So @sir_spanksalot, @hammyhamster1 and I kind of did an all-nighter on conversion mechanics, yesterday.
Our Case:
- A vitality-focused Blightlord Oppressor with:
- 50% fire>vitality conversion (Off-Hand)
- 46% fire>acid conversion (Path of the Three OK exclusive skill)
- ~50% elemental>vitality conversion (Belt)
Our Issue + Thesis:
* According to the elemental dmg > X conversion order we thought to be true, this conversion process would have gone down as follows (with a fire dmg value of 100 (example) on skill Y):-
elemental>vitality conversion happens: 100x0.5=50.
-
fire>vitality and fire>acid conversion enter a weighted pool to fight for the remaining 50 fire.
since 50+46 does not exceed 100, we just get another 25 vitality, 23 acid and 2 remaining fire dmg.
No harm, no foul, right?
Wrong. Somehow, there was a dmg loss on the tested skill (RE with +flat fire from BL set) of~10% total vitality dmg that could not be explained by any other reason than conversion.
So where did all that vit dmg go?
Thesis: The solution to this problem is to calculate our ele>vit conversion only after our fire>X conversoin – instead of doing it the other way around. Pretty simple, really – at least in hindsight…
Supporting Evidence for this Thesis:
- When our fire>X conversion was raised to a minimum of 100% total, all fire dmg on RE disappeared completely (tested separately both with 17/12 Path of the Three [ring] and M. Darkflame Chestguard), meaning that these to had to enter the same weighted pool at some point in the equation .
- When this 100%+ fire>X conversion was in effect, removing the ele>vit conversion did not change our overall RE damage (exept for a miniscule 24 points at the very end of the +%dmg calculation which likely comes from differing +spirit values on the swapped belts).
- Furthermore, with very high fire>X conversion (85-95%), the dmg gains from ~50% ele>vit conversion were barely mentionable.
This was also tested and confirmed to happen with M. Pack of Treacherous Means instead of the Lunal’Valgoth’s Girdle.
Pictures of in-game dmg breakdown (fire/ele>X testing)
RE dmg breakdown with 100% fire>X conversion and ~50% ele>vit
[50% fire>acid from 17/12 Path of the Three + 50% fire>vit from Word of Solael off-hand + 50% ele>vit from Lunal’Valgoth’s Girdle]
RE dmg breakdown with 96% fire>X conversion and ~50% ele>vit
[46% fire>acid from 15/12 Path of the Three + 50% fire>vit from Word of Solael off-hand + 50% ele>vit from Lunal’Valgoth’s Girdle]
Indicating that fire>X+fire>X conversion applies additively but fire>X+ele>X conversion applies multiplicatively.
RE dmg breakdown with overkill ~135% fire>X conversion and ~50% ele>vit
[35% fire>vit from M. Darkflame Chestguard + 50% fire>acid from Path of the Three + 50% fire>vit from Word of Solael off-hand + 50% ele>vit from Lunal’Valgoth’s Girdle]
RE dmg breakdown with ~135% fire>X conversion and * without* ~50% ele>vit
[35% fire>vit from M. Darkflame Chestguard + 50% fire>acid from Path of the Three + 50% fire>vit from Word of Solael off-hand]
The fact that the acid dmg on RE does not decrease with 50% ele>vit as compared to without (save for 1 single point likely due to slightly different +spirit values on both belts) indicates that the ele>vit conversion does not convert ~50% of all fire dmg to vit before fire>X applies, but rather that it only converts half of the remaining 0% fire damage after fire>vit had its turn.
Because, if this were not the case and elemental>X damage occured first, Path of the Three could only convert 25% of fire>acid.
Thus, our conclusion was:
Our Results:
Apparently, the current order of events for elemental > X conversion is:
Base Skill > Skill Modifiers+Conversion on the Skill or Transmuter > Fire/Cold/Lightning to X Conversion on Equipment and Buffs > Elemental Damage to X Conversion on Equipment and Buffs > Equipment, Auras and Passives
And not, as might have been assumed before, Elemental Damage to X Conversion on Equipment and Buffs and then > Fire/Cold/Lightning to X Conversion on Equipment and Buffs.
That is, if we interpreted our results correctly.
Many, Many Thanks to:
sir_spanksalot for his untiring help andinvaluable info in regards to game mechanics & testing strategies & stuff.
hammyhamster1 for just being an overall mad frickin’ genius; the above theory was basically his idea.
mad_lee & x1x1x1x2 for bringing the issue to our attention.