diff --git a/include/game/game_handler.hpp b/include/game/game_handler.hpp
index 52ecb967..8dbebe1d 100644
--- a/include/game/game_handler.hpp
+++ b/include/game/game_handler.hpp
@@ -743,6 +743,17 @@ public:
     float getGameTime() const { return gameTime_; }
     float getTimeSpeed() const { return timeSpeed_; }
 
+    // Global Cooldown (GCD) — set when the server sends a spellId=0 cooldown entry
+    float getGCDRemaining() const {
+        if (gcdTotal_ <= 0.0f) return 0.0f;
+        auto elapsed = std::chrono::duration_cast<std::chrono::milliseconds>(
+            std::chrono::steady_clock::now() - gcdStartedAt_).count() / 1000.0f;
+        float rem = gcdTotal_ - elapsed;
+        return rem > 0.0f ? rem : 0.0f;
+    }
+    float getGCDTotal() const { return gcdTotal_; }
+    bool isGCDActive() const { return getGCDRemaining() > 0.0f; }
+
     // Weather state (updated by SMSG_WEATHER)
     // weatherType: 0=clear, 1=rain, 2=snow, 3=storm/fog
     uint32_t getWeatherType() const { return weatherType_; }
@@ -2559,6 +2570,10 @@ private:
     float timeSpeed_ = 0.0166f;   // Time scale (default: 1 game day = 1 real hour)
     void handleLoginSetTimeSpeed(network::Packet& packet);
 
+    // ---- Global Cooldown (GCD) ----
+    float gcdTotal_ = 0.0f;
+    std::chrono::steady_clock::time_point gcdStartedAt_{};
+
     // ---- Weather state (SMSG_WEATHER) ----
     uint32_t weatherType_ = 0;       // 0=clear, 1=rain, 2=snow, 3=storm
     float weatherIntensity_ = 0.0f;  // 0.0 to 1.0
diff --git a/src/game/game_handler.cpp b/src/game/game_handler.cpp
index 7168a37d..3f1d9b8d 100644
--- a/src/game/game_handler.cpp
+++ b/src/game/game_handler.cpp
@@ -14119,6 +14119,10 @@ void GameHandler::castSpell(uint32_t spellId, uint64_t targetGuid) {
         : CastSpellPacket::build(spellId, target, ++castCount);
     socket->send(packet);
     LOG_INFO("Casting spell: ", spellId, " on 0x", std::hex, target, std::dec);
+
+    // Optimistically start GCD immediately on cast — server will confirm or override
+    gcdTotal_ = 1.5f;
+    gcdStartedAt_ = std::chrono::steady_clock::now();
 }
 
 void GameHandler::cancelCast() {
@@ -14477,6 +14481,14 @@ void GameHandler::handleSpellCooldown(network::Packet& packet) {
         uint32_t cooldownMs = packet.readUInt32();
 
         float seconds = cooldownMs / 1000.0f;
+
+        // spellId=0 is the Global Cooldown marker (server sends it for GCD triggers)
+        if (spellId == 0 && cooldownMs > 0 && cooldownMs <= 2000) {
+            gcdTotal_ = seconds;
+            gcdStartedAt_ = std::chrono::steady_clock::now();
+            continue;
+        }
+
         spellCooldowns[spellId] = seconds;
         for (auto& slot : actionBar) {
             bool match = (slot.type == ActionBarSlot::SPELL && slot.id == spellId)
diff --git a/src/ui/game_screen.cpp b/src/ui/game_screen.cpp
index fcfbcd8a..40cb4207 100644
--- a/src/ui/game_screen.cpp
+++ b/src/ui/game_screen.cpp
@@ -4952,6 +4952,7 @@ void GameScreen::renderActionBar(game::GameHandler& gameHandler) {
 
         const auto& slot = bar[absSlot];
         bool onCooldown = !slot.isReady();
+        const bool onGCD = gameHandler.isGCDActive() && !onCooldown && !slot.isEmpty();
 
         auto getSpellName = [&](uint32_t spellId) -> std::string {
             std::string name = spellbookScreen.lookupSpellName(spellId, assetMgr);
@@ -5004,6 +5005,7 @@ void GameScreen::renderActionBar(game::GameHandler& gameHandler) {
             ImVec4 tintColor(1, 1, 1, 1);
             ImVec4 bgColor(0.1f, 0.1f, 0.1f, 0.9f);
             if (onCooldown) { tintColor = ImVec4(0.4f, 0.4f, 0.4f, 0.8f); }
+            else if (onGCD) { tintColor = ImVec4(0.6f, 0.6f, 0.6f, 0.85f); }
             clicked = ImGui::ImageButton("##icon",
                 (ImTextureID)(uintptr_t)iconTex,
                 ImVec2(slotSize, slotSize),
@@ -5188,6 +5190,35 @@ void GameScreen::renderActionBar(game::GameHandler& gameHandler) {
             dl->AddText(ImVec2(tx, ty), IM_COL32(255, 255, 255, 255), cdText);
         }
 
+        // GCD overlay — subtle dark fan sweep (thinner/lighter than regular cooldown)
+        if (onGCD) {
+            ImVec2 btnMin = ImGui::GetItemRectMin();
+            ImVec2 btnMax = ImGui::GetItemRectMax();
+            float cx = (btnMin.x + btnMax.x) * 0.5f;
+            float cy = (btnMin.y + btnMax.y) * 0.5f;
+            float r  = (btnMax.x - btnMin.x) * 0.5f;
+            auto* dl = ImGui::GetWindowDrawList();
+            float gcdRem   = gameHandler.getGCDRemaining();
+            float gcdTotal = gameHandler.getGCDTotal();
+            if (gcdTotal > 0.0f) {
+                float elapsed     = gcdTotal - gcdRem;
+                float elapsedFrac = std::min(1.0f, std::max(0.0f, elapsed / gcdTotal));
+                if (elapsedFrac > 0.005f) {
+                    constexpr int N_SEGS = 24;
+                    float startAngle = -IM_PI * 0.5f;
+                    float endAngle   = startAngle + elapsedFrac * 2.0f * IM_PI;
+                    float fanR       = r * 1.4f;
+                    ImVec2 pts[N_SEGS + 2];
+                    pts[0] = ImVec2(cx, cy);
+                    for (int s = 0; s <= N_SEGS; ++s) {
+                        float a = startAngle + (endAngle - startAngle) * s / static_cast<float>(N_SEGS);
+                        pts[s + 1] = ImVec2(cx + std::cos(a) * fanR, cy + std::sin(a) * fanR);
+                    }
+                    dl->AddConvexPolyFilled(pts, N_SEGS + 2, IM_COL32(0, 0, 0, 110));
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
         // Item stack count overlay — bottom-right corner of icon
         if (slot.type == game::ActionBarSlot::ITEM && slot.id != 0) {
             // Count total of this item across all inventory slots