Related traits

Traits that apply vulnerability

• Symbolic Exposure (Zeal) — Symbols inflict vulnerability on foes. Deal increased strike damage to vulnerable foes.
• Furious Focus (Zeal) — While you have fury, your attacks inflict vulnerability.
• Big Game Hunter (Dragonhunter) — Striking an enemy tethered by your Spear of Justice inflicts vulnerability and increases strike damage dealt. Tether duration is increased.
• Expose Defenses (Devastation) — Your first attack when entering combat applies vulnerability. This ability is refreshed when you use an elite skill.
• Ashen Demeanor (Renegade) — Disabling a foe cripples your enemy, which leaves them vulnerable and inspires you with Kalla's Fervor.
• Sundering Burst (Arms) — Burst skills inflict vulnerability if they hit and inflict additional vulnerability if the attack is a critical hit. Can only occur once per interval per target for multihit burst skills.
• Steel-Packed Powder (Explosives) — Explosions cause vulnerability.
• Expert Examination (Scrapper) — Stunning or dazing a foe applies vulnerability and weakness to them.
• Mech Arms: Jade Cannons (Mechanist) — Melee attacks become ranged, have an increased chance to critically hit, and apply vulnerability. Unlocks the Mech Command skill Spark Revolver. If you have the Explosives trait Aim-Assisted Rocket, your mech also gains the effect of that trait.
• Opening Strike (Marksmanship) — You and your pet inflict vulnerability with your first strike when entering combat.
• Debilitating Blows (Untamed) — Disabling a foe applies conditions to that foe based on your current state.
• Even the Odds (Deadly Arts) — Apply vulnerability when you steal. Gain might when you hit with a stealth attack.
• Sundering Shade (Critical Strikes) — Stealth Attack skills inflict vulnerability and grant fury upon successfully hitting foes.
• Electric Discharge (Air) — Strike your target with a bolt of lightning when attuning to air. Also triggers on overload skills.
• Arcane Precision (Arcane) — Your critical strikes have a chance to inflict a condition based on your attunement.
• Illusion of Vulnerability (Domination) — Inflict vulnerability when you interrupt a foe. This trait can only affect enemies with defiance bars once per interval.
• Rending Shatter (Domination) — Shatter skills inflict vulnerability on hit.
• Dazzling (Domination) — Dazing or stunning a foe also applies vulnerability.
• Blurred Inscriptions (Inspiration) — Signets have improved active effects, and activating one grants you distortion.
• Deadly Blades (Virtuoso) — Blades inflict vulnerability on critical hits. After successfully casting a Bladesong, increase all damage dealt for a short time. This does not stack.
• Bitter Chill (Spite) — Chilling a foe inflicts vulnerability.
• Death's Embrace (Spite) — Deal increased strike damage while downed. Inflict vulnerability when you strike a foe below the health threshold. Cannot apply vulnerability to the same target more than once per interval.
• Unyielding Blast (Soul Reaping) — Shroud skill 1 inflicts vulnerability.
• Vile Vials (Harbinger) — Elixir skills gain reduced recharge and inflict vulnerability on nearby enemies.

Trait skills that apply vulnerability

•   Call of the Assassin (Song of the Mists) — Strike enemies around you, inflicting vulnerability and gaining quickness. Gain additional quickness for each foe you hit.
•   Death Drop (Forerunner of Death) — Drop from above, delivering a massive strike on the focused area.
•   Controlled Analysis (Lock On) — Analyze a disabled foe, applying vulnerability.
•   Drop Gunk (Streamlined Kits) — Drop gunk at your location to inflict a random condition.
•   Invisible Analysis (Lock On) — Analyze a stealthed foe, applying vulnerability.

Traits that improve vulnerability

• Symbolic Exposure (Zeal) — Symbols inflict vulnerability on foes. Deal increased strike damage to vulnerable foes.
• Targeted Destruction (Devastation) — Deal increased strike damage to targets based on their vulnerability stacks.
• Dance of Death (Devastation) — Applying vulnerability to foes grants stacks of Battle Scars. The healing from Battle Scars is increased while you are below the health threshold.
• Shaped Charge (Explosives) — Deal increased strike damage for each stack of vulnerability on your target.
• Piercing Shards (Water) — Vulnerability you inflict has increased duration. Deal increased strike damage to vulnerable foes. Damage bonus is doubled while attuned to water.
• Fragility (Domination) — Deal increased strike damage for each stack of vulnerability on your target.
• Decimate Defenses (Reaper) — Striking a foe with vulnerability increases your critical hit chance.

Traits that remove vulnerability

• Guarded Initiation (Acrobatics) — Remove conditions when striking an enemy while your health is above the threshold.

Traits that convert protection into vulnerability

Primary article: Condition#Traits that convert boons into conditions

Related Equipment

See also: Condition#Related equipment

Upgrade components that affect vulnerability on foes

Sigils

• Sigil of Peril (increases duration)

Upgrade components that apply vulnerability on foes

Sigils

• Sigil of Frailty (on hit)
• Sigil of Rending (on interrupt)

Player chatter

• When vulnerability 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	I am exposed!	Structural integrity... compromised.
Charr	I feel so... vulnerable...	Too vulnerable like this!
Human	I feel so... vulnerable...	So...vulnerable...
Norn	Feeling vulnerable!	This... is going to hurt.
Sylvari	I need cover!	I'm exposed.

Version history

Patch	Changes
October 26, 2021	Positive percentage-based enhancements now display with a "+." For example, swiftness now displays "+33% Movement Speed" instead of "33% Movement Speed."
June 23, 2015	Specialization update: This condition was changed so that it not only increases direct damage, it also increases condition damage. Each stack will increase direct damage by 1% and condition damage by 1%. Boon to Condition Conversion: Protection converts to 3 stacks of vulnerability for 10 seconds (+2 stacks).
August 28, 2012	Game release: Vulnerability has been added to the game.

Trivia

• A similar mechanic exists in the original Guild Wars, known as Cracked Armor.
• This condition was changed to increase damage from conditions in the June 23, 2015 game update.

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Effects (stacking)