Skill damage - how does it work?

**Menarus** · 11-04-2012, 18:30

One thing I noticed about using two one handers and a skill like hammer of the ancients... is that it seems (like your auto attack and other skills like cleave) that you use one weapon for the skill and then a different one if you cast it again. I tested this by using a weapon that had arcane damage and a weapon that had cold damage. Swung ancient hammer once, the creatured died purple. Swung it again, the next creature died cold. I believe this is part of the reason they suggest using similar damage weapons when dual wielding, is that you are always alternating weapons. The benefit to which is more bonus stats and an increase in attack speed. So to answer your question... it will be % dmg on skill * first weapon or second weapon min-max dmg. I don't believe it factors both weapons into the damage... though I could be wrong.

**HardRock** · 11-04-2012, 18:34

That's correct, although keep in mind, that not all skills alternate weapons like that.

**Menarus** · 11-04-2012, 18:38

Yep yep, just going off the example the OP had given. ^,~
Thanks for the confirm.

**Apocalypse** · 11-04-2012, 18:39

how hard would it be for bliz to have each skill have the damage listed in the description? i mean It would have to change with each equipment/level/buff change but really it would make life much easier. Is anyone not confused by how things are now?

**Menarus** · 11-04-2012, 18:43

Yeah I completely agree Apoc... I seem to recall reading somewhere that they said they would implement this soon too... In the character window kind of D2 style... I hope thats true.

As an aside, reading about DoT damage... anyone think that attack speed should affect the duration of the DoT? Making it so that ASP dealt the full damage faster? >,> Seems like a logical progression to me...
Slow large dmg weapon = High dmg DoT that takes longer to deal damage
Quick less dmg weapon = Less total dmg DoT but deals its damage faster, allowing a recast sooner... or potentially finishing off targets more quickly

**Raesene** · 11-04-2012, 18:56

Originally Posted by Apocalypse

how hard would it be for bliz to have each skill have the damage listed in the description? i mean It would have to change with each equipment/level/buff change but really it would make life much easier. Is anyone not confused by how things are now?

That would be the perfect solution for me. I guess if it was easy to do though, they would have just done it.

**Apocalypse** · 11-04-2012, 21:48

well we are talking about bliz here lol

**HardRock** · 15-04-2012, 17:36

Originally Posted by HardRock

To be honest, I'm not sure yet about the APS part for DoTs

I am now, at least about Haunt. It doesn't scale with attack speed, unless we are talking about it's initial cast animation. Tested this with these stats and weapons:

43 Intelligence
4.3 DPS crossbow, 5-5 damage, 0.86 APS
4.9 DPS dagger, 2-5 damage, 1.37 APS

If Haunt scales with APS, then the dagger should have done slightly more damage. That wasn't the case however. Haunt did 41 damage to Leoric with the crossbow. With the dagger, it did 29.

EDIT: I can confirm that Rend and Exploding Palm works the same way.