Skill activated but not cast.

Solinur · June 2018

Hi, I'm having a bug where press a skill, it seems to start, but then nothing is happening. I'm mostly noticing this when working on rotations on a target dumy.
It doesn't seem to be limited to specific skills, although I notice it the most for Puncturing Sweeps or Blazing Spear.
I will try to look out if I also see this in trials or dungeons.

Here is what I get from the API:

Elder_Scrolls_Online_2018-06-06_23.27.39.png

Elder_Scrolls_Online_2018-06-06_23.27.39.png

Here Balance is cast twice, but within 800 ms which a) shouldn't be possible for skills since they usually need 1s and b) no effect or magicka is returned (as is correctly happening at the 2nd cast).

Elder_Scrolls_Online_2018-06-06_23.33.24.png

Elder_Scrolls_Online_2018-06-06_23.33.24.png

Here the same is happening for Blazing Spear.

The "skill used" lines are generated via the API Event: EVENT_ACTION_SLOT_ABILITY_USED. Normally this only fires when a skills is successfully activated.
The line where blazing spear cast was successful is generated via the respective combat event (EVENT_COMBAT_EVENT with result == ACTION_RESULT_EFFECT_GAINED)
The Balance gained event is reffering to the buff and generated via EVENT_EFFECT_CHANGED

msetten · June 2018

I have had the same issues on the PS4, though I can’t see the log you have.
I press the button for a skill on my Nightblade and then it seems a bit of animation starts, but nothing happens. The emeny isn’t getting any damage. Sometimes it is on just one of the skills, other times on multiple. After a fight, when I mount, ride a bit and dismount, the skill starts to work again. But it is very annoying in big fights and you start to loose because of skills not working.

I noticed it mostly on the Bloodthrist Dual Wield skill, but also on the Steel Tornado skill.

arishok33 · June 2018

absolutely agree, have this bug regularly as well ....

Koolio · June 2018

Video of this happening. It within the first
Minute with slow motion

https://youtu.be/USqYvpuvuz0

ArtOfShred · June 2018

I haven't seen this - haven't been playing enough to observe it - but I'm curious, is there an EVENT_COMBAT_EVENT for the failed ability usage afterwards with one of the failure reason codes?

Solinur · June 2018

I can also confirm now I saw this happening not only at the target dummy but also during bossfights in Hel Ra Citadel.

I also found some more details what might be happening.
It seems like there are some Phantom Casts that are happening on the server while the client doesn't know about them. I guess they are caused by hammering on a skill multiple times, which can eventually leed to a skill getting cast again since the info about a different skill that I tried to cast once the previous one was done somehow didn't make it to the server.

Elder_Scrolls_Online_2018-06-09_17.17.02.png

Elder_Scrolls_Online_2018-06-09_17.17.02.png

Here you see that magicka with the same cost as Puncturing Sweeps is consumed and then Puncturing Sweep actually hits. Aniumation wise this looks like a Puncturing Sweeps is done with out the spear, and you just see the hit animation at the target.
Since the client doesn't know, that a skill has been fired it tries to do another one but it is actually discarded, since at that poiint you still have to wait that second before doing another cast.

Elder_Scrolls_Online_2018-06-09_17.18.59.png

Elder_Scrolls_Online_2018-06-09_17.18.59.png

Here the same happens with Elemental Blockade and Blazing Spear.

Finally I also made a little video of this:

https://youtu.be/WUO1WKqBagQ

after the weapon swap at 0:16 I used Puncturing Sweeps once, then try to cast Balance, yet another instance of sweeps is happening (notice sound and hits at the dummy) without any animation.