When to use weapon skill vs. dps stat

[SwordmasterCyris]

So I ran the numbers the other night using the forumla:

damage done = base DPS + stat bonus - toughness * 1 - (base mitigation - base mitigation * weapon skill)

(weapon DPS contribution is facted into base DPS)

So if your skill hits for 200 damage, and you have a 500 str, that's +100 dps, and if they have 250 toughnes, its -20 dps... and if they have say 60% physical mitigation and you have 20% weapon skill then they resist .6 * .2 of your damage.

Without posting the raw data, weapon skill gives you better returns when your target has more than 50% base mitigation. E.g. medium and heavy armored targets.

DPS stats (str or balistic skill) give better returns when your target has less than 50% base mitigation. Light armored targets and medium targets with armor debuffs.




So if you plan to kill tanks, stack weapon skill. If you plan to kill casters, stack strength.

[PekkaR]

The added Parry should bring its value more up to par with Strength in melee DPS mirror matches.

[lasmrah]

Yeah, I've found that to be true as well.

The only qualification I would make is for classes that deal a lot of magic damage, most prominent being the Swordmaster. Spirit damage attacks don't benefit from wskill, so when considering str vs wskill take into account how many attacks of yours are magic, or even just ignore armor as part of their effect (example Torment). Perfectly correct for normal melee damage though.

[PessimiStick]

So if your skill hits for 200 damage, and you have a 500 str, that's +100 dps, and if they have 250 toughnes, its -20 dps... and if they have say 60% physical mitigation and you have 20% weapon skill then they resist .6 * .2 of your damage.
Weapon Skill doesn't work like you seem to think it does.

20% Weapon skill means you ignore 20% of their armor value.

i.e.:

2,000 armor on an R40 player ~= 45.5% damage reduction.

20% weapon skill against this player reduces their armor by 20%.

(2,000 * 0.8) / (40 * 44) * 0.4 * 100 ~= 36.7% mitigation.