droit
05-25-2009, 07:16 PM
My last post in 202 Ranger Spell thread in which I analyzed a spike thorn on a Grimswarm warchief led me to do some more testing and I think I've found some interesting results regarding how padding works on creatures, specifically on Grimswarm.
First, let me explain how 616 works. Each cast inflicts up to 3 damage cycles (4, if you train in summoning lore) based on a level comparison, ranger spell ranks, being outdoors or indoors, and probably a couple stats. A damage cycle is comprised of three things: a round of generic damage (ranging from 3-40, fairly random), a puncture crit and the associated crit damage. The level of the crits are based on a hidden base crit roll for the cast, and the crit rank of each damage cycle is +/- 1 from that base. The crits target the legs exclusively until the victim is on the ground, then hits randomly. Here's an example:
Dozens of long thorns suddenly grow out from the ground underneath a triton radical! Several of the thorns jab into the radical!
... hits for 28 points of damage! [Generic Damage]
... 30 points of damage! [Crit Damage]
Great shot penetrates thigh and shatters bone! [Rank 6 Puncture Crit]
It is knocked to the ground!
... hits for 29 points of damage!
... 30 points of damage!
Great shot penetrates thigh and shatters bone! [Rank 6]
... hits for 35 points of damage!
... 35 points of damage!
Bladder impaled, what a mess! [Rank 7]
... hits for 39 points of damage!
... 25 points of damage!
Damaging strike to chest, several ribs shattered! [Rank 5]
Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.
In this cast, there were 4 damage cycles with a base crit rank of 6, thus each cycle's crit fell between ranks 5 and 7. The damage associated with these crits isn't based on the AS/DS puncture crit table. Instead, it's a flat 5 damage per crit rank on normal foes (the one exception is a rank 9 to the chest, which deals 50 damage). Thus, in the above example, the rank 6s did 30 crit damage, the rank 7 did 35 and the rank 5 did 25.
On Grimswarm and certain other "tough" creatures, I've found that the crits get reduced but the associated crit damage does not.
Dozens of long thorns suddenly grow out from the ground underneath a Grimswarm orc ranger! Several of the thorns jab into the ranger!
... hits for 16 points of damage!
... 25 points of damage! Expected crit: 5
Minor puncture to the right leg. Actual crit: 1
... hits for 40 points of damage!
... 30 points of damage! Expected: 6
Strike pierces thigh! Actual: 2
It is knocked to the ground!
... hits for 37 points of damage!
... 35 points of damage! Expected: 7
Beautiful head shot! Actual: 3
That ear will be missed!
The orc ranger is stunned!
... hits for 37 points of damage!
... 30 points of damage! Expected: 6
Strike pierces thigh! Actual: 2
Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.
This crit reduction (4 ranks, in this case) is non-random and consistent. Most creatures don't reduce the crits at all, like the radical in the first example, but I have come across a radical or two that reduced crits by 2 ranks that I assume were just very high level spawns. A grizzled radical, however, reduces spike crit ranks by 6.
Grimswarm are particularly thorn-resistant. All normal orc and giant Grimswarm reduce each crit by 4, while normal troll Grims only reduce them by 2. (Trolls are the squishy ones, folks!) All warchiefs, shamans and grizzled Grims, regardless of race, reduce crits by 6, thus making it impossible to achieve a fatal crit with spike thorn.
Dozens of long thorns suddenly grow out from the ground underneath a Grimswarm troll warchief!
Several of the thorns jab into the warchief!
... hits for 26 points of damage!
... 40 points of damage!
Strike pierces thigh!
It is knocked to the ground!
... hits for 16 points of damage!
... 40 points of damage!
Nice puncture to the abdomen, just missed vital organs!
... hits for 17 points of damage!
... 30 points of damage!
Strike to left hand breaks a fingernail!
... hits for 33 points of damage!
... 40 points of damage!
Strike pierces thigh!
Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.
I've been calling it crit reduction because I have no evidence one way or the other that this is an effect of standard crit padding; it may just be a kind of damage reduction specific to 616 and 635. If it is crit padding causing these reductions, then spike thorn is an excellent, if not very precise, measure of crit padding due to its lack of randomization. If it is not, then it may at least serve as some sort of relative toughness measure.
I would however like to try and prove or disprove the padding relationship, so I'm looking for two things: one, I'd like for people to suggest other creatures that are thought to be crit padded; and two, I'm looking for player characters without redux that wear significantly crit padded armor and who would allow me to spike them a few times. Evarin in his MCP armor would have been perfect, but his account is inactive.
