Could someone please ELI5 penetration to me?

[Grimo88]

Leave those dirty, dirty minds at the door. 

 

But seriously, I don't get it. I also don't get the little icons (-5 Shield, 75% sword and shield) 

 

Thank you! 

[AndreaColombo]

edit: nvm; I’ll leave this to someone who’s not typing from their smartphone.

Edited December 22, 2017 by AndreaColombo

[KDubya]

Not sure what icons you are talking about but penetration is simple.

 

• All armor has specific armor values for specific damage types
  • Example - plate armor has 9 armor for pierce and slash and 6 armor for crush
• All weapons (and spells) have a penetration value as well as their specific damage type
  • Example - sword has penetration of 5 and slash and pierce damage, while a Mace has a 7 penetration and does crush damage
• You attack the enemy in plate with your sword
  • Your 5 penetration slash and pierce is less than the 9 armor value. Each point of penetration less than what you need causes a reduction of 25% so in this case you are short 4 penetration so you get the maximum under penetration penalty of -75% damage (I think this is the number, it used to be 70% but the concept is the same)
• You attack the enemy in plate with your mace
  • Your 7 penetration crush is greater than the 6 crush armor and you do full damage
• You are a Witch (Soul Blade/Berserker) using an Warhammer (7 pen), the weapon modal (+2 pen), the Cipher ability Hammering Blows (+1 pen), while frenzy is in effect (+2 pen) and using a Fine weapon (+1 pen)
  • Your 13 penetration crush/pierce is more than double the 6 crush armor of the plate. You over penetrate and get a multiplicative 30% damage add (you calculate your damage and then multiply the total by 1.3)

 

That's pretty much it. Armor is now useful and penetration is something to look for.

[Nemesis7884]

i have a question to this as well - some abilities show a penetration value while others do not (often spells with magic damage do not show a penetration value)....do only weapons work through the penetration mechanics?

[Yosharian]

Leave those dirty, dirty minds at the door. 

 

But seriously, I don't get it. I also don't get the little icons (-5 Shield, 75% sword and shield) 

 

Thank you! 

 

I hit you.

 

You are tough.  I do almost no damage. (low penetration/high armor)

 

You're not too tough.  I do decent damage. (med penetration/med armor)

 

You're a little weakling.  I do crazy damage. (high penetration/low armor)

Edited May 16, 2018 by Yosharian