Knock down

From Guild Wars Wiki

A knock down (KD for short) causes a target to fall on their back. While knocked down, the target can't move, activate skills with an activation time, or switch weapons (see shield set). Knock downs are not treated like standard interrupts, but function exactly the same; thus, it interrupts through skills such as Mantra of Concentration. Knock downs are most often used as interrupts and snares.

Anomaly.

When used on a foe during casting, they often keep casting for 1-2 seconds more, or until the cast finishes; then it spontaneously fails. This doesn't affect gameplay.

The average knock down is 2 seconds, but some skills or Stonefist Insignia can extend it to 3 seconds. Gust, Choking Breath, and Backbreaker provide longer knock downs (3, 4, and 5 seconds, respectively). Targets already knocked down must get back up (even for just an instant) to be knocked down again; see quarterknocking.

Many professions have knock down skills, but Warriors and Assassins have the most.

Some PvE monsters are immune to knock down, including Giants, Wurms, Dolyak Riders, and certain bosses.

Some monsters, including Abyssals, Wallows and many Giants, cause knock down when they score critical hits, because they have the skill Stun on Critical Hit.

[edit] Enhancements

• The warrior armor upgrade component Stonefist Insignia increases the duration of all Knockdowns inflicted by the Warrior by 1 second. This upgrade cannot extend durations beyond 3 seconds.
• The skill Earthbind sets a minimum duration of Knockdowns to 3 seconds.

[edit] Counters

Some skills can be used to prevent knockdowns:

• Balanced Stance prevents knockdowns on the user.
• Steady Stance prevents next knockdown on the user.
• Dolyak Signet prevents knockdowns on the user.
• Balthazar's Pendulum causes knockdown to a foe trying to knock down target ally instead.
• Aura of Stability prevent knockdown on other ally.
• Ward of Stability prevents all allies from being knocked down while inside the ward.
• "Brace Yourself!" prevents other ally being knocked down once.
• Fleeting Stability prevents the caster from being knocked down.
• "I Am Unstoppable!" prevents knockdown on the user. (Norn rank)
• "Don't Trip!" prevents all party members within earshot from being knocked down. (Deldrimor rank)
• Dwarven Stability prevents knockdown on the user if drunk when activated. (Deldrimor rank)
• Stun Immunity makes knockdowns useless against many monsters.

[edit] PvP tactics

As stated above, knocked down characters cannot use skills with activation time. Even a single knockdown can make a difference in combat, and overall knocking down can be used for various purposes.

• A common tactic is to knockdown monks while spiking another character, to prevent monks from healing them.
• Knocking down (and otherwise snaring) flag and relic runners and kiting players is a good tactic.
• Repeatedly inflict knockdowns on targets to shut them down. This is commonly referred to as "knock-lock." 'Gale lock' or 'Gale Jail' were once common terms for doing this with Elementalist spell Gale.

[edit] Skills that cause knock down

The following skills inflict unconditional knock downs:

• Backbreaker causes a 2-4 second knockdown. (5 seconds is possible only in PvE by using a consumable, activating a blessing at a shrine, and activating a Grip of Hammer Mastery while using the skill for a total attribute of 19. It can be extended to 3 seconds by Stonefist Insignia if the base duration is only 2 seconds.)
• Devastating Hammer also causes Weakness.
• Earth Shaker knocks down adjacent foes as well.
• Grapple knocks down both user and touched target and user loses all stances.
• Hammer Bash costs all of the user's adrenaline.
• Shove costs all adrenaline and disables the user's non-attack skills.
• Magehunter's Smash cannot be blocked if target is enchanted.
• Spike Trap also Cripples all foes hit.
• Signet of Judgment also deals damage to target and adjacent foes.
• Gale causes Exhaustion to the caster.
• Lightning Surge knocks down the foe after several seconds.
• Shock requires a touch and causes Exhaustion to the user.
• Earthquake and Dragon's Stomp knock down foes nearby and cause Exhaustion to the caster.
• Meteor and Meteor Shower knock down foes adjacent and cause Exhaustion.
• Grasping Was Kuurong knocks down nearby foes.
• Junundu Siege is a projectile skill which also deals earth damage.
• Junundu Tunnel knocks down adjacent foes when it ends.
• Ursan Rage causes a two second knockdown.
• Brawling Headbutt knocks down target touched foe.
• "You Move Like a Dwarf!" knocks down target foe and causes Cripple

