Harrowing Storm

Teleport behind your target and drag any spinning axes back at your target. Returning axes also inflict torment, and enemies struck by a number of axes will be immobilized. — In-game description

Harrowing Storm

Profession

Thief (skill list)

Weapon

Main hand axe
Off hand dagger

Type

Dual Wield

Movement

Shadowstep

Game link

API

71864

“

0.5½  

4

6

 

Harrowing Storm

Teleport behind your target and drag any spinning axes back at your target. Returning axes also inflict torment, and enemies struck by a number of axes will be immobilized.

 Torment (2s): 44 Damage, 64 Damage if Foe Is Stationary

 Torment (4s): 88 Damage, 127 Damage if Foe Is Stationary

 Immobilize (10.5½s): Unable to move.

 Number of Hits: 5

 Evade: 0.5½ seconds

 Range: 900

— In-game description

Mechanics

• This skill does not require a target to cast.
• The skill can be retargeted during the cast, allowing it to hit a target at the end of the cast.
  • This negates the shadowstep portion, but allows the player to strike enemies without compromising their own position.

Related traits

Deadly Arts

• Dagger Training — Gain bonus power, which is increased when wielding a dagger.
• Deadly Ambition — Inflict poison when striking a foe with a dual wield attack. Gain increased condition damage. Applies poison once per attack use.
• Panic Strike — Immobilizing a foe poisons them. Striking a foe below the health threshold immobilizes them.
• Exposed Weakness — Deal increased strike damage to your target for each unique condition on them.

Acrobatics

• Feline Grace — Gain vigor upon successfully evading an attack.
• Swindler's Equilibrium — Gain power and additional power while wielding a sword or underwater spear. Successfully evading an attack while wielding a sword or underwater spear recharges Steal.
• Hard to Catch — Gain endurance when you shadowstep.
• Fluid Strikes — Gain increased strike damage for a period of time when you shadowstep or use a movement skill.
• Assassin's Reward — Heal yourself whenever you use a skill that uses initiative. Heal yourself for each point of initiative spent.
• Upper Hand — Gain initiative when you dodge, and gain initiative and regeneration when you evade an attack. Evading can only trigger this trait once per interval.

Trickery

• Lead Attacks — Increases all damage dealt per initiative spent. Steal gains reduced recharge time.

Daredevil

• Escapist's Fortitude — Gain health when you successfully evade an attack. Remove a condition whenever you evade an attack.

Specter

• Larcenous Torment — Steal health and gain shadow force when you torment a foe. Does not grant shadow force while in shroud.
• Strength of Shadows — Gain expertise based on a percentage of your vitality. Torment you inflict deals increased damage.

Notes

Bug:

Will miss most destructible objects and object-like bosses.

Version history

For a detailed skill history, see here.

Patch	Changes
May 06, 2025	Increased the initiative cost from 5 to 6 in WvW and PvP.
April 15, 2025	Fixed an issue that could cause this skill to have a longer range than intended.
October 08, 2024	Reduced the torment duration from 6 seconds to 4 seconds in WvW and PvP.
May 21, 2024	Reduced the torment duration from 4 seconds to 2 seconds in PvE only.
February 27, 2024	Harrowing Storm has been added to the game. This skill will now recall axes to the targeted enemy instead of to the user. Reduced the inflicted torment from 2 stacks for 6 seconds to 1 stack for 4 seconds in PvE only.
November 28, 2023	Harrowing Storm was available during the Expanded Weapon Proficiency Beta Event.