Recharge time

Recharge time is the minimum period that a character must wait after using a skill before they can attempt to activate it again. Skills that are interrupted or disrupted by knock down also have to wait to be recharged. Failed skills are ready immediately; they do not need to recharge. The visual indicator of a recharging skill is a darkened skill icon that gradually lightens as if a clock-hand was sweeping through from noon to midnight.

Game mechanics

When a skill has a recharge time, it begins recharging at the exact moment the skill is completed or prevented.
A skill that requires adrenaline cannot gain adrenaline while it is recharging.
When a skill completes activation, its recharge time can be increased or reduced by various effects from other skills, environmental effects or weapons (HSR). For example, Quickening Zephyr reduces the recharge times of skills used by characters in range while Energizing Wind increases them.
Effects that alter recharge time round to the nearest second.

Reducing recharge time

Recharge time is calculated as the skill finishes activating. As such, activating the stance Serpent's Quickness before completing a casting of Meteor will reduce the recharge time.
The Essence of Celerity consumable reduces recharge times by 20%.
Several effects that reduce the recharge time of skills stack multiplicatively, up to a maximum of 50% reduced recharge time. However, a single skill's effect can bypass this limit. In PvE, Fast Casting also bypasses this limit for mesmer spells.

Instant recharge

In some situations, skills can recharge instantly.

Morale Boost usually trigger an instant recharge.
- Although not stated explicitly in their descriptions, both a Powerstone of Courage and a Seal of the Dragon Empire recharge all skills when used due to their Morale Boosts.

Instantly recharges other skills

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File:Determined Shot.jpg Determined Shot all attack skills if target is not successfully hit.
File:Oath Shot.jpg Oath Shot all other skills if target is successfully hit.
File:Persistence of Memory.jpg Persistence of Memory any interrupted spells while this enchantment is active
Glyph of Renewal next spell
File:Assassin's Promise.jpg Assassin's Promise all skills when an enemy affected by this hex dies.
File:Moebius Strike.jpg Moebius Strike all other attack skills if it hits a foe below 50% health.
File:Air of Superiority.jpg Air of Superiority all skills, 10% chance every time experience is earned from killing an enemy

Instantly recharge specific other skills

File:Flourish.jpg Flourish all attack skills, also gives energy for each skill recharged this way.
File:"On Your Knees!".jpg "On Your Knees!" all stances if adjacent to a knocked down foe.
File:Keystone Signet.jpg Keystone Signet (elite) all other signets
File:Anguished Was Lingwah.jpg Anguished Was Lingwah all Ritualist hexes upon drop
File:Reclaim Essence.jpg Reclaim Essence (elite) all binding rituals if a spirit dies with this skill's effect.
File:Soul Twisting.jpg Soul Twisting binding rituals

Instantly recharges itself

File:Renewing Smash.jpg Renewing Smash if it hits a knocked down foe.
File:Needling Shot.jpg Needling Shot if target is under 50% health.
File:Bitter Chill.jpg Bitter Chill if foe has more health than you.
File:Signet of Sorrow.jpg Signet of Sorrow if target has a dead pet or is nearby to a corpse.
File:Verata's Sacrifice.jpg Verata's Sacrifice if you have 3 or fewer minions.
Inspired Enchantment Revealed Enchantment Inspired Enchantment/Revealed Enchantment if a monster skill enchantment is removed.
Inspired Hex Revealed Hex Inspired Hex/Revealed Hex if a monster skill hex spell is removed.
File:Ritual Lord.jpg Ritual Lord (elite) if a binding ritual is used while under its effect.
File:Farmer's Scythe.jpg Farmer's Scythe if it hits more than one foe.
File:Pious Renewal.jpg Pious Renewal (elite) when it ends

Skills that recharge by a morale boost

File:Storm of Swords.jpg Storm of Swords (PvE only)
File:Celestial Stance.jpg Celestial Stance (PvE only)
File:Star Shine.jpg Star Shine (PvE only)
File:Star Servant.jpg Star Servant (PvE only)
File:Celestial Haste.jpg Celestial Haste (PvE only)
File:Celestial Storm.jpg Celestial Storm (PvE only)
File:Star Strike.jpg Star Strike (PvE only)
File:Celestial Summoning.jpg Celestial Summoning (PvE only)
Resurrection Signet
Sunspear Rebirth Signet (PvE only)

Skills that increase recharge time

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Increase other skill's recharge

File:Rage of the Ntouka.jpg Rage of the Ntouka adrenaline skills have a 3 second recharge
File:Energizing Wind.jpg Energizing Wind all skills by 25%
File:Auspicious Incantation.jpg Auspicious Incantation next spell for an additional 10...6...5 seconds
File:Diversion.jpg Diversion next skill used by a foe
Glyph of Sacrifice next spell by 30 seconds
Monster File:Edge of Reason.jpg Edge of Reason every activated/interrupted skill by 3 seconds

Conditionally increase its own recharge

File:Withdraw Hexes.jpg Withdraw Hexes by 20...8...5 seconds for each hex removed
File:Word of Censure.jpg Word of Censure by 20 seconds if used on a foe with less than 33% health
File:Shatter Storm.jpg Shatter Storm by 7 seconds for each enchantment removed
File:Repeating Strike.jpg Repeating Strike by 15 seconds if it misses

Skills with no recharge time nor adrenaline cost

Name	Description			Prof.	Attribute	Campaign
Burning Speed	Enchantment Spell. (7 seconds.) You move 30...42...45% faster. You suffer from Burning (7 seconds). End effect: inflicts Burning condition (3...8...9 seconds) on adjacent foes.	1010	00.250.25¼	elementalista	Fire MagicZ	Factions
Flare	Spell. Projectile: deals 20...56...65 fire damage. If Overcast, strikes adjacent.	055	01.001	elementalista	Fire MagicZ	Core
Ice Spear	Enchantment Spell. Projectile: deals 10...50...60 cold damage. Gain +1...3...4 Health regeneration for 5 seconds if Overcast.	055	01.001	elementalista	Water MagicZ	Core
Stone Daggers	Spell. Two projectiles: each deals 8...28...33 earth damage. If Overcast, cause Bleeding for 1...4...5 second[s].	055	01.001	elementalista	Earth MagicZ	Core

Notes

In some occasions, skills can be disabled for an extended period of time

Disabling an already recharging skill can prolong its recharge time but cannot shorten it. For instance, Blackout disables any skill of its user for 5 seconds. If one particular skill was recharging and its remaining time was 3 seconds, then it will be prolonged to 5 seconds. If another skill had 30 seconds left until recharge, it will not be affected by Blackout and will continue recharge normally.
Some skills, such as Dervish forms, Norn forms and most skills that can copy other skills, are disabled upon ending and their recharge cannot be decreased.
Additional recharge time and disabling duration are unaffected by skills that reduce recharge time. For instance, casting Meteor Shower (60s recharge time) after Glyph of Sacrifice (+30s recharge time) while under Serpent's Quickness (33% recharge time reduction) will lead to a 2/3*60s+30s=70s recharge time instead of 2/3*(60s+30s)=60s recharge time.
Although not a skill, the Power Up Box in Rollerbeetle Racing also provides an instant recharge.