Mastering Downed State In PvP

Introduction

A guide explaining all you need to know about downed state in PvP, from core mechanics to profession specific tips and tricks.

Basics

First let's go over some game mechanics and common tactics.

Restoring downed health counts as healing, even if you use skills like Signet of Mercy or Signet of Undeath. As such it's affected by Poison and other healing reduction effects. Rez skills that claim to rally allies actually just restore a large chunk of downed health all at once, and if the poisoned target was too low then the rez skill alone won't be enough to get them back up.

Most CC skills don't work on downed enemies. Launch is an exception, this makes skills like Banish quite powerful because it allows the player to push enemies off of capture points and let them bleed out. It's quite good at disrupting revive attempts too - even if the people reviving the downed have Stability this boon doesn't work on downed players, so instead of pushing the revivers away you can launch the downed far into the distance and force their team to run after them.

Stealth prevents stomp attempts but only if the target doesn't get revealed.

Downed enemies appear on your minimap in PvP, even in stealth.

Bleeding out enemies is a common PvP tactic, this refers to the act of leaving downed enemies alive after a fight to die slowly, delaying their respawn.

Sometimes getting stomped isn't a bad thing and you should let it happen. People often don't realize that leaving you to slowly bleed out would benefit them and instinctively try to finish you. If you don't see any hope for getting saved by your team and you're not laying on a capture point then don't try to interrupt the stomp, they're doing you a favor by speeding up your respawn.

Professions And Their Counters

Each profession has tools at their disposal to fight for their survival while downed. Most of them are CC skills, those are the easiest ones to counter.

In the table below you'll find what counters which profession.

	Stability / Blind / Aegis / Invuln.	Stealth	Bodyblocking	Anti-projectile	Teleport / Reveal	Double teleport
Elementalist
Engineer	✅	✅	✅	✅		✅
Guardian	✅					✅
Necromancer	✅	✅				✅
Ranger	✅	✅				✅
Revenant	✅	✅	✅			✅
Warrior	✅	✅	✅	✅		✅
Mesmer					✅
Thief					✅

Notes:

In a way Stealth stomping could counter everything, because you can't outplay what you can't see. In this guide we're mainly talking about scenarios where stealth lasts about 2-4 seconds and the downed player saw the other player enter stealth, which means they can anticipate the stomp and react accordingly.

Stealth, bodyblocking and anti-projectile skills only work on the Engineer's Grappling Line but not Booby Trap.

Rangers with the right pets could interrupt stealth stomps as well.

Aegis isn't the only instant block that can be used to secure a stomp, but we use this as an example because it's the most widely available non-channeled block in the game, and one that can also be shared with allies in some cases. Other blocking skills that don't have cast times such as Shield of Wrath can fill the same role.

Double teleport (potentially) counters most professions. We say "potentially" because technically every profession could sabotage this type of finisher if their timing is absolutely perfect, but that doesn't happen very often.

Double teleports are skills or skill combinations that reposition your character far from the downed enemy without breaking the channeling of the stomp, then return you to your original position at the last moment to finish off the downed.

Elementalist

Stomping an enemy Elementalist:

• There's not much you can do here, their Vapor Form allows them to go invulnerable and travel around for a few seconds. They get to avoid any stomp attempt. Best advice is to start cleaving or stomping as soon as possible to quickly force out the Vapor Form, after that they're a free kill.

Downed tips for Elementalist players:

• Running away with Vapor Form could counter every stomp and cleave attempt. You even get to pass through gates like the ones in the base on Foefire where you should be safe to self-rez with Bandage. It's even possible to take Mesmer/Thief portals to safety.
• After building distance with Vapor Form Grasping Earth's immob could buy you a few extra seconds by snaring enemies who are trying to reach you.
• If the enemy team wants to bleed you out use Vapor Form to move back to the capture point, forcing them to deal with you sooner. If they left you behind thinking you'll bleed out you could even neutralize or take the empty capture point by moving back onto it.

Stomping others as an Elementalist:

• Eles have a lot of anti-projectile skills like Swirling Winds, Magnetic Wave and Magnetic Aura.
• Mist Form could cover the entire stomp animation, but you have to start stomping BEFORE you use this skill.
• Plenty of Stability access makes life easier for Eles.
• Scepter builds with Blinding Flash or any ele build with Signet of Air could negate downed CC.
• Lightning Flash is good for porting after Thieves and Mesmers.

