Clarification on Damage over Time (DoT) effects

Question

I need some clarification on how damage over time (DoT) effects work in the Secret World;

• Can a tick from a DoT perform a crit?
• Does a tick from a DoT count as a hit?

I mostly want to know this because I ask myself:

• Can a DoT proc passives? (e.g. on hit, on crit or on hit on a afflicted/hindered target passives)

Right now my character is not advanced enough to have DoTs but I'm considering moving into it. However, I'm not sure how passives work with single/multiple damage over time effects.

I saw some "every time you set afflicted state" passives.

• Do these passives proc when the DoT is reset before it's duration is over?
• Do these passives proc when the target is already afflicted/has another DoT on it?

Answer 1

From testing using my Assault Rifle build, I have not come across any instance where my damage over time effects result in critical hits. I am able to critical hit with the abilities that apply the damage over time effect, but not the effect itself.

Tested using Anima Shot with the Coagulant passive ability.

In addition, damage over time abilities do not count as a 'hit' when they tick, they don't appear to be able to 'miss' but they will not proc 'on hit' abilities. I have tested this using both the Explosive Experts passive and the Lethality passive - in both instances the ability that applied the damage over time effect would proc the passive, but the damage over time effect itself would not.

Regarding the afflicted state queries I will have to get back to you on those, I don't appear to have any abilities matching those descriptions yet :)

Answer 2

With pixels help I can now provide answer to the mentioned open points:

• Can a tick from a DoT perform a crit? No.
• Does a tick from a DoT count as a hit? No.
• Can a DoT proc passives? No. (except for on applying a DoT passives)
• Do "whenever you apply afflicted state" proc when the DoT is reset before it's duration is over? Yes. (See [1])
• Do "whenever you apply afflicted state" passives proc when the target is already afflicted/has another DoT on it? Yes. (See [2])

[1] I tested this by using the following combination of passives:

• Mind over Matter
• Dark Potency

This means when ever I crit I apply the DoT from Mind over Matter, this triggers Dark Potency and I get a stack of penetration rating.

After some testing I can confirm that refreshing the DoT will still trigger the passives.

[2] Same set-up as in [1] but I applied a DoT (Flashpoint) before attacking the target otherwise.

After gathering some test results I can also confirm, that this passives proc when the target is already afflicted.