Death Penalty

Death Penalty

Campaign 

Core

Effect type 

Effect

You have been weakened by death.

Concise description

You have been weakened by death.

Definition

Death Penalty (DP) is an effect that decreases a character's maximum health and energy by 1-60%. It is acquired by dying and can be reduced by gaining experience, countered by Morale Boosts, or removed by consumables.

In Hard mode, Resurrection Shrines will not work if every party member has 60% Death Penalty; a wipe will return your team to the last town or outpost.

Acquisition

• Each time a character dies they suffer a 15% DP in post-Searing PvE and many PvP areas. Consecutive deaths stack, up to a maximum of 60%. Pets in PvP suffer DP, but not those in PvE.
• The monster skill Touch of Dhuum inflicts 15% Death Penalty.

Exceptions

Certain types of death never result in DP:

• Deaths in towns during Special events.
• Non-damage based PvE deaths due to game mechanics, e.g. due to Sulfurous Haze, crushing machines (e.g. in Sorrow's Furnace), or being hit by Boulders.
• Deaths in pre-Searing Ascalon.
• Deaths due to the effects of Vengeance, Unyielding Aura (PvP), "By Ural's Hammer!", or Death Pact Signet.
• Dying shortly after resurrection (5 seconds in PvP, 14 in PvE).
• Deaths in these PvP arenas or missions: The Crag, Alliance Battles, the Jade Quarry, and Fort Aspenwood.

Counters

Death Penalty can be removed, reduced, or countered in several ways.

Gameplay Mechanics

Death Penalty is reset

• when the party enters an outpost.
• when the party resigns, even if the resign doesn't move the party to an outpost.
• between PvP matches.

Death Penalty can be reduced by killing foes:

• In PvE, gaining 75 experience will remove 1% DP.
• In PvP, killing an enemy player removes 2% DP for each living teammate.

Morale Boosts

Morale boosts will counter the amount of Death Penalty. If the boost amount is greater than the penalty, the difference is added as a Morale Boost.

Skills

• Asuran Scan can remove 5% Death Penalty from the caster if its target dies while hexed with the skill.
• During The Nightman Cometh, players in Spirit Form can use Reversal of Death to remove 5% Death Penalty from another party member.

Consumables

These consumables will remove Death Penalty from the user:

• 15%: Refined Jelly, Shining Blade Rations, Wintergreen Candy Cane
• All DP: Peppermint Candy Cane

These consumables benefit the entire party:

• 5-15%: Four-Leaf Clover (amount is random and applies to the entire party)
• 15%: Oath of Purity
• All DP, adds 10% Morale Boost: Powerstone of Courage

Notes

The Guild Wars 2 Wiki has an article on Downed penalty.

• Although Morale Boosts are countered by Death Penalty, they are not strictly opposites:
  • Morale Boosts are capped at +10%, Death Penalty at -60%.
  • Gaining experience and certain consumables will remove Death Penalty, but will not provide or increase your Morale Boost.
• Death Penalty does not affect minions, spirits, or pets (with some exceptions), though pets can accumulate Death Penalty in PvP.