Fail

When a non-attack skill fails, its activation is disrupted, it recharges instantly and the skill cost (adrenaline, energy, overcast, health sacrifice) used on its activation is lost. Unlike interruption and knock down, there are currently no effects which prevent skill failure. Some skills also have a chance to fail if the user does not have a certain attribute at a high enough rank.

When an attack skill fails, it recharges instantly and does not count as a successful attack. However, many negative effects, like Empathy, will count failed attack skills as successful attacks. Off-hand and dual attacks fail if their requirement are not met; Earth Shaker and Yeti Smash have a chance to fail if the user does not have at least 5 Hammer Mastery.

Skill failure also occurs if the target of a skill dies during the activation of that skill (excluding some AoE skills, see the section below). Attack skills failing in this way fail like non-attack skills. The Loose Magic environment effect also causes skill failure.

See also: Disable, Interrupt, Knock down, Shutdown

Skills that cause skill failure

Icon	Name	Description						Prof.	Attribute	Campaign
	"Can't Touch This!"	Shout. (20 seconds.) The next 1...4...5 touch-range skill[s] used against allies [sic] within earshot fail[s].	0	5	0	20		paragona	CommandZ	Nightfall
	"Can't Touch This!" (PvP)	Shout. (20 seconds.) The next 1...4...5 touch-range skill[s] used against you fail[s].	0	5	0	20		paragona	CommandZ	Nightfall
	Aegis (PvP)	Enchantment Spell. (1...3...3 seconds). Target party member cannot be targeted by hostile spells. Attacks against this party member fail. Cannot self-target.	0	10	0.25¼	30		monka	Protection PrayersZ	Core
	Guilt	Hex Spell. (6 seconds.) Target foe's next spell fails and you steal 5...12...14 Energy. No effect unless this foe's spell targets one of your allies.	0	5	2	25		mesmera	Domination MagicZ	Prophecies
	Hex Breaker	Stance. (5...65...80 seconds.) The next hex against you fails and the caster takes 10...39...46 damage.	0	5	0	15		mesmera	Domination MagicZ	Core
	Mark of Subversion	Hex Spell. (6 seconds.) Target foe's next spell fails and you steal 10...76...92 Health. No effect unless this foe's spell targeted one of its allies.	0	10	2	30		necromancera	Blood MagicZ	Prophecies
	Mistrust	Hex Spell. (6 seconds.) The next spell that target foe casts on one of your allies fails and deals 10...82...100 damage to target and nearby foes.	0	10	2	12		mesmera	Domination MagicZ	Nightfall
	Mistrust (PvP)	Hex Spell. (6 seconds.) The next spell that target foe casts on one of your allies fails and deals 10...62...75 damage to target and nearby foes.	0	10	2	12		mesmera	Domination MagicZ	Nightfall
	Riot Shield	Stance. (10 seconds.) You have a 100% chance to block attacks. Spells targeting you fail. Ends if you move.	0	5	0	25		a	Z	Core
	Shadow Form (PvP)	Elite Enchantment Spell. (5...13...15 seconds.) Hostile spells targeting you fail, and attacks against you miss. End effect: lose all but 5...41...50 Health.	0	10	1	60		assassina	Shadow ArtsZ	Factions
	Shame	Hex Spell. (6 seconds.) Target foe's next spell fails and you steal 5...12...14 Energy. No effect unless this foe's spell targeted one of its allies.	0	10	2	30		mesmera	Domination MagicZ	Prophecies

