n00b question on how skills proc

I am an experienced MMO player but new to guild wars so bear with me.

I do not understand how some of the buff spells work. For example, the Paragon Skill 'Anthem of Flame' says for 10 seconds the next attack will also cause burning. Does this mean all your attacks get the burn buff for ten seconds or it just goes off one time in ten seconds?

I am just not sure how the game handles things that proc, to use a term from other MMOs.

TY for any advice.

It only procs on the next attack.

Explanations of procs can be found on Guildwiki - gw.gamewikis.org.
Particularly, Shouts, Chants and Echoes. There're a lot of other info-pages there that'll be helpful, too.

I believe there are a few descriptions with errors, but for the most part skills do exactly what they say.

For example, Conjure Flame says: For 60 seconds, if you're wielding a fire weapon, your attacks strike for an additional 5...17...20 fire damage.

Note that the skill you cited, Anthem of Flame, specifies "next" attack, so it would only apply to the next attack, not the ones that follow it.

Too many pronouns. This sentence contradicts itself. What I think BladeDVD is trying to say is that when you cast Anthem you put it into effect. Once in effect, the NEXT attack made by an ally will also cause burning. I play a paragon often and have the Hayda paragon hero as well. They both use that skill. Koss is usually already engaged when I cast it so the effects of it show up immediately on the foe he is battling.

Now from what I've observed in game play the term "attack" does not mean any action that causes damage. Casting a spell or hex spell is not considered an attack. I learned that the hard way while using Mist Form (I was still hexed to death). Striking with a weapon is considered an attack. So hitting with a bow, wand, axe, sword, hammer, spear, staff or sycthe. So Anthem of flame works well with a Paragon because they are, at heart, melee fighters (with slightly more range than a warrior or dervish, but less than a ranger).

I would also recommend researching this on GuildWiki. I have not verified my theory on attacks but it is what I have observed.

Generally anytime the developers took the effort to type "next (something)" in a skill description, it means that the next event and only that event will be affected. Case in point, Anthem of Flame triggers on the next single attack skill used by each party member in the group, and no other attack skills used after it until it is cast again. And if no attack skill is used within 10 seconds, Anthem of Flame will expire without causing its effect.

Important distinction: Anthem of Flame states that it affects attack skills. If it said "attack," it would affect the next swing of a weapon (auto-attacks included). Since it says "attack skill," it is specifying that the next time the party member uses something like Power Attack, Sever Artery, Mystic Sweep, Distracting Shot (etc, etc, etc), it will proc. Auto-attacks will not trigger it. Thus a warrior/ranger/paragon/any martial class can trigger it, but a monk wanding a target won't.

Iridescentfyre,

Thanks for adding the distinction about "attack skill". I do not have the exact skill description for Anthem at my disposal and that makes a big difference on how to apply it.

Sometimes I think there are just too many conditions attached to some of these skills. Earthen shackles still irks me.

Earthen shackles is amazing on a Burning Arrow or Icendiary Arrows ranger in PvP. Gg warriors, dervishes, and assasins. Well, not so much sins since they can shadow step but even if they do just run a few feet and they cant get you again.

It works great vs casters too if you use it with Incediary Arrows because they cant kite unless Shackles is removed which wont be easy because all of your arrows inturupt. Either way its gg.

I do kinda agree with you though [skill]unseen Fury[/skill] seems kinda dumb. But I dont play sin so maybe it is usable.

Anyways sorry for my off topic post.