Action speed

**Action speed** is a stat that determines how fast or slow a character performs actions, such as running, swinging a weapon, casting a spell, or recoiling from being stunned.

The total modifier to the player character's action speed can be viewed on the Character screen under the Defence tab.

## Mechanics

A character's action speed determines the relative rate at which its animations play, thereby affecting the overall speed that their actions are performed. All of the character's actions that have an animated component are affected by their action speed. This includes moving, attacking, casting spells, throwing traps and mines, shouting warcries, summoning totems, and recovering from stuns.

Modifiers to action speed have a multiplicative effect on a character in conjunction with stats that affect the speed of specific actions, such as movement speed, attack speed, cast speed and stun recovery. Action speed does not directly modify such stats though. This distinction is relevant for game mechanics that care about what those stats are. For example, the brand activation frequency of Arcanist BrandArcanist BrandSpell, Duration, Brand
Level: *(1-20)*
Cost: *(18-32) Mana*
Cast Time: *0.80 sec*Requires Level **38**Creates a magical brand which can attach to a nearby enemy. It periodically activates while attached, triggering linked spells. The brand will detach if the enemy dies.*Per 1% Quality:*1Superior2Anomalous3Divergent4Phantasmal0.5% increased Activation frequencySupported Skills have 0.5% increased Area of EffectSupported Skills have 1% increased Projectile SpeedSupported Skills have 1% increased Chaining rangeCan be Attached for a total Duration of 3 seconds
Activates every 1 second while Attached
Can be Detached for a total Duration of 5 seconds
Increases and Reductions to Cast Speed also apply to this Skill's Activation frequency
Supported Skills deal (55-46)% less Damage
Supported Skills have 40% less Area of Effect
Supported Skills have 40% reduced Chaining range
Supported Skills Deal (40-59)% more Damage to Branded Enemy
Supported Skills have limited Projectile Range
Supported Skills are Triggered by Arcanist Brand, from the Brand's locationPlace into an item socket of the right colour to gain this skill. Right click to remove from a socket. is affected by modifiers to the character's cast speed; it is not affected by modifiers to the character's action speed.

Some monsters have a minimum action speed %. This prevents them from ever reaching zero action speed.

## Sources of action speed modifiers

### Active skill gems

The following skills from items affects action speed:

* Summon Harbinger of Time
* Glimpse of Eternity
* Arcane Wake

### Ailments

* Chill is capped at 30% reduced action speed. WinterweaveWinterweave
Coral RingRequires Level **53**+(20-30) to maximum LifeAdds (12-15) to (25-30) Fire Damage to Attacks
Adds (12-15) to (25-30) Cold Damage to Attacks
+(20-40) to maximum Life
+(25-30)% to Cold Resistance
10% increased Movement Speed while Ignited
The Effect of Chill on you is reversedFury fuels defiance. is capped at 30% increased action speed.
* Freeze reduces action speed to zero, which means they will not move at all.

### Support skill gems

There are currently no support skill gems that have stats related to **action speed**.

### Shrines

* 50% increased Action Speed
* 80% increased Projectile Speed

* **Action speed** is a modifier affecting animation speed. This effect stacks additively with other modifiers like Temporal Chains and Chill.

### Other

* Acceleration Shrine
* Slipstream
* Tailwind
* Maddening Presence

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Mark\_GGG (November 17, 2015). "Item Development - Threshold Jewels". *Official Path of Exile Forums*. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Community\_Team (May 27, 2021). "Game Mechanics Q&A Answer Part 2". *Official Path of Exile Forums*. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Mark\_GGG (November 23, 2015). "Unstoppable question". *Official Path of Exile Forums*. Retrieved June 22, 2016.