Control effect

"CC" redirects here. For the calendar system used in Cantha, see Canthan calendar.

Control effects, also known as Crowd control (CC) or disables, are a set of skill and trait effects that temporarily prevent actions or movement and disable all enemy's skills for the effect's duration. When first applied, all control effects will also interrupt the target. The boon Stability provides immunity against most control effects, while some skills have the ability to break stuns and remove other control effects listed below.

Some enemies possess a Defiance bar which renders them immune to the effects of both control effects and non-damaging "soft CC" conditions. While you can still disable defiant foes, it will instead deplete their defiance bar (if unlocked). Depleting this bar will "break" the enemy, causing a strong negative effect, most commonly stun and increased incoming damage. The Unstoppable ability and Indomitable effects possessed by certain enemies render them totally immune to control as well as movement-restricting conditions like crippled or immobile. Some foes also have specific non-boon stability effects which prevent most forms of control.

Control effects

•  Daze — Disables all skills with cast times. Defiance Break: 25 per quarter-second of duration.
•  Stun — Prevents movement, dodge rolls, and all skills with cast times. Defiance Break: 25 per quarter-second of duration.
•  Knockdown — Knocks the target on ground, preventing movement and actions for a short duration. Defiance Break: 25 per quarter-second of duration.
•  Pull¹ — Pulls the target to the caster or a specific location and prevents movement and actions for a short duration afterwards. Defiance Break: 150 regardless of distance travelled.
•  Knockback¹ — Knocks back the target away and on the ground, preventing movement and actions for a short duration. Defiance Break: 150 regardless of distance travelled.
•  Launch¹ — Throws the target into the air over a short distance, preventing movement and actions for a short duration. Can move Downed targets. Defiance Break: 232/332
•  Float — Causes the target to float slightly in the air, preventing movement and actions for a short duration. Causes underwater targets to move upwards. Defiance Break: 25 per quarter-second of duration.
•  Sink — Causes the underwater target to move downwards. Defiance Break: 25 per quarter-second of duration.
•  Fear^{1 2} — Disables all skills and causes the target to flee directly away from the caster for a short duration. Defiance Break: 100 per second
•  Taunt^{1 2} — Forces the affected target to run towards the source of taunt with all skills except stun breakers disabled while using their auto-attack skill. Defiance Break: 100 per second

¹ Targets that can take Fall Damage, i.e. PvP/WvW, can be moved off ledges and cliffs.

² Fear and Taunt are both conditions and control effects, and can be removed using stun breaks or condition cleanses.

Similar effects

Functionality is similar to control effects for stun breaking purposes:

•  Petrified — inflicted by any attack after activating Basilisk Venom skill. Counts as a stun for the stun break.

Functionality is similar to control effects but can't be removed by stun breaking skills and traits:

• Freeze — caused by Deep Freeze skill (Conjure Frost Bow)
• Signet of Humility — a special type of a transform effect

Other unique effects that restrict character's movement or skills on certain conditions:

• Ward — a skill type. Defiance Break: 150 each time a Defiant enemy triggers it, similar to Knockback.

Condition based non-disabling control effects

Some conditions will deal damage to enemy Defiance bar without being considered a disabling mechanic (particularly for purposes of various traits, as well as Stability as their counter). These conditions are often referred to "soft CC". Outside of defiance bar interaction, they serve a similar purpose as disabling control effects by hindering an opponent's actions or movement.

•  Blinded — the next hit of an attack has a 100% chance to miss. Defiance Break: 20 per second
•  Chilled — movement speed and skill recharge rate are decreased by 66%. Defiance Break: 33 per second
•  Crippled — -50% reduction to movement speed. Defiance Break: 15 per second
•  Immobile — unable to move or rotate. Defiance Break: 50 per second
•  Slow — slows all character animations by 50%, including activation times of skills without block or evade components. Does not affect movement speed. Defiance Break: 50 per second
•  Weakness — -50% endurance regeneration and 50% of hits dealt are Glancing blows, which deal 50% of their normal damage and cannot score critical hits. Defiance Break: 20 per second

Certain enemies are only vulnerable to specific conditions. For example, Warg Bloodhounds and Charged Souls can only be effectively hindered through the use of conditions that reduce movement speed (Chilled, Crippled and Immobile). Similarly, some enemies are immune to a specific condition – for example, most dredge are not affected by Blinded, some Embers and Destroyers are immune to Burning, and some Hylek are immune to Poisoned.

Effect based non-disabling control effects

Some mechanics, including translocation of characters, results in control effects that do not disable or otherwise interrupt a target. Similar to condition based soft CC, stability does not counter these effects (unless otherwise noted). These effects can be avoided by either not traversing areas where these effects are prevalent, putting your character outside of the range of such an effect before it can take effect, or move in a direction desired to dampen the impact of the effect.

• Slippery floor effects such as Social Awkwardness, or icy terrain as seen in SAB World 2-3.
• Wrenching gaze from an Incarnation of Judgement.
• Gravity field from Sorrow.
• Deadly sandstorm from Awakened Hierarchs — this effect ends either upon resolution of the skill, which will result in large damage being dealt to targets in the area, or when the user's defiance bar has received sufficient damage to render the user in a defiance break state.

