Guild Wars 2

given

• reasonable telegraph
• you expect the spell some time around (but no exact info)
• there is no particle field, etc visual obstruction
• you have insta interrupt on skills bar
• you are not too slow, not too fast, average response time

what cast time should spell have to be interrupted in informed way? for instance, is it possible to catch thief’s black powder (0.5 cast time) by mesmer’s mantra interrupts?

.5 could be done if you’re fastest hands in the west and are actively looking out for a specific telegraphed cast.

IMO 1 second is the first acceptable average breakpoint for ‘if you see this telegraph and want to interrupt it you have been given reasonable time to do it’

azuzephyr.7280:

IMO 1 second is the first acceptable average breakpoint for ‘if you see this telegraph and want to interrupt it you have been given reasonable time to do it’

I would agree with this. You can maybe get away with 3/4’s of a second (warrior combustive shot). But really otherwise, you’re going to have to predict when they’re going to use their heal.

1 second minimum for proper reaction time. (Minimum!)
Maybe a tiny bit less if it is guaranteed that they will use a certain ability, but predictions are never guarantees.
However, if you play against an asura, forget about interruptions, especially if you play a charr like me. Those shrimpy things are just dots on the screen from my camera’s view.

0.5 second cast is too fast.

When your only clue is an animation, you need part of that animation (so part of the cast time) to take place before you realize what’s happening and react.
0.5s might be ok for an attack you might want to evade (since evading is the most common form of defense and can be used more instinctively). It actually depends on how obscure the animation or how “predictable” the skill is.
For a skill to be reliably interrupted I would say that 0.75s is the bare minimum for the average player, probably closer to 1s when you factor in a lot of possible handycaps (not every interrupt is instant, you might want to check if the target has used some form of stability or any other defensive tool before blowing a CD, animations can be obscured during a teamfight, your enemy might be an asura, …).

Blackhat.4016:

Back in GW1 I used to interrupt 0.5+ sec skills reliably, now it’s ~0.75-1+ sec skills. No cast bar really makes a difference imo. Keep in mind I’m only an average player.

I would too. My main was R/Mo cripshot. I’m in the same boat as you, but most of my interrupts come from just knowing the general “feel” of the other player and how they play, so sometimes (to the point of it not being just luck) I can nail an interrupt right when they decide to use their skill.

Back in GW1 I used to interrupt 0.5+ sec skills reliably, now it’s ~0.75-1+ sec skills. No cast bar really makes a difference imo. Keep in mind I’m only an average player.

back in gw1 it was also way easier to predict casts as fights where way less chaotic (dshot infuse op, nearly as good as dshot on dshot xD) but i’d say 0.5 is realiably interruptable even in gw2 with some training but certainly not something that seperates good and very good players.

Heals are about the only thing I can reliably interrupt with Headshot and only when I expect them. Most seem to have a cast-time of roughly 1 second.

However I do play on WLAN and the game is slightly laggy/unresponsive at times. I’m not sure if it’s my connection or the game so others may get better results.

0.75 seconds and up, ofcourse sometimes faster casting times can be interrupted but thats usually NOT the case.
Back in gw1 NOBODY could realibly interrupt 0.5 casts so the people claiming they could are talking bs. Especially the ones saying they did it as a ranger since there also was a delay on the interrupt as ranger because of flighttime of the arrow next to the 0.25casttime of the interrupt.
Unless ofcourse they were botting, then 0.5sec casts and below were possible to rupt all the time lol.

3/4 is easy .5 is possible too

Depends on your ping.

At 200+ ping, I can barely get 3/4s with prediction and often get 1s on reaction.

I’m sure if I played with lower ping, I could get 1/2s etc.

1/2 with prediction, 3/4 on reaction.

0.75 on reaction? don’t think so, because many interrupt skills in gw2 have a cast time themself and fast cast (quickness) is very limited.
in my opinion everything under 1s requires prediction and a clean screen. 0.2s is a good reaction time, add 0.25s (minimum) for the interrupt skill, ping and animation delay (you only acknowledge the skill you want to interrupt halfway through the animation) the time frame to interrupt a 0.75s skill is very tiny

There needs to be kitten difference between the interrupt and a well telegraphed move to be able to respond adequately.

Even these interrupts are incredibly rare in gw2 and only executed by the best of players. As a thief, if you try to interrupt an earthshaker (.75s) with a headshot (.25) and succeed, you are going to be recognized as as mechanical genius. Interrupting an Earthshaker with a steal (sleight of hand; instant), will already make you look exceptionally strong.

Mrbig.8019:

1/2 with prediction, 3/4 on reaction.

Exactly this; there’s an art to lockdown rather than just reaction. As someone whose been playing lockdown Mesmer for almost a year now, I can honestly say you begin to develop an eye/reflex for interrupting certain skills, especially with the instant-cast Mantra of Distraction.

This is different from playing a thief with offhand pistol.

