It’s a topic that I raised years ago pointing out that Pierce damage back then started to have some caster archetypes emerging that needed casting speed. Iirc I only got casting speed to Will of the Blade amulet out of that old feedback.
Well, nowadays, more than ever, Pierce casters and hybrids need that casting speed. Here are some items and devotions where it can be added without making stuff overpowered:
Supports Phantasmal Blades and at the same time very underused weapon because Oathbearer exists (and because that Storm Spread bonus is really weak to put it midly).
Used for conversion on a lot of Pierce builds, at the same time has unattractive set of stats for any Pierce builds outside of that conversion and proc (useless Pierce resist, no OA/DA/attributes/flat). Adding 4% casting speed won’t break any build but would help a lot of Pierce casters out there.
Meta item since conversion was returned to it. Casting speed there would go a long way.
Hydra devotion
Would be relevant not only for Pierce casters who hold a gun or a crossbow but for any caster that holds ranged weapon and utilizes Hydra. And since there are so so many caster pistols in this game it feels adequate to support them more, since pistol is always a bit of a gimped item for pure caster compared to a dagger or a scepter.
Unknown Soldier’s Elbow (Shoulder?)
Devotion used by both Pierce and Bleeding builds, and also few Bleeding casters. There is usually no extra point to go for this elbow point. And when there is most builds prefer Azrakaa’s “head” (5% as/cs, 50 DA one). I think casting speed will make it a bit more lucrative for some builds, especially hp starved casters. Or melees that have to cast debuffs.
i was using bs green pierce rings with cast speed affixes and the typical kaisan of clout, didn’t even crack 190 cast speed on something - not that these specific items would help much there.
But it’s kinda funny how many pierce skills “technically” scale on cast speed, not to mention fun memes like AAR and pierce Stun Jacks , yet how hard it can feel to obtain sometimes
Remind me again how much cast your pierce kalastor infil, or RoS Brosnan ended up with?
edit.
speaking of Brosnan, is/was this a stealth nerf to 2h RoS’ers?
My old Pierce RoK infil with a shield had like 165% casting speed or so, after taking Jackal in devotions and having one of Celerity ring. Like I took of Celerity there on purpose (losing on damage from of Spines which is also very easy to get on that ring) because it just didn’t feel nice. Pierce Brosnan had something like 172% casting speed partly thanks to addition of casting speed to Kraken.
Different damage type has different designed features. Some are more tend to weapon attack, while others are more casting. I think it’s a bit outdated, as all damage types have both weapon attack builds and casting builds now.
Pierce can easily get high attack speed, but is lack of cast speed. Other damage has similar problems.
Ring of Tawrot is the only legendary ring having attack speed for Aether, and it was just added after v1.2.1.3. Aether devotions have only 4% attack speed on Revenant.
And all Vitality gloves do not have attack speed till now.
I hope these two lacks can be solved together.
Only pierce AAR is not some kind of funny meme - he has the highest solo target damage among all AARs. His main problem is to find a cast speed for him, and it’s a real torture since only a few piece of gear with pierce damage have native cast speed and you have to use bunch of greens with of Celerity affix to stack it enough.
Another example: pierce Phantasmal Blades. To collect at least 190%, I had to use a completely unsuitable ring and some greens with a bunch of Celerity affixes.
And you can find a lot of such examples at pierce casters, where you have to use various crutches.
Mind sharing your pierce AAR build here?
Last time I tried pierce AAR (when the conduit appeared, obviously) - I think it was the build in this forum - it hit like a wet noodle.
The more I try to think of places to add some cast speed, the more I think that it would be much easier to add pierce damage bonuses to already existing caster items instead. Perhaps something to consider.
- not that these specific items would help much there.
, yet how hard it can feel to obtain sometimes