dragon's reach - why a casting delay now?

[dorrin]

as the subject. why was a casting delay added to dragon's reach?

[Arzel Rashemi]

That's what doesnt make sense for me about this and never did. I can't say I like the new change either.

Dragon's Reach is an ability and as far as I know there is not a single ability in this game on a dragon or biped that has a casting delay, or any pre-delay for that matter. (aside from Shining Blades :P )

[meepsa]

Dragon's Reach is an ability and as far as I know there is not a single ability in this game on a dragon or biped that has a casting delay, or any pre-delay for that matter. (aside from Shining Blades :P )

doesn't shield of gold have a casting delay?

[Azath]

Arzel, shield of gold and breath of lightning have casting delays too.

There was a casting delay before, but, the delay happened after the attack. Now, the casting delay means the delay is um, before the attack. Which works out actually better. (atleast, it's assumed there was one before according to the wording of the patch note)

[Azath]

Also, there is a small bug with dragon's reach - it shows the message for casting the attack and does damage, yet no damage message is shown.

[Arzel Rashemi]

These do, admittedly, but those three have always acted like this since they were released into game, and I'm not into debating pedantics. It will only bring the whole thread off topic and take way from what the OP and I wanted to know from the devs.

Dragons Reach was never meant as a spell but as an instant one shot puller. It is or was before this change just like the biped ability Enhanced Flame Bolt. Both were instant cast and did not have casting delays. Enhanced Flame Bolt still retains that instant cast ability. Now why change dragon's reach from a nice puller like that, to something that its just like a prime bolt tech'd with range.

I detest using Dragons Reach with that delay, coupled with the animation being noticeably out of sync to that delay. I find more use in my ranged prime bolt since there is no huge difference between the two now. Except that with my ranged bolt, I get slightly better range, the cooldown is enormously faster, and the damage is slightly better.

So why would I use an inferior ability when I have a crafted spell that can do better?

Considering that Dragons Reach is lacking all of the above a well tech'd, ranged prime bolt has, it also has all those ability quests to get it and improve it. This makes the effort far more hassle than its worth. I'd say that delay just took away the one benefit Dragon's Reach had going in its favour. It was instant. It had the same use for dragons that a bipeds' Enhanced Flame Bolt has for them. It was another change that didn't need to be and wasn't asked for and I'd like to know why it was done.