Retaliation Question: Basic vs On-hit procs

Grim Dawn Classes, Skills and Builds
1

Hi,

I’m still new to the game (150 hours, but it’s a complex game) and had the following question: what counts as retaliation damage?

What I’m certain of: on items, when the item lists ‘number damage type retaliation damage’, your character outputs that number and type of damage upon being hit by a melee attack. This counts as retaliation damage. It is listed as such.

What I’m uncertain of: on items, when the item lists 'on some percent melee hit, ‘number damage type damage’, your character outputs that number and type of damage upon being hit by a a melee attack, with a probability multiplier if the percent is less than 100. I’m unsure if this is retaliation damage. It is not listed as such. However, the same parameters are in place- being hit by a melee attack, outputting damage in response to that attack.

Or, regarding the latter example, does this count as reflect damage? I’m unsure what that is either- I can’t find any examples of someone defining it and I haven’t seen any items with damage listed with ‘reflect’ in their description.

My apologies if this has been discussed many times previously. I’ve spent 40 minutes searching the forum and internet looking for an answer to these specific questions and wasn’t able to find any. Please feel free to list a link if you know where this information can be found.

Relatedly, I’d like to switch my warder to a retaliation build, so this would be great to know. Finding on hit proc gear is much easier than gear strictly labelled as retaliation.

Thanks,
B

2

Retaliation damage is the damage enemies take upon hitting you in melee (short) range.
Reflect damage deals a percentage of the damage dealt to the attacker.

Retaliation works the same way normal damage works, but normal damage is dealt when you attack, and retaliation when you’re being attacked (in melee).

3

The damage on proc is labeled in a specific way. If you read the description on it, it usually says stuff like x physical damage, so when you are hit, the proc will hit the enemies for x physical damage.

Retaliation is it’s own category, and it only benefits from the gear that says exactly that. If it says that the activated proc will hit the enemy with retaliation damage, like on Avenger relic, for example, then it will be just that. It’s effectiveness, however, can be increased further by RR, since it does, actually, influence it.

4

Ok, so it has to have the wording ‘retaliation’. Thanks!