cooldownable

Cooldownable is a term used in game design and player discourse to describe actions, abilities, or items that become unavailable for a period after use due to a cooldown.

Mechanics: After activation, a cooldown timer starts. If it's global, it restricts most abilities for a shared duration; per-ability cooldowns apply only to that ability. Cooldowns may be shortened by effects such as items, talents, or passive abilities (cooldown reduction). User interfaces commonly show cooldowns with a shaded icon, numeric timer, or progress ring.

Design considerations: Cooldowns shape pacing, resource management, and decision-making. Designers balance cooldown durations, recharge rates, and interactions with other mechanics (mana, energy, or combo systems). Challenges include preventing idle time while avoiding forced downtime; alternatives include resource gating or energy costs.

Examples and contexts: Most spells in many RPGs and MOBAs are cooldownable; weapons with special abilities; artifacts and ultimates. Durations vary widely from less than a second to several minutes depending on game scale.

See also: global cooldown, cooldown reduction, resource management.