Guard

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**Guard** is an External Trait that belongs to the Enchantress. As an external trait, it is a passive ability that the character starts the game with.

## Trait Details

### Description

*Continuously recharges item near Hunters. Damage dealt by Hunters will directly increase the number of item stacks.*

*When a Hunter gets near the Enchantress, the Guard is triggered and the effects are stacked over time against the Hunter. The nearer the Hunter gets to the Cursed Emblem, the faster the Guard effect stacks. All Enchantress' Guards (whether detonated or not) now have a reduced rate of 7%, and a maximum reduction of 70%.*

*The Enchantress will immediately gain 1 stack of Guard if the Hunter inflicts damage to the Enchantress. The Guard effect on the Hunter has a maximum of 5 stacks.*

## Gameplay

She accumulates up to 5 stacks of her stun ability by being within close distance of a Hunter, by being hit by them, or if someone she has healed or was healed by has been attacked. Using one stack of her stun will only briefly interrupt the Hunter, while using three stacks is a considerably longer stun. Any of her stuns can knock an incapacitated Teammate out of the Hunter's hands.There are two types of stuns:

* Short stun that uses 1 curse stack
* Long stun that uses 3 curse stacks

### Other Details

**As Enchantress**

* A short stun is generally best used to interrupt the Hunter, such as stopping them in a Pallet in order to get a pallet stun, or to prematurely stop their attack.
	+ Be very careful not to short stun the Hunter after they have already hit you or a Teammate, as this will cancel their attack recovery animation and allow them to immediately attack again.
	+ Take note that the more stacks of guard are used, the longer they take to accumulate—use them wisely!
* A long stun is generally best used to assist with rescues, either by using it to free a ballooned Teammate, to ensure you can rescue from the Rocket Chair safely, or to delay the Hunter chasing after a rescued Teammate.
* To accumulate curse stacks effectively, either be staying in the region of the map the Hunter is in, or keep on top of healing your Teammates.
	+ This doesn't mean to follow the Hunter around, but if for example a Teammate is kiting near a Cipher Machine, you may be able to decode it while in the Fear Radius.
	+ Consider putting points into Persona traits that help with healing (Doctor, Shelter, Mutual Support, Healing).
* Hunter attacks that only do 1/4 damage will also help her accumulate curse stacks more quickly, as each attack counts as one. This means she partially counters Hunters such as Guard 26 or Sculptor.
* Enchantress and Doctor are a very compatible pair, as Doctor can keep Enchantress at full health, and so long as Doctor allows Enchantress to finish off healing a Teammate it will help her accumulate curse stacks.

**Against Enchantress**

* When you are against an Enchantress, be aware that you will be stunned, and you will have to work around it. The main point is to try and keep her from accumulating 3 curse stacks, as dealing with the short stuns is much better than long stuns.
	+ Consider putting points into Persona traits that will either absorb the stuns more easily or keep her from accumulating them.
		- Decrease stun time (Rage, Desperate Fight, Addiction)
		- Discourage healing (Impact, Deterioration, Panic, Street Sweeper)
* Hunters that can cause damage without being near Enchantress are able to avoid her stuns, such as The Ripper, Photographer, and Violinist among many others. Hunters that can stun Survivors, such as "Disciple" and Hermit, can keep her from activating her stuns while they attack her.