This thread is widely based on the data from [MECHANICS] Power level compilation thread from @thelee, but I aimed to deal with specific cases that diverge from general rules, and possibly discuss about how to correct the most annoying exceptions.
Basically, there are 4 kinds of scaling :
A - Scaling from weapon quality (Unarmed Scaling is close enough to belong here, even if it has a couple differences). +1 PEN, +15% additive damages and about +4 Acc per quality level.
B - PL scaling from Weapon Attack Abilities such as Rogue Strikes. 5% multiplicative damages and duration for each PL above Ability Tier.
C - Intrinsic non Weapon Attack Ability Scaling, purely based on Ability Tier. For Each Tier above 1, the ability gets +2 Acc and +0.5 PEN.
D - PL scaling from non Weapon Attack Abilities. 5% multiplicative damages and duration, +1 Acc, +0.25 PEN for each PL above Ability Tier. Also +1 bounce and +1 projectile for each 2 PL above ability Tier.
So :
- An Auto attack will get A so it keeps up with enemy defences.
- A Weapon Attack Ability will get A and B so it keeps up with enemy defences and get benefits from PL.
- A non Weapon Attack Ability will get C and D so it keeps up with enemy defences and gets benefits from PL.
The A, B, C, D values are balanced so that all abilities scale about the same. The benefits from A+B are roughly equivalent to C+D. (It doesn't mean A is equivalent to C and B to D ; D provides strictly more benefits than C).
All the above would be great design (and for most part is) if not for some exceptions... So here we go.
1) Passive Abilities don't benefit from PL
Apart for a couple of specific case (Carnage and Sneak Attack), Passive Abilities don't get scaling from PL as Active Abilities, even for similar effect.
They do get scaling from their Ability Tier. So they get scaling C, but not D, making them subpar especially for Accuracy and PEN.
For example, rooting pain gets +1.5 PEN and +6 Acc for being a Tier IV ability... but nothing more.
=> Note that Balance Polishing Mode address this, giving +1 Acc, +0.25 PEN and +5% multiplicative damages per PL to all class passives. I didn't add +5% multiplicative duration because Passive abilities can be applied repeatedly, so I considered they didn't need it.
2) Non-Attack Weapon Abilities get double Scaling
All weapon based abilities are not "attack" as Rogue Strikes are. But all of them benefit from Weapon Scaling. The problem is that their Acc and PEN scales as if they didn't...
Active Weapon based abilities which are not "attacks" benefit from Weapon scaling (A), intrinsic ability tier scaling (C) and PL scaling (D). Basically, they scale a lot. According to my testing, following abilities are concerned :
- Heart of Fury
- Whirling Strikes (BPM removed Accuracy and PEN component by accident)
- Whispers of the Winds (gasp)
- Swift Flurry
- CP version of Forbidden Fist
- Cleaving Stance
Following abilities are NOT concerned :
- Clear Out and Upgrades (they are Weapon attack + an AoE attack, that's why the main target is hit twice...)
- Flagellant Path and Upgrades (they are implemented in their own specific way)
- Furious Call (same as Flagellant Path)
- Heartseeker (also implemented in its own specific way)
To give numbers Heart of Fury with a legendary weapon and PL 10 gets :
- +4 PEN, +60% damages, +15 Acc from Legendary
- +3.5 PEN, +16 Acc for being a Tier 8 ability
- +0.5 PEN, +2 Acc, +10% multiplicative damages from PL scaling
So yeah, that's +8 PEN !!!
Passive Weapon based abilities which are not "attacks" benefit from Weapon scaling (A) and intrinsic ability tier scaling (C). They don't get (D) from PL because Passive Abilities don't get benefit from PL... According to my testing, following abilities are concerned :
- Riposte
- Barbaric Retaliation
- Heartbeat Drumming
- Vengeful Defeat
This leads to undocumented and above average PEN and Acc.
3) About Unique items (general case, refer below for weapons)
All the previous also applies to Unique Items abilities, with following specifities :
- Most abilities from items counts as Tier 1 abilties, so they don't get any benefit from C
- Items use "untyped Power Level", a Power Level that doesn't depend on Class / Multi-Class. All lvl 20 characters have 9 untyped power level. Single Class may have a little edge, but only due to Prestige. Only untyped PL bonus can rise this number (Potion of Elevation, Nature Godlike, etc...)
Active abilties from items do get scaling D for PL (sometimes B for Weapon attacks). Basically, they don't scale too bad.
Passive abilties from non weapon items get absolutely no scaling. Their PEN is set in stone, their damages are meh and their Acc is about 10 points lower than active abilities at max level. For example, the PEN of Boltcatchers electricity attacks is always 7.
I think this should be addressed, as for class passive abilities.
4) About Unique Weapons
The funny thing is that unique weapons also get scaled based on weapon quality (scaling A).
Passive abilties (such as Frostseeker's Garland Rake) get only scaling A which is decent.
Active abilties which are weapon attacks (such as Mowdyr's Bottom Up) get scaling A and B which is... the same as other Weapon Attack abilties.
Active abilties which are not weapon attacks (such as Frostseeker's Garland Breath) get both scaling A and D (a bit like abilties from point 2) ). Which is a lot. That's why Thunderous Report deals so many damages with so high Acc and PEN.
This is possibly a bit strong, but since Passive bonuses are often more interesting than Per Rest / Per Encounter abilties for weapons, I think it is mostly fine.
Don't hesitate to correct me if you spot any inconsistency !