DPS configuration calculations

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noobas
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DPS configuration calculations

Post by noobas »

Here is a short, calculation intensive guide to assess the value of add dmg gear in terms of crit tradeoff, and in general a method to calculate the value of crit vs add dmg.

Introduction

There is no substitute to assess damage dealing capabilities other than rigorous testing under a variety of conditions, maintaining static values for other variables to assess the sensitivity of the parameter in question. Unfortunately, testing conditions are rarely, if ever suitable for such scientific evaluation. Furthermore, reports of capability of DPS are nearly always biased slightly towards the recorder - but not so much that it invalidates the record. No, all records of DPM and total damage done are valid, in general. But understanding their relevance is nearly an art form in itself.

The bottom line is, it's hard to understand what conditions the tester or poster of the damage dump had when the dump was recorded. Invariably, the most appropriate logs start at the beginning of a fight, and end when the last fight in the series/instance is completed. Obviously, some instances will be biased due to pauses, breaks or intermittent absences which can be attributed to "I needed to find the next mob".

Regardless, the dump, any dump helps fill out our vast emptiness of understanding of real capability. Prior to dumping, one needs to set up. And setting up can be very costly. Do you opt to spend months to years camping a artillery shroud, or do you spend 2B on an ERBP? Do you slap on the DB crit set which cost all of 6 hours of camping, or do you break the bank for a 12B set of 300CC?

Clearly, there are choices. This guide will help you assess the value of the different options - hopefully prior to spending years perfecting a setup before realising you were striving for a sub-optimal setup for DD.

Preliminary Configurations

One of the first things to do is find your baseline offense. This includes weapon choices, perk choice and procs which you intend to use in combat.

http://auno.org/ao/perk.php?saveid=89896

Here is, for example a perk setup for a DPS oriented engineer.

I will assume for the purpose of this assessment that the weapons of choice are: AMEP and 300 Peregrine MK 6.

Preliminary Calculations

The first thing to do is assess two things:

1. The number of hits per minute your setup affords you that are affected by critical %
2. The number hits (points of contact) per minute your setup affords you under optimal conditions
3. Calculate the relative gain in DPS for any tradeoff in crit for add dmg, or vice versa

Here is how to do that.

Part 1

First of all you compile a list of all specials, and normal hits:

36 normal hits/minute affected by crit
10 fling shots affected by crit

For a total of 46 critical affected points of contact per minute.

Because the weapon damage critical value is different for each weapon we must assess the bonus damage separately.

NOTE: I'm going to also show here how to calculate the expected damage range of any weapon based on your AR as well as this is a good time to do so.
Calculating Expected Damage per Weapon

First, find the AR cap on your weapons:
AMEP: 275-450 (400) AR cap = 2750
Peregrine Mk 6: 248-358 (248) AR cap = 2600

Assessing AR multiplier on a weapon we use this formula:

[[(AR-1000)*Class AR Multiplier]/400+3.5] with most profs having a skill multiplier of approximately 0.3

Assuming engi meets max beneficial AR on both weaps the damage multiplier for AMEP is:

[[(2750-1000)*0.3]/400+3.5]= 4.8125

and for peregrine:

[[(2600-1000)*0.3]/400+3.5]= 4.7

Min Dmg

min damage on AMEP: 4.8125*275 = 1323
min dmg on PER: 4.7*248 = 1166

max dmg

max damage on AMEP: 4.8125*450 = 2166
max dmg on PER: 4.7*358 = 1683

Crit dmg
crit dmg on AMEP vs high AC's = 4.8125*(275+400) = 3248
crit dmg on PER vs high AC's = 4.7*(248+248) = 2331

crit dmg on AMEP vs no AC's = 4.8125*(450+400) = 4572
crit dmg on PER vs no AC's = 4.7*(358+248) = 2848

Isolated crit bonus

isolated crit bonus on AMEP = 4.8125*(400) = 1925
isolated crit bonus on PER = 4.7*(248) = 1166
For now, we will only take from the previous calculation the max AR modified, isolated crit damage for each weap:
AMEP: 1925
PER: 1166

Next we find what this crit will affect:

18 AMEP normal hits
18 PER normal hits
10 fling shots on PER
0 burst, 0 perks/procs

Next we multiply the isolated crit bonus by the number of hits over a minute:

The difference 1% crit makes in damage gained per minute is, on average, over continuous fighting:

1%*[18*1925+(10+18)*1166] = 673 damage


Part 2

The next thing to do is assess the number points of contact that add dmg will affect per optimal, average minute of play.