Related traits

Many traits relate to specific control effects and can be found in the relevant page. The traits listed below apply to control effects in general. Additionally, traits which trigger when interrupting a foe using control effects can be found here.

Traits which activate upon an incoming control effect

• Resolute Subconscious (Virtues) — Gain resolution and aegis when disabled. Disables include stun, daze, knockback, pull, knockdown, sink, float, launch, taunt, and fear.
• Autodefense Bomb Dispenser (Inventions) — Drop a smoke bomb when you are disabled. Disables include stun, daze, knockback, pull, knockdown, sink, float, launch, taunt, and fear.
• Protection Injection (Alchemy) — Gain protection when you are disabled. Disables include stun, daze, knockback, pull, knockdown, sink, float, launch, taunt, and fear.
• Auspicious Anguish (Chaos) — Convert damaging conditions to boons whenever you gain Distortion or become disabled. This trait can only trigger when disabled once per interval. Disables include stun, daze, knockback, pull, knockdown, sink, float, launch, taunt, and fear.
• Dark Defiance (Death Magic) — If you are disabled, gain protection. Incoming condition damage is reduced while you have protection. Disables include stun, daze, knockback, pull, knockdown, sink, float, fear, taunt, and launch.

Traits which activate upon disabling a foe

• Glacial Heart (Virtues) — Mighty Blow becomes Glacial Blow. Heal when you disable, immobilize, or chill a foe. Disables include stun, daze, knockback, pull, knockdown, sink, float, launch, taunt, and fear.
• Dulled Senses (Dragonhunter) — Cripple enemies that you disable. Disables include stun, daze, knockback, pull, knockdown, sink, float, launch, taunt, and fear.
• Heavy Light (Dragonhunter) — Gain stability when disabling an enemy. Deal increased strike damage to disabled, exposed, or defiant foes. Disables include stun, daze, knockback, pull, knockdown, sink, float, launch, taunt, and fear.
• Stoic Demeanor (Firebrand) — Retain Courage passive while it is on cooldown. Grant boons to nearby allies when you disable, immobilize, or slow an enemy. Disables include stun, daze, knockback, pull, knockdown, sink, float, launch, taunt, and fear.
• Dwarven Battle Training (Retribution) — Deal increased strike damage to weakened foes. Disabling a foe applies weakness. Disables include stun, daze, knockback, pull, knockdown, sink, float, fear, taunt, and launch.
• Words of Censure (Salvation) — Blinding, immobilizing, or affecting a foe with crowd control heals nearby allies. Skills that strike many foes at the same time can heal multiple times.
• Ashen Demeanor (Renegade) — Disabling a foe cripples your enemy, which leaves them vulnerable and inspires you with Kalla's Fervor.
• Mistfire (Conduit) — Apply conditions to enemies when you disable them. Perform an additional strike when using Cosmic Wisdom that damages and burns enemies.
• Body Blow (Strength) — Stuns, dazes, knockbacks, pulls, pushes, and launches inflict vulnerability and weakness.
• Aggressive Onslaught (Strength) — Gain quickness when you disable an enemy. While you have quickness, your movement speed is increased. This stacks with other movement speed increases.
• Opportunist (Arms) — Gain fury and adrenaline when you immobilize or disable a foe.
• Unsuspecting Foe (Arms) — Increased critical-hit chance against disabled or defiant foes. Disables include stun, daze, knockback, pull, knockdown, sink, float, launch, taunt, and fear.
• Merciless Hammer (Defense) — 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.
• Stalwart Strength (Defense) — Gain stability when you disable a foe. Deal increased strike damage while you have stability.
• Attacker's Insight (Spellbreaker) — Gain Insight when disabling foes or removing boons. Full Counter refreshes all burst skills on hit. Disables include stun, daze, knockback, pull, knockdown, sink, float, launch, taunt and fear.
• Bunker Down (Inventions) — Create a proximity mine at your target's location and a med kit at your location when you disable an enemy.
• Equal and Opposite Reaction (Alchemy) — Gain quickness and stability when you disable an enemy.
• Lock On (Tools) — Striking a stealthed foe triggers Invisible Analysis. Disabling a foe triggers Controlled Analysis. Disables include stun, daze, knockback, pull, knockdown, sink, float, launch, taunt, and fear.
• System Shocker (Scrapper) — Disabling a foe grants barrier to nearby allies. Your function gyro dazes foes when cast. Disables include stun, daze, knockback, pull, knockdown, sink, float, launch, taunt, and fear.
• Mercurial Tendencies (Amalgam) — Disabling an enemy reduces the cooldown of Evolve.
• Bestial Rage (Beastmastery) — Gain might and fury when you disable a foe.
• Blood Moon (Druid) — Daze enemies when you become a celestial avatar. Inflict bleeding on enemies you immobilize or disable.
• Twice as Vicious (Soulbeast) — Disabling a foe increases your damage and condition damage for a short duration.
• Debilitating Blows (Untamed) — Disabling a foe applies conditions to that foe based on your current state. Disables include stun, daze, knockback, pull, knockdown, sink, float, launch, taunt, and fear.
• Thrill of the Catch (Galeshot) — Restore arrows when you or your pet disable an enemy.
• Stormsoul (Air) — Deal increased strike damage to disabled or defiant foes. Outgoing stun duration increased. Disables include stun, daze, knockback, pull, knockdown, sink, float, launch, taunt, and fear.
• Lightning Rod (Air) — Cast Lightning Rod when you disable a foe. Disables include stun, daze, knockback, pull, knockdown, sink, float, launch, taunt, and fear.
• Elemental Lockdown (Arcane) — When you disable a foe, gain a boon based upon your current attunement.
• Vicious Empowerment (Catalyst) — Gain Elemental Empowerment and might when you disable or immobilize a foe.
• Dazzling (Domination) — Disabling a foe also applies vulnerability. Disables include stun, daze, knockback, pull, knockdown, sink, float, launch, taunt, and fear.
• Vicious Expression (Domination) — You and your illusions deal increased strike damage to foes without boons. Disabling a foe removes boons from them. Disables include stun, daze, knockback, pull, knockdown, sink, float, launch, taunt, and fear.
• Superiority Complex (Dueling) — Your critical hits deal more damage. Critical hit damage against disabled foes, or foes below the health threshold, is further increased. Disabled foes are affected by stun, daze, knockback, pull, knockdown, sink, float, fear, taunt, or launch.
• Delayed Reactions (Chronomancer) — Disabling a foe slows them. Disables include stun, daze, knockback, pull, knockdown, sink, float, launch, taunt, and fear. This trait can only affect the same enemy with once per interval.
• Syncopate (Troubadour) — Deafening Drum releases an additional quick wave after a delay. Deal damage to enemies you disable.
• Insidious Disruption (Curses) — Disabling a foe inflicts torment on them. Disables include stun, daze, knockback, pull, knockdown, sink, float, launch, taunt, and fear.

