( EDIT | 04/30/08 | Added more 'Questions and Answers' )
( EDIT | 04/29/08 | Cleaned Data Table; Clarified Presented Information; Added 'Questions and Answers' Section )
( EDIT | 03/28/08 | Added SCH/RDM Accession 'Curaga' tests. )
( EDIT | 05/05/10 | Added new data from previously untested gear sets. )
[ Foreword ]
Recently I have wholeheartedly dedicated myself to speed up of cures that I cast. I have fully merited Cure Cast Time Down, I have purchased Cure Clogs and I use Scholar sub and Light Arts. But how much are the afore mentioned merits, equipment and skills actually speeding me up, really? I have not seen a thread dedicated to attempting to accurately measure the effects of merits and equipment on cure casting time, so I figured that I would give it a shot.
This post was originally created on KillingIfrit, but I decided to post it on Allakhazam as well. This was done because I am certain that there are those who do not frequent the KillingIfrit White Mage message boards often or at all.
[ About the Tests ]
For these tests I will be casting in the Chocobo Circuit area, which is virtually empty at all times. This makes for a very nice laboratory-like environment. Each cast in the following tests were done with no pre-cast or mid-cast gear swapping involved. I also wore no extra gear besides gear that affected Cure Cast Time or Fast Cast. To further counteract lag, in each test I cast the specified cure spell twenty times and used the average of those twenty casts as the final product. If a cure spell went off at a percentage that was more than plus or minus one off of the average total percentage at the end of the test, it was flagged as 'lagged' and retested.
To avoid 'eyeballing' or guesstimation I used Fraps to record each cast and VirtualDub to move frame by frame in the video to get a fairly accurate time. I measured the cast time from the beginning of the cure animation to the moment the timer on the magic list (CTRL+M) showed that the spell had been used.
Again, my goal is simply to get as close as I possibly can to the actual cast time. None of the presented data below should be taken as absolute. That being said I believe that the following data gets pretty close, or at least close enough to get a good idea of the effect of gear, merits and job selection. Take from the below information what you will.
I would like to thank Derian and Kinyo of the Odin server for allowing me access to their characters to conduct a few of the Red Mage, White Mage and Scholar tests. I would also like to thank KillingIfrit user Shaddix for his help in this testing process.
===============================================================================
::Job:::‡::::::Test Zone:::::::‡:::::::::::::::::::Gear::::::::::::::::::::::::
===============================================================================
WHM/SCH | Chocobo Circuit (H-9)| Feet - Cure Clogs
| | Right Ear - Loquacious Earring
| | Body - Marduk's Jubbah
| | Back - Veela Cape
| | Waist - Capricornian Rope
| | (with and without Campaign)
| | (Gear Set - No Other Gear)
| | (Player - Kuuhalee [LV75] )
| |
WHM/SCH | Chocobo Circuit (H-9)| (Gear Set - No Gear)
| | (Player - Kinyo [LV61] )
| |
WHM/RDM | Chocobo Circuit (H-9)| Feet - Cure Clogs
| | Right Ear - Loquacious Earring
| | Body - Marduk's Jubbah
| | (Gear Set - No Other Gear)
| | (Player - Kuuhalee [LV75] )
| |
RDM/SCH | Chocobo Circuit (H-9)| Head - Warlock's Chapeau
| | Right Ear - Loquacious Earring
| | (Gear Set - No Other Gear)
