Do HCT mods stack with Fast Casting? - Guild Wars Forums

LicensedLuny · Oct 09, 2009, 11:29 AM // 11:29

Hey all,

Was puzzling over modding some more fancy gear for my Mesmer when I realized I don't know for sure if and how the reduced cast time from points invested in Fast Casting stack with the equipment mods that give a chance at HCT (half casting time.)

Do they stack at all? If not, does that mean a Mesmer with points in Fast Casting would never get HCT benefit?

If they do stack, how does the HCT calculate? Is the base cast time reduced by just 50% when the mod triggers, or is the reduced cast time from Fast Casting then cut in half?

I looked on both wikis' Fast Casting pages and didn't see the answer.

Thanks for the help & Cheers!
Luny

EDIT - Oops, guess I should read entire paragraphs. Thanks Xenex. So does "cumulative" mean you have a chance to get 50% off the ~66% cast time and wind up with ~33% cast time?

Xenex Xclame · Oct 09, 2009, 11:50 AM // 11:50

Each rank reduces casting time by aproximately 4.73%. Note that this is multiplicative, rather than additive, so with 9 ranks of Fast Casting, casting time is reduced to roughly 66.1% (0.9559) rather than roughly 57.4% (1 - 9 ?? 0.0473). Fast Casting is cumulative with HCT.

On the fast casting page on wiki (the unofficial/better one).
So yes it stacks.

Tenebrae · Oct 09, 2009, 11:57 AM // 11:57

Thats a good question. I guess that FC stands once you get of the town on all spells so all your spells have X% less cast time . HCT triggers on chance when you cast so if your cast spell time is 1,70seg instead 2,5 you should cast on 0.85seg when you trigger HCT mod/insc ??? . Not sure , hard to see it ingame but i think it stacks.

Snograt · Oct 09, 2009, 02:10 PM // 14:10

Test it with a stopwatch and Meteor Shower (or something similarly long casting.)

Gift3d · Oct 09, 2009, 03:29 PM // 15:29

hct does stack with fast cast, hct is applied after fast casting.

LicensedLuny · Oct 09, 2009, 03:40 PM // 15:40

Thanks for the replies. Glad to know there's not some sneaky hidden rule taking over like how dual hsr mods can't give quarter recharge.

turbo234 · Oct 09, 2009, 03:53 PM // 15:53

yes it does. you can easily tell casting something like diversion.

Killamus · Oct 09, 2009, 08:15 PM // 20:15

Except that there's a cap on activation time, so I'd assume that if you have 15 or greater fast casting, it won't stack. (Cap is 50%)

zelgadissan · Oct 09, 2009, 10:12 PM // 22:12

^ No.

There's a cap on recharge time of 50%, not casting time. If what you said is true, 40/40 sets couldn't give you a cast in 1/4 time, which they can. Or for a PvE example, FC and Mindbender (50% faster cast) stack on top of each other.

Killamus · Oct 09, 2009, 10:21 PM // 22:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by zelgadissan

^ No.

There's a cap on recharge time of 50%, not casting time. If what you said is true, 40/40 sets couldn't give you a cast in 1/4 time, which they can. Or for a PvE example, FC and Mindbender (50% faster cast) stack on top of each other.

Quote:

Originally Posted by http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Effect_stacking

When multiple effects grant the same bonus or penalty, they often stack, but only to a specific maximum value. This maximum only limits multiple effects stacking with one another, so an effect from a single source can exceed the maximum.

I'd assume that it counts a 40/40 weapon set as one item. Otherwise, these items aren't counted for stacking purposes.

zelgadissan · Oct 09, 2009, 11:14 PM // 23:14

You're wrong.

Take a mesmer with Mindbender and Meteor Shower out to the Isle of the Nameless. With 13 Fast Casting, I get a "skill activating" bar telling me that I'm casting Meteor Shower. When I do it with Mindbender, it casts in just under 1.5 seconds without the activation bar - well under the 2.5 second cap you're claiming. It's also coming from two sources - FC and Mindbender.

Then I decided to throw in Stolen Speed, another -25% casting time modifier. It went down even more, and that's three sources stacking with each other.

If you don't have a mesmer, or at least not one with Mindbender, I'd be happy to show you in game. I'll be on for a while.