Engineer

Stomping an enemy Engineer:

• They are the only profession to have 2 downed CC skills. The first one which is available right away is a ranged pull called Grappling Line. Their character pulls their right hand back as they charge up the skill, that's your sign to dodge if you can't negate the attack.
• Booby Trap, the second CC becomes available after being downed for a few seconds. This is an AoE knockback. Animation: they raise their right hand towards the sky.
• Stability counters both and so does Blind (if your timing is good) but invulnerabilities like Mist Form are the safest. Grappling Line could also be shut down with Swirling Winds or any other anti-projectile skill. If you don't waste any time then they don't get to use their Booby Trap, but if they live long enough to use it then the projectile denial won't be enough.
• Double teleports could work but Grappling Line is ranged so there's a chance they could snipe you and interrupt the cast.
• Stealth might work on Grappling Line but not Booby Trap, and even with Grappling Line you should be behind the target to avoid them getting lucky with a random Grappling they throw forward.

Downed tips for Engineer players:

• Spamming the auto works well enough when it comes to denying cleave attempts as the autos could inflict Weakness.
• Having 2 CCs is quite strong in most cases.
• If they're trying to leave you behind to bleed you could try pulling them back with Grappling Line and then hit them with a Booby Trap right as they're about to get up. From then on keep spamming autos hoping for Chill applications to make them travel slower.

Finishing others as an Engineer:

• Many Engi builds have access to Stealth, those with Elixir S have both stealth and an invulnerability. Elixir S must be used AFTER beginning the stomp.
• Mechanist players could use the Mech to bodyblock Revenants, Warriors and other Engineers.
• Scrapper players might have Defense Field against projectiles and CC and they always have Function Gyro for remote stomping/rezing.
• Elixir U is available to all Engineers.
• Flamethrower builds could use Smoke Vent for instant AoE Blind.

Guardian

Stomping an enemy Guardian:

• Downed AoE CC skill Wave of Light is available to them right away. Animation: they raise their right hand towards the sky.
• Stability and invulnerabilities are a safe bet.
• Blind and double teleports work with proper timing.
• Their downed skill #3 is an AoE rez with multiple pulses. Not a major threat on its own but could make it easier for their allies to pick them up, and stomping them while they have high enough downed HP could give them enough time to self-rez.

Downed tips for Guardian players:

• Against Blind stomps you could use Symbol of Judgment's pulses to eat the blind and time Wave of Light to go off right after the symbol deals damage, securing the AoE interrupt. This tactic is quite useful when sitting in a Black Powder for example.
• Stealth stomps are easy enough to disrupt with your AoE CC.
• Being an AoE CC you could interrupt teleport stomps with Wave of Light if your timing is good enough. For this you might need to start casting the skill a split second before they port back to you. If you're able to see the stomp in the distance or count the seconds then you might be able to anticipate it.
• If there's any chance of allies reviving you always use Symbol of Judgment the moment it becomes available.

Stomping others as a Guardian:

• Every Guardian should have some access to Aegis and sometimes even other instant blocking skills like Shield of Wrath.
• Most Guardians have Stability from Virtue #3 or some other source.
• Core Guardians with the Radiance specialization have an instant AoE blind on the active of Virtue of Justice.
• Builds with Judge's Intervention could port after Thieves and Mesmers.

Mesmer

Stomping an enemy Mesmer:

• Mesmers have a teleport skill that gives them Stealth and summons a clone.
• The clone appears before they leave stealth, so always stomp the Mesmer that appears second - they're the real one.
• This one's a bit tricky but if you have an instant teleport skill that's either ground targeted or takes you right to the target like Steal then with proper timing you could stomp them. Applying Revealed could also help because it denies their stealth access even if they teleport away.
• To efficiently stomp a Mesmer you must begin stomping, interrupt your own cast about halfway through by sidestepping then start stomping again. With a little luck they fell for your first attempt and used their Deception right as you begin the second stomp. Deception's stealth duration is 2 seconds, stomping takes more than 3 seconds, you'll have about 1 second to locate the downed Mesmer coming out of stealth and teleport close enough that your stomp connects. You mustn't move during the second stomp!
• Honestly just cleave them, stomping almost certainly isn't worth it but hey, if you like a challenge you could try.
• Be careful with their downed skill #3, Phantasmal Rogue hits like a truck. If you're below ~7k HP you should definitely dodge this Phantasm just to be safe.

Downed tips for Mesmer players:

• Try to teleport out of the range of the stomp because the stealth on Deception is shorter than the stomp animation, if you reappear in range then you'll get stomped all the same even if you ported.
• Deception is ground targeted, you could get closer to allies, escape to the highground or just get out of harm's way in general.
• Phantasmal Rogue does a ton of damage, it could even force enemies into downed state. Blind however prevent the Phantasm from being summoned, so if you're blinded then do an autoattack first to get rid of it. While the condition UI is hidden you can spot the blind from the visuals at the edges of your screen and the smoke around the eyes of your character.
• If you're not far from the capture point and they want to bleed you out as they cap use Deception to teleport back onto the node. This will force them to finish you off, speeding up your respawn.

