The Diablo 2 engine runs at 25 Frames per Second (FPS). Every action a character performs requires a specific number of frames to complete. Frames can't be broken down into fractions, therefore you have to reduce the count by a complete Frame to shorten the animation length, leading to the Breakpoints of the animation. We can improve the Cast Rate, Hit Recovery, Block Rate and Attack Rate through their corresponding Affixes on gear or Skill effects. Each of these animations has their own calculation on how to reduce its Frame count, which we go into detail in their respective sections. This leads to a table of numeric values that can be reached for each of them, the so-called "Breakpoints". Due to the complexity of Attack Speed, it is covered in our Attack Speed article.
Class Breakpoints
Cast Rate
The Cast Rate of the Amazon depends on the Weapon she is using.
Using a Bow
Faster Cast Rate | Cast Frames | Action Flags |
0 | 19 | 10 |
7 | 18 | 10 |
14 | 17 | 9 |
22 | 16 | 9 |
32 | 15 | 8 |
48 | 14 | 8 |
68 | 13 | 7 |
99 | 12 | 7 |
152 | 11 | 6 |
Crossbow or Two-Handed-Swords
Faster Cast Rate | Cast Frames | Action Flag |
0 | 19 | 12 |
7 | 18 | 12 |
11 | 18 | 11 |
14 | 17 | 11 |
22 | 16 | 11 |
26 | 16 | 10 |
32 | 15 | 10 |
48 | 14 | 9 |
68 | 13 | 9 |
86 | 13 | 8 |
99 | 12 | 8 |
152 | 11 | 8 |
180 | 11 | 7 |
No Weapon
Faster Cast Rate | Cast Frames | Action Flags |
0 | 19 | 11 |
7 | 18 | 11 |
13 | 18 | 10 |
14 | 17 | 10 |
22 | 16 | 10 |
29 | 16 | 9 |
32 | 15 | 9 |
48 | 14 | 9 |
56 | 14 | 8 |
68 | 13 | 8 |
99 | 12 | 8 |
113 | 12 | 7 |
152 | 11 | 7 |
Two-Handed Staves, Hammers, Axes, Polearms, Spears, One-Handed Knives, or Javelins
Faster Cast Rate | Cast Frames | Action Flags |
0 | 19 | 13 |
7 | 18 | 13 |
10 | 18 | 12 |
14 | 17 | 12 |
22 | 16 | 12 |
23 | 16 | 11 |
32 | 15 | 11 |
42 | 15 | 10 |
48 | 14 | 10 |
68 | 13 | 10 |
72 | 13 | 9 |
99 | 12 | 9 |
133 | 12 | 8 |
152 | 11 | 8 |
Hit Recovery Rate
Faster Hit Recover | Hit Recovery Frames |
0 | 11 |
6 | 10 |
13 | 9 |
20 | 8 |
32 | 7 |
52 | 6 |
86 | 5 |
174 | 4 |
Block Rate
The Block Rate of the Amazon depends on the Weapon she is using.