Skills that can fail at low attribute rank

Icon	Name	Description						Prof.	Attribute	Campaign
	Charm Animal (Codex)	Skill. Your animal companion will travel with you whenever you have Charm Animal equipped. Failure unless Beast Mastery 8 or higher.	0	10	10	0		rangera	Beast MasteryZ	Core
	Dark Fury	Enchantment Spell. Enchants party members (5 seconds). These party members gain one strike of adrenaline each time they hit with an attack. 50% failure chance unless Blood Magic 5 or more.	17%	10	0.75¾	5		necromancera	Blood MagicZ	Prophecies
	Earth Shaker	Elite Hammer Attack. Knocks down target and adjacent foes. 50% failure chance unless Hammer Mastery is 5 or more.	8	0	0	0		warriora	Hammer MasteryZ	Prophecies
	Gale	Spell. Causes knock-down. 50% failure chance unless Air Magic 5 or more.	10	10	1	5		elementalista	Air MagicZ	Core
	Lyssa's Haste	Flash Enchantment Spell. (3...13...15 seconds.) Your Dervish enchantments recharge 33% faster. Initial Effect: interrupts all adjacent foes. End Effect: interrupts all adjacent foes. 50% failure chance unless Wind Prayers 5 or higher.	0	10	0	15		dervisha	Wind PrayersZ	Nightfall
	Lyssa's Haste (PvP)	Flash Enchantment Spell. (3...13...15 seconds.) Your Dervish enchantments recharge 33% faster. Initial Effect: interrupts all adjacent foes. End Effect: interrupts all adjacent foes. 50% failure chance unless Wind Prayers 5 or higher.	0	10	0	25		dervisha	Wind PrayersZ	Nightfall
	Oath Shot	Elite Bow Attack. Recharges all skills except Oath Shot if it hits. Disables all skills if it misses (10 seconds). 50% miss chance unless Expertise 8 or higher.	0	10	0	25		rangera	ExpertiseZ	Prophecies
	Plague Signet	Elite Signet. Transfers all conditions with 100...180...200% of their remaining durations from yourself to target foe. 50% failure chance unless Curses 5 or more.	0	0	1	4		necromancera	CursesZ	Core
	Psychic Instability	Elite Spell. Interrupts an action. Interruption effect: if the action is a skill, cause knockdown for 2...4...4 seconds on target foe and all nearby foes. 50% failure chance unless Fast Casting 5 or higher.	0	5	0.25¼	12		mesmera	Fast CastingZ	Factions
	Psychic Instability (PvP)	Elite Spell. Interrupts an action. Interruption effect: if the action is a skill, causes knockdown for 2...3...3 seconds on target foe and all adjacent foes. 50% failure chance unless Fast Casting 5 or higher.	0	5	0.25¼	12		mesmera	Fast CastingZ	Factions
	Signet of Binding	Signet. You lose 200...80...50 Health. Gain control of target enemy-controlled spirit. 50% failure chance unless Spawning Power 5 or more.	0	0	2	15		ritualista	Spawning PowerZ	Nightfall
	Slippery Ground	Spell. Causes knock-down if this foe is Blind or moving. Affects foes adjacent to your target. 50% failure chance unless Water Magic greater than 4.	0	5	1	10		elementalista	Water MagicZ	Eye of the North
	Slippery Ground (PvP)	Spell. Causes knock-down if this foe is Blind or moving. 50% failure chance unless Water Magic 5 or higher.	0	5	1	20		elementalista	Water MagicZ	Eye of the North
	Unyielding Aura (PvP)	Elite Enchantment Spell. Resurrects target party member (full Health, full Energy). End effect: this ally dies and leaves an exploited corpse. Does not incur a death penalty. 50% failure chance unless Divine Favor 5 or more.	-1	5	3	15		monka	Divine FavorZ	Prophecies
	Verata's Aura	Enchantment Spell. (120...264...300 seconds.) Become master of all hostile undead servants in the area. End effect: your undead servants become masterless. 50% failure chance unless Death Magic 5 or more.	33%	15	0.75¾	30		necromancera	Death MagicZ	Prophecies
	Verata's Gaze	Spell. Make target undead servant masterless. If it is already masterless, you become its master. 50% failure chance unless Death Magic 5 or more.	0	5	1	5		necromancera	Death MagicZ	Prophecies
	Well of the Profane	Well Spell. (8...18...20 seconds.) Foes in this well lose all enchantments and cannot be the target of further enchantments. Exploits a fresh corpse. 50% failure chance unless Death Magic 5 or more.	0	25	3	10		necromancera	Death MagicZ	Core
	Yeti Smash	Hammer Attack. Attack all adjacent foes. Knocks down foes suffering from a condition. You lose all adrenaline. 50% failure chance unless Hammer Mastery is 5 or more.	6	0	0	0		warriora	Hammer MasteryZ	Factions

