The debuff shows it has a duration of 50 seconds when it’s cast on me. Is that accurate? I’ve read that it’s really 30?
What’s displayed is the maximum PvE duration. They didn’t adjust the display for PvP in vanilla. But I think for PvP the max duration is something like 16 seconds? Can’t remember exactly. But still way too long.
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I’ve never seen it last more than 20, and it has some weird mechanic to have a chance to spontaneously break every second.
Even as a mage I sympathize with how annoying it can be … but its not something exclusive to poly. There’s a ton of CC that seems to last forever. Rocket helm can last even longer and cant be dispelled.
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Ok. Just curious what the real duration is. It is frustrating sitting in it with absolutely no way out (hunter trinket doesn’t work on poly).
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A top rank sheep on a player can last up to 16 seconds the first time its cast, but it has a chance to break each tick. DRs start kicking in for each subsequent cast.
Love it.
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I giggle every time I get sheeped.
I like the little squeal I get when I pig someone
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Rocket helm is a magic debuff and can be dispelled.
Getting pigged is even funnier.
casts Polymorph: Pig on you
chuckles while popping ToEP and charging a fireball PoM Frostbolt combo.
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That last bit isn’t so funny.
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All CC mechanics have a regular “heartbeat check” at certain points where the game gives a chance for it to break. I believe it’s at 25%, 50%, and 75% duration.
I know that resistances affect the chance, for example if you put a Curse of Shadow up on a target a Fear might have a better chance to last the full duration.
And then there’s also diminishing returns on subsequent casts. The second cast is 50% duration, third is 75%, after three the subject becomes immune until the DR resets.
Also, for some effects any damage increases the chance the CC will break. Obviously any damage will break a sheep but a CC like fear just has an increased chance to break with damage.
Sheep and sap are easily the second most annoying things in game when you’re on the receiving end. They get the honorable mention next to improved counterspell.
A mage has fire/frost/arcane so when one school gets counterspelled the others still work.
Warlocks have fire/shadow.
But as a paladin every single ability I have is considered holy. So when I get hit with improved counterspell I can not use heals, I can not use bubbles, I can not use DI, I can not use seals, I can not use judgements, I can not use cleanse, and I can not even use my gosh darn mount. I’m essentially stunned for the 10 seconds or whatever it is.
Part of the charm of Vanilla. Nothing funnier than watching a mage get the drop on me by sheeping me, kill my pet, and then keep me locked in the dead zone until I’m dead too. 
On my hunter
That’s not improved counterspell, that’s just counterspell. Improved version adds a 4 second silence. CS alone is just an interrupt, like kick/pummel/spell lock/earth shock. it lasts longer than the others, though it has a longer cooldown than the others @ 30 seconds.
Same with fear, banish, enslave, mind control, root, nova, etc.
Basically, all ongoing magic based cc other than slows/stuns have a chance every pulse to end early. Some also have a change to end on damage.
resist, Thanks for the health top up.
Right, I believe Counterspell gives a 10 second lockout of the school interrupted and Improved Counterspell adds a 4 second silence to that so it locks out all casting.
I believe that research showed there was a chance at 25% duration intervals. So 25%, 50%, and 75%.
I’m not sure if that’s Just off the full duration or if it is off the DR duration too.
If you get counterspelled while casting, you cant bubble. If you get silenced from imp counterspell and just the 4 sec silence hits you you can still bubble. I agree that it is annoying, mages can effectively kill any spell classes burst with imp counterspell.