[Miller]

Just to clarify on a few matters after some extensive testing and confirming with a few others with the math.

Currently Critical Modifiers are /before/ armor rather than after, this may have been stealth changed at some point but I've been consistently getting the correct value with a formula that resembles.

((SWA + FLAT DAMAGE) * Critical Mod * DEF/RES Damage Reduction * Elemental Resistance - Armor) * Other DRs/Damage Boosts.

I'm aware that Dev has stated the opposite in the past, but the math has been proving it to be otherwise.

The order of multiplicative modifiers do not matter too much in the damage formula but the position of armor and flat damage modifiers matter significantly.


What does this mean? You might ask.

Ignoring armor would only result in a damage gain equal to roughly (Armor * Non-Stat DRs * Damage Modifiers)

Assuming you have a heavy armor tank with roughly 22 armor and you apply 17% hunted against their indomitable(20% DR).
22 * 1.17 * 0.8 = 20.5 (Rounded down to 20).

Assuming you have a unarmored loser with roughly 8 armor and you apply 17% hunted against their weathered body (10% DR).
8 * 1.17 * 0.9 = 8.4 (This would be rounded down to 8).

You'd gain roughly +20 damage per hit against an armored opponent and +8 against unarmored opponents, while it seems insignificant on paper. It'd add up to +60 on a full duelist combo against heavy armor and +24 against an average unarmored loser.


The benefits of ignoring armor on hit.
It shouldn't need to be stated as it's obvious but light armor/heavy armor tanks would take more damage with this change from basics than unarmored line ups, class bonus DRs like indomitable, weathered body and bulwark still help with reducing the damage gained from this change.

The Bad
Flank's bonus damage penetration would be rendered pointless outside of non-critical hits.
Gun's would lose a bit of their edge, but they're due for a revamp.


Potential Suggestions
A) Ignore armor on critical hits as a way to ramp up basic hits.
B) Add armor penetration to guile, 1 per 5 points or 2 per 5 points should add more value to the stat. (8 or 16 at 40 guile)
C) Add more ways for basic hitters to reduce armor, perhaps via rampaging or another status effect.