Procs

Only regular hits and fling proc; resulting in 46 chances for procs to land per minute (we will multiply this number by the probability of a proc to fire)

Perks

Based on the setup posted above, and normalizing the number of perks per minute of play (i.e. if the recharge of a perk is 65 seconds, then it's only possible to perk 60/65 = 0.92 times per minute) , and poison sprinkle and taint wounds don't actually count add dmg for the first hit in the dot so they are removed from this section.

When we multiply each perk frequency by 60s and divide by the recharge time, and multiply the chance for proc's by the number of hits per minute, we get 13.45 perks and procs hitting the target per minute (continuous fighting) of play.

Now I'll add all regulars/specials to find the total number of actions/bullets/everything affected by 1 point of add dmg:

13.45 (perks/procs)
36 normal
10 fling
60s*3 bullets/burst *1burst/8s = 22.5 (burst)
for a total of: 81.95 (round up to 82).

So, any single point of add dmg affects a total of 82 contacts per minute.

Now, the question is, how many points of add dmg does it take to make up the difference that 1% crit makes?

1% crit produces 673dmg per minute.

since 1 point of add dmg produces 82 dmg per minute then 673dmg/min/1crit /82dmg/min = 8.2 dmg

Therefore, 1% crit is approximately equal to 8.2 add dmg.

Part 3

Assessing value of an item:

Lets take the big kahuna, right off the bat:

http://auno.org/ao/db.php?id=269414 research attunement device level 3 - Offence

vs.

http://auno.org/ao/db.php?id=251241 QL 300 viral targeting subunit

100 dmg/8.2 dmg/crit = 12.2 crit.

So, any VTS adding 12 crit or LESS, you're losing damage by using that item. For any VTS 13% or greater, you'll gain damage.

Clearly, then the 100 add dmg is considerably valuable already. Also, we can immediately start to see the incredible value of raid buffs and soldiers/keepers team add dmg auras. And this is only for an engineer.

I'll do more calcs for more profs later in the thread.
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noobas
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Re: DPS configuration calculations

Post by noobas »

Here is a shortened version walkthrough of how to calculate # perks/procs available to a 220 keeper.

Using this setup: http://auno.org/ao/perk.php?saveid=89955

And counting perks first, with 60s/(recharge)=frequency

SL perks:
cleave 60s/28s= 2.1
transfix 60s/60s = 1
pain lance = 60s/90s = 0.66
slice n dice = 4 * 60s/80s = 3
deep cuts = 60s/40s =1.5
seppuku slash = 60s/95s =0.63
subtotal = 8.89

AI perks:
bluntness 60s/65s = 0.92
nano feast 60s/65s = 0.92
break 60s/120s (dot, doesn't apply)
bot confinement 60s/120s = 0.5
force opponent 60s/110s (dot, doesn't apply)
subtotal = 2.34

Other:
Wrath 60s/19s = 3.1 note that wrath/fury is affected by skill lock modifier and with standard endgame equip the recharge is reduced to 16s or so (I'll keep at 3.1 for conservatism)


Procs:
Divine Sanctifieris the best in line at 19%
To find average procs use expected number of hits/minute:
normal hits = 30
fast attack = 10
brawl = 4
44 total * 19% = 8.36

perks/procs/other hits/minute = 8.89+2.34+3.1+8.36 = 22.69
total attacks/minute 44+22.7=67
total crit affected attacks/minute = 44

pride of xan
dmg range 441-558 (444)
AR cap = 2750

same as engi using 0.3 as prof specific rating, we'll get 4.8125 multiplier.

min dmg = 4.8125*441 = 2122
max dmg = 4.8125* 558 = 2685
crit dmg iso = 4.8125*444 = 2137

Assuming brawl is the same crit modifier as pride of xan (it's not, but I can't be assed looking it up), 1% crit is worth:
1%*44*2137dmg/min = 940.17

dividing crit dmg/min by number of points of contact made per minute:
940/67 = 14

Therefore, crit setups on keeper are very good - you need 14 points of add dmg to outgain 1 point of crit. (FYI, this is quite a lot, note that CC/CM only is 10 points per piece, so DB armour (i.e. sleeves/pants, and obviously chest, is better than CM)
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Re: DPS configuration calculations

Post by noobas »

shade obviously is a big one everyone wants to know...

