Asphyxiate

Asphyxiate is a threshold ability associated with the Magic skill. It requires only level 2 Magic. When activated, the user telekinetically strangles the target, attacking 4 times over a period of 6 seconds. Each successful hit momentarily stuns the target and deals up to 188% spell damage.

Asphyxiate is noteworthy for being one of the most powerful abilities in the game, particularly for a threshold ability. As each individual attack has a chance of dealing up to a high amount of damage (up to about 3k), a high-levelled player could potentially deal several thousand damage in one use of Asphyxiate, particularly if wielding a staff or dual wielding.

Comparison to Rapid Fire and Assault
Rapid Fire and Assault are the ranged and melee counterparts of Asphyxiate, respectively.

Advantages

 * Stuns your target in which the others doesn't
 * Available for F2P players
 * Harder to escape from Asphyxiate as opposed to Assault

Neutral

 * Similar total damage
 * Similar length

Disadvantages

 * Asphyxiate is a channeled ability, meaning that you can't use other abilities or even move while Asphyxiate is activated

Tactics

 * As one of the most powerful magic abilities, use it wisely. Tend to use this ability when your target's Freedom is not ready.
 * Use Anticipation before using this ability to avoid getting stunned while hitting your target
 * Use Wild Magic right after Asphyxiate ends to finish off your opponent.
 * Metamorphosis stacks with Asphyxiate. If combined, the damage output will be higher than any other abilities.
 * Use Combust immediately before Asphyxiate to potentially have two different sets of damage occur to the target over the six seconds.

Countertactics

 * Stunning your target can counter this ability.
 * Reflect could both halve your damage received and damage your opponent, leaving them in a dangerous state.

Trivia

 * The Asphyxiate ability could be a reference to the Force Choke power from the Star Wars universe, popularized in the films by Darth Vader.
 * The highest observed single hit with Asphyxiate is currently 8188, when using Metamorphosis and the target is wearing obsidian armour from The Brink of Extinction.
 * Destroy is the melee equivalent of this ability, however Destroy requires the player to dual wield, whereas Asphyxiate does not.