Stomping others as a Mesmer:

• Every Mesmer has Distortion, even just a second of it is enough to avoid CC.
• Many Mesmer builds have access to Stealth.
• Feedback shuts down Warrior and Engineer CC skills.
• Mesmers with Bountiful Disillusionment could use any shatter skill for some Stability.
• Melee clones could be used to bodyblock.
• Mirage players can dodge CC while stomping.

Necromancer

Stomping an enemy Necromancer:

• Their downed CC isn't very dangerous, long cast time and obvious animation (black symbol above their head, raised right arm).
• Easy to stomp with Stability, Blind, Stealth and invulnerabilities.
• Blind and double teleports work with proper timing.
• The real danger here isn't even their CC but the damage. Skill #1 Life Leech makes them quite durable as they steal health while channeling. The damage is quite good too, so stomping them on low HP may not be the best idea, even if you have Stability or a single Blind for their CC. It gets even more rough once they can use their #3 which is Fetid Ground. This is a pulsing AoE that scales well with both Power and Condition damage and they get to keep channeling Life Leech on top of it. The Poison even impacts your incoming healing.
• TL;DR don't stomp a Necro on low HP unless you can avoid most of their damage, and even cleaving could be problematic. Sometimes after a 1v1 it's smarter to block line of sight so they can neither damage nor heal with Life Leech until you manage to recover some health.

Downed tips for Necromancer players:

• With skill retargeting enabled and a little luck you could interrupt stealth stomps. Start casting Fear without a target and hope that you're about the click on the reappearing enemy at the last moment.
• In terms of damage Necromancers have some of the most threatening downed abilities.
• Life Leech and Fetid Ground are amazing when it comes to downed 1v1s too. You should be able to beat anyone except maybe a downed Ranger or a Warrior who uses Vengeance.
  • Against Mesmers and Thieves you might want to wait with Fetid Ground until after they teleport to a new location.
• While Life Leech makes you more durable, sometimes it's best to stop using it. As this skill heals you it effectively delays your respawn, so if a fight is lost and you can't contribute to a kill then there's no point in healing yourself.

Stomping others as a Necromancer:

• Reapers have Stability on shroud #3.
• The combination of Summon Flesh Wurm and Spectral Walk allows for teleport stomping. Make sure that you have an active Flesh Wurm somewhere far away before you start.
• Start the stomp ⇒ cast Spectral Walk ⇒ Necrotic Traversal ⇒ teleport back with Spectral Recall near the very end of the stomp animation.
• Builds with Corrosive Poison Cloud could stomp projectile users freely.
• Well of Darkness could be used to Blind downed enemies.

Ranger

Stomping an enemy Ranger:

• Rangers have arguably the strongest downed toolkit in the game: an AoE CC, an insanely good self-rez and even full control over their pets.
• It's best to stomp them as soon as possible and don't even try to bleed them.
• Stability and invulnerabilities are the best bets here.
• Blind could work with proper timing but you might need more than 1, as they might use their pets for extra CC.
• Stealth sometimes works but certain pets like Wolf with their AoE Fear could interrupt you even then.
• Double teleport can work if you can outrange Thunderclap (ranger) and time it well.

Downed tips for Ranger players:

• On most builds your biggest asset isn't even your downed bar but your pet. Despite the pet UI being hidden while downed you have full control over your pet, from skills to pet swapping.
• Your goal is to survive until Lick Wounds becomes available, which could easily rez you without any help from teammates. For this you need to pace out your pet CC skills and Thunderclap (ranger), interrupting stomps right at the end or disrupting hard hitting abilities when you're getting cleaved.
• It's worth pet swapping right before using Lick Wounds unless your pet was dead. The only way to cancel this skill is to kill your pet so you want your pet to be at max health. Starting the skill revives your pet if he was dead, but doesn't heal ones that were simply already low HP.
• With Smokescale you might even be able to Stealth yourself if you have the trait Clarion Bond. All you need to do is make the Smokescale drop a Smoke Cloud then swap to your other pet which should trigger a blast finisher proc.

Stomping others as a Ranger:

• With Smokescale and Leap/Blast finishers you could combo Stealth to cover the stomp.
• Some builds might have access to Stability, for instance Wilderness Survival builds with Shared Anguish.
• You could use your pet to bodyblock Engineer, Revenant and Warrior CC skills.

Revenant

Stomping an enemy Revenant:

• Their autoattack is mildly annoying when you're cleaving because of the Slow but it doesn't affect stomping. Anti-projectile skills can negate the autos.
• They only have a single target CC. Animation: they slowly raise their right hand to make a pushing gesture.
• Stability, Blind, Stealth, bodyblocking, invulnerabilities and double port all work against them.

