Crowd Control (or CC)[]
Crowd Control is a term referring to all means used to control enemies position and movement. It is mainly used to prevent enemies from attacking one player or his group, or to prevent enemies from kiting. It can be used also to prevent an enemy from fleeing.
All crowd control effects will trigger a corresponding effect on the target that will make said target immune to that crowd control effect for a minute. Only players get that immunity, mobs can be affected as often as skills reload.
The different Crowd Control effects in AoC are described below.
Fear[]
Fear sends enemies running away in random directions. A "feared" enemy doesn't have any control on himself. However, the fact that it is running means it can be hard to hit. Also, when players get "feared", they run the risk of attracting more aggro.
List of skills that produce a fear effect:
| Skill Name | Class | Level | Effect | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Death's Terror | Necromancer | 12 | Fear in all surrounding enemies | Presence of a minion that will be sacrificed |
| Overwhelm | Conqueror | 20 | Fear and Snare 80% for 3s | Dualwield weapons |
Snare[]
Snares are all skills that reduce moving speed of an enemy. This can go from 20% lowering to an 80% lowering.
List of skills that produce a snare effect:
| Skill Name | Class | Level | Effect | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overwhelm | Conqueror | 20 | Fear and Snare 80% for 3s | Dualwield weapons |
| Pin Down | Ranger | 7 | 50% for 5s at level 1 | Bow or Crowwbow |
| Incapacitating Stabs | Ranger | 10 | 60% | One handed Edged Weapon |
| Hinder Movement | Bear Shaman | 44 | None | |
| Agonizing Jolts | Demonologist | 30 | DOT plus 35% in AOE cone for 6 seconds | Need Agonizing Jolts feat |
| Ice Shackles | Necromancer | 6 | 65% for 10 seconds | None |
Root[]
Roots are all skills that will effectively prevent en enemy from moving. Anybody hit by root effects will be unable to walk, run or jump. They can however still use their arms, therefore attacking, casting or drinking potions. Roots effects can be pretty long, although mobs have a tendency to get freed when they are dealt a certain amount of damage. Epic mobs will need a higher amount of damage to get freed.
A common technique when using root techniques on other players consist of getting behind the rooted target. It is indeed impossible to cast a spell or shoot at an enemy one can not see, and swinging one's weapon won't hit an enemy in one's back. This does not prevent to be hit by ground-targeted area spells, and mobs somehow don't have any trouble hitting people behind their back by swinging their weapons in front of them.
List of skills that produce a root effect:
| Skill Name | Class | Level | Effect | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clobber | Barbarian | 20 | Knockback followed by 10s root | Need Paralysis feat, 2 Handed Edged Weapon |
| Storm Chains | Demonologist | 10 | Root between 12 and 17s plus low damage per second | none |
| Hands Of The Underworld | Demonologist | 50 | 8s root around caster, 20% speed boost on caster | Need to be close |
| Gate of Hell | Demonologist | 60 | Root on target, heavy fire damage on target and around | need Gate of Hell feat |
| Word of Command | Herald of Xotli | 13 | Root nearby ennemies | Need to be close |
| Leghold Trap | Ranger | 5 | Root all nearby enemies | One enemy must step on it |
| Quickand | TOS | Root all nearby enemies | Need to be close |
Knockback[]
Knockbacks are certainly the shortest crowd control effects. An enemy hit by knockback is thrown back to the ground, making some space between the initiator of the knockback and its victims. It will also give a couple seconds of respite while the targets get themselves back on their feet. It should be noted that it is more difficult to knock back heavy opponents, being from the weight of their armor to their size (mammoths are not very easy to knock back).
List of skills that produce a knockback effect:
| Skill Name | Class | Level | Effect | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snap Kick | Assassin | 30 | Knockback and Silence | Need Snap Kick Feat (Lotus branch) |
| Clobber | Barbarian | 15 | Knockback (can also root with Paralysis feat) | 2-handed weapon |
| Scatter Foes | Barbarian | 60 | Knockback even heavy armored opponents in a cone in front of barbarian | Need Scatter Foes Feat, 2-handed weapon |
| Batter Aside | Conqueror | 17 | - | 2-handed weapon |
| Detonation | Demonologist | 30 | Knockback + Damage | Must have feat, and target must be under Fire of Gehenna's effect |
| Wicked Bolts | Demonologist | 40 | Knockback + Damage | Need Wicked Bolts feat |
Stun[]
Stuns will make an enemy helpless, unable to do anything. Stuns are probably the most useful of crowd controls, because it immobilize the enemy AND prevent it from doing anything. As such, most stun effects have relatively short durations.
List of skills that produce a stun effect:
| Skill Name | Class | Level | Effect | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stunning Punch | Barbarian | 5 | Stun 3.5 sec | 2-handed weapon |
| Fiery Torment | Demonologist | 45 | Stun 3.5 to 5.5 s, low damage | low range |