Attack speed

Attack speed is the frequency at which a character attacks. This rate depends on the type of weapon wielded or on the specific creature that is attacking (for pets, minions, spirits, and foes that don't wield weapons) and can be increased (called "IAS") or decreased (called "DAS") by skills and other effects.

Calculating the attack rate

The in-game descriptions for skills that affect attack speed are misleading. These modifiers actually apply to the duration of each attack, not to their rate of attacks per second.

For instance, an effect that makes a character "attack 33% faster" reduces the duration of their attacks by 33%. This has an unintuitive effect on the actual attack speed and DPS.

For example, a scythe attack usually takes 1.5 seconds, meaning 1 attack per 1.5s or 2 attacks per 3s. If the scythe user "attacks 33% faster", the game reduces that 1.5s duration by 33% to about 1s, so now 3 attacks can be dealt in 3s instead of 2. This represents a 50% increase in attacks and therefore damage, not 33% as the description implies.

Another example and an extreme case would be an effect granting +100% attack speed increase. By the definition of speed this would mean attacking twice as fast, however a reduction of 100% of the attack duration (so instant attacks) would lead to infinite attacks per second.

The real increase in attack speed can be calculated using the formula x/(100-x) where x is the stated attack speed percentage increase. In the scythe example, x is 33 (+33% attack speed), so the actual increase 33/(100-33) = 33/67 which is roughly 0,5 or 50%.

As a rule of thumb, increases in attack speed are always more effective than the stated percentage while decreases in attack speed are less effective. Therefore, to calculate the impact on a character's DPS, refer to the actual percentage as given in the table below for common values, not the percentage stated in-game:

	Increased attack speed (IAS)		Decreased attack speed (DAS)
Stated %	+25%	+33%	-30%	-50%
Actual %	+33%	+49%	-23%	-33%

These values have been rounded to whole percentages.

For example, Frenzy will increase DPS from auto attacks by about 49%, while Faintheartedness reduces DPS by about 33%.

IAS and DAS effects stack multiplicatively, but are capped at +33% and -50%.

Attack durations and the effects of IAS and DAS

All values are listed as seconds between attacks. These are the exact values used by the game.

		Increased attack speed (IAS)		Decreased attack speed (DAS)
Weapon/creature	Normal attack speed	+25%	+33%	-30%	-50%
Axe, Daggers , Sword, Racing Beetle	1.33	0.9975	0.8911	1.729	1.995
Scythe, Spear, Moa Bird	1.5	1.125	1.005	1.95	2.25
Hammer, Staff, Wand	1.75	1.3125	1.1725	2.275	2.625
Bone Fiend	1.86	1.395	1.2462	2.418	2.79
Attack spirit, Pet	2	1.5	1.34	2.6	3
Flatbow, Shortbow	2.025	1.51875	1.35675	2.6325	3.0375
Longbow, Recurve Bow	2.475	1.85625	1.65825	3.2175	3.7125
Hornbow	2.7	2.025	1.809	3.51	4.05
Melee minion	3.1	2.325	2.077	4.03	4.65

Overview of attack speed influences

• Various skills increase attack speed.
  • Many stances improve attack speed; most are balanced by a downside.
  • Some Beast Mastery skills can increase the attack speed of the user, the user's pet, or both.
• Certain attack skills (such as Mystic Sweep and Jagged Strike) have an activation time that replaces the weapon's normal attack duration and is usually much shorter.
  • These skills' activation times are still affected by IAS and DAS.
  • Attacks hit halfway through their duration window. The second half of that duration can be bypassed by activating an attack skill with an activation time, resulting in even quicker attacks.
  • Some of these skills, notably ranged attacks (such as Ranger interrupts), have an aftercast delay, limiting their ability to increase overall attack rates.
• Several hex spells decrease attack speed.
  • Reckless Haste is the only skill that increases attack speed on foes.
• Some environmental effects modify attack speed, such as the Battle Cry shrine in Alliance Battles.
• The Blue, Green, and Red Rock Candy, Essence of Celerity, and Slice of Pumpkin Pie consumables increase attack speed.
• The Battle Fervor blessing increases attack speed.
• Daggers effectively have a faster attack speed due to their guaranteed double strikes on Dual Attack skills and chance to double strike on regular attacks.
• Hard mode enemies attack 25% faster.

Skills that affect attack speed

On allies

Icon	Name	Description						Prof.	Attribute	Campaign
File:"I Will Avenge You!".jpg	"I Will Avenge You!"	Shout. You have +3...6...7 Health regeneration and attack 25% faster (10 seconds for each dead ally).	0	055	0	04545		warriora	StrengthZ	Prophecies
File:Aggressive Refrain.jpg	Aggressive Refrain	Echo. (5...21...25 seconds.) You attack 25% faster. Renewal: whenever a chant or shout ends on you. You have -20 armor.	0	1515	01.001	02020		paragona	LeadershipZ	Nightfall
File:Berserker Stance.jpg	Berserker Stance	Stance. (8...13...14 seconds.) You attack 33% faster and gain 100% more adrenaline. Ends if you use a skill.	0	1010	0	01010		warriora	StrengthZ	Core
File:Bestial Fury.jpg	Bestial Fury	Stance. (5...10...11 seconds.) You attack 25% faster. Your non-attack skills are disabled (5 seconds).	0	1010	0	01010		rangera	Beast MasteryZ	Factions
File:Burst of Aggression.jpg	Burst of Aggression	Stance. (2...8...10 seconds.) You attack 33% faster. End effect: lose all adrenaline.	0	055	0	01212		warriora	StrengthZ	Nightfall
File:Call of Haste.jpg	Call of Haste	Shout. (30 seconds.) Your pet moves and attacks 33% faster.	0	1010	0	02525		rangera	Beast MasteryZ	Core
	Flail	Stance. (1...12...15 second[s].) You attack 33% faster. You move 33% slower.	4	0	0	0		warriora	StrengthZ	Nightfall

On foes

Icon	Name	Description						Prof.	Attribute	Campaign
	Teinai's Heat	Ward Spell. (10...14...15 seconds.) Causes -2...4...5 health [sic] degeneration. Weakened foes in the ward attack 33% slower. Disabled for 20 seconds.	0	1515	01.001	02020		elementalista	Fire MagicZ	Factions

Miscellaneous

Icon	Name	Description						Attribute	Campaign
File:"Tango Down!".jpg	"Tango Down!"	Elite Shout. You lose all hexes and conditions. For each dead foe within earshot, you gain 5 seconds of +6 Health regeneration, 5 seconds of +1 Energy regeneration, and 5 seconds of +25% attack speed.	0	055	0	01515		Z	Core
File:"There's not enough time!!".jpg	"There's not enough time!!"	Shout. (20 seconds.) Creatures in earshot attack, move, and activate skills 100% faster.	0	1010	0	02020		Z	Prophecies

Notes

• Monks have no skills that increase or decrease attack speed. However, they are the only profession with skills that prevent foes from attacking (outside PvE-only skills).