First, let me explain how 616 works. Each cast inflicts up to 3 damage cycles (4, if you train in summoning lore) based on a level comparison, ranger spell ranks, being outdoors or indoors, and probably a couple stats. A damage cycle is comprised of three things: a round of generic damage (ranging from 3-40, fairly random), a puncture crit and the associated crit damage. The level of the crits are based on a hidden base crit roll for the cast, and the crit rank of each damage cycle is +/- 1 from that base. The crits target the legs exclusively until the victim is on the ground, then hits randomly. Here's an example:
Dozens of long thorns suddenly grow out from the ground underneath a triton radical! Several of the thorns jab into the radical!
... hits for 28 points of damage! [Generic Damage]
... 30 points of damage! [Crit Damage]
Great shot penetrates thigh and shatters bone! [Rank 6 Puncture Crit]
It is knocked to the ground!
... hits for 29 points of damage!
... 30 points of damage!
Great shot penetrates thigh and shatters bone! [Rank 6]
... hits for 35 points of damage!
... 35 points of damage!
Bladder impaled, what a mess! [Rank 7]
... hits for 39 points of damage!
... 25 points of damage!
Damaging strike to chest, several ribs shattered! [Rank 5]
Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.
In this cast, there were 4 damage cycles with a base crit rank of 6, thus each cycle's crit fell between ranks 5 and 7. The damage associated with these crits isn't based on the AS/DS puncture crit table. Instead, it's a flat 5 damage per crit rank on normal foes (the one exception is a rank 9 to the chest, which deals 50 damage). Thus, in the above example, the rank 6s did 30 crit damage, the rank 7 did 35 and the rank 5 did 25.
On Grimswarm and certain other "tough" creatures, I've found that the crits get reduced but the associated crit damage does not.
Dozens of long thorns suddenly grow out from the ground underneath a Grimswarm orc ranger! Several of the thorns jab into the ranger!
... hits for 16 points of damage!
... 25 points of damage! Expected crit: 5
Minor puncture to the right leg. Actual crit: 1
... hits for 40 points of damage!
... 30 points of damage! Expected: 6
Strike pierces thigh! Actual: 2
It is knocked to the ground!
... hits for 37 points of damage!
... 35 points of damage! Expected: 7
Beautiful head shot! Actual: 3
That ear will be missed!
The orc ranger is stunned!
... hits for 37 points of damage!
... 30 points of damage! Expected: 6
Strike pierces thigh! Actual: 2
Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.
This crit reduction (4 ranks, in this case) is non-random and consistent. Most creatures don't reduce the crits at all, like the radical in the first example, but I have come across a radical or two that reduced crits by 2 ranks that I assume were just very high level spawns. A grizzled radical, however, reduces spike crit ranks by 6.
Grimswarm are particularly thorn-resistant. All normal orc and giant Grimswarm reduce each crit by 4, while normal troll Grims only reduce them by 2. (Trolls are the squishy ones, folks!) All warchiefs, shamans and grizzled Grims, regardless of race, reduce crits by 6, thus making it impossible to achieve a fatal crit with spike thorn.
Dozens of long thorns suddenly grow out from the ground underneath a Grimswarm troll warchief!
Several of the thorns jab into the warchief!
... hits for 26 points of damage!
... 40 points of damage!
Strike pierces thigh!
It is knocked to the ground!
... hits for 16 points of damage!
... 40 points of damage!
Nice puncture to the abdomen, just missed vital organs!
... hits for 17 points of damage!
... 30 points of damage!
Strike to left hand breaks a fingernail!
... hits for 33 points of damage!
... 40 points of damage!
Strike pierces thigh!
Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.
I've been calling it crit reduction because I have no evidence one way or the other that this is an effect of standard crit padding; it may just be a kind of damage reduction specific to 616 and 635. If it is crit padding causing these reductions, then spike thorn is an excellent, if not very precise, measure of crit padding due to its lack of randomization. If it is not, then it may at least serve as some sort of relative toughness measure.
I would however like to try and prove or disprove the padding relationship, so I'm looking for two things: one, I'd like for people to suggest other creatures that are thought to be crit padded; and two, I'm looking for player characters without redux that wear significantly crit padded armor and who would allow me to spike them a few times. Evarin in his MCP armor would have been perfect, but his account is inactive.