UserWiki:FreezyLemon

Basic combat mechanics

Global Cooldown (and oGCDs)

All weaponskills and spells will start the global cooldown (GCD) timer when they are cast. This timer will prevent any other weaponskill or spell from being used until it completes. Players often call these actions GCDs ("using a GCD") for this reason.

- video here of rolling GCD? 1-2 combo and warning: not ready when pressing 2 too early

In contrast, abilities can be used while the GCD is active (or "rolling") and are usually used while GCD actions are unavailable. They are often called oGCDs (short for "off global cooldown") for this reason.

- another video of abilities being used during rolling GCD

[...] to maximize the amount [...] (maximize things done per minute? OR to not delay GCD actions? -> hint at importance of ABC)

The length of the global cooldown is 2.50 seconds at a baseline, but can be affected by attributes (skill speed for weaponskills and spell speed for spells), traits (TODO: list jobs) and buffs (TODO: mention raid buffs or phantom jobs/haste) or debuffs (slow, rare). Some jobs prefer specific GCD lengths (MNK) while others are happy at most any GCD length (BLM).

Animation lock

Almost all combat actions are accompanied by an animation. These animations can show the player character attacking with their weapon, consuming a potion or even jumping towards an enemy. The player is locked out of using any combat action (GCD or oGCD) while another animation is still playing. This means that all actions effectively have a second cooldown which is often called animation lock.

This cooldown is shorter than the GCD (almost always ~600-700ms, see minutiae) and can differ from action to action. It is heavily dependent on the client-server latency.

- video: spam 2 oGCDs and see that you have to wait for animation lock to finish

• almost all actions (GCDs AND oGCDs) have the same animation lock length, exceptions are usually longer (e.g. stardiver DRG)

Action buffering/queuing

• if an action is used before it is available (either due to animation lock or GCD) it is "queued" and used as soon as possible
• only possible to queue one action
• time limit (0.5s? 1s?), can't press too early
• video(s)

Minutiae/advanced topics

Prepare event & damage application

• lifecycle of a cast:

1. button is pressed/cast is started
2. cast starts (T = 0)
3. cast is prepared (T = cast - 0.54), slidecast window starts now
4. damage is applied (T = cast - 0.54 + application delay)
5. animation lock of GCD ends (T = cast - 0.54 + animation lock)
6. (optional): oGCDs are weaved
7. GCD finishes rolling/next cast starts (T = GCD/recast)

• if instant:

1. button is pressed/cast is prepared (T = 0)
2. damage is applied (T = application delay)
3. animation lock of GCD ends (T = animation lock)
4. (optional): oGCDs are weaved
5. GCD finishes rolling/next cast starts (T = GCD/recast)

latency and its effects

• rollback
• animation lock length (estimated formula, server tick variance)
• movement and snapshotting

Auto-attacks

• independent of GCD
• delay/frequency dictated by weapon, traits and sometimes buffs
• ranged (~25y) for prange, melee (~5y) for everyone else
• damage based on STR for everyone except aiming where it's DEX
• significant but not substantial, can be used for hyperoptimizing in some cases
• at lvl100, magic DPS do 1 damage with AAs, most healers too (SCH exception?)

Auto-attacks are

misc

• HP and MP ticks
• MP management

Basic gameplay loop

(Putting it all together)

• time in a fight is limited
• use as many GCDs as possible for most damage (ABC "always be casting")
• oGCDs can be used while waiting for the GCD to finish ("weaved" between GCDs)
• practical limit to number of oGCDs being usable between GCDs (1 or 2 depending on GCD length, usually never 3)

• if too many oGCDs are used or they are used too late then the GCD will have to wait (-> animation lock), this is called clipping the GCD and is usually undesirable.

Playing in a party environment

• party unique role buffs (+5%)
• coordinating raid buffs
• movement/positioning
• role responsibilities

Misc: non-combat jobs and how they fit into this

Might not be necessary at all. just something for the nerds.