Status Effects

[Updated]

What Is A Status Effect?

Status or secondary effects refer to special affixes or effects that are triggered from specific combat mechanics. Secondary effects have a chance to apply from specific damage type elements, while Status effects come from specific interactions such as abilities. Many of these offer powerful and important advantages during combat for PvE and PvP alike, and can be used in more ways than one. While they are important, it should be noted that similarly to the Major/Minor system, most of these effects cannot stack with each other if they fall under the same category. Any time these effects apply while the target is already affected by them, they will either refresh or simply fail to work. The only exception to this rule are damaging Secondary Effects, which we’ll help discern in their descriptions!

What Do They Do?

In this section we’ll break down the different types of Status and Secondary Effects to explain what they exactly do when they’re applied to a character.

Status Effects

Crowd Controls/Disables

  • Off Balance – 5 second duration, causes target to take 70% bonus damage from the next Heavy Attack. Heavy Attacking or Power Lashing the target will cause them to be stunned. If the target is stunned, Off Balance will fade. If the target is failed to be stunned, Off Balance will persist. Has no cooldown on players and non boss NPC entities. Bosses will be immune to Off Balance for 15 seconds after the original application ends.
  • Stun – Varied durations. Causes all loss of character control, inability to move or be moved. Can be ended early by “Break Free/CC Break”, and occasionally purges. Has no cool down, unless target is CC Immune. Usually grants CC Immunity after ending (many Stuns applied by PvE mobs will not grant CC Immunity if they run their full duration). Most Stuns will be stopped if the target is Blocking.
  • Immobilization – Varied durations. Character is free to act, but unable to move from position. Still susceptible to Knock Backs and other CC’s. Cannot pivot during duration, has no cool down. Can be ended early by Dodge Rolling, applying Immobilization Immunities, or Purging.
  • Snare – Varied durations. Character movement is slowed by the listed value for the duration of the effect applied, and has no cool down. Can be ended early by applying Snare Immunities or Purging. Does not stack with other Snares; instead the highest snare value is applied.
  • Knock Down – Varied durations. A form of a Stun, visually different in the sense that your character is knock down on the ground. Has a longer recuperate animation than a normal Stun. Has no cool down if the target is not CC Immune. Can be broken early by Break Free. Grants CC Immunity after ending. Most Knock Downs will fail to apply if the target is Blocking.
  • Disorient – Varied durations. Lasts longer than most stuns, as this is a form of a stun that will break if the target affected takes Direct Damage (Damage over Time will not break it if it has already been applied). Has no cool down if the target is not CC Immune. Grants CC Immunity after ending. Ignores Block.
  • Fear – Varied durations. A form of a Stun, visually different in the sense that your character may run uncontrollably during the duration. Has no cool down if the target isn’t CC Immune, but usually grants CC Immunity if the full duration goes. Can be ended early by Breaking Free.
  • Knock Back – Varied durations. A form of a Stun, visually different in the sense that your character will be launched in a direction during the duration. Has no cool down if the target isn’t CC Immune, but usually grants CC Immunity if the effect ends. Can be ended early by Breaking Free, but you will remain unable to control your character until they land.
  • Pull – Duration based on distance. A form of a Stun, visually different in the sense that the target is launched to the target that initiated the pull. Cannot be ended early, but will fail to work if the target is CC Immune. Usually grants CC Immunity after the pull successfully completes. Will be stopped if the target is Blocking.

Debuffs

  • Taunt – Varied durations. Only works on NPCs (non player characters), but forces the target to attack the caster. Some targets will ignore Taunt completely, or special attacks will momentarily bypass it. If two players Taunt the same target, a unique mechanic will occur where if the target is taunted 3 times within 15 seconds, it will gain Taunt Immunity for 15 seconds, causing them to attack the target who has generated the most Hatred. If a Taunt is applied within that 15 second duration of Immunity, this will refresh the duration.
  • Blind – Varied durations. Causes affected targets to miss all non Damage over Time damage during the duration. Cannot be used on Elite or Boss level targets. Ignores CC Immunity.
  • Damage over Time – Varied durations. Causes damage to happen on timed intervals over the specified duration. Ignores Block, but will be affected by all Mitigation. Can be removed early by Purge.
  • Bleed – Varied durations. Causes Physical damage to happen on timed intervals over the specified duration. Ignores Block and Physical Resistance, but will be affected by flat Mitigation sources. Can be removed early by Purge.
  • Stealth Suppression – Varied durations. Prevents the target from entering Stealth or Invisibility during the duration.

