Blocking

"Block" redirects here. For the passive skill, see Block (passive skill).

Blocking is a means of preventing damage from enemy attacks by fending with a shield, staff or dual wielded weapons after Evasion and Dodge has failed. The base chance to block when using a shield (22 to 33%) or a staff (12 to 18%) is determined by the base item type. When dual wielding, the base chance to block is Template:SMW character query% no matter which weapons are used. Usually only attacks can be blocked, but there are passives and unique items that apply a percentage of block chance to spells. The chance to block attacks and spells are both capped at Template:SMW character query%.

Mechanics

Blocking an attack prevents all damage and harmful effects including status ailments. Reflected damage can be blocked; however, blocking reflected damage will not trigger on-block effects.

Block has the following stats: {{#ask:

-Has subobject::Character
|maximum_block_%
|?Has stat text=
|format=ul
|sort=Has stat text
|mainlabel=- 

}} The maximum block chance cap applies to both attacks and spells. However items such as The AnvilThe Anvil
Amber AmuletRequires Level 45+(20-30) to Strength(10-15)% Chance to Block Attack Damage
10% reduced Attack Speed
10% reduced Cast Speed
+(400-500) to Armour
(34-48) Life gained when you Block
(18-24) Mana gained when you Block
+3% to maximum Chance to Block Attack Damage
Reflects 240 to 300 Physical Damage to Attackers on BlockForge your Perseverance on the Anvil of Faith. can raise the maximum block cap.

Usually only attacks can be blocked, but there are passives and unique items that apply a percentage of block chance to spells. For example, the unique amulet Stone of LazhwarStone of Lazhwar
Lapis AmuletRequires Level 5+(20-30) to Intelligence(12-15)% Chance to Block Spell Damage
(15-20)% increased Cast Speed
+(40-70) to maximum ManaYou are slow, foolish and ignorant.
I am not. grants 50% of Block Chance applied to Spells. A character with 40% block chance would have 40% (attack) block chance and 20% spell block chance with the unique equipped.

Additional chance to block can be gained by taking certain passive skills, using Tempest Shield, equipping a shield with the modifier Local Additional Block Chance %, or equipping unique items such as The Bringer of RainThe Bringer of Rain
Nightmare BascinetArmour: (486-748)
Evasion: (699-1072)Requires Level 67, 62 Str, 85 DexSocketed Gems are Supported by Level 30 Melee Physical Damage
Socketed Gems are Supported by Level 30 Faster Attacks
Socketed Gems are supported by Level 30 Blind
6% Chance to Block Attack Damage
Adds 20 to 30 Physical Damage to Attacks
(200-300)% increased Armour and Evasion
+(200-300) to maximum Life
20% chance to gain an Endurance Charge when you Block
Can't use Chest armour
Extra gore"What lies beneath your feet?!"
"Sacred ground, watered with tears of blood!".

Block duration

"Block Recovery" redirects here. For the passive skill, see Block Recovery (passive skill).

When an attack is blocked, the game also calculates if the attack would have caused a stun were it not blocked. If it would have caused a stun, the blocking animation is played, stunning you briefly. If it would not have caused a stun, then you get a "free" block with no animation. Faster Block and Stun Recovery and Increased Block Recovery modifiers reduce the length of the blocking animation.

The following formula is the complete calculation for the duration of the blocking animation (in milliseconds). If you cannot be stunned, the block animation will never play.

$\color [rgb]{0.6392156862745098,0.5529411764705883,0.42745098039215684}{\begin{aligned}{\text{Block Duration}}&={{350} \over {1+{\text{Block and Stun Recovery}}+{\text{Block Recovery}}}}\end{aligned}}$

Status ailments have no affect on your block chance, but being frozen will prevent the block animation from playing if it otherwise would, and chilled will make it take longer to play (since those two work by decreasing the speed at which your character plays animations).

On hit effects from skills like and Viper Strike will still apply because block doesn't prevent a successful hit. However, skill effects based on damage like are essentially blocked.

Reducing Block chance

Block chance can be reduced with modifiers such as #% reduced Enemy Block Chance and the gem .

Skills that can't be blocked

Some skills cannot be blocked. They can be a nasty surprise for players who rely on blocking attacks or spells. The following damage sources cannot be blocked:

• Damage Over Time, for example: , , or .
• Secondary damage, for example: explosion (the attacks can be blocked, but explosions can come from terrain obstacles or minions).

Skills

{{#ask:

Concept:Skill gems
Has subobject.Has stat ids::~*block*
|?Has name
|?Has infobox HTML
|?Has support gem letter HTML
|?Has level requirement
|?Has strength percentage
|?Has intelligence percentage
|?Has dexterity percentage
|intro=A list of skill gems that relates to block.
|limit=1000
|link=none
|format=template
|introtemplate=SMW item table/skill gem/intro
|template=SMW item table/skill gem
|outrotemplate=SMW item table/skill gem/outro
|named args=yes
|userparam=level=yes, int=yes, dex=yes, str=yes
|sort=Has primary attribute, Has name

}}

Related Unique Items

A number of unique items give bonuses to block, either by directly granting additional block chance, or indirectly by enhancing it in various ways. Note: Only unique items with explicit block-related mods are listed here. Of course, all shields and staffs have implicit chance to block and they also apply on uniques, but they are not shown here.

