Ward

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This article is about shields on enemies. For shields on characters, see Shield. For other uses, see Ward (Disambiguation).
See also: Elemental Gauge Theory

Wards are a type of buff utilized by enemies represented by a separate durability bar, which often grant effects that protect against DMG among other enhancements. Wards are most often elemental and most effectively destroyed using Elemental Reactions, though with rare exceptions.

Wards can be categorized into the following types based on their properties and behavior:

DMG-Nullifying Wards: Wards that fully protect enemies from DMG. (e.g. Abyss Mages)
Penetrable Wards: Wards that do not fully protect enemies from DMG, but often come with DMG-reducing effects like RES increases. (e.g. Fatui Skirmishers)
Warded Objects: Objects summoned or used by the enemy, which may or may not have protective effects. They are infused with an elemental aura and are broken once said aura is depleted. They are considered separate entities from enemies that create them.

Durability[]

The durability of enemy wards is most commonly determined by their total gauge units. Breaking enemy wards factors in gauge unit cost from Elemental Reactions, normal Damage, and Poise damage. The total damage dealt (in gauge units) to the ward is given by

{\text{Total Ward Damage}}={\text{Reaction Cost}}+{\text{Damage Cost}}+{\text{Poise Cost}}

These variables are explained further below, and a comprehensive list of enemy ward data can be found in Ward/Gauge Data.

Reaction Cost[]

See also: Elemental Gauge Theory § Elemental Reactions

The most efficient way to remove most elemental wards is through Elemental Reactions. Elemental Reactions directly consume gauge units from Elemental Wards like they do regular auras.

\text{Cost}_\text{Reaction} = \text{Elemental Gauge}_\text{Trigger Element} \times \text{Reaction Coefficient}

Where：

$\text{Elemental Gauge}_\text{Trigger Element}$ is the gauge units of an elemental attack or effect that triggers a reaction with an elemental ward.
$\text{Reaction Coefficient}$ ${\text{Reaction Coefficient}}$ is a ratio that shows how much the aforementioned attack affected the elemental ward.
- For example, when using Hydro on a Pyro Ward, the ratio is 2. When using Electro on a Pyro Ward, the ratio is 1.

Reaction Coefficient
Ward Element	Applied Element
Ward Element
		2	1	0.5		0.5	0.5
	0.5		DoT	1	2	0.5	0.5
	1	DoT		1	1	0.5	0.5
	2		1			0.5	0.5
	DoT	0.5	1
	2	2	2	2

Notes:

A highlighted number indicates the most effective element.
Electro-Charged reactions deal Damage over Time (DoT) to Electro and Hydro wards at a rate of 0.4 gauge unit per second, unlike the other reactions that deal an immediate damage to the wards. This rate remains constant no matter how many gauge units of the triggering element is applied.
Burning reactions deal Damage over Time (DoT) to Dendro and Wood wards at a rate of 0.4 gauge unit per second, unlike the other reactions that deal an immediate damage to the wards. This rate remains constant no matter how many gauge units of the triggering element is applied.
For Geo wards, one must apply Cryo/Electro/Hydro/Pyro first and manually apply Geo to trigger Crystallize. The actual consumption will scale with the amount of GUs left on the Cryo/Electro/Hydro/Pyro aura at the moment Crystallize is triggered, which means it should take into account decay and aura tax.
Most "Cryo" wards used by enemies are in reality of the Frozen element. Hydro application does not affect the Frozen gauge on enemy wards.
For Fatui Skirmishers' wards, the Reaction Coefficient is special. There is a large difference between elemental damage from the preferred element (the element that reacts best with the ward's element) and elemental damage from other elements.

Reaction Coefficient
Skirmisher Element	Applied Element
Skirmisher Element
	0.1	0.1	—	—	0.1	2	0.1
	0.05	0.05	DoT	—	0.05	0.05	0.05
	0.1	0.1	0.1	2	—	0.1	—
	0.1	0.1	0.1	—	2	—	—

Poise Damage Cost[]

See also: Interruption Resistance

Geo and Frozen Wards can also be damaged by poise damage.^[1]

\text{Cost}_\text{Strike} = \text{Poise Damage} \times \text{Cost Ratio} / 25

Where：

$\text{Poise Damage}$ is the poise damage from an attack (how much an enemy was knocked back or interrupted by an attack).
$1/25$ is the unit conversion of the elemental gauge (between the source code's units of Element Durability and the community-defined Gauge Units).
$\text{Cost Ratio}$ ${\text{Cost Ratio}}$ is a ratio that shows the efficiency of the poise damage.
- The Cost Ratio is determined by Ward Element and Attack Attributes (Strike Type and Attack Type).
- The Cost Ratio cannot stack; it is determined by whichever type of attack does the most damage.
  - For example, when using a claymore against a Geo wared, an attack counts as a Blunt Attack and a Melee attack. Therefore, the Cost Ratio will be 0.35 (as opposed to 0.05).