Skills that don't fail when target foe dies during activation

Icon	Name	Description						Prof.	Attribute	Campaign
	Breath of Fire	Spell. Deals 10...34...40 fire damage each second (5 seconds). Hits foes adjacent to target's initial location.	10	5	2	10		elementalista	Fire MagicZ	Factions
	Celestial Storm	Skill. Deals 40 damage of each elemental type each second (15 seconds). Hits all foes in the area of target's initial location.	0	0	1	morale boost		elementalista	Z	Factions
	Churning Earth	Spell. Deals 10...34...40 earth damage each second (5 seconds). Hits foes near target's initial location. Causes knock-down to foes moving faster than normal.	0	15	2	30		elementalista	Earth MagicZ	Factions
	Deep Freeze	Hex Spell. Also hexes foes in the area of your target (10 seconds). These foes move 66% slower. Initial effect: deals 10...70...85 cold damage.	0	25	2	15		elementalista	Water MagicZ	Core
	Defile Enchantments	Spell. Deals 6...49...60 damage to target and nearby foes. Deals 4...17...20 more damage for each enchantment on them.	0	10	2	15		necromancera	CursesZ	Factions
	Desecrate Enchantments	Spell. Deals 6...49...60 damage to target and nearby foes. Deals 4...17...20 more damage for each enchantment on them.	0	10	2	15		necromancera	CursesZ	Prophecies
	Dragon's Stomp	Spell. Deals 26...85...100 earth damage. Causes knock-down. Also hits foes near this foe.	10	25	3	15		elementalista	Earth MagicZ	Factions
	Earthquake	Spell. Deals 26...85...100 earth damage. Also hits foes near target. Causes knock-down.	10	25	3	15		elementalista	Earth MagicZ	Prophecies
	Eruption	Spell. Deals 10...34...40 earth damage each second (5 seconds). Hits foes near target's initial location. Inflicts Blindness condition (10 seconds).	0	25	2	30		elementalista	Earth MagicZ	Prophecies
	Feast of Corruption	Elite Spell. Deals 16...67...80 damage to target and adjacent foes. Steal 8...34...40 Health from each hexed foe.	0	15	2	20		necromancera	CursesZ	Prophecies
	Fire Storm	Spell. Deals 5...29...35 fire damage each second (10 seconds). Hits foes adjacent to target's initial location.	0	10	2	20		elementalista	Fire MagicZ	Core
	Fireball	Spell. Projectile: deals 7...91...112 fire damage to target and adjacent foes.	0	10	1.51½	7		elementalista	Fire MagicZ	Core
	Ice Spikes	Hex Spell. Also hexes foes adjacent to target (2...5...6 seconds). These foes move 66% slower. Initial effect: deals 20...68...80 cold damage.	0	15	1.51½	10		elementalista	Water MagicZ	Core
	Icicles	Hex Spell. Deals 75 cold damage to target and adjacent foes. These foes move 66% slower (5 seconds).	0	0	2	25		elementalista	Z	Core
	Maelstrom	Spell. Deals 10...22...25 cold damage and interrupts spells each second (10 seconds). Hits foes adjacent to target's initial location.	10	25	2	30		elementalista	Water MagicZ	Core
	Meteor	Spell. Deals 7...91...112 fire damage and causes knock-down. Also hits foes adjacent to target foe.	10	5	2	30		elementalista	Fire MagicZ	Core
	Meteor Shower	Spell. Deals 7...91...112 fire damage and causes knock-down every 3 seconds (9 seconds). Hits foes adjacent to target's initial location.	10	25	5	60		elementalista	Fire MagicZ	Prophecies
	Phoenix	Spell. Projectile: deals 10...50...60 fire damage to target and nearby foes. Heals allies for 20...68...80 if you are Overcast.	0	10	1.51½	7		elementalista	Fire MagicZ	Prophecies
	Plague Sending	Spell. Transfer 1...3...3 condition[s] and [its/their] remaining duration[s] from yourself to target foe and all adjacent foes.	10%	1	1	5		necromancera	CursesZ	Prophecies
	Ray of Judgment	Elite Spell. Deals 5...37...45 holy damage and inflicts Burning (1...3...3 second[s]) every second (5 seconds). Hits foes adjacent to target's initial location.	0	10	2	20		monka	Smiting PrayersZ	Factions
	Rodgort's Invocation	Spell. Deals 15...99...120 fire damage. Also affects foes near your target. Inflicts Burning condition (1...3...3 second[s]).	0	25	2	8		elementalista	Fire MagicZ	Prophecies
	Sandstorm	Elite Spell. Deals 10...26...30 earth damage each second (10 seconds). Hits foes near target foe's initial location. Hits attacking foes for 10...26...30 more earth damage each second.	0	15	2	25		elementalista	Earth MagicZ	Nightfall
	Savannah Heat	Elite Spell. Deals 5...17...20 fire damage for each second since casting this spell (5 seconds). Hits foes near target's initial location.	0	5	2	25		elementalista	Fire MagicZ	Nightfall
	Searing Flames	Elite Spell. Hits foes near your target. Deals 10...82...100 fire damage to foes already Burning. Inflicts Burning condition (1...6...7 seconds) to foes not Burning.	0	15	1	2		elementalista	Fire MagicZ	Nightfall
	Searing Heat	Spell. Deals 10...34...40 fire damage each second (5 seconds). Hits foes near target's initial location. End effect: inflicts Burning condition (3 seconds).	0	15	2	25		elementalista	Fire MagicZ	Prophecies
	Shadow of Fear	Hex Spell. Also hexes foes adjacent to target (5...25...30 seconds). They attack 50% slower.	0	10	2	5		necromancera	CursesZ	Prophecies
	Snow Storm	Spell. Deals 30...40 cold damage each second (5 seconds). Hits foes adjacent to target foe's initial location.	0	10	1	10		a	Deldrimor rankZ	Eye of the North
	Unsteady Ground	Elite Spell. Deals 10...34...40 earth damage each second (5 seconds) and causes knock-down to attacking foes. Hits foes near target's initial location.	0	10	2	15		elementalista	Earth MagicZ	Factions

