System
Stance
Defensive Stance
Defensive Stance is a martial stance whose value depends on the build's damage schedule, Endurance budget, and encounter pressure.
Overview
Class access
Paladin, Shadow Knight, Warrior
Primary value
Maximum conventional tank mitigation
Tradeoff
Heavy Endurance consumption under sustained incoming damage
Current Effect
Reduces incoming melee damage by 50% and magical damage by 20%; prevented damage consumes Endurance after Strategy reduction. T2
Build Synergy
Defensive multiplies the value of Slow, healing, lifetaps, and armor because each layer reduces the amount of Endurance that must be spent preventing damage. It is the natural stabilization stance before switching to Striker or Offensive for a burn.
Tactical Use
Use it for boss openings, unexpected adds, or recovery periods. Leave it when the target is controlled and the build can safely convert Endurance into damage.
Verification Boundary
Tooltip values and class access are current-reference data. Exact event ordering, rounding, resource-cost scaling, and interactions not explicitly named by the tooltip remain subject to combat-log testing and balance changes.