So, You Wanna Hit Like a Truck in Genshin Impact, Huh? Let’s Talk Damage.
Ever stared at big damage numbers in Genshin Impact and thought, “How did they do that?!” It’s not just button mashing. There are stats, reactions, and character quirks that decide if your attacks make a difference. Let’s break down damage calculation in Genshin Impact. No fluff, just facts to turn you into a damage dealer.
Basic Damage 101: Types and Limits
First, damage in Genshin Impact has two main types: Elemental and Physical. Elemental covers fire, water, or wind. Physical refers to swinging a sword. Remember, there is a cap. No matter the buffs, one hit can’t exceed 20,000,000.
What makes those numbers increase? When characters hit, their damage relies on their attributes and the target’s attributes. Deep stuff, right? Here’s a quick formula for average damage:
Average Damage = ATK + (ATK × CRIT Rate × CRIT DMG)
This is simple enough for now. Let’s explore ATK and CRIT.
Attack (ATK): Your Bread and Butter
ATK shows how hard your character hits. It’s your raw power stat. The total ATK is calculated like this:
ATK = [ (Character ATK + Weapon ATK) × (1 + % ATK Bonus) ] + Flat ATK Bonus
Your base ATK comes from inherent stats and your weapon. Then, add % ATK Bonuses from artifacts or weapon passives. Lastly, include any Flat ATK Bonuses, which add fixed boosts to your ATK.
You may ask why people love ATK% over flat ATK. It’s simple: at higher levels, base ATK grows substantially. Percentage bonuses are multiplicative and scale better with a strong base. Think of it like bank interest; percentages shine when the foundation is solid. Flat ATK feels nice, but it’s less impactful.
DPS characters thrive on ATK, including Furina, Wriothesley, Navia, and Neuvillette. Build up that ATK and watch them excel.
Critical Hits (CRIT): Making Every Hit Count
CRIT adds excitement to damage dealing. Critical hits provide extra power. This is where CRIT Rate and CRIT DMG come in. Each character begins with a base 5% CRIT Rate, a small chance for bonus hits. Base CRIT DMG is set at 50%.
The golden rule is the 1:2 CRIT Ratio – for every 1% Crit Rate, aim for 2% Crit Damage. This ratio often maximizes average damage. Check out this CRIT Rate/DMG Guide on HoYoLAB for details.
Don’t stress over perfect ratios. Life and artifact RNG are inconsistent. Small differences don’t ruin damage output. Flexibility is essential. What matters? Achieving that 100% CRIT Rate. If you hit 100% (or more), all attacks will be crits. Consistent crits equal steady damage.
For a quick crit assessment, use the Crit Value formula: Crit Damage + (Crit Rate × 2). Higher Crit Value means better damage potential. Some characters even boost crit rates, like Tighnari, whose Charged Attacks receive a hefty 15% CRIT Rate increase.
Remember this: CRIT Rate matters more than CRIT DMG. Why? You can have immense CRIT DMG, but if you never crit, it’s pointless. Get those crits to make CRIT DMG shine.
Defense (DEF): Not Just for Tanks
Now let’s talk about DEF, or Defense. In Genshin Impact, DEF reduces incoming damage. But it also factors into the damage you deal, indirectly.
You can boost DEF by leveling characters. Artifacts and weapons offer DEF or % DEF bonuses too. Consider DEF as your character’s armor.
Enemies have DEF too, calculated as:
Enemy DEF = (5 × Enemy Level) + 500
This means higher-level enemies are tougher, but you can overcome that DEF.
Enter DEF Shred and DEF Ignore. DEF Shred lowers the enemy’s DEF stat, like removing armor. DEF Ignore allows your attacks to bypass enemy DEF entirely. Both methods enhance damage but work differently.
Your character’s DEF is computed like this:
DEF = (Character DEF × (1 + % DEF Bonus)) + Flat DEF Bonus
Though DEF helps survival, especially for characters like Noelle, most DPS characters should focus on shredding enemy DEF for better damage than boosting their own.
