Common mechanics and markers

Many duties in the game use common markers to help communicate to players how to resolve certain mechanics without needing prior knowledge of the specific encounter.

By understanding these markers, players will learn the game's encounter design "language" and be able to apply their knowledge to unfamiliar encounters.

Stack markers

Stack markers are indicated with multiple arrows pointing at a party member or location in the arena with a rhythmic high-pitched pulsing sound. They usually indicate an attack wherein the damage received will be split amongst party members, but are occasionally used to indicate positioning to evade a mechanic (for example, Xande's earthquake mechanic in  Syrcus Tower).

Variants of stack markers are:

• Regular stack marker. This is identified by one arrow pointing down and four arrows at 90-degree angles with a ring encircling the targeted character. This indicates an incoming attack with massive damage. Stand inside the ring to share the damage.
• Line AoE stack marker. This is identified by the single orange arrow above and three orange arrows to either side of the targeted party member. Stand in the line AoE to share the damage. It is not necessary to be close to the targeted party member, but merely within the line AoE.
• Repeated incoming damage stack marker. This is identified by four orange inward-pointing arrows stacked on top of each other and indicates that the incoming attack will be repeated multiple times. Stand inside the ring to share the damage and healers be prepared to spam heals to resolve this mechanic.
• Tankbuster stack marker. This is identified by a regular stack marker with a red coloration and a variable number of orbs above the targeted tank. The requisite number of tanks must position themselves inside the ring to share the damage. An example of this is Twin Pom Meteor in  Thornmarch (Hard).

Tankbusters

Tankbusters are extremely damaging attacks designed to be survivable only by tanks. Tanks are expected to use their mitigation abilities to reduce the incoming damage. The amount of HP lost varies, but more difficult duties will often send a tank into critical HP even with mitigations.

Tankbusters are indicated with a high-pitched sound and a red arrow pointed down with some sort of marker encircling the tank.

There are a few variants of tankbusters.

• Single target tankbusters are the most common and are indicated with red rings encircling the tank and a chevron pointing downwards.
• AoE tankbusters will have the above, in addition to pulsating red circle on the floor emanating from the tank.
• Caution AoE tankbusters will also be similar to a single target tankbuster marker, in addition to yellow and black lines (similar to caution tape) orbiting the tank in a square shape. This is most commonly used to indicate a line-based AoE tankbuster but can also indicate a regular AoE tankbuster as well.