While thieves’ headshot is definitely an excellent interrupt, its the lockdown playstyle that really trains you on how to properly interrupt. Once you know the opponent’s weapon, then you know their skills and have a good idea of their rotations this becomes significantly easier. (for example, a D/P thief shoots black powder at his feet you = know to interrupt the heartseeker that is inevitably coming) theres certain rules of thumb to interrupting properly:

• Interrupt rezzes/stomps.
• If someone is at around 50% life watch for the heal.
• Many of the more dangerous skills have a cast time and are interruptable.
• Interrupt channeled skills, especially those that hit in an AoE.
• You can bait the opponent and make them more predictable. (Stand away from a hammer warrior, he’ll likely use an interruptable gap-closer)
• With proper use of Mantra of Distraction & Diversion [F3] you can easily chain-daze an opponent, usually interrupting them in the process if they’re not expecting consecutive CC.

More info on Mesmer lockdown here: Lockdown: The Uncommon Playstyle

I can keep an engis healing turret interrupted on my thief and Im pretty sure thats a close to instant skill so, pretty much anything. Its also pretty easy to predict when someones going to heal based on their rotations/hp left.

Ether renewal! kekekeke

depends, on classes

Chaos Archangel.5071:

it is this specific situation that suggested the thread to me. do you interrupt powder or hs? if hs, arent u blinded by then? how do u remove it quickly? cleansing (or healing) mantra, daze mantra chain?

Stealthasaur.2198:

I can keep an engis healing turret interrupted on my thief and Im pretty sure thats a close to instant skill so, pretty much anything. Its also pretty easy to predict when someones going to heal based on their rotations/hp left.

healing turret is not insta. also depends when you interrupt it, deployment or burst. both together are 0.5 + 0.5 =1sec and ver visible too.

gesho.9468:

Stealthasaur.2198:

I can keep an engis healing turret interrupted on my thief and Im pretty sure thats a close to instant skill so, pretty much anything. Its also pretty easy to predict when someones going to heal based on their rotations/hp left.

healing turret is not insta. also depends when you interrupt it, deployment or burst. both together are 0.5 + 0.5 =1sec and ver visible too.

Is it even possible to interrupt the burst?

I play necro… and can intentionally interupt basicly everything which is 0,5 or higher (+ has a noticable animation). This is because my interupt is moreless instant in DS.

I rarely ever interrupt something on purpose, too much graphic clutter and too many asuras.

Reikou.7068:

Is it even possible to interrupt the burst?

i think so, it has 0.5 cast time and is just another spell.

Reikou.7068:

gesho.9468:

Stealthasaur.2198:

I can keep an engis healing turret interrupted on my thief and Im pretty sure thats a close to instant skill so, pretty much anything. Its also pretty easy to predict when someones going to heal based on their rotations/hp left.

healing turret is not insta. also depends when you interrupt it, deployment or burst. both together are 0.5 + 0.5 =1sec and ver visible too.

Is it even possible to interrupt the burst?

Nope

gesho.9468:

Chaos Archangel.5071:

it is this specific situation that suggested the thread to me. do you interrupt powder or hs? if hs, arent u blinded by then? how do u remove it quickly? cleansing (or healing) mantra, daze mantra chain?

I interrupt HS since it’s forcing them to blow more initiative (and easier to react to.) If you’re in melee range when they dropped the BP and are blinded then it depends on your cooldowns. Blurred Frenzy, Cry of Frustration (or Mind Wrack, though it depends on how close the clones are), MoResolve, Chaos Storm… even a sword autoattack if you’re quick enough. Anything that’ll quickly remove the blind so you can squeeze in Power Lock.

Keep in mind though that unless you have daze duration (Confounding Suggestions + Mesmer Runes) or a way to knock them out of the powder they have enough recovery to still HS-stealth after the daze wears out. It helps to push/pull/immobilize/chill/burst right after the CC.

Chaos Archangel.5071:

I interrupt HS since it’s forcing them to blow more initiative (and easier to react to.) If you’re in melee range when they dropped the BP and are blinded then it depends on your cooldowns. Blurred Frenzy, Cry of Frustration (or Mind Wrack, though it depends on how close the clones are), MoResolve, Chaos Storm… even a sword autoattack if you’re quick enough. Anything that’ll quickly remove the blind so you can squeeze in Power Lock.

Keep in mind though that unless you have daze duration (Confounding Suggestions + Mesmer Runes) or a way to knock them out of the powder they have enough recovery to still HS-stealth after the daze wears out. It helps to push/pull/immobilize/chill/burst right after the CC.

i see, thx. just one more pls: if i succeed in hs interrupt, would it go on 3sec cd? and if yes, wouldnt that barely leave time for hs in the same bp? also, can they still stealth (after hs interrupt) if they can switch to shortbow#2?

(Responding to a post a week later.. who does that!?)

You know, that’s a really good question. If I’m not mistaken (I don’t play thief, someone correct me if I’m wrong plz.) interrupting a thief still puts the skill on kitten cooldown like everyone else. Whatever the case, I’ve interrupted a thief’s heartseeker out of blackpowder, and he still had just enough time to HS in it again. But yeah, they can still use shortbow to blast the smoke field if they so choose.