Skills that trigger an effect on failed attacks

Icon	Name	Description						Prof.	Attribute	Campaign
	Determined Shot	Bow Attack. Deals +5...17...20 damage. Recharges your attack skills if it fails to hit.	0	5	0	10		rangera	MarksmanshipZ	Core
	Fox's Promise	Elite Enchantment Spell. (5...17...20 seconds.) Your dagger attacks are unblockable. Ends the next time you fail to hit.	0	10	1	20		assassina	Dagger MasteryZ	Nightfall
	Marksman's Wager	Elite Preparation. (18 seconds.) Gain 5...9...10 Energy whenever your arrows hit. Lose 10 Energy whenever your arrows fail to hit.	0	5	2	24		rangera	ExpertiseZ	Prophecies
	Oath Shot	Elite Bow Attack. Recharges all skills except Oath Shot if it hits. Disables all skills if it misses (10 seconds). 50% miss chance unless Expertise 8 or higher.	0	10	0	25		rangera	ExpertiseZ	Prophecies
	Price of Failure	Hex Spell. (30 seconds.) 25% chance to miss. Target foe takes 1...37...46 damage whenever it fails to hit.	0	15	2	20		necromancera	CursesZ	Prophecies
	Repeating Strike	Off-Hand Attack. Deals +10...26...30 damage. This skill has +15 second recharge time if it misses. Must follow an off-hand attack.	0	5	0	0		assassina	Dagger MasteryZ	Factions
	Seeking Arrows	Preparation. (3...12...14 seconds.) Your arrows are unblockable. Ends if you fail to hit.	0	15	2	20		rangera	MarksmanshipZ	Factions
	Spear of Redemption	Spear Attack. Deals +5...17...20 damage. If it fails to hit, you lose one condition.	3	0	0	0		paragona	Spear MasteryZ	Eye of the North
	Spirit of Failure	Hex Spell. (30 seconds.) Target foe has 25% chance to miss. You gain 1...3...3 Energy whenever this foe misses.	0	15	3	20		mesmera	Inspiration MagicZ	Prophecies
	Tiger Stance	Stance. (4...9...10 seconds.) You attack 33% faster. Ends if you fail to hit.	0	5	0	20		warriora	StrengthZ	Factions