2

I would like to understand how World of Warcraft calculates its damage range from Speed and Damage per Second. Here is an example of what the character sheet shows:

Without Weapon

Damage: 5 - 6

Speed: 2.00

DPS: 2.6

With Weapon

Damage: 9 - 12

Speed: 2.90

DPS: 3.5

Only weapon stats

Damage: 3 - 5

Speed: 2.90

DPS: 1.4

My attack power is 29 which translates into 2.1 DPS added additionally.

If I'm not mistaken there must be some kind of formula to get the damage range e.g. 9 - 12 from Speed(2.90) and DPS(3.5). If I multiply Speed by DPS I get 10.15 which fits into the damage range, but what I want to understand is how do they calculate the minimum damage of 9 and the maximum damage of 12?

Improve this question
5
  • Are you asking about retail or Wrath of the lich king?
    – Sorean
    Commented Oct 12, 2022 at 3:00
  • Also what class are you playing?
    – Sorean
    Commented Oct 12, 2022 at 3:33
  • @Sorean Asking about Wotlk. The stats I showed in my question are for a level 1 Warrior
    – Michael Munta
    Commented Oct 12, 2022 at 10:14
  • Is it possible to add a couple screenshots? As a warrior all your abilities are melee (Don't remember when Heroic throw was added, this one might fit into here). There are a lot of things that factor into the calculation. Strength is a factor that adds to melee damage, but not ranged attack for warriors. If the weapon has strength on it, it will bump up the attack values a bit.
    – Sorean
    Commented Oct 12, 2022 at 22:00
  • @Sorean this is not at all about abilities, just plain auto attack values which I assume don't even matter what class I am. If damage on the character sheet says 9-12 it means my auto attack will hit for either 9, 10, 11 or 12. I just want to know, given Speed and DPS stats, how do I get this range of 9-12?
    – Michael Munta
    Commented Oct 13, 2022 at 12:04

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
2

Now that I understand your question correctly, the answer is you can't.

All weapons/melee attacks have a base damage range that are set by the item. You don't calculate the range from your other stats, the weapons have a set range and the DPS (Damage per second) is calculated from that average damage divided by the attack speed.

Take this sword for example: https://www.wowhead.com/wotlk/item=37401/red-sword-of-courage

red sword of courage

The average damage of the range is 229.5. Considering the speed is 1.6 (time between attacks), the DPS is 229.5 / 1.6 = 143.44.

This weapon: https://www.wowhead.com/wotlk/item=37179/infantry-assault-blade infantry-assault-blade

Follows the same math. Damage per second of 338.5 / 2.6 = 130.19.

Since the calculations are based on average damage, we can't determine the range working in reverse since that is our calculation value. Using the 338.5 average damage from the second weapon, we can't tell if the range is 337-340 or 1-676.

Feel free to browse all the weapons on wowhead, they all have a base damage range that are set for the item.

Improve this answer
2
  • Ok, that answers part of it, but how is the damage on the character sheet calculated then? If you look at my question the weapon damage is 3-5, but when I equip the weapon my character's damage is 9-12. Why is my character's damage not equal to the weapon damage then?
    – Michael Munta
    Commented Oct 16, 2022 at 5:24
  • As I mentioned in another comment, other stats such as strength contribute to your total damage. Points from other pieces of gear will also affect that calculation. Enchants, gems, etc. Warriors have a battle cry ability that buffs their attack power as well, all those other little buffs factor into your total damage. Your character also has a base range without a weapon too (for example if you punch an enemy [without a weapon equipped] with other pieces of gear on, you'll still do damage). That base damage range goes up as you level because your other stats go up too.
    – Sorean
    Commented Oct 16, 2022 at 19:27

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .