Instant Casting - Life Changer

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(Spawned from recent talks with Kriega, boogiebass, and Taco)

If you don't change the gameplay settings for this function, depending on the skill, hitting the key will default to Normal Casting. This means that you press the skill key, it pops up a preliminary targeting system (shows AOE effect area), and then you press left click (PC) or the corresponding button on the controller (console). This doesn't apply to ALL skills, as some skills are automatic activation once you click the button.

This function is helpful if you're taking time to set up and aim, but the need to press 2 buttons means that your time to activate the ability - if you need to act quickly - is always going to be slower than if you only had to click the button once.

Historically, I've always defaulted to Normal Casting. I'm used to taking my time with abilities, and am adjusted to it that I can generally act quickly if I need to get something off.

(As a side note, there's an intermediate action, called Quick Casting, where you press and hold the button to set up, and release the button to activate, but that function sucks, IMO)

In any case, Instant Casting is just that. Wherever you're currently aiming, once you hit the button, it automatically triggers the skill. I am here to tell you that, if you are willing to use Instant Casting (at least with some abilities), it's makes a really, really nice difference in gameplay feel and is absolutely worth trying.

I find it extremely helpful when:

You're familiar with the god
The skill is a line or cone ability with a set distance or AOE independent of the distance of your aiming

I've since changed default to Instant Casting. Depending on the skill, I still find it helpful to use Normal Casting.

Short list of great Instant Casting use:

Bastet's Razor Whip and Declaw
Odin's Gungnir's Might and Raven Shout
Cerberus' Ghastly Breath and Paralyzing Spit

Short list of my comfort in using Normal Casting:

You'll notice that, for these examples, all examples of normal casting are leaps with AOE contact. "Ground Targeting" has been recommended in conjunction with some of these abilities...but that targeter is so small, and sometimes the range of the ability is less than the max range that the ground targeter uses (55 units for the center of the ability, while the targeter goes up to 70 units).

In any case, I've really loved this effect for the entirety of 's kit, for example. And once you're visually used to the range of the ability of a specific god, those line abilities like his dash just feel so nice and fluid.

Thought I'd share my experience. Seriously, try it out if you haven't.

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Mythical (400)
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I had no idea you've been playing with Normal Casting on... lol.

My default is Quick Casting. That way, I can push and hold a key to see any target area I want, and then casting the ability is as simple as lifting my finger off the key (or you could cancel by right-clicking). It is just about as fast as Instant Casting, but more versatile, which is why I like it.

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Prominent (35)
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I kind of find Quick casting hard, if I keep all my fingers on WASD and then I'm about to use Nox 1st ability, I'd have to hold 1 because if I lift my finger off ability is used and without that index finger I can't use D only WAS anyways, yeah nope! Either normal or instant casting

Remarkable (6)
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wrote:

My default is Quick Casting. That way, I can push and hold a key to see any target area I want, and then casting the ability is as simple as lifting my finger off the key (or you could cancel by right-clicking). It is just about as fast as Instant Casting, but more versatile, which is why I like it.

Having to hold the key would take a decent amount of retraining of my brain. Going from Normal to Instant is pretty big as-is, but I think I'd struggle learning to hold the keys. Lifting off, rather than pushing a key or mouse button, is counter-intuitive to me. Usually when you want to act, you DO something, rather than STOP doing something.

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Mythical (400)
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I'd vote but I use either normal or instant depending upon the skill.

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Esteemed (81)
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Same as Gulfwulf. I usually use normal casting, but as I discover god's abilities which work great at instant casting I use that instead, e.g. all of 's abilities.

Your gameplay/skill would be amazing though if you could use instant cast by default, if you could remember each abilties range/radius/hitbox etc...