Capture point

Capture points, or control points, are locations which players must stand in for a period of time to claim for their team. Capture points appear in PvE, WvW, and sPvP. They are signified by a transparent circle or square on the ground.

Mechanics

Capture

To capture a point your team must remain in the area. An unclaimed capture point will be colored white. In order to successfully capture a point, the following steps must be fulfilled:

• If the point has already been claimed by the enemy team, you must neutralize it before it can be captured.
• There must be no members of the opposing team in the area.
• The time it takes to capture a point is not influenced by the number of people in the area.
• Once captured the point may change to your team's color, or be removed if in a PvE environment.
• Capture point contribution is prevented while using skills that grant any form of invulnerability (see below). In addition, points cannot be captured while stealthed.

• 

  A capture point claimed by the red team.

• 

  A capture point claimed by the blue team.

Contest

A capture point is contested when both teams have players in the area. While contested, the capture point will not move toward neutralization or capture.

Neutral

A capture point which is not owned by either team is neutral. The time to neutralize a point is much quicker than the time to capture it. Neutral control points are always shown in white.

• 

  An unclaimed, neutral capture point.

Related skills

Weapon skills that prevent capture point contribution

•   Obsidian Flesh — Focus, when attuned to earth

Bundle skills that prevent capture point contribution

•   Fortify — Magnetic Shield (bundle)

Utility skills that prevent capture point contribution

•   Elixir S — Elixir
•   Mist Form — Cantrip
•   Illusion of Life — Manipulation
•   Blade Renewal — Psionic

Elite skills that prevent capture point contribution

•   Renewed Focus — Meditation

Profession mechanic skills that prevent capture point contribution

•   Distortion — Shatter
•   Continuum Split — Shatter
•   Bladesong Distortion — Bladesong

Downed skills that prevent capture point contribution

•   Vengeance
•   Vapor Form

Drowning skills that prevent capture point contribution

•   Vengeance

Racial skills that prevent capture point contribution

•   Prowl — Become the Snow Leopard
•   Take Root

Common skills that prevent capture point contribution

•   Smoke Form — Inferno Hound