Death's Swiftness

Death's Swiftness

Release date	4 March 2013 (Update)
Members	Yes
Skill	Ranged
Level	85
Type	Ultimate
Adrenaline	−100%
Equipment	Any
Cooldown	60 seconds
Description
Create a shroud of death at your location for 30 seconds. While you remain within the shroud, your ranged damage will be increased by 50%. If your target stands within the shroud, they will be hit for 10% to 20% of weapon damage every 2 seconds.
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Death's Swiftness is an ultimate ability found on the ranged tab in the ability book. It is received as a reward for completing the quest The World Wakes.

For 30 seconds, a 3x3 shroud around the user is created, dealing 10-20% weapon damage every 2 seconds to any enemy in contact while also increasing the user's ranged damage by 50% inside.

A good strategy is to use Natural Instinct, then quickly build back to full adrenaline and use Death's Swiftness. The effect of Natural Instinct will still be lingering, allowing the player to build up to half adrenaline quickly and use powerful thresholds abilities like Rapid Fire or Snap-Shot with a 50% damage boost. This is even more effective when combined with Adrenaline potions or a ring of vigour.

Comparison with other ultimates

Death's Swiftness is Ranged's equivalent to Melee's Berserk and Magic's Metamorphosis and Sunshine. In the below comparison Sunshine is excluded, for it is identical to Death's Swiftness.

Berserk

Pros

• Increases damage by 100%, rather than 50%
• Allows free mobility

Cons

• Increases damage taken and lowers the user's armour rating
• Lasts for 20 seconds as opposed to 30
• Has no area-of-effect damage

Metamorphosis

Pros

• Allows free mobility

Cons

• Lasts for 20 seconds as opposed to 30
• Has no area-of-effect damage

Trivia

• When originally released, the effect of Death's Swiftness lasted for only 10 seconds. This was extended to 30 seconds on October 22, 2013.
• For a while after release, only one player could use this ability (or Sunshine) at a time. This was fixed to allow players to use it more often against bosses like Vorago. However, the first Death's Swiftness (or Sunshine) used against a boss will deal damage; others will not until the first Death's Swiftness/Sunshine expires.