Battle Trance

Battle Trance is the damage cooldown the Vanguard carries, and it works on rhythm rather than on raw numbers. While it holds, the greatsword swings faster, abilities cast faster, and slash damage is raised.

Effect

Attack speed and action speed do exactly one job each, and neither touches a cooldown. Attack speed quickens the basic attack's swing; action speed quickens an ability's cast. Under Battle Trance the Vanguard both swings and casts noticeably faster, so more of both land in the same span of time, but Whirlwind and Sunder still come back on their own timers.

The slash bonus rides on top of that, so the effect compounds: faster swings, each one harder.

Strategy

• It runs out well before it comes back, so it is a cooldown to spend deliberately rather than an always-on state like Bladesong.
• Cast it before you engage; the cast animation is the longest of any Vanguard ability.
• The attack-speed bonus stacks with Bladesong, so running both turns the greatsword's slow cadence into its strength.
• Save it for the Cottage or a full northern push rather than a single Goblin Archer.