As a result, 500/7 poise damage from Blunt Attacks or 500 poise damage from regular melee attacks is required to deplete one gauge unit of a Geo ward, and 500/3 poise damage from Blunt Attacks is required to deplete one gauge unit of a Frozen ward.

For calculation, detailed Poise Damage data for character attacks can be found in Interruption Resistance/Data, and a list of Blunt Attacks can be found in Blunt Attack.

Ward Element	Condition	Ratio	Ratio/25
Geo	Strike Type: Blunt	0.35	0.014
Geo	Attack Type: Melee	0.05	0.002
Frozen	Strike Type: Blunt	0.15	0.006

In some sources the conversion ratio (Ratio/25) is given.
Strike Type and Attack Type are both hidden attributes.

Attribute	Value	Example
Strike Type	Blunt	Most Attacks by Claymore characters.
		Most Plunging Attacks by Melee characters.
		Most Geo Attacks.
		Most Explosions (e.g. Overloaded, Amber's Baron Bunny, Klee's bombs, Yoimiya's Aurous Blaze).
	Slash	Most Normal/Charged Attacks by Sword characters.
		Most Plunging Attacks (Loop Part) by Sword/Claymore characters.
		Some Normal/Charged Attacks by Polearm characters.
		Some Elemental Attacks by Sword/Polearm characters.
	Spear	Some Normal/Charged Attacks by Polearm characters.
		Most Plunging Attacks by Polearm characters.
		Some Elemental Attacks by Polearm characters.
	Pierce	Most Normal/Charged/Plunging Attacks by Bow characters.
	Pierce	Some Elemental Attacks by Bow characters.
Attack Type	Melee	Most Attacks by Sword/Claymore/Polearm characters.
	Melee	Most Plunging Attacks by Bow characters.
	Ranged	Most Attacks by Catalyst/Bow characters.

Equivalent HP[]

Compared to using Elemental Reactions, it is harder to break elemental wards through damage. Certain elemental wards are also immune to certain types of damage or will regenerate themselves if not attacked quickly enough.

{\begin{aligned}{\text{Equivalent HP}}_{\text{Elemental Ward}}={\frac {{\text{Enemy Max HP}}\times {\text{Ward HP Ratio}}}{\text{Damage Ratio}}}\end{aligned}}

Where：

$\text{Enemy Max HP}$ is the realtime max HP of an enemy.
${\text{Ward HP Ratio}}$ is a ratio that compares the elemental gauge of an enemy's ward with their HP (how much damage a ward takes vs how much the enemy would take). The Ward HP Ratio is usually 1.
$\text{Damage Ratio}$ ${\text{Damage Ratio}}$ is a ratio that shows how much a ward can be affected by character damage. The Damage Ratio is usually 0.2 or 0.
- When Damage Ratio is 0, it means that the elemental ward can not be broken by damage.

This is how an attack's damage is converted into the damage it does to a ward:

{\begin{aligned}{\text{Cost}}_{\text{Damage}}={\frac {\text{Damage}}{{\text{Equivalent HP}}_{\text{Elemental Ward}}}}\times {\text{Elemental Gauge}}_{\text{Elemental Ward}}\end{aligned}}

Where：

$\text{Damage}$ ${\text{Damage}}$ is the damage from an attack.
- The damage-amplifying multipliers of Melt or Vaporize don't work on elemental wards.
- Damage is equal to 0 if the attack's element matches the ward (excluding Geo).
${\text{Equivalent HP}}_{\text{Elemental Ward}}$ is the equivalent HP of the elemental ward (this compares the enemy's HP with the elemental gauge of the ward).
${\text{Elemental Gauge}}_{\text{Elemental Ward}}$ is the actual elemental gauge of the ward.