If you have 8 Pen vs 8 Armor you deal full damage as if enemy has no Armor

 

If you have 7 Pen vs 8 Armor you deal 30% damage as if you have no Pen

 

1 Pen/Armor either make a 70% damage difference or make no difference at all

 

I think this mechanics should be more linear and make every point of Pen/Armor counts, for example:

1 Pen = 5% more damage and 1 Armor = 5% damage reduction

I have to agree that Penetration is FAR too important a stat right now. Perhaps -20% dmg for every point lower up to say -80% and maybe +5% for each point above capped at the same 30%

All-or-nothing with something this important causes a lot of builds and weapons to become almost completely useless.

Agree. It needs a heavy tweaking.

 

However, the new system is easier to understand and more elegant, and it makes the value of different types of damage (slash, pierce, burn) easier to understand.

I have to agree that Penetration is FAR too important a stat right now. Perhaps -20% dmg for every point lower up to say -80% and maybe +5% for each point above capped at the same 30%

All-or-nothing with something this important causes a lot of builds and weapons to become almost completely useless.

 

 -20% per point below sounds very reasonable, I think.

I agree the penetration/rating system is currently too "all or nothing."

 

It's a good system but it needs to be more gradual. As it is now, stacking penetration is the be all and end all; no other thing comes close in importance as being just 1 point short of your enemy's armor rating curbs your DPS to the point your contribution to combat is nil.

 

A gradual approach would make penetration a strategic and/or tactical concern on par for afflictions, buffs, etc..