The following skills inflict knock downs under certain conditions:

• Counter Blow knocks down the target if they are attacking.
• Heavy Blow knocks down the target if they have Weakness on them.
• Irresistible Blow, Griffon's Sweep and Leviathan's Sweep knocks down the opponent if blocked.
• Enraged Smash, "Coward!", Bull's Charge and Bull's Strike knocks down a moving foe.
• Shield Bash knocks down a foe the next time the caster is attacked with a melee skill.
• "None Shall Pass!" knocks down nearby moving foes.
• Bestial Pounce and Savage Pounce knock down foes if it hits them while they are casting a spell.
• Pounce knocks down the target if they are moving.
• Tripwire knocks down foes only if they are Crippled.
• Balthazar's Pendulum knocks down a foe if they try to knock down the target.
• Bane Signet knocks down the target if they are attacking.
• Shield of Judgment knocks down foes that attack the target.
• Psychic Instability causes the target to be knocked down if interrupting a spell.
• Gust knocks down the foe if they have an earth or water hex on them.
• Mind Shock knocks down the foe if they have less energy than the caster and causes Exhaustion to the caster.
• Whirlwind and Teinai's Wind knock down adjacent attacking foes.
• Churning Earth knocks down foes moving faster than normal.
• Slippery Ground knocks down moving or Blinded.
• Stoning knocks down foes suffering from Weakness.
• Unsteady Ground knocks down attacking foes.
• Water Trident knocks down moving foes.
• Horns of the Ox knocks down the target if no foes are adjacent to them.
• Iron Palm knocks down foes suffering from a hex or condition.
• Scorpion Wire knocks down a foe after the caster is a certain distance from them.
• Mark of Instability knocks down a foe if hit by a dual attack.
• Wastrel's Collapse knocks down foe if it was not using a skill.
• Trampling Ox knocks down a foe if he or she is Crippled, and must follow an off-hand attack.
• Entangling Asp knocks down foe (Must follow a lead attack).
• Wanderlust knocks down non-moving foes when struck.
• Choking Breath knocks down foes casting a spell for four seconds.
• Club of a Thousand Bears requires a non-human foe.

These skills knock down their user:

• Desperation Blow / Drunken Blow also inflict a random condition on target.
• Grapple also knocks down target and user loses all stances.
• Fleeting Stability knocks down if this skill lasts its full duration.
• Forceful Blow knocks down if blocked.

[edit] Skills that trigger on knocked down targets

• Crushing Blow causes a Deep Wound.
• Pulverizing Smash cause Weakness and a Deep Wound.
• Belly Smash causes AoE Blind.
• "On Your Knees!" recharges stances.
• "I Meant to Do That!" (on self) gives adrenaline.
• Steelfang Slash gives extra adrenaline.
• Lacerating Chop causes Bleeding.
• Brambles cause bleeding and 5 damage.
• Bestial Mauling causes Daze.
• Melandru's Shot causes bleeding and crippled.
• Supportive Spirit heals an ally for 5...29...35 if struck while knocked down.
• Holy Strike and Stonesoul Strike deal 10...46...55 extra damage against knocked down foes.
• Fetid Ground causes Poison.
• Aftershock does 10...56...68 more earth damage.
• Ash Blast causes Blindness.
• Bed of Coals causes Burning.
• Falling Spider causes Poison.
• Falling Lotus Strike gives energy.
• Lift Enchantment removes an enchantment.
• Awe causes Daze.
• Low Blow causes Cracked Armor.
• Junundu Bite gives 500 health.
• A Touch of Guile prevents the foe from attacking.