1-Handed Swinging Weapons (Axes, Clubs, Maces, Scepters, Swords, Throwing Axes, and Wands)
Faster Block Rate | Block Frames |
0 | 17 |
4 | 16 |
6 | 15 |
11 | 14 |
15 | 13 |
23 | 12 |
29 | 11 |
40 | 10 |
56 | 9 |
80 | 8 |
120 | 7 |
Other Weapons
Faster Block Rate | Block Frames |
0 | 5 |
13 | 4 |
32 | 3 |
86 | 2 |
Cast Rate
Faster Cast Rate | Cast Frames | Action Flags |
0 | 16 | 9 |
8 | 15 | 9 |
15 | 15 | 8 |
16 | 14 | 8 |
27 | 13 | 8 |
39 | 13 | 7 |
42 | 12 | 7 |
65 | 11 | 7 |
86 | 11 | 6 |
102 | 10 | 6 |
174 | 9 | 6 |
Hit Recovery Rate
Faster Hit Recovery | Hit Recovery Frames |
0 | 9 |
7 | 8 |
15 | 7 |
27 | 6 |
48 | 5 |
86 | 4 |
200 | 3 |
Block Rate
Faster Block Rate | Block Frames |
0 | 5 |
13 | 4 |
32 | 3 |
86 | 2 |
Cast Rate
Faster Cast Rate | Cast Frames | Action Flags |
0 | 13 | 9 |
9 | 12 | 9 |
15 | 12 | 8 |
20 | 11 | 8 |
37 | 10 | 8 |
39 | 10 | 7 |
63 | 9 | 7 |
86 | 9 | 6 |
105 | 8 | 6 |
200 | 7 | 6 |
Hit Recovery Rate
Faster Hit Recovery | Hit Recovery Frames |
0 | 9 |
7 | 8 |
15 | 7 |
27 | 6 |
48 | 5 |
86 | 4 |
200 | 3 |
Block Rate
Faster Block Rate | Block Frames |
0 | 7 |
9 | 6 |
20 | 5 |
42 | 4 |
86 | 3 |
Cast Rate
Human Form
Fast Cast Rate | Cast Frames | Action Flags |
0 | 18 | 10 |
4 | 17 | 10 |
10 | 16 | 10 |
11 | 16 | 9 |
19 | 15 | 9 |
30 | 14 | 8 |
46 | 13 | 8 |
63 | 13 | 7 |
68 | 12 | 7 |
99 | 11 | 7 |
142 | 11 | 6 |
163 | 10 | 6 |
Werewolf
Faster Cast Rate | Cast Frames | Action Flags |
0 | 16 | 8 |
6 | 15 | 8 |
10 | 15 | 7 |
14 | 14 | 7 |
26 | 13 | 7 |
37 | 13 | 6 |
40 | 12 | 6 |
60 | 11 | 6 |
95 | 10 | 5 |
157 | 9 | 5 |
Werebear
Faster Cast Rate | Cast Frames | Action Flags |
0 | 16 | 9 |
7 | 15 | 8 |
15 | 14 | 8 |
26 | 13 | 7 |
40 | 12 | 7 |
63 | 11 | 6 |
99 | 10 | 6 |
163 | 9 | 5 |
Hit Recovery Rate
1-Handed Swinging Weapons (Axes, Clubs, Maces, Scepters, Swords, Throwing Axes, and Wands)
Faster Hit Recovery | Hit Recovery Frames |
0 | 14 |
3 | 13 |
7 | 12 |
13 | 11 |
19 | 10 |
29 | 9 |
42 | 8 |
63 | 7 |
99 | 6 |
174 | 5 |
456 | 4 |
Other Weapons
Faster Hit Recovery | Hit Recovery Frames |
0 | 13 |
5 | 12 |
10 | 11 |
16 | 10 |
26 | 9 |
39 | 8 |
56 | 7 |
86 | 6 |
152 | 5 |
377 | 4 |
Werewolf
Faster Hit Recovery | Hit Recovery Frames |
0 | 7 |
9 | 6 |
20 | 5 |
42 | 4 |
86 | 3 |
280 | 2 |
Werebear
Faster Hit Recovery | Hit Recovery Frames |
0 | 13 |
5 | 12 |
10 | 11 |
16 | 10 |
24 | 9 |
37 | 8 |
54 | 7 |
86 | 6 |
152 | 5 |
360 | 4 |
Block Rate
Human Form
Faster Block Rate | Block Frames |
0 | 11 |
6 | 10 |
13 | 9 |
20 | 8 |
32 | 7 |