Positive Status Effects

  • Bracing – Refers to Block. Reduces damage taken by 50% (can be increased via other means) at base, at the cost of draining Stamina. The base cost of block is 2160 Stamina (can be decreased via other means), but you will only be charged once every .25 seconds, regardless if you get hit more than once in that time frame. Often prevents CC from applying.
  • Snare Immunity – Varied durations. Prevents the target from being affected with Snares. Certain skills or armor sets can grant this effect.
  • Immobilization Immunity – Varied durations. Prevents the target from being affected with Immobilizes. Dodge Rolling grants a short duration of this, as well as other skills such as Forward Momentum.
  • Crowd Control Immunity / Immovable – Varied durations. Prevents the target from being affected with any form of Stun during the duration, except Disorients. CC Immunity is granted by Break Free, which lasts 7 seconds at base. Some Crowd Controls also grant CC Immunity if their full duration goes off uninterrupted. There are many other sources of this buff.
  • Reflect – Varied durations. Causes the target to reflect projectiles back at their caster. Some projectiles ignore this effect. Has no cool down.
  • Invisible – Varied durations. Causes the target to vanish from sight, making them untargetable for the duration, and making all projectiles or Damage over Time to miss. Can be ended early if the target takes Direct Damage, or is broken by vision or special skills.
  • Stealth – No duration. Causes the target to remain hidden from sight, making them untargetable while affected by this buff. The next Physical, Poison, or Disease Direct Damage attack made will be guaranteed to Critically Strike against any target. If this attack is made against an NPC, it will also gain a 250% bonus damage modifier. Stealth will be broken if the target is detected by vision, runs out of Stamina, or takes any form of Damage. Certain abilities also will remove targets from Stealth.
  • Dodge – 0.7 second duration if gained from Dodge Roll, no duration if gained from Evasion. Causes the target to avoid any damage from non Area of Effect attacks. Dodge Roll will prevent any damage from Direct Damage (some attacks ignore this, such as Power Lash) for 0.7s, while Evasion will cause you to dodge the attack it triggered from. Dodge Roll has a base cost of 3654 (there are ways to reduce this), and will increase by 33% every time you Dodge Roll again within 3 seconds of Dodge Rolling (no cap on cost increase). There is a 0.3 second cool down on Dodge Rolling, but there is no cool down on Evasion’s Dodges.
  • Purge – No duration. Causes the target to have Negative effects removed from their character, regardless of if they deal damage or not. Has no cool down.

Secondary Effects

  • Burning – 4 second duration. Deals Flame Damage upon application, and every two seconds (3 damage ticks every application if it runs the full duration). Has no cool down, and multiple sources will stack if applied. If the same source of Burning is applied while it is running, the duration will refresh. Can be removed early by Purge. Targets that are Burning take 20% bonus damage from Wall of Fire and its morphs. Targets that are weak to Flame Damage will have a chance to trigger Explosion, taking massive damage and becoming Stunned.
  • Chilled – 4 second duration. Deals Frost Damage upon application, and applies the Minor Maim effect for the duration, causing the target to deal 15% less Damage to all enemies. Has no cool down, but will refresh if applied again. Does not stack with other sources of Minor Maim. Targets that are weak to Frost Damage will have a chance to trigger Deep Freeze, taking massive damage and becoming Stunned and Immobilized.
  • Concussed – 4 second duration. Deals Shock Damage upon application, and applies the Minor Vulnerability effect for the duration, causing the target to take 8% increased damage from all sources. Has no cool down, but will refresh if applied again. Does not stack with other sources of Minor Vulnerability. Targets that are Concussed will be set Off Balance if taking damage from Wall of Lightning and its morphs. Targets that are weak to Shock Damage will have a chance to trigger Disintegrate, taking massive damage and becoming Stunned.
  • Befouled – 4 second duration. Deals Disease Damage upon application, and applies the Major Defile effect for the duration, causing the target to take 30% less Healing from all sources. Has no cool down, but will refresh if applied again. Does not stack with other sources of Major Defile. Targets that are weak to Disease Damage will have a chance to trigger Pestilence, taking massive damage and becoming Stunned.
  • Poisoned – 6 second duration. Deals Poison Damage upon application, and once every 2 seconds (4 total damage sources over the full duration). Has no cool down, and multiple sources will stack if applied. If the same source of Poisoned is applied while it is running, the duration will refresh. Targets that are weak to Poison Damage will have a chance to trigger Venomous, taking massive damage and becoming Stunned.

