Rising to the Challenge
In-game tooltip: after successfully blocking during Shield Dash, enemies hit by the skill are Stunned for a period of time.
Applies to 23 September 2026 updateUpdated
In-game tooltip captured
- Class
- Mercenary
- Tree
- Sword & Shield
- Applies to
- 23 September 2026 update
- Balance passes
- Named in none of 6 to 2026-09-23
When to use it
The pay-off for leading with Shield Dash into incoming fire: the block that would merely have saved you instead converts the dash into a stun and a free combo.
Builds using this
- Mercenary — Parry Sword & Shield, solo — Master Deemo explains it at 18:30Called a must for shield bash: after successfully blocking during shield bash, enemies hit by the skill are stunned. Because the dash animation is already a block, anyone still shooting or swinging into you eats a stun and a free combo.
- Mercenary — Sword & Shield, Chaos — Firebox explains it at 02:30A successful block during Shield Dash stuns the enemy player — the build’s one remaining use of blocking, attached to movement.
- Mercenary — Skullcrusher hammer, PvP — Firebox explains it at 02:00Lets you block with Shield Dash, and is what makes the stun-then-Rock-Throw sequence available.
Where this comes from
Opens at 18:40, where the talent is explained. Full citation below.
◆
Sources for this page
- Master Deemo — Best Mercenary Solo Build and Affix Guide — Launch build, published 2 August 2026. Source for the parry Mercenary talents and the Elusive / Vitality / Valor solo affix core.