Downed tips for Revenant players:

• Autoattack spam can delay cleave attempts.
• Skill #3 Vengeful Blast is an AoE damage ring that closes in on you. If you're Blinded you could time Forceful Displacement to go off a split second after Vengeful Blast so that VB eats the blind and your CC connects to the target.
• Forceful Displacement is a decent CC, you might want to look around for an ideal target even if you can't stop the stomp. Pushing enemies off the highground or just away in general could help your teammates survive a bit longer.

Stomping others as a Revenant:

• Herald players with Glint could prevent Mesmers and Thieves from entering stealth with Gaze of Darkness. While Revenants can't port after them, with this they can help allies stomp or cleave. The skill also applies Blind to negate downed CC.
• Legendary Dwarf Stance has plenty of Stability.

Thief

Stomping an enemy Thief:

• Their autoattacks aren't too dangerous most of the time, but Deadly Arts could buff it especially for condition thieves. Anti-projectile skills could shut down the damage.
• Thieves get to use Shadow Escape to teleport away and move out of stomping range.
• Instant teleport skills and good timing is the only thing that works here. You must use something like Judge's Intervention to teleport after them while channeling the stomp, and you must port AFTER they use Shadow Escape which is instant cast. Sometimes your window here is less then 0.1 second. This is kind of easy with teleport skills that target enemies, but with ground targeted ones like Blink there's some luck involved too.
• If they survive long enough to use skill #3 Smoke Bomb (thief) they get to Stealth themselves, interrupting the stomp that way.
• They're rather squishy so usually you're better off going for the cleave instead of trying to get the stomp.

Downed tips for Thief players:

• Wait until the very end of the stomp to use your teleport and aim for max range. Try not to give them any chance to port after you. Same goes for Smoke Bomb (thief), use the stealth at the very last moment of the stomp.
• Using Smoke Bomb (thief) first and the teleport second is great for shaking off attackers - your allies could get to you while your enemies look for you.
• Try to find a spot with Shadow Escape that's on a different terrain level, forcing enemies to go around or blow CDs. Alternatively teleport to the capture point to deny bleed attempts.

Stomping others as a Thief:

• Builds with Off-hand Pistol are notoriously good at securing stomps by dropping Black Powder on downed enemies. This can help allies too and not just the caster. To make things even safer consider adding a Leap or Blast finisher to the mix for Stealth stacking.
• Most builds could find a way to utilize stealth or blind.
• Smoke Screen works very much like Black Powder but is even better, as SS destroys projectiles.
• You get to port after Mesmers and other Thieves with Steal.
• Shadowstep is very convenient for teleport stomping. Start the stomp ⇒ Shadowstep away ⇒ Shadow Return near the end of the cast. This significantly reduces the chance of getting interrupted or cleaved down during the process.
• Daredevil players could finish off enemies with the Impact Strike chain, but this elite is rarely used.

Warrior

Stomping an enemy Warrior:

• Skills 1-2 are probably the worst across all professions.
• Their damage is low and everything works against them: Stability, Blind, Stealth, bodyblocking, invulnerabilities, projectile hate and even double port.

Downed tips for Warrior players:

• Your only downed CC is Hammer Toss, a slow moving projectile with a long cast time and terrible travel arc. You're kind of screwed unless they walk up to you and take zero precautions. This skill only ever hits in point-blank range and is easily shut down.
• Vengeance is very situational, it's not something you should always use. Fail to get a kill and you've just delayed your respawn by 15 seconds. It prevents capture point contribution too so in Conquest enemies could leave you behind and there's no way for you to contribute anything for those 15 seconds. Vengeance can be good however, for instance in downed 1v1s where you can get up and finish off the other person, or in teamfights where there's are downed enemies and your death would rally them. In that case get up, deal with them and hope for a rally.

Stomping others as a Warrior:

• Plenty of Warrior builds have access to Stability, you could even consider sacrificing a Rampage just to secure a kill this way.
• Battle Standard is one of the most powerful downed control tools in the game, capable of finishing multiple enemies and reviving several allies with one cast. Note: this skill delivers a "strike", if you are Blinded or the target receives Aegis then the stomp won't work.
• This is very niche and requires perfect timing but the utility skill Stomp could help allies finish off enemies. This CC works on downed targets and is able to interrupt their skill by sending them flying. Eventually they are going to leave the range of an allied stomp attempt, but if you time it just right near the end of the channeling then they'll be finished before they'd get launched too far. If you see a downed enemy attempting to use a CC on an ally who's near the end of their finishing move then you could try launching them towards your ally and hope they get the stomp in time.

Self-rez

On some professions it's possible to revive yourself entirely on your own without the help of allies, and we're not talking about Bandage here.

Elementalists who use Glyph of Renewal on Fire will be revived if they go down within 15 seconds.

Engineers could throw Toss Elixir R at their own location just before they go down in an attempt to rez themselves.

Rangers with the Druid elite specialization can do the same with Glyph of the Stars when used in Celestial Avatar.