How to use Lightning Bulwark in Plunderstorm

In the electrifying encounters of Plunderstorm, sometimes the best way to ride the lightning is to become the lightning - and no ability embodies this principle better than Lightning Bulwark.

This crackling shield is the ultimate defense against all things shocking and storming, a voltaic vanguard that can absorb even the most powerful electrical assaults. But Lightning Bulwark is more than just a simple circuit breaker - from its potential for astonishing turnarounds to its built-in movement boost, this ability is a true force of nature in the hands of an artful arc-mage.

In this guide, we'll unearth the secrets of Lightning Bulwark mastery, from negating enemy nukes to charging up your own counterattacks and everything in between.

Negating Burst Damage

Lightning Bulwark's primary use is as a powerful damage negation tool. When timed correctly, it can completely negate a massive burst of incoming damage, be it from a boss mechanic, a coordinated strike from the enemy team, or a string of unfortunate crits.

The key to using Lightning Bulwark effectively is to anticipate when you're about to take a heavy hit, and activate the ability just before the damage lands. For the first 2 seconds of the channel, you'll be completely immune to all damage, allowing you to shrug off even the most devastating attacks.

However, it's important to remember that after this 2 second window, your shield will expire and you'll be vulnerable once again. As such, you need to be very precise with your timing - activate Lightning Bulwark too early, and your immunity will run out before the damage hits; activate it too late, and you'll eat the damage before your shield comes up.

The Retaliatory Strike

While negating damage is Lightning Bulwark's primary function, the ability truly shines when you're able to proc its retaliatory effect. If you're attacked while Lightning Bulwark is active, you'll gain a substantial boost of movement speed, have harmful debuffs removed, and emit a nova of electricity that damages nearby enemies.

This retaliation effect can turn the tide of a fight if triggered at the right moment. The movement speed allows you to quickly reposition or escape, the debuff removal can free you from crowd control or damaging effects, and the damaging nova can chunk down any nearby enemies.

To make the most of this effect, try to position yourself near enemies when you activate Lightning Bulwark. Bait them into attacking you during your shield, then use the retaliatory proc to turn the tables and go on the offensive.

Lightning Bulwark is an incredibly powerful defensive tool, but it requires precise timing and positioning to fully capitalize on. Practice anticipating incoming damage spikes and baiting enemies into proccing your retaliation, and you'll turn this shield into both an immovable object and an unstoppable force on the battlefield.