Stop Cast

[Shirobi]

Any chance we could ever get a /stopcast command for use in macros? Would be quite useful with bard and machinist.

And yeah i know taking a step or hitting esc will stop a cast, but its not the same thing as being able to write one into a macro.

[Malevicton]

I think I'm missing something here.

Why would you ever want to plan around breaking a cast? If you're planning not to cast then just don't cast...?

[Shirobi]

I think I'm missing something here.

Why would you ever want to plan around breaking a cast? If you're planning not to cast then just don't cast...?

It lets you hit procs and clip your cast times, in the case of a macro command, a TON more efficiently than by stutter stepping too. It basically allows you to add a built in, effortless stutter step to every ability.

[Malevicton]

It lets you hit procs and clip your cast times, in the case of a macro command, a TON more efficiently than by stutter stepping too. It basically allows you to add a built in, effortless stutter step to every ability.

In the case of Straighter Shot and Firestarter you don't wanna interrupt your ability to get them off. Even well timed it's a dps loss.

How is it a stutterstep if it breaks your cast? Stutterstepping is about not breaking your casts. If you stop casting that doesn't "clip" that would just straight up cancel your cast.

[MrCookTM]

In the case of Straighter Shot and Firestarter you don't wanna interrupt your ability to get them off. Even well timed it's a dps loss.

How is it a stutterstep if it breaks your cast? Stutterstepping is about not breaking your casts. If you stop casting that doesn't "clip" that would just straight up cancel your cast.

Pretty much this. There is not a single instance where the use of a 'stopcast' macro will not result in a dps loss.

[Shirobi]

Pretty much this. There is not a single instance where the use of a 'stopcast' macro will not result in a dps loss.

Bard with WM would benefit by no longer having to delay hitting a proc, and in doing so may gain a proc they would otherwise have lost, all more efficiently than by hitting a cancel button or moving. Its like Prya said, it would allow you to effective cut out a lot of the penalty of WM and play bard much more like it originally played.

[Shirobi]

In the case of Straighter Shot and Firestarter you don't wanna interrupt your ability to get them off. Even well timed it's a dps loss.

How is it a stutterstep if it breaks your cast? Stutterstepping is about not breaking your casts. If you stop casting that doesn't "clip" that would just straight up cancel your cast.

Stutterstepping is about moving before your finished going through the full cast / animation sequences as soon as your ability has been registered as cast by the server. In FFXIV, much like pre 2.3 WoW, there is an amount of time between the server actually registering your cast and when you can move. Same way you can cast a spell and then start moving and still have that spell go off if you time it right. Stopcast would just make it easier by eliminating the need to move. Do you see what we're talking about now?

FFXI had this as well, wherein a blm could begin casting a spell and, if they timed it right, cancel out and already be moving or readying another spell while the first one is still casting.

If you are dealing with a game that doesnt track casts and movement in real time like 14, 11, or old pre 2.3 WoW, stopcast lets you game the system. Or least it makes it much easier to.

[Lyrica_Ashtine]

I'm still confused why you'd want to purposely cancel a cast so you can cast something else. But if you want a single button press to "stop" a cast, try pressing escape (or whatever button it is for console players). This forcefully stops your current cast as long it's within the range where it can be interrupted.

As for losing procs as a bard, there are actually intervals for river of blood between each procs. You could easily finish your current cast to use whatever proc you have after that aside from Straight Shot.

Even if you consider the chances of losing procs:
River of Blood has a 2x 10% chance to proc, assuming 20% crit rate
Straighter shot 20% chance to proc

Odds are much higher that you don't get a proc in comparison to wasting a proc. Where in most casts you may interrupt your cast for a proc and don't get a proc after your next cast; You simply lose GCD time like this.

It's a bit more complicated for Machinist where reaction speed's a much bigger factor

[Malevicton]

Stutterstepping is about moving before your finished going through the full cast / animation sequences as soon as your ability has been registered as cast by the server. In FFXIV, much like pre 2.3 WoW, there is an amount of time between the server actually registering your cast and when you can move. Same way you can cast a spell and then start moving and still have that spell go off if you time it right. Stopcast would just make it easier by eliminating the need to move. Do you see what we're talking about now?

FFXI had this as well, wherein a blm could begin casting a spell and, if they timed it right, cancel out and already be moving or readying another spell while the first one is still casting.

If you are dealing with a game that doesnt track casts and movement in real time like 14, 11, or old pre 2.3 WoW, stopcast lets you game the system. Or least it makes it much easier to.

I know what stutterstepping is. The point of it is to be able to move while finishing your cast; it gives you more movement, not less casting. Your movement is the ends, not the means. Stopcast would straight up interrupt your cast.

It sounds like what you want is to overlap casts, which is not at all how stutterstepping works. The game still q's the abilities.

[Kacho_Nacho]

I think I'm missing something here.

Why would you ever want to plan around breaking a cast? If you're planning not to cast then just don't cast...?

It allows you to quickly start casting another ability without waiting for a prior cast to finish. Example: I'm casting Stone II on my white mage. Suddenly, the tank gets hit with a big attack because he didn't dodge far enough. I could stopcast the Stone II and start casting a Cure II on the tank, getting the healing spell to the tank around two seconds faster.

How it would work as a macro: I'd have /stopcast cast/cure II macroed. Every time I tapped the button of this macro, a command would also be sent to cancel any ability in the process of being cast and cast cure II instead. You'd need to be mindful not to accidentally hit it multiple times lest you cancel the cure II being cast and lengthen the cast time unless that's what you wanted to do.

Personally, I use my spacebar to stop casting. I just tap the spacebar with my thumb, my character jumps, and I've already started the other cast.

To sum up: Stopcasting is a great way to quickly react to the environment. It would be a useful addition to the macro commands especially for your big emergency buttons. i.e. your OH SHIT! skills.