Core Strength and Penetrating Strikes

Discussion in 'War Room (Powers, Artifacts, & Builds)' started by Yaiba, Jun 4, 2021.

  1. Yaiba Committed Player

    Doing some random tests about those 2 mods, I figured few things:
    . Core Strength: it stacks additively with bonuses that have same effect. They are league buff (damage out, 3%), damage role buff (10%), hand mod (max damage, 2%). For example, assuming you're a dps with league buffs, by using this mod, your damage bonus increases from 13% to 15%.
    . Penetrating Strikes: it stacks multiplicatively with other damage bonuses. Basically, it increases your damage by 2% regardless of buffs/debuffs.

    My numbers with fear gas (fixed base damage): 81563 might, 3% damage bonus (league buff)
    . DPS role: 1924 / With CS: 1958 / With PS: 1962
    . Base damage of fear gas: 1924 / 1.13 = 1703
    . CS: 1703 x 1.15 = 1958
    . PS: 1703 x 1.13 x 1.02 = 1962
    • Like x 1
  2. Yaiba Committed Player

    More notes about CS and PS, this does not make PS better than CS. there will be a situation where one beats other. Using Transformation Card as example, it reduces your damage output by 15% (aka -15%), so as an endgame DPS (like gadgets/mental), you will have:

    . Core Strength / Transformation Card: 2% - 15% + 10% + 3% = 0% damage bonus
    . Let's say you deal 1000 damage, then it will be 1000 x (1 + 0) = 1000 damage

    . Penetrating Strikes / Transformation Card: -15% + 10% + 3% = -2% damage bonus
    . Your damage is 1000, now it becomes 1000 x (1 - 0.2) x 1.02 = 999.6 damage
  3. Ryazan Dedicated Player

    Thanks for taking a look at those. Do they have any impact on a pet's damage output?
  4. Yaiba Committed Player

    From what I got, the damage bonus from damage role doesn't affect pet's damage. And because Core Strength and Max Damage mods both have same effect, I assume they don't work as well.
  5. Qwantum Abyss Loyal Player

    Pretty sure i saw data a while back that show penetrating strikes as slightly better but very minimal and not noticeable of a difference
  6. Yaiba Committed Player

    If you're gadgets/mental dps, it's better to go with CS, assuming you use Transformation Card.
    For the rest, CS and PS are equal because of Max Damage mod.

    . CS: (1 - 0.15 + 0.1 + 0.3 + 0.2 + 0.2) = 2% bonus damage

    . PS: (1 - 0.15 + 0.1 + 0.3 + 0.2) x 1.02 = 2% damage bonus
    • Like x 1
  7. Siramez Well-Known Player


    does this apply to all powers as well if you're using transformation card? not just for mental/gadgets, since this artifact is being used for overall dps builds
  8. Dev72 Dedicated Player

    I always differentiated core strength v. penetrating strikes as penetrating strikes is meant for enemies of a higher level or CR. In content when fighting ads and bosses that are at a higher level, use penetrating strikes. Then once the toon is at level or higher....it doesn't matter which is used.
  9. Yaiba Committed Player

    Yes, it does apply to all powers, mental/gadgets are exception because of improved stealth. And in this case, CS will win.
  10. Yaiba Committed Player

    I believe the CR doesn't have an impact on how PS works. I tested on sparring target (low CR) and brainiac (high CR, raid). the bonus damage is always 2%. I read about PS/CS tests, I don't see any mentions how the bonuses stack (imo, it's important), and most of them concluded that PS won. I have the same result too, but if you have Transformation Card (rank 200), then they're equal. :D
  11. Siramez Well-Known Player

    oh yeah i forgot about improved stealth, this makes sense, thanks man