| | (Player - Kuuhalee [32%CR] )
| |
RDM/SCH | Chocobo Circuit (H-9)| Head - Warlock's Chapeau
RDM/WHM | | Body - Duelist's Tabard
| | (Gear Set - No Other Gear)
| | (Player - Derian [40%CR] )
| |
SCH/RDM | Chocobo Circuit (H-9)| (Gear Set - No Gear)
| | (Player - Kinyo [LV52] )
===============================================================================
===============================================================================
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Chart Legend:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
===============================================================================
Test | Name of Spell Tested ‡ Light Arts | Enabled/Disabled
Job | Job used in the Test ‡ (10% Cast Reduction)
Merit | Cure Cast Time Merits ‡ TR | Total Cast Reduction used
used in Test (+4% per Merit) ‡ in Test
Equip | Cure Cast Time Equipment ‡ Percent | Average Percent shown on
used in Test (Cure Clogs) ‡ Spell Progress Bar
CR | Cast Reduction from ‡ Cast Time | Average Cast Time
'Fast Cast' sources ‡ calculated from 20 casts
===============================================================================
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Test | Job | Merit | Equip | CR | Light Arts | TR | Percent | Cast Time
---------|---------|-------|-------|----|------------|----|---------|----------
Cure III | WHM/SCH | -20% | -30% | 9% | Yes | 69%| 36.83% | 1.244 sec
Cure.III.|.WHM/SCH.|.-20%..|.-16%..|.9%.|....Yes.....|.55%|.48.57%..|:1.649 sec
Cure III | WHM/SCH | -20% | -15% | 7% | Yes | 52%| 48.54% | 1.652 sec
Cure.III.|.WHM/SCH.|.-20%..|.-15%..|.2%.|....Yes.....|.47%|.48.45%..|:1.649:sec
Cure III | WHM/SCH | -20% | -15% | 2% | No | 37%| 48.60% | 1.655 sec
Cure.III.|.WHM/SCH.|.-20%..|.-15%..|....|....No......|.35%|.48.69%..|:1.659:sec
Cure III | WHM/SCH | -20% | | | Yes | 30%| 60.95% | 2.077 sec
Cure.III.|.WHM/SCH.|.-20%..|.......|....|....No......|.20%|.61.25%..|:2.087:sec
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cure III | WHM/RDM | -20% | -16% | 24%| No | 60%| 48.44% | 1.643 sec
Cure.III.|.WHM/RDM.|.-20%..|.-15%..|.22%|....No......|.57%|.48.53%..|:1.649:sec
Cure III | WHM/RDM | -20% | -15% | 17%| No | 52%| 48.53% | 1.647 sec
Cure.III.|.WHM/RDM.|.-20%..|.......|.15%|....No......|.35%|.48.55%..|:1.648:sec
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cure III | RDM/SCH | | | 32%| Yes | 42%| 48.80% | 1.655 sec
Cure.III.|.RDM/SCH.|.......|.......|.32%|....No......|.32%|.61.50%..|:2.096:sec
Cure III | RDM/SCH | | | 20%| Yes | 30%| 61.25% | 2.092 sec
Cure.III.|.RDM/SCH.|.......|.......|.20%|....No......|.20%|.61.25%..|:2.092:sec
Cure III | RDM/SCH | | | 22%| Yes | 32%| 61.29% | 2.093 sec
Cure.III.|.RDM/SCH.|.......|.......|.30%|....Yes.....|.40%|.48.83%..|:1.657:sec
Cure III | RDM/SCH | | | 40%| Yes | 50%| 48.81% | 1.654 sec
Cure.III.|.RDM/SCH.|.......|.......|.40%|....No......|.40%|.48.79%..|:1.655:sec
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cure III | WHM/SCH | | | | Yes | 10%| 74.22% | 2.533 sec
Cure.III.|.WHM/SCH.|.......|.......|....|....No......|..0%|.74.25%..|:2.530:sec
===============================================================================
Cure IV | WHM/SCH | -20% | -15% | 7% | Yes | 52%| 48.93% | 1.653 sec
Cure.IV..|.WHM/SCH.|.-20%..|.-15%..|.2%.|....Yes.....|.47%|.48.95%..|:1.649:sec
Cure IV | WHM/SCH | -20% | -15% | 2% | No | 37%| 48.90% | 1.651 sec
Cure.IV..|.WHM/SCH.|.-20%..|.-15%..|....|....No......|.35%|.48.74%..|:1.661:sec
Cure IV | WHM/SCH | -20% | | | Yes | 30%| 61.47% | 2.089 sec