Additional Block Chance

#invoke: Item table

Additional Block Chance while Dual Wielding

#invoke: Item table

Additional Spell Block Chance

#invoke: Item table

% of Block Chance applied to Spells

#invoke: Item table

Maximum Block Chance

#invoke: Item table

ES/Life/Mana gained on Block

#invoke: Item table

Block during flask effect

#invoke: Item table

Minion Block

#invoke: Item table

Miscellaneous

• Belt of the DeceiverBelt of the Deceiver
  Heavy BeltRequires Level 20+(25-35) to Strength(15-25)% increased Global Physical Damage
  You take 30% reduced Extra Damage from Critical Strikes
  +(30-40) to maximum Life
  +(10-15)% to all Elemental Resistances
  Nearby Enemies are IntimidatedIn battle, virtue matters not.
  Only victory.
• Cybil's PawCybil's Paw
  Thresher ClawClaw
  Physical Damage: 20-53
  Critical Strike Chance: 6.50%
  Attacks per Second: 1.30
  Weapon Range: 1.1 metresRequires Level 37, 53 Dex, 77 IntGrants 25 Life per Enemy Hit(15-20)% increased Cast Speed
  +(30-40) to maximum Mana
  Gain (15-20) Life per Enemy Hit with Spells
  8% increased Spell Damage per 5% Chance to Block Attack DamageTread lightly, lest their vigil find you.
  Speak softly, lest their reason fend you.
  Cut gently, lest their spirit haunt you.
• Fortified LegionFortified Legion
  Cobalt JewelLimited to: 1Minions have (5-15)% increased maximum Life
  Minions Recover 2% of their Life when they BlockWhen you throw iron weapons against an iron wall
  you only make the wall grow thicker.Place into an allocated Jewel Socket on the Passive Skill Tree. Right click to remove from the Socket.
• Lightbane RaimentLightbane Raiment
  Ornate RingmailArmour: (569-715)
  Energy Shield: (118-148)
  Movement Speed: -5%Requires Level 47, 69 Str, 69 Int(120-140)% increased Armour and Energy Shield
  30% of Physical Damage Converted to Chaos Damage
  Reflects 30 Chaos Damage to Melee Attackers
  25% reduced Light Radius
  100% chance to create Desecrated Ground when you Block
  Desecrated Ground deals 250 Chaos Damage per second (Hidden)
  Desecrated Ground has a radius of 16 (Hidden). . . and the Light faded and hope waned
  Zahndethus cast aside his faith
  and embraced the darkness.
• Titucius' SpanTitucius' Span
  Reinforced Tower ShieldChance to Block: 23%
  Armour: (379-468)
  Movement Speed: -3%Requires Level 30, 76 Str+(10-20) to maximum Life(60-80)% increased Armour
  +(30-50) to maximum Life
  -(80-50) Physical Damage taken from Projectile Attacks
  200% increased Armour against Projectiles
  +25% chance to Block Projectile Attack DamageA mighty bulwark, curved and strong
  A dauntless wall, against the throng
  All lance and arrow, knocked aside
  For rout of foe, for turn of tide.
• Zahndethus' CassockZahndethus' Cassock
  Sage's RobeEnergy Shield: (177-225)
  Movement Speed: -3%Requires Level 37, 104 IntAdds 1 to 40 Lightning Damage to Attacks
  (125-150)% increased Energy Shield
  +(40-50)% to Chaos Resistance
  25% increased Light Radius
  100% chance to create Consecrated Ground when you Block
  Consecrated Ground regenerates 6% Life per second (Hidden)
  Consecrated Ground has a radius of 18 (Hidden)When dead men rise and darkness falls
  Only faith can be your walls
  Walls of Light, not of brick
  Twice as strong and twice as thick

Passive skills

There are passive skills that grant blocking bonuses.

Chance to block with shields

These passive skills grant additional chance to block with a shield equipped.

Chance to block with staves

These passive skills grant additional chance to block with a staff equipped.

Chance to block while dual wielding

These passive skills grant additional chance to block while dual wielding.

Chance to block spells with shields

These passive skills grant additional chance to block spells with a shield equipped.

Chance to block for minions

These passive skills grant additional chance to block for minions.

Block recovery

These passive skills grant increased block recovery.

Ascendancy skills

The following Ascendancy class skills are related to blocking:

Version history

Version	Changes
1.3.0	Block chance has been reduced, replaced, or removed throughout the tree. Spell block in the Witch area has also been reduced slightly.