52 | 6 |
86 | 5 |
Werewolf
Faster Block Rate | Block Frames |
0 | 9 |
7 | 8 |
15 | 7 |
27 | 6 |
48 | 5 |
86 | 4 |
Werebear
Faster Block Rate | Block Frames |
0 | 12 |
5 | 11 |
10 | 10 |
16 | 9 |
27 | 8 |
40 | 7 |
65 | 6 |
109 | 5 |
Cast Rate
Normal
Faster Cast Rate | Cast Frames | Action Flags |
0 | 15 | 8 |
9 | 14 | 8 |
18 | 13 | 7 |
30 | 12 | 7 |
48 | 11 | 6 |
75 | 10 | 6 |
125 | 9 | 5 |
Vampire Form
Faster Cast Rate | Cast Frames | Action Flags |
0 | 23 | 5 |
6 | 22 | 5 |
11 | 21 | 5 |
18 | 20 | 5 |
24 | 19 | 4 |
35 | 18 | 4 |
48 | 17 | 4 |
65 | 16 | 4 |
86 | 15 | 4 |
120 | 14 | 3 |
180 | 13 | 3 |
Hit Recovery Rate
Normal
Faster Hit Recovery | Hit Recovery Frames |
0 | 13 |
5 | 12 |
10 | 11 |
16 | 10 |
26 | 9 |
39 | 8 |
56 | 7 |
86 | 6 |
152 | 5 |
377 |
Vampire Form
Faster Hit Recovery | Hit Recovery Frames |
0 | 15 |
2 | 14 |
6 | 13 |
10 | 12 |
16 | 11 |
24 | 10 |
34 | 9 |
48 | 8 |
72 | 7 |
117 | 6 |
208 | 5 |
Block Rate
Faster Block Rate | Block Frames |
0 | 11 |
6 | 10 |
13 | 9 |
20 | 8 |
32 | 7 |
52 | 6 |
86 | 5 |
Cast Rate
Faster Cast Rate | Cast Frames | Action Flags |
0 | 15 | 9 |
9 | 14 | 9 |
15 | 14 | 8 |
18 | 13 | 8 |
30 | 12 | 8 |
39 | 12 | 7 |
48 | 11 | 7 |
75 | 10 | 7 |
86 | 10 | 6 |
125 | 9 | 6 |
Hit Recovery Rate
Spears and Staves
Faster Hit Recovery | Hit Recovery Frames |
0 | 13 |
3 | 12 |
7 | 11 |
13 | 10 |
20 | 9 |
32 | 8 |
48 | 7 |
75 | 6 |
129 | 5 |
280 |
Other Weapons
Faster Hit Recovery | Hit Recovery Frames |
0 | 9 |
7 | 8 |
15 | 7 |
27 | 6 |
48 | 5 |
86 | 4 |
200 | 3 |
Block Rate
Without Holy Shield
Faster Block Rate | Block Frames |
0 | 5 |
13 | 4 |
32 | 3 |
86 | 2 |
With Holy Shield
Faster Block Rate | Block Frames |
0 | 2 |
86 | 1 |
Cast Rate
Regular Frames
Faster Cast Rate | Cast Frames | Action Flags |
0 | 13 | 7 |
9 | 12 | 7 |
20 | 11 | 6 |
37 | 10 | 6 |
63 | 9 | 5 |
105 | 8 | 5 |
200 | 7 | 4 |
Lightning / Chain Lightning
Faster Cast Rate | Cast Frames | Action Flags |
0 | 19 | 7 |
7 | 18 | 7 |
15 | 17 | 7 |
20 | 17 | 6 |
23 | 16 | 6 |
35 | 15 | 6 |
52 | 14 | 6 |
63 | 14 | 5 |
78 | 13 | 5 |
117 | 12 | 5 |
194 | 11 | 4 |
200 | 11 | 4 |
Hit Recovery Rate
Faster Hit Recovery | Hit Recovery Frames |
0 | 15 |
5 | 14 |
9 | 13 |
14 | 12 |
20 | 11 |
30 | 10 |
42 | 9 |
60 | 8 |
86 | 7 |
142 | 6 |
280 | 5 |
Block Rate
Faster Block Rate | Block Frames |
0 | 9 |
7 | 8 |
15 | 7 |
27 | 6 |
48 | 5 |
86 | 4 |
Cast Rate
Act 1 Mercenary
Rogues use Inner Sight, however, she uses her Attack Rate for it. Faster Cast Rate has no effect.