Cure.IV..|.WHM/SCH.|.-20%..|.......|....|....No......|.20%|.61.55%..|:2.090:sec
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cure IV | WHM/SCH | | | | Yes | 10%| 74.23% | 2.529 sec
Cure.IV..|.WHM/SCH.|.......|.......|....|....No......|..0%|.74.24%..|:2.531:sec
===============================================================================
Cure V | WHM/SCH | -20% | -15% | 7% | Yes | 52%| 48.82% | 1.653 sec
Cure.V...|.WHM/SCH.|.-20%..|.-15%..|.2%.|....Yes.....|.47%|.48.77%..|:1.659:sec
Cure V | WHM/SCH | -20% | -15% | 2% | No | 37%| 48.91% | 1.655 sec
Cure.V...|.WHM/SCH.|.-20%..|.-15%..|....|....No......|.35%|.48.83%..|:1.667:sec
Cure V | WHM/SCH | -20% | | | Yes | 30%| 61.58% | 2.076 sec
Cure.V...|.WHM/SCH.|.-20%..|.......|....|....No......|.20%|.61.53%..|:2.088:sec
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cure V | WHM/SCH | | | | Yes | 10%| 74.25% | 2.523 sec
Cure.V...|.WHM/SCH.|.......|.......|....|....No......|..0%|.74.27%..|:2.533:sec
===============================================================================
-aga I | WHM/SCH | -20% | -15% | 7% | Yes | 52%| 40.95% | 2.530 sec
-aga.I...|.WHM/SCH.|.-20%..|.-15%..|.2%.|....Yes.....|.47%|.46.15%..|:2.858:sec
-aga I | WHM/SCH | -20% | -15% | 2% | No | 37%| 46.15% | 2.861 sec
-aga.I...|.WHM/SCH.|.-20%..|.-15%..|....|....No......|.35%|.47.75%..|:2.965:sec
-aga I | WHM/SCH | -20% | | | Yes | 30%| 53.25% | 3.290 sec
-aga.I...|.WHM/SCH.|.-20%..|.......|....|....No......|.20%|.60.20%..|:3.742:sec
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-aga.I...|.WHM/RDM.|.-20%..|.-15%..|.22%|....No......|.57%|.40.10%..|:2.497:sec
-aga I | WHM/RDM | -20% | -15% | 17%| No | 52%| 40.03% | 2.490 sec
-aga.I...|.WHM/RDM.|.-20%..|.......|.15%|....No......|.35%|.47.81%..|:2.983:sec
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-aga I | RDM/WHM | | | 40%| No | 40%| 46.10% | 2.862 sec
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-aga.I...|.WHM/SCH.|.......|.......|....|....Yes.....|.10%|.67.15%..|:4.190:sec
-aga I | WHM/SCH | | | | No | 0%| 73.05% | 4.545 sec
===============================================================================
-aga.II..|.WHM/SCH.|.-20%..|.-15%..|.7%.|....Yes.....|.52%|.41.07%..|:2.611:sec
-aga II | WHM/SCH | -20% | -15% | | No | 35%| 50.65% | 3.304 sec
-aga.II..|.WHM/SCH.|.-20%..|.......|....|....Yes.....|.30%|.56.85%..|:3.748:sec
-aga II | WHM/SCH | -20% | | | No | 20%| 63.55% | 4.177 sec
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-aga.II..|.WHM/SCH.|.......|.......|....|....Yes.....|.10%|.67.85%..|:4.493:sec
-aga II | WHM/SCH | | | | No | 0%| 74.97% | 4.845 sec
===============================================================================
-aga.III.|.WHM/SCH.|.-20%..|.-15%..|.7%.|....Yes.....|.52%|.42.30%..|:2.940:sec
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-aga III | WHM/SCH | | | | Yes | 10%| 66.97% | 4.578 sec
-aga.III.|.WHM/SCH.|.......|.......|....|............|..0%|.75.07%..|:5.094:sec
===============================================================================
Cure1+Acc|.SCH/RDM.|.......|.......|.10%|....Yes.....|.20%|.60.85%. |:1.658:sec ‡
Cure2+Acc| SCH/RDM | | | 10%| Yes | 20%| 63.97% | 1.967 sec ‡
Cure3+Acc|.SCH/RDM.|.......|.......|.10%|....Yes.....|.20%|.61.40%..|:2.093:sec ‡
===============================================================================
‡ - This test uses the Scholar ability 'Accession'
[ Observations ]
Light Arts from Scholar sub appears to give a solid 10% Cast Time Reduction bonus.
