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 have no effect.
 * 2) The cost of the skill (energy or adrenaline) is lost to the character (having been paid when the skill was activated).
 * 3) That skill cannot be used again until the normal recharge time for that skill passes.

In addition, knocking down enemies interrupts them.

Tips on Interrupting

 * To effectively interrupt, keep an eye on the Skill Monitor under the enemy's bar in the center of the top of the screen. When the enemy starts using a skill, the skill's activation bar appears under the bar. If it's a skill you want to interrupt (and can interrupt), do so immediately!
 * It is best to study (and perhaps play) as other professions to truly understand what is the best way to interrupt each class.
 * Interruption is not just for spells. Other actions (including attacks and attack skills and signets) can be interrupted. Attacks have an activation time (see the specific weapon's page) and take time to execute. Any such action or skill can be interrupted, though there are far more skills that interrupt spells than attacks.
 * Some skills (such as stances and shouts) don't have an activation time. These skills can't be interrupted.

"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 below. Being dazed causes all of your spells to be easily interrupted.

Related Skills
These skills cause interruption (in parentheses is the type of action they interrupt):
 * [[image:Warrior-icon.png|15px]] Disrupting Chop (any action, extra delay if it was a skill)
 * [[image:Warrior-icon.png|15px]] Distracting Blow (any action for foe and adjacent foes)
 * [[image:Warrior-icon.png|15px]] Dwarven Battle Stance (any action, but only with hammer)
 * [[image:Warrior-icon.png|15px]] Savage Slash (any action, extra damage for spells)
 * [[image:Ranger-icon.png|15px]] Choking Gas (spells only, foe and adjacent)
 * [[image:Ranger-icon.png|15px]] Concussion Shot (spells only, causes Dazed)
 * [[image:Ranger-icon.png|15px]] Disrupting Lunge (skills only, delays skill)
 * [[image:Ranger-icon.png|15px]] Distracting Shot (any action, extra delay if it was a skill)
 * [[image:Ranger-icon.png|15px]] Incendiary Arrows (any action)
 * [[image:Ranger-icon.png|15px]] Punishing Shot (any action)
 * [[image:Ranger-icon.png|15px]] Savage Shot (any action, extra damage for spells)
 * [[image:Necromancer-icon.png|15px]] Mark of Subversion (only spells cast on allies)
 * [[image:Necromancer-icon.png|15px]] Spinal Shivers (skills only)
 * [[image:Mesmer-icon.png|15px]] Blackout (all skills, and interrupts "through" Mantra of Resolve, Glyph of Concentration, etc.)
 * [[image:Mesmer-icon.png|15px]] Clumsiness (attacks only)
 * [[image:Mesmer-icon.png|15px]] Cry of Frustration (skills only, foes and nearby foes)
 * [[image:Mesmer-icon.png|15px]] Guilt (spells targeting foes)
 * [[image:Mesmer-icon.png|15px]] Leech Signet (any action, gain energy on interrupting a spell)
 * [[image:Mesmer-icon.png|15px]] Power Block (spells only)
 * [[image:Mesmer-icon.png|15px]] Power Drain (spells only)
 * [[image:Mesmer-icon.png|15px]] Power Leak (spells only)
 * [[image:Mesmer-icon.png|15px]] Power Spike (spells only)
 * [[image:Mesmer-icon.png|15px]] Shame (spells on allies)
 * [[image:Elementalist-icon.png|15px]] Lightning Javelin (attacks only)
 * [[image:Elementalist-icon.png|15px]] Maelstrom (spells only)
 * See also: dazed and knockdown

These skills cause spells to fail at the end of the cast:
 * [[image:Elementalist-icon.png|15px]] Obsidian Flesh
 * [[image:Monk-icon.png|15px]] Spell Breaker

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.