How Are The Applied?

Below is a list of how to apply some of these statuses. Keep in mind due to the size of the game, not every source will be listed.

Status Effects

Crowd Controls/Disables

  • Off Balance – Targets that attempt to Heavy Attack a Blocking target. Many skills will apply Off Balance if certain conditions are met. The Tactician passive from CP will also apply Off Balance to a target that attempts to attack a Dodging target.
  • Stun – Various skills. Some Heavy Attacks from NPC’s.
  • Immobilization – Various skills as well as some poisons.
  • Snare – Various skills as well as some poisons. Being attacked from behind. Being attacked from melee weapons (Dual Wield, Sword and Board, Two Handed). Being actively attacked with a gap closer skill.
  • Knock Down – Various skills. Some Heavy Attacks from NPC’s.
  • Disorient – Various skills. Targets that attempt to Heavy Attack a Blocking target.
  • Fear – Various skills.
  • Knock Back – Various skills. Some Heavy Attacks from NPC’s.
  • Pull – Various skills.

Debuffs

  • Taunt – Puncture and its morphs. Inner Fire and its morphs. Using a Charge ability while actively wearing 5 pieces of the Tormentor set.
  • Blind – Various NPC exclusive skills. Actively wearing 5 pieces of the Blessing of Meridia set.
  • Damage over Time – Various abilities.
  • Bleed – Twin Slashes and its morphs. Cleave and its morphs. Twin Blade and Blunt and Heavy Weapons passives while actively using an Axe or Great Axe. Pillar of Nirn and Twin Sisters item sets.
  • Stealth Suppression – Magelight and its morphs. Expert Hunter and its morphs. Soul Strike and its morphs. Revealing Flare and its morphs. Special NPC skills.

Positive Status Effects

  • Bracing – Actively holding Block. Shield Wall and its morphs.
  • Snare Immunity – Shuffle and Forward Momentum skills. Mist Form and its morphs.
  • Immobilization Immunity – Dodge Rolling. Shuffle and Forward Momentum skills. Mist Form and its morphs.
  • Crowd Control Immunity / Immovable – Break Free. Immovable potions and poisons. Immovable skill. Mist Form and its morphs.
  • Reflect – Defensive Posture and Stance. Spell Wall. Reflective Scale and its morphs.
  • Invisible – Invisible potions and poisons. Shadow Cloak and its morphs. Consuming Darkness and its morphs’ synergy.
  • Stealth – Remaining undetected while in the Crouch position.
  • Dodge – Dodge Rolling. Major and Minor Evasion.
  • Purge – Blue Betty Netch. Purge and its morphs. Cleansing Ritual and its morphs, as well as its synergy.

Secondary Effects

Secondary Effects have a passive chance to apply from their respective Damage type. Below is an official record from Zenimax Online Studios on the chances.

Weapon enchants 20%
Standard ability 10%
Area of effect abilities 5%
Damage over time abilities 3%
Area of effect damage over time abilities 1%

Outdated

You can increase some of these chances with the Charged weapon trait (220% bonus at gold rating on a 2 handed weapon, 110% on a 1 handed weapon), the Elemental Force passive (100% bonus), and/or the Glacial Presence passive (200% bonus). Keep in mind some of these sources may only refer to specific Secondary Effects. These bonuses are additive, meaning if you have a 220% bonus and 100% bonus, it will be a 320% bonus. This rating applies to the chance of all ways. For example, a 320% bonus will make your Weapon enchant’s 20% go to 84%. Obtained from; 0.2 + (0.2 x 3.2)

  • Burning – Any Flame Damage. Affected by the Charged Trait and Elemental Force passive. Cannot trigger from Flame staff Light or Heavy Attacks.
  • Chilled – Any Frost Damage. Affected by the Charged Trait as well as the Elemental Force and Glacial Presence passives. Cannot trigger from Ice staff Light or Heavy Attacks.
  • Concussed – Any Shock Damage. Affected by the Charged Trait and Elemental Force passive. Cannot trigger from Lightning staff Light or Heavy Attacks. However, the splash damage from the Tri Focus passive can trigger this.
  • Befouled – Any Disease Damage. Affected by the Charged Trait.
  • Poisoned – Any Poison Damage. Affected by the Charged Trait.