Stuns and Interrupts in WoW Classic: Lockouts and Schools
Vanilla WoW Classic 1.12 · x5 realm · wowx5.ru# Stuns and Interrupts in WoW Classic: Lockouts and Schools
Stuns and interrupts are hard control: a stun fully disables the target, an interrupt stops a cast and locks the magic school. In PvP this is the line between winning and losing; in PvE it saves you from dangerous spells. Here it is on the WoW Classic X5 server (patch 1.12.1).
Stuns
Stun = full loss of control; damage does not break it (unlike incapacitate). Main sources:
| Stun | Class | Duration | Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheap Shot | Rogue | ~4s | From stealth |
| Kidney Shot | Rogue | 1–6s | Finisher (combo) |
| Hammer of Justice | Paladin | ~6s | Ranged |
| Bash | Druid (bear) | ~4s | Bear form |
| Concussion Blow | Warrior | ~5s | Protection talent |
| War Stomp | Tauren | ~2s | Racial, AoE |
| Charge / Intercept | Warrior | 1 / 3s | On a charge |
All stuns share one DR category: in PvP a stun chain quickly hits immunity.
Interrupts and school lockouts
An interrupt stops the current cast and blocks the school of the spell for a few seconds (no fire/frost/shadow casting):
| Interrupt | Class | School lock |
|---|---|---|
| Counterspell | Mage | up to 10s |
| Kick | Rogue | ~5s (silence with a talent) |
| Pummel | Warrior (berserker) | ~4s |
| Shield Bash | Warrior (shield) | ~6s, silence with a talent |
| Earth Shock | Shaman | ~2s |
| Spell Lock | Warlock Felhunter | ~ by school |
Cast locking (kicking a caster) is the basic tactic against healers and mages: interrupt the key cast and the target loses that school for a few seconds. A rogue with Improved Kick adds a full silence.
Tactics
- In PvE save an interrupt for dangerous boss and elite casts: Shadow Bolt Volley, healing, an enemy mage's polymorph. Assign a kick rotation in the group.
- In PvP prioritise interrupting healing and burst casts. Do not waste Counterspell on the first Frostbolt: wait for a heal or Pyroblast.
- Rogue combo: Cheap Shot (stun) → burst → Kidney Shot (stun), remembering the second stun is cut by DR.
Related
Stuns and interrupts are the hard part of crowd control and directly affect threat and survival. By class see Rogue PvP and Mage PvP.
FAQ
How does an interrupt differ from a stun?
A stun fully removes control for its duration. An interrupt (Kick, Counterspell, Pummel) stops the current cast and locks that spell school for a few seconds, but the target keeps moving and attacking.
What is a school lockout?
After an interrupt the target cannot cast spells of that school (fire/frost/shadow, etc.) for 3–10 seconds depending on the ability. Counterspell gives the longest lock — up to 10 seconds.
Do stuns have diminishing returns?
Yes, in PvP. All stuns share one category: Cheap Shot, Kidney Shot, Hammer of Justice, Bash, Concussion Blow, War Stomp. A repeated stun lasts 50%, then 25%, then immunity.