Skill Speed on DRK over other stats?

[Aana]

True point about the exponential benefit (if only you could reach such low value).
The GCD reset isn’t a misconception though. As pointed out, sometimes you’ll get that extra gcd, sometimes you won’t.
That make the stat lacking in consistency which is the issue I was trying to highlight.
With other stats, the effect is never wasted (but you may have rng tied to it)

Lacking consistency isn't really a problem though. Direct hit and crit also 'lack consistency', but that doesn't stop them from being top tier DPS stats for most classes. The important part is that over time, over many instances, over many fights Crit/DH result in a damage increase. Any small section of 1 fight you may or may not get a crit just as you may or may not get the extra GCD. But over time you will get more damage as sample size increases.

Think of SS more like driving down a street with stoplights every block. But this street sucks and:
* The blocks are all the same length with a light at every intersection (passing a light is a GCD)
* The lights aren't synchronized at all. Completely random red/greens. You cant predict when you will have to stop before hand or gurantee you 'hit all the lights' (this is the random engage time in any fight before you have to disengage for mechanics/boss jumps)
* The SS is how fast you can accelerate your car from a stop and how fast it goes in general. (if not interrupted, blocks/GCDs are determined by speed/SS)
* 2 cars. SS car takes 10% less time to go between any given street block than Slowboi car.(10% lower GCD rate on SS car)

So lets put a fast SS car next to a slow SS car and drive down the street. Lights green both take off. SS car jumps out in front. Both get stuck by the 1st light. Repeat. Both get stuck at the second. 3rd light SS car squeezes though the yellow while SlowBoi gets stuck again. SS car is now 1 light (GCD) ahead. Repeat this scenario forever. SS car will end up with more GCDs than SlowBoi car over time even though they are constantly stopping (disengaging and resetting their GCD timer).

In a real fight, if you have a long engage period, that's just a string of green lights and SS car will get ahead period. Everytime you have to disengage its a stoplight and you may or may not get that extra GCD. 10% less SS means you will land that extra hit 10% of the time. So after ~10 disengages, 10% SS build will (statistically) land 1 more hit which is a 10% damage boost to the last gcd. While engaged you have a 10% boost as well. So in the end, you always get an overall 10% boost to everything.

The important part is: If SS car takes -10% time for each block distance than Slowboi car You do NOT need to drive through 10 lights straight for SS car to get an 11th for free. SS car can still get ahead only going a couple lights at a time because there will be times that SS car gets an extra light just under the buzzer that Slowboi cant make.

If this street went on forever SS car would end up 10% farther. Every light could go red at anymoment. SS car has a 10% greater chance of making it through any given light than Slowboi. So eventually SS car will make 10% more lights regardless of the pattern and get 10% ahead. SS car will always get more GCDs/Lights than slowboi no matter what. Resetting your GCD at every red light doesn't stop that from happening. Breaking up a fight doesn't stop SS from realizing it's advantage.

With current gear levels (and other factors like TP and double weaving problems) Crit/DH still do more damage. That's why SS is 'worse', not because it resets when you stop attacking.