Area of effect



Area of effect refers to skills or other gameplay mechanics that affect creatures in a specific proximity to the target. Area of effect mechanics in Guild Wars have seven possible ranges.

Distances
From smallest to largest:


 * Adjacent to target
 * The standard area of effect for melee attacks, touch skills, and scythe radius. Skills that target others and say "adjacent" usually use this range instead. (The game often says a skill affects "target foe and adjacent foes.")


 * Adjacent
 * Roughly 1/9 the size of the aggro bubble, larger than melee/touch range, but smaller than nearby (2/3). Skills that target oneself use this version of adjacent. (The game often says a skill affects "foes adjacent to target.")


 * Nearby
 * Roughly 1/6 the size of the aggro bubble or 1.5x adjacent. (The game often says a skill affects foes "near the target.")


 * In the Area
 * Roughly 2/9 the size of the aggro bubble, exactly 2x adjacent, and the largest area of effect that any offensive spell currently has (e.g. Deep Freeze). Ward and well spells have this area of effect. (The game often says a skill affects foes "in this location or initial location.")


 * Earshot
 * Roughly the size of the aggro bubble, and the largest standard area of effect. Since the aggro bubble is drawn on the compass, it's easy to guess the range in the middle of action. Most shouts have this range, and most ritualist skills that require spirits specify that they must be within earshot.


 * Spirit range
 * All passive spirits (e.g. Life) affect an area of 2.7x the aggro bubble (unless otherwise specified) and about 3/5 the compass range. This covers a distance about the size of the compass center to halfway between the end of the aggro bubble and the compass' end. This also is the minimum distance at which any two spirits with the same name can coexist. (The game often says a skill affects all creatures "within range.")


 * Party area
 * The largest in the game, and only for skills that affect the whole party (e.g. Heal Party). It is just larger than the range of the compass. When party members who are too far away have their names turn gray in the party window, they are out of party range. This is also the maximum range in which enchantments can be maintained.