Mechanic

Duration

Duration is the length of time a skill component, Buff, Debuff, Ailment, Curse, Mark, Minion, Totem, Flask effect, Charm effect, Hazard, or delayed event remains active. Each duration modifier applies only to the effect type it names.
0.5.4d
Current data

Catalog version 0.5.4d

No direct 0.5 patch change is linked to this page. The displayed values are current for catalog version 0.5.4d.

What Duration does

Current rules

Identify which timed component the wording refers to before changing it. Skill Effect Duration applies only to skills with the Duration tag, while Buff Duration, Ailment Duration, Minion Duration, detonation time, and similar stats modify their own categories.

Tagged skill effects
Skill Effect Duration modifies timed components of skills with the Duration tag. It does not become a universal modifier for every timer created by an untagged skill.
Named duration categories
Buff, Debuff, Ailment, Curse, Mark, Charge, Minion, Totem, Flask, Charm, Grenade, and Hazard duration modifiers apply only to the category named in the stat.
Several timers in one skill
One skill can have a Buff duration, a ground-effect duration, a delayed explosion, and a cooldown. Each timer must be checked separately against the modifier wording.
Longer is not always better
More Duration can keep an effect active longer, while less Duration can make a delayed explosion, repeat, or expiry effect occur sooner. The useful direction depends on what happens during and at the end of the timer.
Reduction limit
Duration can be reduced by up to 99%. An effect reduced by 100% or more does not occur, rather than producing a valid zero-duration effect.
Refresh and replacement
Reapplying an effect can refresh, replace, or coexist with its current copy according to that effect's own stacking rule. Duration alone does not decide the outcome.

Duration types to distinguish

5 cases
01
Skill Effect Duration

Changes qualifying timed components of a skill with the Duration tag.

Related: Buff, Persistent
02
Buff or Debuff Duration

Changes how long the matching status remains on its target, without changing its Magnitude by itself.

Related: Buff
03
Temporary Minion or Totem Duration

Changes the expiry timer of the temporary entity. It does not turn that entity into a Reviving Persistent Minion.

Related: Minion
04
Grenade detonation time

Changes the delay before the grenade explodes, which can improve speed but reduce the time available for interactions.

05
Hazard or ground duration

Changes how long the created region remains. Its hit interval, damage, area, and limit remain separate values.

Related: AoE

Limits and exceptions

4 rules
  • The Duration tag means at least one component has a modifiable duration. It does not prove that every component uses Skill Effect Duration.
  • Cooldown, use time, attack time, cast time, and reservation are not Duration unless their wording explicitly says so.
  • Increasing duration does not change tick rate, Hit frequency, Magnitude, area, or damage unless another stat explicitly connects them.
  • A duration refresh is not automatically a new stack. The effect's stacking rule still controls how many copies can apply.