This is a complicated issue I have extensively worked with Blizzard support to try to resolve with no sufficient solution.
Issue
GCD will skip spontaneously. The following clips were taken while streaming an outlaw rotation to Blizzard support:
Clip 1 - https:// clips.twitch. tv/BreakableAwkwardShingleArsonNoSexy
Clip 2 - https:// clips.twitch. tv/GiftedCovertGrasshopperSwiftRage
(Apparently I can’t post links. Blizzard no ban pls)
I have only noticed this when chaining several instant GCDs together. I have no issues spamming Scorch on a mage, but the issue comes up often on rogue, feral druid, and in a lot of my testing I used Frost Shock spam on shaman.
This is near unplayable when reaching high amounts of haste, such as 5x Alacrity with Adrenaline Rush on outlaw, or under Heroism. Under slower haste, it is still present but more manageable.
Sometimes, my GCD will be smooth and the animation/proc will be late, and sometimes all of it will freeze and skip to being half a GCD over. I’ve never seen the animation be on time but the GCD is late.
I haven’t noticed this in other gameplay footage, nor do I know anyone else with this issue.
Attempted Solutions
There were a lot of things that both I and the Blizzard employees I worked with suggested and tried. This list should cover most of what we tried:
-uninstalled Twitch
-deleted Interface/WTF/Cache folders
-used the “/console cvar_default” command
-closed all programs possible
-ran Windows updates
-updated network drivers on a wired connection
-checked for proxies (there were none)
-ran a windows defender scan (no results)
-released and renewed IP, flushed DNS
-uninstalled iCUE (peripheral software with minor power management)
-performed a “Network Reset” in Windows
-tried on a different admin account on the same PC
-tried on a different PC on the same network on Nesingwary
-tried on Shadowmoon (I normally play on Stormrage)
-used mobile data USB tethering
-used Pingzapper on US-East, US-Central North, US-West, and South Asia
-Completely uninstalled WoW retail and classic from C Drive (NVME SSD) and reinstalled on E Drive (SATA SSD)
-lowered graphic slider to minimum (normal max)
-tried on windowed mode 800x600 with 33% resolution quality (normal borderless 1080p and 100%)
-NVIDIA pre-rendered frames set to 1 and use application setting
-vsync on and off
-monitor refresh rate at both 144hz and 60hz
-all network settings under system
-SpellQueueWindow adjustments (60, 220, 300, 400)
-seeing if the issue also exists in WoW Classic
-updated router firmware
-disabled router firewall
-power cycled router/modem
-connecting my ethernet directly to my modem
I have also in my Frost Shock testing both spammed the ability rapidly and only pressed once in the SpellQueueWindow. In both situations, the issue would come up.
Current conclusions
This is an issue with WoW Retail itself.
On Classic, spamming rank 1 Moonfire would be a completely smooth GCD and no skipping or animation lag.
Adjusting SpellQueueWindow to very low values (my normal ping is 35~ ms) does noticeably help, but is not a sufficient solution. An extremely low value of say 60 may remove the unplayable moments as seen in the clips, but does not remove it entirely while leaving me a very little queue window which would force me to spam buttons to keep my GCD rolling properly.
If anyone experiences these issues to any degree, I highly encourage you to share your experiences on this post.