In a 1on1 , if your fast .5, even .25 can be interrupted, in group fights its much harder to interrupt because its a lot harder to keep track.

Chaos Archangel.5071:

(Responding to a post a week later.. who does that!?)

You know, that’s a really good question. If I’m not mistaken (I don’t play thief, someone correct me if I’m wrong plz.) interrupting a thief still puts the skill on kitten cooldown like everyone else. Whatever the case, I’ve interrupted a thief’s heartseeker out of blackpowder, and he still had just enough time to HS in it again. But yeah, they can still use shortbow to blast the smoke field if they so choose.

thx

Consume conditions - 1 1/4s cast time
all Necro marks - 3/4s cast time
Grasping dead - 3/4s cast time
Enfeebling Blood - 3/4s cast time

gesho.9468:

Chaos Archangel.5071:

(Responding to a post a week later.. who does that!?)

You know, that’s a really good question. If I’m not mistaken (I don’t play thief, someone correct me if I’m wrong plz.) interrupting a thief still puts the skill on kitten cooldown like everyone else. Whatever the case, I’ve interrupted a thief’s heartseeker out of blackpowder, and he still had just enough time to HS in it again. But yeah, they can still use shortbow to blast the smoke field if they so choose.

thx

Actually, I was wrong. It doesn’t put the skill on cooldown, just still applies the initiative cost. My bad.

Chaos Archangel.5071:

Actually, I was wrong. It doesn’t put the skill on cooldown, just still applies the initiative cost. My bad.

wow….

not fair

thx for investigating chaos

gesho.9468:

Chaos Archangel.5071:

Actually, I was wrong. It doesn’t put the skill on cooldown, just still applies the initiative cost. My bad.

wow….

not fair

thx for investigating chaos

Thief skills don’t have cooldown, that’s why chill doesn’t increase Thief CD skills and the interrupts don’t put thief skill on a CD.

Thief CD are based around having or not initiative.

So if a Thief only has initiative for 1 BP/HS combo, if you interrupt it, is like he as CD on all skills till he regen more initiative.

About the interrupt if you let the thief do the HS but interrupt before the HS ends,(while he is in the air), Thief will be out of the BP and he will not be in stealth.

Jambas.6204:

Thief skills don’t have cooldown, that’s why chill doesn’t increase Thief CD skills and the interrupts don’t put thief skill on a CD.

Thief CD are based around having or not initiative.

So if a Thief only has initiative for 1 BP/HS combo, if you interrupt it, is like he as CD on all skills till he regen more initiative.

About the interrupt if you let the thief do the HS but interrupt before the HS ends,(while he is in the air), Thief will be out of the BP and he will not be in stealth.

dont you think expectation to catch thief in the air (literally) in order to deliver counter, puts theif vs the rest playing field over the top imba?

unskilled enemy: three hs
skilled enemy: 2 hs, one got interrupted.

skilled counter or not, looks like thief is getting his game anyway.

Consider it “over the top imba?”

Would open a really big discussion about GW2 balance on all classes not just Thief, and there are already many post complaining about balance.

I give you that It’s not easy to do, it depends on many factors, your distance to Thief, the type of interrupt you have,lag, etc.

I never played lockdown mesmer so I’m not a pro interrupter like Chaos, but I would say that interrupting [insert class here ] is not an easy task. Because not all skills have a clear animation.

And in my opinion interrupts should put the skill interrupted in Full CD.

About the Thief BP/HS combo the thing that I would change is that if you were Hit by the HS during the combo the dmg should put you out of stealth.

This way if you interrupted him inside the BP you could still get close to him to avoid the stealth ofc sacrificing a bit of you HP.

But from what I understood from the Combo Mechanic, the stealth just activated at the end of the skill, so the dmg is acknowledged first.

Jambas.6204:

And in my opinion interrupts should put the skill interrupted in Full CD.

thank you

Jambas.6204:

About the Thief BP/HS combo the thing that I would change is that if you were Hit by the HS during the combo the dmg should put you out of stealth.

this is debatable, but i would agree with it.

But it’s all skills not just Thief skills.

0.5 s – the top limit, with excpecting like a heal. Its not easy at all to necro wh#4 (0.5s cast) interupt a guardian block heal (1s heal , 2s block)

0.75 s – can be done , though more often its a random stuff flying around interupt

1.0 s – can be reliably done

Jambas.6204:

But it’s all skills not just Thief skills.

that’s how it is with any other mortal prof already. just thief weapons turns out to be an exception. that exception needs to be leveled imo.

gesho.9468:

Jambas.6204:

But it’s all skills not just Thief skills.

that’s how it is with any other mortal prof already. just thief weapons turns out to be an exception. that exception needs to be leveled imo.

If you interrupt a skill it goes to a 5 sec CD not to it’s full CD.

This would increase the skill play and you would feel reward for interrupting the right skill.

Ofc Interrupts should not be spammable, but this would lead us again to a balance discussion .