Maintenance script: Importing CrawlWiki content

2026-06-16T09:09:00Z

Importing CrawlWiki content

New page

{{version033}}
{{flavour|Attacks with this weapon are significantly faster.}}
__NOTOC__
The '''speed''' [[brand]] does the following:
*Reduces [[attack delay|time to attack]] by -33.3% (for an extra +50% damage/turn).
**The bonus to attack speed happens after skill, but before [[shield]] or [[armour encumbrance]]. Therefore, encumbrance has a somewhat greater impact on speed weapons: going from 0.5 -> 0.6 delay is a bigger difference than 0.75 -> 0.85 delay.
**Non-integer [[aut]] delays are rounded in a weighted manner, after speed is accounted for. If you have a 0.7 [[decaAut]] delay before speed, you'd have an average of 0.467 delay. This equates to a 67% chance to attack at 0.5 decaAut, and a 33% chance to attack at 0.4 decaAut.

===AC Note===
Note that speed is ''not'' particularly worse against high [[AC]] or [[EV]] enemies. Speed increases your post-AC damage/turn by +50% against any enemy. Brands like [[flaming]] and [[freezing]] also increase post-AC damage and are equally affected by AC. For example, if you dealt 10 damage, and enemy AC would reduce it by 5:
*Speed: <code>(10 - 5) damage * 1 multiplier * 1.5 attacks</code> = 7.5 damage/turn
*Flaming: <code>(10 - 5) damage * 1.25 multiplier * 1 attack</code> = 6.25 damage per turn

[[Heavy]] is particularly good against AC, and 'flat damage' brands like [[electrocution]] ignore AC entirely. This is because these brands are good against AC; not that speed is bad against high AC enemies.

==Sources==
The speed [[brand]] cannot be obtained via a [[scroll of brand weapon]]. It can normally be found on [[Short Blades]], [[quarterstaves]], and [[lajatang]]s. However, [[quick blade]]s cannot have the speed brand. Various [[artefact]] weapons may also come with this brand:
*The [[captain's cutlass]]
*[[Arga]]
*[[Finisher]]
*[[Skullcrusher]]
*[[Zephyr]]

==Strategy==
Speed is one of the best 'percentage' brands in the game - it's irresistible and provides a large, consistent increase to damage output independent of enemy AC. It's objectively better than [[flaming]] or [[freezing]], which are already good enough for a 3-rune game. A [[hand axe]] of speed isn't an endgame weapon, but [[Arga]] is one of the strongest one-handed weapons almost purely because of this brand.
*[[Holy wrath]] is usually better for [[extended]], but does nothing if the target isn't undead/demonic.
*[[Spectral]] offers a stronger (+70%) damage boost, but the spectral weapon needs an empty tile to spawn, and it can cause you to take extra damage from AOE attacks.

Also, since weak weapons like [[dagger]]s and [[short sword]]s have such low base damage, 'flat' brands (e.g. [[venom]], [[electrocution]]) can end up being stronger in the early-game.

Unlike every other weapon brand in the game, speed improves [[auxiliary attack]]s, since aux attacks are performed faster.

==History==
*Prior to [[0.14]], melee weapons with the speed brand dealt only 90% damage, but their attack speed was 50% of normal.
*Prior to [[0.9]], melee weapons of speed dealt full damage. Also, ranged weapons attack speed was 50% of normal.
*Prior to [[0.8]], all weapons of speed reduced attack speed to 50% of normal (though this calculation was then rounded up, leaving some weapons attacking slightly slower).

{{brands}}
[[Category:Brands]]

Speed (brand) - Revision history

Maintenance script: Importing CrawlWiki content