DISCLAIMER
I am only reposting the IDEA of the topic, which came in the light about 7 months ago in a very different post. I contacted the author in hopes he will be aware of my information. Some time after I have done that I figured… hey, it’s not an old issue, maybe some other players are being “tormented”, if only mildly, as I was, by a mind-bugging question: “Where the f** is my condition damage in all those stacks?!” or “Why the f** my bleeding ticks for [insert 2-digit number here] instead of [insert 4-digit number here]” oO
Following information is NOT a speculation of any sort. If reader has any IQ, he/she would follow a simple pattern of thoughts, based on a hard logic and originated from KNOWN information available to everyone.
IF YOU ARE HERE ONLY FOR DISCLAIMER, PRESS CTRL+W NOW
http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Effect_stacking
In the examples section there is an explanation roughly discribing the mechanics. Simply put, all the time 3 rules are met:
1. Total cumulative duration is not exceeded. True for all conditions, including intensity-type (confusion, bleeding) with each having it’s own unique maximum value;
2. Last applied condition, regardless of stacking type, applies to the end of the queue. It would make sense that, if this contradicts the rule above, condition is not applied, however I do not have any confirmation of that except my personal notice (during extreme encounters, such as Karka Queen or Claw of Jormag – doesnt matter how much I’d try to put more bleeding on the target, I sometimes would never even see any damage ticks originated from me);
3. A condition with stronger “power level” takes precedence, BUT DOES NOT OVERRIDE condition stacks applied before. Instead, the stack from the source with most “power level” SPLITS THE QUEUE, moving its duration value to the first place. The duration of previously applied stack (with less “power level”) will move up the queue and will resume its own effect (because it was set “on hold” by a stack from a more stronger source) only after more stronger stack’s duration expires. If that stronger source of the condition re-applies its stack, that will cause “weaker” stacks to move up the queue again and so on.
To clarify, it is all quite right for duration-stacking conditions, however things get more complicated with intensity stacking type. I personally believe that in latter case, if OVERALL duration of the condition queue is exceeding some mysterious value (ON TOP of having capped at 25 stacks), new stacks will not be put into the queue, and as a result (and a matter of logic) – if “weaker” stacks are being repeatedly preceeded by “stronger” ones, which means their durations are put “on hold”, they are completely erased from the queue, once that mysterious inner condition duration value cannot hold the value of this “weakest” stack. It would, at first, be cut as {condition inner duration max value} – {condition duration of stronger stacks}. When the result reaches 0, “weakest” existing stacks are dropped from the queue, at the same time new cannot be applied.
PS: I do assume there might be some wicked troll pointed my way for writing all that, however I AM sure that many experienced players have been in the situations when they were conciously aware of applying certain condition, but never had a glimpse of damage originated FROM THEM. This is a matter of simple experience and keeping your eyes sharp, not mindless speculation nor day-dreaming.