Traits which benefit from disable on foes

•  Heavy Light — Gain stability when disabling an enemy. Deal increased strike damage to disabled, exposed, or defiant foes. Disables include stun, daze, knockback, pull, knockdown, sink, float, launch, taunt, and fear.
•  Stormsoul — Deal increased strike damage to disabled or defiant foes. Outgoing stun duration increased. Disables include stun, daze, knockback, pull, knockdown, sink, float, launch, taunt, and fear.
•  Predator's Onslaught — You and your pet deal increased strike damage to disabled, defiant, or movement-impaired foes. Affected conditions are stun, taunt, daze, cripple, fear, immobilize, and chilled.
•  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.
•  Unsuspecting Foe — Increased critical-hit chance against disabled or defiant foes. Disables include stun, daze, knockback, pull, knockdown, sink, float, launch, taunt, and fear.
•  Superiority Complex — Your critical hits deal more damage. Critical hit damage against disabled foes, or foes below the health threshold, is further increased. Disabled foes are affected by stun, daze, knockback, pull, knockdown, sink, float, fear, taunt, or launch.

Traits that increase control effect duration

•  Stormsoul — Deal increased strike damage to disabled or defiant foes. Outgoing stun duration increased. Disables include stun, daze, knockback, pull, knockdown, sink, float, launch, taunt, and fear.
•  Moment of Clarity — Gain an attack of opportunity for you and your pet on interrupting a foe. Daze and stun durations that you inflict last longer. This trait can only grant an attack of opportunity against enemies with defiance bars once per interval.

Related equipment

Relics that benefit from control effects on foes

• Relic of Akeem — When you disable an enemy that is afflicted by 5 or more stacks of confusion or torment, inflict confusion and torment on enemies around the target.
• Relic of the Demon Queen — Poison that you apply reduces healing by an additional amount. Disabling a foe applies poison.  Disables include stun, taunt, daze, knockback, pull, knockdown, sink, float, fear, and launch.
• Relic of the Midnight King — Grant might and fury to nearby allies when you disable an enemy.  Disables include stun, taunt, daze, knockback, pull, knockdown, sink, float, fear, and launch.
• Relic of the Claw — Deal increased strike damage for a duration after you disable a foe.
• Relic of the Pirate Queen — Gain quickness when you disable a foe.

Upgrade components that increase control effect duration

Runes

• Superior Rune of the Mesmer (rank 6 — +33%  Daze Duration)
• Superior Rune of the Nightmare (rank 2 — +10%  Fear Duration)
  • Major Rune of the Nightmare (rank 2 — +7%  Fear Duration)
  • Minor Rune of the Nightmare (rank 2 — +5%  Fear Duration)

Sigils

• Superior Sigil of Paralyzation (30%  Stun Duration)
  • Major Sigil of Paralyzation (20%  Stun Duration)
  • Minor Sigil of Paralyzation (10%  Stun Duration)
• Sigil of Savagery (PvP) (+30%  Stun Duration, 3% Damage against Stunned Foes)

• Increases to duration stack additively meaning that a 33% increase and a 30% increase results in 63% increased duration.
• Increases to stun and daze duration have a ceiling of 100%.

See also

• Control
• Interrupt
• Defiance bar
• Stun break

---

Effects (stacking)