Box of Nails

Scatter nails that bleed and cripple foes. The first pulse of this skill will immobilize foes. — In-game description

Box of Nails

 

Profession

Engineer (skill list)

Kit

  Tool Kit

Game link

API

5995

Gallery
Click to enlarge

This skill has an underwater replacement: Box of Piranhas

“

0.75¾  10  

Box of Nails

Scatter nails that bleed and cripple foes. The first pulse of this skill will immobilize foes.

 Bleeding (2s): 44 Damage

 Cripple (2s): -50% Movement Speed

 Immobilize (10.5½s): Unable to move.

 Number of Targets: 5

 Box of Nails Duration: 4 seconds

 Radius: 240

 Unblockable

— In-game description

Related traits

Firearms

• Serrated Steel — Critical hits have a chance to cause bleeding. Bleeding you inflict gains increased duration.
• Sanguine Array — Gain might when you inflict bleeding on a foe.
• Hematic Focus — Gain fury when you inflict bleeding on an enemy. Fury gives an increased critical-strike chance.
• Modified Ammunition — Deal increased strike damage for each condition on a foe.
• Sharpshooter — Bleeding you inflict scales off of your power instead of your condition damage.

Notes

• The attack will strike 5 times if the target remains in the area.

Version history

For a detailed skill history, see here.

Patch	Changes
January 13, 2026	This skill is no longer an ammunition skill and now always inflicts immobilize on the first pulse.
November 29, 2022	The first pulse of this skill will now immobilize enemies affected by crowd control or a movement-impairing condition. Increased ammunition from 1 to 2.
May 08, 2018	The cooldown of this skill is no longer split between game modes and will now use the lower 8-second cooldown in all modes.
March 27, 2018	Reduced the cooldown from 10 seconds to 8 seconds in PvP and WvW.
May 20, 2014	The visual effect of this skill now only lasts for 4 seconds to match the actual damage effects of the skill.
April 15, 2014	Reduced the cast time from 1 second to .75 seconds. Added an unblockable skill fact.
November 15, 2012	This skill now shows its proper area of effect.
August 28, 2012	Game release: Box of Nails has been added to the game.

See also

•   Caltrops