Using Heal in action slot causes skills to stop working?

roxybudgy · 07:04 PM

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I don't know if this is just a freak random occurance, but on two occaisions, I was unable to use any skills, which really sucks when you're an fs assist partnered up with an AoE'er.

At first, I started using F1 to Heal, but felt it wasn't fast enought, so I tried using and combination of F1 and the action slot to Heal, and suddenly, I find that I am unable to Heal or use Circle Healing or anyother skill. I wasn't sure why it happened, maybe something wrong with my keyboard, but double clicking on skills did not work either, and I was still able to type (so that I could apologise to my partner that I was reduced to being a useless leech). Logging out did not help either. Initially thought that spamming Heal somehow causes the skills to lock up (like in MapleStory, if I repeatedly use one skill, all skills will stop working for a while). After a while, I would find that I could Heal again, but then the same thing will happen again. Naturally, my partner got fed up and found someone else to level with.

I tested this by spamming Heal on myself for 5 minutes by pressing F1. Skills did not stop working. So I figured it must've been a freak accident or something and was safe to go back to fs'ing.

The second time it happened, it was soon after I filled the action slot with Heal and used that instead of spamming F1. I think that the cause is using Heal in the action slot. Normally I put buffs in the action slot, so that when someone walks up and says "buff pls" I can quickly buff them then get back to what I was doing. Although it'd be useful to be able to cast multiple Heals quickly, to stay on the safe side, Heal stays out of the action slot.

Has this happened to anyone else? Is it possible that the reason why I was unable to use skills for a while due to using Heal in the action slot? Or is there another explanation?

Kyuusai · 10-15-2008, 01:44 AM

If you can't use skills, try running a few steps. I have experienced the same problems and they are solved when you move, usually.
But yeah, it's the reason I don't use the actionslot for healing anymore when FSing my Ranger. The faster heal would be nice, but if I suddenly stop my heals due to skill lock, we're in trouble -.-

MrXIII · 10-15-2008, 02:16 AM

The phenomenon you are describing is called skill lock, or Action Slot jamming, I believe, and has been present in this game for a very long while (I experienced it back in V7 around February 2007 for the first time I believe). Since it blocks (used to block?) both the action slot and the F-keys, it renders you skill-less for a moment. The solution really is to simply walk around for a bit, perhaps even jumping would help (i.e. anything that resets your character's position), and after that both F-keys and the action slot should work again.

Also, it has nothing to do with the Heal spell itself, it is the way you use the action slot with it. Repeatedly using the action slot too quickly multiple times can cause this to happen. It has happened in the past on my Mage while spamming Mental Strike via the Action Slot as well, and I believe AoErs who chain their AoE in the Action Slot (e.g. a Knight using Powerstump, or a Psykeeper using Maximum Crisis, or even an Elementor chaining 3 Windfields) are vulnerable to this as well.

So don't refrain from using Heal in the Action Slot. A double- or triple-chained action slot'ed Heal is a very powerful technique, if used sparely. It's just not feasible to spam it though.

Kyuusai · 10-15-2008, 02:32 AM

Not necessarily completely true, it has happened to my FS too even when using the Action Slot only once. Nice explaination though.

MrCharly · 10-15-2008, 02:39 AM

I've experienced this a lot on my mage/psy.

Seems to happen if I hit action slot then f key *just before* the last motion from the action slot has completed. There only needs to be the slightest overlap.

S0L0 · 10-15-2008, 10:40 AM

I get it on my aoe knight, damn is it ever annoying. I've resorted to not using the action slot at all cuz of the hassle when I'm skill locked.

Pi.L · 10-15-2008, 02:06 PM

What Charly say is true. It is especially annoying, when you think that it's over and you press C one last time and think that the mobs would die, but to realize that your char is just standing there getting pawnz.

Just move, and it's over.

MachoMan · 10-15-2008, 04:01 PM

It can happen any time when switching from the 'c' key to the 'f-keys', best way is to maybe put ur action slot on one of the 'f-keys' it tends to cause less skill locking however it can still cause skill locking ;x. Just try and not use if you actually don't need to.

theanamer · 10-15-2008, 04:19 PM

If you're whole skill is grayed out on an action slot, you can't use it

SailorStarLight · 10-15-2008, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theanamer

If you're whole skill is grayed out on an action slot, you can't use it

That's not what they're talking about.

I have had it happen to me several times on almost all of my characters. I stopped using my action slot and started spamming F keys for heal...for me using action slot doesn't seem faster to me, best solution is to take a step or two real quick and continue casting.

destrus · 10-15-2008, 08:58 PM

i think the first time this started happening, or at least the first time i noticed it was after flyff's commercial release but it didn't just happen from only spamming action slot.

you know how when you use the action slot the first cast is slow? well you used to be able to start casting the skill without action slot then use action slot right after you used the fkey for the skill and it would cast the first normally then the rest at the faster action slot speed. i can't remember when they fixed that bug exactly but when they "Fixed" it if you tried to do it your skills locked up. to fix it you just ahd to click on the ground though. the action slot has been getting buggier and buggier ever since <_<.

Lerkurliantamer · 10-15-2008, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kyuusai

If you can't use skills, try running a few steps. I have experienced the same problems and they are solved when you move, usually.
But yeah, it's the reason I don't use the actionslot for healing anymore when FSing my Ranger. The faster heal would be nice, but if I suddenly stop my heals due to skill lock, we're in trouble -.-

Actually, you don't even need to run a few steps from what I've experienced. Just a simple click on the ground will do. Your character don't even have to move from it's position.

**Firewave** · 10-16-2008, 03:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theanamer

If you're whole skill is grayed out on an action slot, you can't use it

That is not even possible, I believe. There will always be one last slot free, but it's as effective as having a skill on the F keys.

S0L0 · 10-16-2008, 11:28 AM

I've experienced action slot jamming with my mage but it was never a huge problem, I was always able to overcome it and still use the action slot. Now trying to use the action slot with my knight (3 or 4 power stomps in the action slot) it jams more times than it works, sometimes it'll only cast TWICE before everything locks up. I've resorted to not using the action slot at all.

Maybe cast time has an effect as well? Doesn't seem likely, but I can't explain why my knight has more trouble using the action slot than my mage did.

betrayerx · 10-29-2008, 02:02 AM

Happened to me also, MrXIII describes it quite well ... clicking on the ground or my RM usually fix it. And its annoying like hell.