Channel [ANcl] ability caching "Follow through time" field incorrectly when targeted at the item

[DracoL1ch]

Basically copypasta of [Spell] - ANcl (channel) - another bug? this thread + testmap to make sure it's understandable.

This bug is another example of awful usage of caching functions with ANcl-based abilities, which is already been confirmed by me before.

Test map allows you to see EFFECT, ENDCAST and FINISH events. Double click cause all 3 fires immediately, regardless channeling time. If you use it onto ground once, channeling time will be cached and used on double clicks later just fine, until you drop & pickup the item again, which will reset the cache as well.

 

[pOke]

Well I understand the problem now. And after a brief skim of that blog, I think you're right that until channel is "primed" by casting on a unit or ground that wc3 likely just sees Channel as an instant cast ability meaning that the start, stop, and end all happen at once. Which is why we see all 3 fire at once initially. It does appear to be an oversight, blizzard probably assumed that because most spells are either unit/point, unit, point, or instant. Not all 3 at once that this would never come up.

This is a very odd bug, but I can see how it might be problematic.

The only work around that I'm sure you've already thought of is to have the hero prime it by upon acquiring having the hero cast it on itself then instantly stopping the hero. Then you'll have to worry about refreshing the cooldown. You then can't remove the ability and re-add to refresh since that'll defeat the purpose as the spell will go back to having no channel time.