Speed boost

From Guild Wars Wiki

A character's movement speed can be increased through the use of various skills, and occasionally by environmental effects or consumable items. Speed boosts can be stacked, but movement rate is capped at 33% faster than normal. The skills Burning Speed, Junundu Tunnel and Dash break this rule, allowing a character to move faster than the 33% cap.

Speed boosts can be thought of as the opposite of snares. A skill that causes a speed boost is often referred to as an IMS, short for "increased movement speed" (similar to IAS for attack speed).

1 General overview of speed boosts
2 Application by game type
3 Skills that boost movement speed
4 Notes

[edit] General overview of speed boosts

Stances. Many stances provide a personal speed boost.

Shouts. Some shouts augment the movement rate of allies.

Pet skills. Speed boosting skills in the beast mastery line can augment the movement rate of a pet, or both the pet and his master.

Enchantments. A few enchantments provide a personal speed boost for the caster. Windborne Speed can also be cast on teammates.

Hexes. The oddball skill Shameful Fear gives its victim a speed boost.

Environmental effects. The Hero Battles altar Warsong buffs movement rate for the team that captures it. There may be more examples in PvE.

Consumable items. Some special event items provide a speed boost to characters in outposts. The effect is called a Sugar Rush. These items can not be used on the battlefields of either PvE or PvP.

[edit] Application by game type

[edit] General PvP

Melee ranged characters should generally carry a speed boost, in order to counter kiting.

[edit] Guild Battles

Speed boosts are very important to successful flag running.

Speed boost can also be important to tactical movements, for example ganking or returning from an overextended position.

Speed boosts on melee damage dealers make it easier to deal damage to kiting enemies.

Speed boosts can make it easier for your soft targets to kite enemies, the common example includes Dark Escape on monks which both allows you to kite, and reduces the damage taken.

[edit] Heroes' Ascent

Speed boosts can aid relic runners.

"Make Haste!" is a common skill to take in a HA team, in order to help speed along relic runners.

[edit] Hero Battles

Using speed boosts can allow an HvH team to outmaneuver enemy teams when capturing altars.

[edit] PvE adventuring

Speed boosts are commonly used in PvE by "runners" who, usually for a fee, transport lower-level players to areas of the game that are intended to be accessed much later in the story.

[edit] Skills that boost movement speed

Bull's Charge, Charging Strike are elite stances granting speed boosts until a skill is used, and bonuses when hitting an enemy.

Enraging Charge gives a speed boost until an enemy is hit by an attack.

Rush, Sprint are popular warrior speed boosts.

"Charge!" is an elite shout that increases the movement rate of all allies in earshot.

"Retreat!" is much like "Charge!", but only functions when there are dead allies in earshot, which is a big drawback.

Battle Rage grants a speed boost to the user among other effects.

Soldier's Speed Grants speed boost while under the effect of a shout.

Call of Haste quickens a pet's movement and attack rate.

Rampage as One, Run as One increases the movement rate of both a pet and his ranger master. Rampage additionally buffs attack rate, and so is a popular choice for Thumpers. Can be countered by killing a ranger's pet.

Dodge, Zojun's Haste, Escape, Natural Stride are stances providing both speed boosts and some defense against attacks.

Storm Chaser, Storm's Embrace are stances providing speed boosts and small benefits for rangers hit by elemental damage.

Illusion of Haste is an enchantment that causes a personal speed boost. It has the serious drawback of crippling the mesmer after it's duration has ended. This cripple can cause problems for a character if the enchantment duration ends at an inopportune time.

Storm Djinn's Haste is a unique speed boost enchantment that drains the user of energy. Very popular for flag running.

Armor of Mist is commonly used for players using the Water Magic line. Note that this also provides an armor bonus. However, its cast time and duration make it less than ideal for flag running when compared to the speed boosts in the Air line.

Windborne Speed can be applied to both the caster and allies.

Flame Djinn's Haste deals fire damage upon activation.

Burning Speed causes burning upon activation. This skill can produce a very fast movement rate higher than the usual 33% inscreasement cap, comparable to Dash, but the burning drawback limits its utility.

Assassin shadow steps allow traversal of ground at a faster than normal rate -- an indirect speed boost.

Shadow of Haste acts as both a speed boost and an anchor for a return shadow step.

Dark Escape adds damage reduction as well as the increase in movement speed.

Dash is a stance granting a 50% speed boost compared to the normal cap of 33%. While dash is useful for a short burst of speed and gaining ground rapidly, it is not the best speed boost for sustained running.

"Fall Back!" gives all allies in earshot a 33% speed boost and a minor amount of healing. Since it only ends when an ally attacks, it is an excellent kiting aid for casters. However it also has a max spell duration of 10 seconds.

Godspeed, "Make Haste!", "Lead the Way!" are shouts that improve the movement rate of teammates.

Avatar of Balthazar is an excellent skill for a constant speed boost as well as an armor boost.

Enchanted Haste this skill requires an enchantment to increase speed but works well with earth magic armor skills like Armor of Earth

Featherfoot Grace is a common speed boost that is also an enchantment that would benefit a Dervish with sufficient points into Mysticism.

Harrier's Haste is both a damage booster and a speed boost.

Lyssa's Haste is excellent for both Energy management as well as a speed boost. The health cost can be migated by simply upkeeping Mystic Regeneration.

Onslaught will also increase attack speed (IAS).

Pious Haste can be kept up constantly with no backlash on a Dervish with no enchantments being used.

Signet of Mystic Speed speed is increased by 15% for each enchantment on you. Maximum increase is 33%.

Whirling Charge will also increase attack speed (IAS).

Junundu Tunnel grants a 10 second 66% speed boost whilst in Junundu form.

HYAHHHHH! grants a 10 second 11% speed boost whilst in Siege Devourer form. This skill will stack when used repeatedly, with the maximum speed buff being a 33% speed boost.