Ultimate Cost Explanation

Deadmano · January 2016

Can someone please explain to me how the ultimate cost works?

I used Negate Magic IV, my ulti count was 1000/192. It costs 192 ulti to cast, so how come I used the entirety of my 1000 ulti, instead of 1000 - 192 = 808 should be remaining?

Furthermore, can someone please explain why the ulti cost keeps changing? Sometimes it is 72, other times it is a bit more. It keeps fluctuating, and my level and the ulti level has stayed the same throughout... What gives?

Thanks in advance.

Spottswoode · January 2016

The cost is a requirement for use, not a minimum resource in most cases. Imagine a vamp dk being able to spam bats 8 times in a row and you'll see why it is that way.

As far as the cost goes, there's a number of gear sets and passives that reduce ultimate cost.

FlicksZ · January 2016

What would you do with the remaining?

How many times would you do this if possible?

How will that affect the game / play?

Is this a good thing overall?

N1ghtcl0ud · January 2016

In my experience you could charge an expensive ultimate then decide you want a cheap one, if you use the cheap one it empties your ultimate bar because you can only store one ultimate at a time, I may be wrong but that's my experience

Deadmano · January 2016

Most of you are not understanding my question, I kindly ask that you please re-read what I asked...

I am not asking why I can't "spam" an ulti over and over... I am simply asking why I had a full ulti, and the cost was said to be 192, and then it was all gone...

As my other ulti, Energy Overload, can be activated at 1000 and depletes with each hit. Meaning I can use only 200, it will stay at 800 and charge up from there once more. Whereas Negate Magic casts the same ability, you can have 192 ulti or 1000 nothing changes. Logic compared to Energy Overload which hits like a tank AND restores magicka on each hit?

Elsir · January 2016

The reality of it is that seeing the actual charged number was never intended. This is merely appearing thanks to Addons showing it and the maximum is 1000.

The original reason for this was mostly for the fact that 2 ultimates at launch took advantage of this hidden numerical value. A nightblade ultimate, which became more powerful (up to 250% damage) the more the ultimate was charged up, and then there's the Sorcerer's Overload ability which lasts as long as you have ultimate in reserve. I believe the Nightblade ultimate ended up being nerfed and a flat damage regardless of 'overcharge' but the Sorcerer Overload ability still utilises the extra charge.

So in short, it was never meant to be SEEN by players, but addons show it, and it does still serve a purpose, albeit for only 1 class in the game. And if you couldn't see it by any means, we'd all just assume that when our ultimate was charged, we were only at the ultimate's cost, rather than some hidden "beyond the max" type thing. Another reason it goes up that high is because Ultimate is considered sort of a "global" value but different ultimates have different costs, but none cost 1000, so that was just an upper tier.

Magdalina · January 2016

Ultimates, with exception of Overload, consume all the ultimate points you have. So unless you're a sorc with Overload, don't bother saving it up, just use it.
Overload(sorc ultimate) is a toggle, the "cost" - 64 - is just the point when you can turn it on. Turning it on doesn't actually cost you any ultimate and gives you access to 3rd bar(where you can't put weapon skills) and Overload light/heavy attacks. Overload light/heavy attacks do consume ultimate though so in most cases I try to save 1k ultimate before Overloading. And that, to the best of my knowledge, is the only scenario in the game when 1k ultimate actually comes in handy.

Far as ultimate cost goes, would you by chance be using Kena 2pc? Only thing I can think of that changes the cost of all skills including ultimates(it makes them all cost 33% more iirc).
Alternatively if the cost went down, maybe you unlocked a new passive or something?

Wily_Wizard · January 2016

I think its broken, so they leave as is to avoid issues like @Spotswoode mentioned. They could easily fix it by adjusting the resources required and/or adding timeout timers to the ultimates.

Deadmano · January 2016

@Elsir @Magdalina thank you both for your in-depth responses which answers my question perfectly! I had no idea it was thanks to the add-ons I use! This would make perfect sense, and quite the blunder now that I think about it, hahaha!! But a good way to gauge at least the effectiveness of overload and its remaining charge!

I believe the fluctuating "cost" is based on the charge percentage as well, as it goes higher than the "base" cost so too does the "activation" cost increase, which I don't think is actually happening but what the add-on is reporting.

ADarklore · January 2016

As others noted, Overload is the ONLY Ultimate that allows repeated usage... all others spend the full ultimate balance upon activation.

I've noticed the Ultimate counter changes when I weapon swap... sometimes it will get stuck on the opposite bar's cost. On one bar the Ultimate cost is 150, the other 50... yet, sometimes the 50 Ultimate counter shows as 150. I also think various cost reduction innates cause a bit of issue for the Ultimate counter as well... but usually it rights itself after a short period of time.