Act 3 Mercenary
Faster Cast Rate | Cast Frames | Action Flags |
0 | 17 | 7 |
8 | 16 | 7 |
15 | 15 | 7 |
20 | 15 | 6 |
26 | 14 | 6 |
39 | 13 | 6 |
58 | 12 | 6 |
63 | 12 | 5 |
86 | 11 | 5 |
138 | 10 | 5 |
200 | 10 | 4 |
Hit Recovery Rate
Act 1 Mercenary
Faster Hit Recovery | Hit Recovery Frames |
0 | 11 |
6 | 10 |
13 | 9 |
20 | 8 |
32 | 7 |
52 | 6 |
86 | 5 |
174 |
Act 2 Mercenary
Faster Hit Recovery | Hit Recovery Frames |
0 | 15 |
5 | 14 |
9 | 13 |
14 | 12 |
20 | 11 |
30 | 10 |
42 | 9 |
60 | 8 |
86 | 7 |
142 | 6 |
Act 3 Mercenary
Faster Hit Recovery | Hit Recovery Frames |
0 | 17 |
5 | 16 |
8 | 15 |
13 | 14 |
18 | 13 |
24 | 12 |
32 | 11 |
46 | 10 |
63 | 9 |
86 | 8 |
133 | 7 |
232 | 6 |
Act 5 Mercenary
Faster Hit Recovery | Hit Recovery Frames |
0 | 9 |
7 | 8 |
15 | 7 |
27 | 6 |
48 | 5 |
86 | 4 |
200 | 3 |
Cast Rate
Mechanics
- Cast Rate determines how fast the animation for a casting based Skill is.
- Your cast animation can be interrupted by...
- ... hits that put you into Hit Recovery (see below).
- ... stuns.
- ... you blocking.
- The animation is split into 3 sections.
- Frames before the Skill activation
- The "Action Flag" - The Frame when the Skill occurs
- The remaining Frames of the animation, before another action can be taken
- You can speed up the animation by using gear with +xx% Faster Cast Rate (FCR).
- Effective Faster Cast Rate is capped to 75%. As a result, having more than +200% FCR equipped has no effect at all.
Calculations
Cast Delay
Skills with a Cast Delay (CD or Cooldown) cause a waiting period before they can be cast again. This period starts at the Action Flag. Cast Delay Skills don't hinder each other to be cast without a waiting period.
The CD itself can't be reduced by any means, however, due to the interaction with the Action Flag, you can reduce the interval (Action Flag + Delay) by hitting Breakpoints for the Action Flag.
Cast Delay Skills
Hit Recovery
Mechanics
- Hit Recovery will interrupt other animations like, cast animation, attack animation, run/walk animation, or your idle animation (standing around).
- While in Hit Recovery, you are unable to perform any actions.
- You can be put into Hit Recovery repeatedly without cooldown, potentially leading to a full "stun lock".
- You can improve the animation by using gear with +xx% Faster Hit Recovery (FHR).
Calculations
Block Rate
Mechanics
- Blocking is an animation that is performed when you successfully block a physical attack. This includes the Assassins' Weapon Block.
- While blocking, you are unable to perform any actions.
- You can block repeatedly without cooldown, potentially leading to a full "block lock".
- You can speed up the animation by using gear with +xx% Faster Block Rate (FBR).
- This Affix is exclusive to Shields, making it very hard to come by. The only exceptions to this rule are Guardian Angel and Pattern.
Calculations
Summary
- Animations are an integral part of your Character's power and survival.
- The information accessible in-game is limited to summing up the animation improving Affixes without telling you whether you actually hit a Breakpoint.
- With every Breakpoint, you reduce the corresponding animation by 1 Frame or 0.04 seconds.
Credits
Written by Teo1904
Reviewed by MacroBioBoi