Oct 09, 2009, 11:29 AM // 11:29	#1
LicensedLuny Badly Influenced Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Buying Humps! (No kidding! Check my buy thread) Guild: Hello Kitty Krewe [HKK] Forever!-ish	Do HCT mods stack with Fast Casting? Hey all, Was puzzling over modding some more fancy gear for my Mesmer when I realized I don't know for sure if and how the reduced cast time from points invested in Fast Casting stack with the equipment mods that give a chance at HCT (half casting time.) Do they stack at all? If not, does that mean a Mesmer with points in Fast Casting would never get HCT benefit? If they do stack, how does the HCT calculate? Is the base cast time reduced by just 50% when the mod triggers, or is the reduced cast time from Fast Casting then cut in half? I looked on both wikis' Fast Casting pages and didn't see the answer. Thanks for the help & Cheers! Luny EDIT - Oops, guess I should read entire paragraphs. Thanks Xenex. So does "cumulative" mean you have a chance to get 50% off the ~66% cast time and wind up with ~33% cast time? Last edited by LicensedLuny; Oct 09, 2009 at 11:59 AM // 11:59..

Oct 09, 2009, 02:10 PM // 14:10	#4
Snograt rattus rattus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: London, UK GMT??0 ??1hr DST Guild: [GURU]GW [wiki]GW2 Profession: R/	Test it with a stopwatch and Meteor Shower (or something similarly long casting.) __________________ Si non confectus, non reficiat

Oct 09, 2009, 11:50 AM // 11:50	#2
Xenex Xclame Desert Nomad Join Date: Mar 2006 Guild: DPX Profession: R/	Each rank reduces casting time by aproximately 4.73%. Note that this is multiplicative, rather than additive, so with 9 ranks of Fast Casting, casting time is reduced to roughly 66.1% (0.9559) rather than roughly 57.4% (1 - 9 ?? 0.0473). Fast Casting is cumulative with HCT. On the fast casting page on wiki (the unofficial/better one). So yes it stacks.

Oct 09, 2009, 11:57 AM // 11:57	#3
Tenebrae Forge Runner Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Spain Guild: LHV Profession: R/N	Thats a good question. I guess that FC stands once you get of the town on all spells so all your spells have X% less cast time . HCT triggers on chance when you cast so if your cast spell time is 1,70seg instead 2,5 you should cast on 0.85seg when you trigger HCT mod/insc ??? . Not sure , hard to see it ingame but i think it stacks.

Oct 09, 2009, 03:29 PM // 15:29	#5
Gift3d Forge Runner Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Las Vegas Guild: Enraged Whiny Carebears [oR] Profession: W/E	hct does stack with fast cast, hct is applied after fast casting.

Oct 09, 2009, 03:40 PM // 15:40	#6
LicensedLuny Badly Influenced Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Buying Humps! (No kidding! Check my buy thread) Guild: Hello Kitty Krewe [HKK] Forever!-ish	Thanks for the replies. Glad to know there's not some sneaky hidden rule taking over like how dual hsr mods can't give quarter recharge.

Oct 09, 2009, 03:53 PM // 15:53	#7
turbo234 Wilds Pathfinder Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: WI Profession: Mo/	yes it does. you can easily tell casting something like diversion.

Oct 09, 2009, 08:15 PM // 20:15	#8
Killamus Guest Join Date: Oct 2008	Except that there's a cap on activation time, so I'd assume that if you have 15 or greater fast casting, it won't stack. (Cap is 50%)

Oct 09, 2009, 10:12 PM // 22:12	#9
zelgadissan Forge Runner Join Date: Feb 2008 Guild: The Warrior Priests [WP] Profession: Me/Rt	^ No. There's a cap on recharge time of 50%, not casting time. If what you said is true, 40/40 sets couldn't give you a cast in 1/4 time, which they can. Or for a PvE example, FC and Mindbender (50% faster cast) stack on top of each other.

Oct 09, 2009, 11:14 PM // 23:14	#11
zelgadissan Forge Runner Join Date: Feb 2008 Guild: The Warrior Priests [WP] Profession: Me/Rt	You're wrong. Take a mesmer with Mindbender and Meteor Shower out to the Isle of the Nameless. With 13 Fast Casting, I get a "skill activating" bar telling me that I'm casting Meteor Shower. When I do it with Mindbender, it casts in just under 1.5 seconds without the activation bar - well under the 2.5 second cap you're claiming. It's also coming from two sources - FC and Mindbender. Then I decided to throw in Stolen Speed, another -25% casting time modifier. It went down even more, and that's three sources stacking with each other. If you don't have a mesmer, or at least not one with Mindbender, I'd be happy to show you in game. I'll be on for a while.