Some of these say "Use X skill Y skill gets Z% faster cast time if next in the chain"

Now, has anyone tested this or know the answer.
Does this mean that I need to set up chain skills and use them as the chain hotkey of default spacebar, or can I manually use it.

For example, after using Time Gyre my Fireblast has a 25% speed reduction of cast if used in the chain.
Do I need to make that a chain skill VIA the chain skill UI, or can I just simply cast Fireblast right after manually and get the same effect?

Good question actually. I'm pretty sure it doesn't count as being chained unless it's activated via spacebar when it pops up. My reasoning behind thinking this is simply because chaining a skill after another and simply using the skill after another don't work the same way at all - chaining skills often cuts the animation of the second one down and provides an advantage. You don't see that unless they are chained (unless I am crazy).

I've seen it work on my lancer. I don't think it matters if you use the space bar/chain button to activate it, but you do have to do it while the chain indicator is up.

Quote: poorrabbit on 05/04/2012, 10:41 AM - view

Ahh, possibly true. I always activate with spacebar. I actually thought the OP was asking if you had to use the chain or whether it would work just by pressing one after another (the latter shouldn't work if the activate UI isn't up). Guess I could have read that better.

Well Im thinking if I hide the pop up, but still manually press the skill that it should proc it should still give me the speed, or do I have to actually press that spacebar.
I hear people say it cuts your animation but on my Sorc I honestly dont see that at all, the lag of the chain skill popping up is slower than I can just manually press the button my self.

It will only cut the animation of certain follow-up skills being chained together.

I believe PoorRabbit is correct - in that it probably doesn't matter if you use spacebar or manually press that button, so long as the chain activate indication is up at the time. If you hide that though, you're not always going to know when it will trigger properly.

Makes sense I guess why people say it cuts animation and I dont see it.

I wish there was a clear answer for all of us. I dont like the chain skills popping up on my screen in PvP. It distracts me too much xD. I also like feeling that I have complete control over my toon at all times. I guess Ill have to really find something that isnt on a 1 min CD and test it over and over again.

Manually pressing the key works perfectly. Example for warriors: Rain of Blows executes 50% faster if used after Combative Strike. Combative Strike isn't even on the Chain Skills page, so you always have to do it manually. This is my most used combo, so I'm 100% sure it works and Rain of Blows executes much, much faster.