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
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
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.
Pretty sure i saw data a while back that show penetrating strikes as slightly better but very minimal and not noticeable of a difference
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
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
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.
Yes, it does apply to all powers, mental/gadgets are exception because of improved stealth. And in this case, CS will win.
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.