But shade requires a bit of processing so I'll start it anyway and finish up later.

this perk setup: http://auno.org/ao/perk.php?saveid=89956

SL perks

Piercing mastery:
stab 60s/30s
double stab 60s/30s
perforate 60s/30s
lacerate 60s/30s
impale 60s/30s
gore 60s/30s
hecatomb 60s/30s
2x7=14

sublime rapport
exultation 60s/12s = 5
disorientate 60s/40s =1.5
dimensional fist 60s/16s (but requires ethereal touch to run, but ethereal touch can be up 100%) = 3.75
convulsive tremor 60s/60s = 1
5+3.75+1.5+1=11.25

totemic rites
ritual of devotion 60s/40s = 1.5
devour vigour 60s/40s = 1.5
ritual of zeal 60s/40s = 1.5
devour essence 60s/40s = 1.5
ritual of spirit 60s/40s = 1.5
devour vitality 60s/40s = 1.5
ritual of blood 60s/40s = 1.5
7x1.5 = 10.5

AI perks
diffuse 60s/90s = 0.67
chaos ritual 60s/90s = 0.67
crave 60s/65s = 0.92
feast 60s/65s =0.92
bot confinement 60s/120s =0.5
bore (dmg no effect)
0.67+0.67+0.92+0.92+0.5= 3.68

procs
blackheart (5%) yellow proc (about 767dmg)
siphon being (5%) yellow proc (drain/heal 580 dmg)
for true DPS, you'd go with concealed surprise (blue proc) 134 dmg

so two 5% procs from LE, but also nano procs:

http://auno.org/ao/db.php?id=224167 is a 26% chance

Now counting number of hits/minute:
36 normal hits, 10 fast attack
not sure if procs fire off backstab but I think they can, and I assume they can proc off sneak attacks. I'll assume 1.5 Backstabs/minute (40s recharge), and 1 sneak attack/minute for total of 46.5 attacks per minute:

46.5*5%+46.5*5%+46.5*26% = 16.74 proc chances/minute

Perks+procs = 14+11.25+10.5+3.68+16.74 = 56.09
normal/crit affected = 45.5
total attacks/minute = 101.59

Assuming these are the weapons of choice:

Improved hacked Medi-blade
315-360 (500)
Max AR 2650

Deceit of the Xan
300-350 (500)
2750 max AR

Again we have a situation similar to engineer where the two different weapons have two different damage ranges and or max AR modifiers.

Calculating each AR multiplier separately:

DotX
[[(2750-1000)*0.3]/400+3.5]= 4.8125
and for medi-blade:
[[(2650-1000)*0.3]/400+3.5]= 4.7375

we get an AR crit modified bonus of:
4.8125*(500)=2406 for DotX and
4.7375*(500)=2369 for medi blade

Now since the mediblade is on the right hand the fast attack come off that weapon, which means the crit modifier bonus is skewed down to be dominated by the mediblade:

DotX: 18*2406 = 43308
Mediblade: (18+10)*2369 = 66325
1%*(43308+66325)=1096

*note I'm assuming the crit chance won't matter on BS/SA's since they will likely cap - however this IS an assumption, and I am not sure if critical rate affects these specials in the traditional sense.

Hence: 1096 is the gain in damage per minute for 1% increase for continuous average fighting.

NOW... the kicker:
1096/101.59 = 10.79!!!!!
That means that shades, despite having so many gazillion perks and procs/minute, still have quite a low value on add damage compared to, say, keeper, for crit rate.

So, if each 1% crit is equivalent to 10.79 add dmg, it means that it is extremely close in value to 300 CM/CC (at 10 add dmg per piece) compared to, say, 1 piece of DB gear with 1% crit.

I will say now that despite the rigour in this calculation, that BASE perk damage will drop when you remove a piece of CM/CC due to the nature of perk damage being reliant on "specialhit" which basically increases in damage/QL for each point of base skill (for shade this is usually piercing, whereas for keeper it is 2he, for MA it is MA skill etc.). The bottom line is, it will be a close tradeoff, but for 1% crit adding pieces of gear, it's probably a safe bet that 300 CC/CM will be JUST as good if not slightly better.

However, some interesting comparisons:

MOTR>Igoc
Dchest>DB combat chest
Silver spider knuckledusters>>> anything in game if you're meeting MBS on both weapons already
gannondorf commando hat>>anything else
ring of power - melee>>> everything

And, in case it's not clear... if you want to roast stuff, get your 12m buff (or DB2 buff)
" I Don't Like That Man. I Must Get To Know Him Better." -Abraham Lincoln
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