Creatures of Sonaria abilities describe what a creature can actively trigger or passively do under a condition. Ailments describe temporary states applied by attacks, abilities, food, weather, hazards, poses, or other mechanics. Learn the current creature-specific input and the visible status result; do not rely on an undated universal key or stack table.
Classify the mechanic first
Active ability
A player-triggered tool with an input, target, range, cost, duration, cooldown, and valid state. The live control list decides availability.
Creature-specificPassive ability
A built-in effect triggered by attacking, being attacked, moving, entering terrain, reaching a threshold, or another current condition.
Community documentedAilment or status
A temporary effect shown through icons, particles, screen feedback, stack or duration information. It may affect health, movement, stamina, resistance, or control.
Read live iconResistance or block
A field that reduces or prevents a named effect under current rules. A positive value is not automatically total immunity.
Exact value is datedCurrent community Ability documentation separates active, passive, and status pages and lists which creatures possess each mechanic. Use it for discovery, then open the live Creature Info and controls for the selected slot.
Build an ability card
Record ability name, type, creature, input, trigger, target, range, resource or health cost, duration, cooldown, result, counters, realm/build, and check date. Leave unknown values blank. A simple card prevents a flashy name from becoming a vague “good ability.”
For an active ability, test activation and cancellation in safe space. Check whether it needs a target, stops movement, affects nearby players, consumes stamina or health, or locks another action. Watch the cooldown indicator.
For a passive, reproduce the trigger without stacking other changes. If the passive activates at low health, do not test it on a valuable slot in public combat. Use a controlled consenting setup.
Read ailment feedback
Current community Combat documentation describes status icons, screen effects, and particles for several ailments. Start with the visible name and current stack/duration display. Do not infer exact damage or movement loss from color alone.
If the status impairs movement or stamina, leaving earlier matters more than maximizing damage. If it lowers resistance, avoid exposing the slot to additional ailment types. If it limits control, position before it reaches a dangerous state.
Understand stacking and immunity cautiously
Community references may publish exact stacks, tick rates, formulas, caps, cooldowns, and bugs. These can be useful for a dated test but are high-risk permanent facts. Check the live UI and recent patch context. If an interface description and observed result disagree, label the discrepancy instead of choosing one silently.
A resistance field can be partial, conditional, or specific to one effect. An ability may ignore, convert, reflect, or interact with another mechanic under current rules. Test one pair at a time. Do not generalize from a different ailment that uses a similar icon.
Choose abilities for a plan
For survival, prioritize detection, escape, concealment, healing, resource access, or deterrence when those solve the route. For direct combat, combine pressure with the ability to hold range or leave. For packs, information, control, and support may outperform solo damage.
Write a sequence: “When the pursuer closes, trigger the movement tool, turn behind terrain, then stop before stamina empties.” This is usable. “Spam ability three” is not.
The same ability can be excellent in open terrain and poor in a cave. Include the environment and opponent’s counters in the card.
Troubleshoot an ability
Reopen the live controls and confirm the selected creature has it. Check age or form, cooldown, stamina or health cost, target, range, terrain, water, pose, held object, passive mode, and current ailment. Close menus or chat that capture input. Rejoin a fresh server after an update if the interface appears stale.
If a guide shows an ability on a creature and the current slot does not, check redesign, subspecies, Recode versus Legacy, and source date. Do not assume a bug before resolving identity.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know which abilities my creature has?
Open current Creature Info and the creature-specific controls. Use a current Recode ability index for comparison, then trust the live slot.
Do ailments always stack the same way?
No permanent rule should be assumed across all effects. Read the named status, current display, recent source, and interaction.
Can a passive ability be activated manually?
By definition it is triggered by a condition rather than a normal active input. Learn the trigger and how to create or avoid it.
Evidence note
Ability/status structure is Community corroborated through the current Creature Abilities and Combat references, checked 2026-08-22 UTC. Exact cooldowns, stacks, formulas, immunities, and known bugs require current in-game testing.