Improved Fortification

Improved Fortification I

• +2% Physical Mitigation
  +2% Tactical Mitigation
• Duration: Expires if out of combat for 9 seconds.

Improved Fortification II

• +4% Physical Mitigation
  +4% Tactical Mitigation
• Duration: Expires if out of combat for 9 seconds.

Improved Fortification III

• +6% Physical Mitigation
  +6% Tactical Mitigation
• Duration: Expires if out of combat for 9 seconds.

Improved Fortification IV

• +8% Physical Mitigation
  +8% Tactical Mitigation
• Duration: Expires if out of combat for 9 seconds.

Improved Fortification V

• +10% Physical Mitigation
  +10% Tactical Mitigation
• Duration: Expires if out of combat for 9 seconds.

Effect Information

If a Guardian is traited in the Defender of the Free line and has the set bonus Strengthen the Bulwark, their shield skills have a 25% chance to tier up the Fortification stack, for a maximum of five times (while tiering up Fortification stacks, the effect Fortification is visible for a short time). Critical hits with your shield skills also automatically add a tier of the effect. When  Litany of Defiance is used, all stacks are cashed out to double the mitigation buffs and absorb your allies' incoming damage for a short time.

The trait Shield the People in the Defender of the Free tree doubles the chance of applying this effect on a normal hit and provides a fellowship-wide mitigation buff of 2% at 5 stacks.