Interrupt

To interrupt an action in the game is to prevent it from being completed. Most skills have an activation time during which the character is preparing the spell. If a character is interrupted during skill activation, the skill is interrupted. This has three results:
 * 1) The skill will not be executed obviously.
 * 2) The cost of the spell (energy or adrenaline) is lost to the character.
 * 3) The character must wait until the recharge time for that skill passes by before using it again.

In addition, any skill that knocks down an enemy (like Hammer Bash or Bane Signet) will interrupt their current action.

Tips on Interrupting

 * To effectively use interrupting attacks, keep an eye on the Skill Monitor under an enemy's bar in the center of the top of the screen. When the enemy starts using a skill, the skill's activation bar will appear under the bar. If it's a skill you want to interrupt (and can interrupt), go for it!
 * It is best to study (and perhaps play) as other professions to truly understand what is the best way to interrupt each class.
 * Normal actions (like attacks) can be interrupted, not just skills.
 * Most Attack skills don't list an activation time, but since they take time to execute (like a normal attack), all attacks can potentially be interrupted.
 * Some skills (such as Stances and Shouts) don't have an activation time. These skills can't be interrupted.
 * Interrupting Signets is often ineffective, since they cost no energy nor adrenaline to use. The target must still waste time using the Signet again.  A few skills such as Disrupting Shot add additional recharge time to the interrupted skill. These skills are excellent against Signets.

"Easily Interrupted"
Some skills in the game, including all traps, are easily interrupted. These skills are interrupted if any attack hits the character, not just an interrupting attack like the ones listed above. Being Dazed causes all of your spells to be easily interrupted.

Related Skills
These skills cause interruption:
 * [[image:Warrior-icon.png|15px]] Disrupting Chop
 * [[image:Warrior-icon.png|15px]] Distracting Blow
 * [[image:Warrior-icon.png|15px]] Dwarven Battle Stance
 * [[image:Warrior-icon.png|15px]] Savage Slash
 * [[image:Ranger-icon.png|15px]] Choking Gas interrupts spells.
 * [[image:Ranger-icon.png|15px]] Concussion Shot interrupts spells.
 * [[image:Ranger-icon.png|15px]] Disrupting Lunge
 * [[image:Ranger-icon.png|15px]] Distracting Shot
 * [[image:Ranger-icon.png|15px]] Incendiary Arrows
 * [[image:Ranger-icon.png|15px]] Punishing Shot
 * [[image:Ranger-icon.png|15px]] Savage Shot
 * [[image:Necromancer-icon.png|15px]] Mark of Subversion interrupts a spell being cast for an ally.
 * [[image:Necromancer-icon.png|15px]] Spinal Shivers
 * [[image:Mesmer-icon.png|15px]] Clumsiness interrupts an attack.
 * [[image:Mesmer-icon.png|15px]] Cry of Frustration
 * [[image:Mesmer-icon.png|15px]] Guilt interrupts a spell being cast against a foe.
 * [[image:Mesmer-icon.png|15px]] Leech Signet
 * [[image:Mesmer-icon.png|15px]] Power Block
 * [[image:Mesmer-icon.png|15px]] Power Drain interrupts a spell.
 * [[image:Mesmer-icon.png|15px]] Power Leak interrupts a spell.
 * [[image:Mesmer-icon.png|15px]] Power Spike interrupts a spell.
 * [[image:Mesmer-icon.png|15px]] Shame interrupts a spell being cast for an ally.
 * [[image:Elementalist-icon.png|15px]] Lightning Javelin
 * [[image:Elementalist-icon.png|15px]] Maelstrom interrupts spells.
 * See also: dazed and knockdown

These skills are easily interrupted:
 * [[image:Warrior-icon.png|15px]] Crude Swing
 * [[image:Ranger-icon.png|15px]] Barbed Trap
 * [[image:Ranger-icon.png|15px]] Dust Trap
 * [[image:Ranger-icon.png|15px]] Flame Trap
 * [[image:Ranger-icon.png|15px]] Healing Spring
 * [[image:Ranger-icon.png|15px]] Precision Shot
 * [[image:Ranger-icon.png|15px]] Spike Trap

These skills prevent interruption (but Knockdown will interrupt despite any of these!):
 * [[image:Mesmer-icon.png|15px]] Mantra of Concentration prevents an interruption.
 * [[image:Mesmer-icon.png|15px]] Mantra of Resolve prevents interruptions at the cost of energy each time.
 * [[image:Elementalist-icon.png|15px]] Glyph of Concentration prevents interruption of the next spell cast.