Fortification (Defender)

Fortification I

• +1% Physical Mitigation
  +1% Tactical Mitigation
• Expires if out of combat for 9 seconds.

Fortification II

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

Fortification III

• +3% Physical Mitigation
  +3% Tactical Mitigation
• Expires if out of combat for 9s seconds.

Fortification IV

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

Fortification V

• +5% Physical Mitigation
  +5% Tactical Mitigation
• Expires if out of combat for 9 seconds.

Effect Information

Specializing in the Defender of the Free trait tree makes the Guardian's shield skills have a 25% chance to tier this effect up to 5 times. The following skills tier up this effect:

•  Shield-swipe
•  Bash
•  Shield-blow
•  Shield-taunt
•  Shield-smash
•  Smashing Stab

Using the skill  Litany of Defiance removes all stacks to apply Litany of Defiance to the Guardian and  Litany of Defiance to the fellowship, both of which have increased potency as the number of Fortifications cashed out increases.

When  Break Ranks is traited, using the skill  Shield-taunt while at Fortification V removes all stacks from the Guardian and applies  Break Ranks to the fellowship. This interaction can be done once every minute.

Trait Interactions

• The set bonus  Strengthen the Bulwark changes this effect to Improved Fortification, doubling the adding mitigation. Critical hits with shield skills automatically add a Fortification stack (up to 2 Fortification stacks can be applied by a single shield skill).
• The set bonus  Shield the People increases the chance for shield skills to apply a Fortification stack by 25%. When at 5 stacks, the fellowship gains  Fortification.

Armour Set Interactions

Equipping 4 pieces of the Umbari Armour of the Protector armour set makes this effect increase Max Morale by 6,000 per tier of the effect.