Test Center: Casting speed and fast casting

[krrios]

On Test Center today I've collected sample data of casting speeds for necromancer spells. Spells were cast in succession 20 times, and the time taken to do that was measured. This was repeated for multiple fast-cast and fast-cast-recovery rates.

When examing the sample rates, a simple algorithm emerged:

<pre>Cast Delay = (3 + SpellLevel) / 4
Recovery Delay = (6 - FCR) / 4</pre>

This is almost identical to magery spells. The only difference is that fast cast items have absolutely zero influence on the casting delay. Anyway, SpellLevel must be defined. Here's the list:

<pre>1: Wither, Curse Weapon, Evil Omen
2: Pain Spike
4: Blood Oath, Mind Rot, Animate Dead, Corpse Skin
6: Horrific Beast, Lich Form, Poison Strike, Strangle, Summon Familiar, Vampiric Embrace, Vengeful Spirit, Wraith Form</pre>

As usual, here's some tables to help visualize the algorithm:

<pre> -3 FC -2 FC -1 FC 0 FC 1 FC 2 FC 3 FC 4 FC 5 FC 6 FC
Wither 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00
Curse Weapon 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00
Evil Omen 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00

-3 FC -2 FC -1 FC 0 FC 1 FC 2 FC 3 FC 4 FC 5 FC 6 FC
Pain Spike 1.25 1.25 1.25 1.25 1.25 1.25 1.25 1.25 1.25 1.25

-3 FC -2 FC -1 FC 0 FC 1 FC 2 FC 3 FC 4 FC 5 FC 6 FC
Blood Oath 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75
Mind Rot 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75
Animate Dead 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75
Corpse Skin 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75

-3 FC -2 FC -1 FC 0 FC 1 FC 2 FC 3 FC 4 FC 5 FC 6 FC
Horrific Beast 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25
Lich Form 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25
Poison Strike 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25
Strangle 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25
Summon Familiar 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25
Vampiric Embrace 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25
Vengeful Spirit 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25
Wraith Form 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25</pre>

And for recovery delays:

<pre> 0 FCR 1 FCR 2 FCR 3 FCR 4 FCR 5 FCR 6 FCR 7 FCR
Recovery Delay 1.50 1.25 1.00 0.75 0.50 0.25 0.00 0.00</pre>

 

[Nox McChaos]

<blockquote><hr>

fast cast items have absolutely zero influence on the casting delay.

<hr></blockquote>

They are not supposed to influence the casting delay. They are supposed to shorten the time it takes to actually cast a spell.

That said, Fast Cast indeed has zero effect on Necromancy. But in my opinion, it is not needed because most Necro spells are cast very fast, anyway.

 

[krrios]

Yes, perhaps I should use different wording--cast delay is perhaps a bad choice. When I say cast delay, however, I do mean the time taken to cast the spell. I'll certainly consider rewording it to cast time for future postings.

 

[Guest]

I think it should have effect, actually... necro spells base speed are mostly fast compared to magery, but if you take the average 2/4 mage it takes pretty good timing to interupt a gheal with a painspike without precasting it, whereas lvl 3 spells are actually faster...
the only spell that really shouldnt get any faster is wither, so it would take some adjustments, but stuff like poison strike realy need some casting speed boost

 

[alyr252]

What's the point of having +fc weapons or shields without spell channeling if fc doesn't affect necro/paladin spells?

 

[Chandalir]

It does affect chivalry, just not necromancy, and I believe someone mentioned that the dev team was aware of this, and possible wanting to change it.

 

[Guest]

personally i like fast cast having no affet on necromancy, it allows us to use all those l33t shields and weapons with -fast cast that mages or paladins wont touch.

 

[Guest]

Can u see the necromages Jumping for joy if we could use fc/fcr

WITHER WITHER REV WITHER WITHEr FS WITHER POSION HARM HARM! WITHER!

 

[Guest]

I'm sure there'd be an almost instant painspike in there too.