Focus Canceling

Focus Canceling is a technique used by Staff Evies which drastically reduces the casting time of spells. As the Focus gauge fills it pauses for a couple seconds at each charge level in order to allow the player to select a spell. Focus Canceling is done to prevent this pause.

To achieve this affect the player releases the mouse button for just an instant, right as the Focus gauge reaches a Focus level. Instead of waiting seconds at each stage the gauge only pauses for the instant in which the player released the mouse button and then continues charging immediately when the button is pressed again.

The technique can be learned gradually as the player does not need to master the timing to gain benefit from it. While releasing the mouse too late will only result in a few moments added to casting times, releasing the mouse before a focus level is reach will result in the spell being lost and casting must be started again. Therefore, until the player masters the timing it may be beneficial to delay clicking slightly, rather than click to soon. As the player gets used to the timing of the Focus levels, though, they may start to Focus Cancel just as a Focus level is reached, which removes the delays almost entirely.

The effect of Focus Canceling becomes more apparent as Evie's level increases. Firebolt takes less than a second to cast instead of normal 2 to 3 seconds while using this technique. On the other hand, Blind Arrow takes only 3 to 4 seconds to cast with Focus Canceling versus the normal 8 to 10 plus seconds. While these numbers may not seem large at first, they mean a lot in Vindictus's fast paced action and are the difference between casting Ice Spear, or Blind Arrow at a boss as it charges at you, while still having time to dodge out of the way, and exploding a Fire Bolt in their face just to have them trample you.