There appears to be a cap at 50% on (Cure) Cast Time Reduction.
Cure III through Cure V cast times work on a tier system. The first tier is 17% Cast Time Reduction, the second tier is at 35% Cast Time Reduction and the third tier is at 69% Cast Time Reduction.
Curaga I appears to have a single tier somewhere between 48-50% Cast Time Reduction.
[ Questions and Answers ]
• Question : "Am I reading this data correct? Why is the spell casting at a slower speed with more Cast Reduction?"
• Answer : The difference between casts are sometimes in fractions of a second, so I would say that they are casting at generally the same time. Because the final results are the average of twenty tests, you will see tiny fluctuations like this.
• Question : "Can you clarify what you mean when you say Cure Cast Time Reduction?"
• Answer : Fast Cast is composed of two bonuses. It will reduce Recast Time and it will reduce Casting Time. To get the amount of Casting Time reduction from Fast Cast you double the amount of Fast Cast that is listed. So if you had a Loquacious Earring that provides 1% Fast Cast then you would have 1% Recast Time reduction and 2% Casting Time reduction. If you had a Marduk's Jubbah which provides 2.5% Fast Cast then you would have 2.5% Recast Time reduction and 5% Casting Time reduction.
Cure Cast Time reduction also comes from merits, Cure Clogs and Light Arts. You can receive a total of 20% Cure Cast Time reduction from merits, 15% Cure Cast Time reduction from Cure Clogs and an additional 10% Cast Time reduction via Light Arts.
All of these bonuses can stack but seem to cap at 50% Cast Time reduction. When I talk about needing '17% Cast Time Reduction' or '35% Cast Time Reduction' I am talking about the total amount of Cast Time Reduction you would need from all of the available resources.
• Question : "Cure Cast Time ... tiers? What do you mean by that, exactly?"
• Answer : When I talk about tiers I am referring to the two tiers that Cure III through Cure V operate on. The first tier is at 17% Cast Reduction and the second tier is at 35% Cast Reduction. These numbers represent the absolute minimum percentage of Cast Reduction that is needed to cast at a heightened speed. The only way to reduce your cast time for Cure III through Cure V is to break one of the specified tiers. Having 24% Cast Reduction or 37% Cast Reduction will not lower your cast time of the specified Cure spells anymore than having 17% Cast Reduction or 35% Cast Reduction will.
Curaga spells operate in a slightly different fashion than Cure III through Cure V wherein every bit of Cast Reduction seems to help speed up the casting to the point of 37-40% Cast Reduction. There appears to be a single cast time tier somewhere between 48-50% for Curaga spells that breaks the lull started at the 37-40% Cast Reduction range.
• Question : "Does Celerity still have an effect with capped cast time reduction?"
• Answer : What Celerity does is it halves the base casting time of whatever white magic spell comes next. It does not count towards Fast Cast. Therefore you can use Celerity to cut the spell cast time in half and then shave another few fractions of a second off of the spell with Cast Reduction gear. However, the spell will cast incredibly fast, so if you are wanting to do mid-cast gear swaps there is a very strong possibility that some or all of the gear will not have time to swap in before the spell is cast.
Edited, May 5th 2010 11:23pm by Kuuhalee
Edited, Oct 17th 2010 7:11pm by Kuuhalee