Elemental Reactions: Where the Magic Happens
Want to enhance your damage? Master Elemental Reactions. Triggering them unlocks high damage numbers and ties to the Elemental Mastery (EM) stat. EM enhances reaction strength.
Here are some key reactions:
- Swirl: Anemo creates interactions with Hydro, Pyro, Cryo, or Electro. Damage depends on the character’s level and EM, along with the enemy’s Elemental RES. Swirl also ignores enemy DEF and can’t crit, focusing on consistent spreadable damage. Double Anemo teams shine for AoE damage.
- Vaporize: A top- tier reaction for Pyro DPS, capable of boosting even healers’ damage.
- Hyperbloom: A Dendro reaction combining Bloom cores with Electro delivers solid damage consistently.
- Bloom: This Dendro reaction also scales with trigger levels, EM, and target’s Dendro RES.
- Burning: Pyro mixed with Dendro causes lasting Pyro damage over time.
Visit these pro tips from TheGamer for more strategies to maximize damage.
Damage Bonus (DMG Bonus): Stacking the Multipliers
DMG Bonus plays a key role in damage formulae as a direct multiplier for your output. Think of it as a damage amplifier.
Artifact sets are major sources of DMG Bonus. For instance, the Anemo DMG Bonus set provides a flat 15% Anemo DMG Bonus. With four pieces, you enhance Normal Attack SPD and boost Normal, Charged, and Plunging Attack DMG after Charged Attacks hit. Stacking DMG Bonus significantly increases damage potential. Explore more about DMG Bonus on Genshin Impact.
Wiki.
Some characters give DMG Bonus to the team. Kazuha grants Elemental DMG Bonus based on his Elemental Mastery when he triggers Swirl. Team buffs are key to increasing your damage output.
Character-Specific Scaling: Unique Power-Ups
Genshin Impact characters have unique scaling mechanics. Hu Tao scales off HP (Health Points). Her Elemental Skill raises her ATK based on Max HP. Noelle increases ATK based on her DEF. Knowing these scalings helps in effective builds.
Other Damage-Boosting Factors: The Big Picture
Let’s recap factors that lead to higher damage:
- Character and Enemy Attributes: Damage relies on your stats and enemy stats. Enemy levels, resistances, and DEF are crucial.
- Elemental Reactions: Reactions provide a huge damage boost.
- Team Composition and Elemental Resonance: Build a diverse team. Leverage Elemental Resonance for stat boosts.
Maximizing Your Damage: The Endgame
How do you become a damage dealer? Here’s the recipe:
- Learn Character Rotations: Optimize attack sequences for maximum damage.
- Scale with Correct Stats: Equip characters with stats that match their scaling – like ATK for DPS, HP for Hu Tao, etc.
- Fix Your CRIT Ratio: Aim for 1:2 and high CRIT Rate.
- Prioritize Energy Recharge: Consistent use of Elemental Bursts drives damage.
- Master Elemental Reactions and Team Synergy: Build teams that trigger strong reactions.
Fall Damage: When Gravity Hurts
Fall damage exists in Genshin Impact. Fall damage is based on a percentage of your character’s Max HP, usually 10% to 30%. The harder you hit, the more damage you take. Think before jumping off a high cliff!
Checking Your Bragging Rights (Highest Damage)
Want to know your highest hit? There’s an achievement! The “Purveyor of Punishment” achievement unlocks after dealing over 50,000 CRIT DMG in one hit. Completing this also shows your max crit damage. Bragging rights achieved!
Damage Caps and Records: Pushing the Limits
The highest single damage instance is capped at 20,000,000. This surpasses the previous cap of 9,999,999. Go ahead and try to break that record!
Understanding Character Roles: Know Your Place
Team composition matters. Understanding roles is crucial:
- Main DPS: The main damage dealer. Characters like Eula, with high physical damage, excel here.
- Sub-DPS: Supports the Main DPS with off-field damage. Mona buffs team damage with her Elemental Burst.
- Support: Provides buffs, heals, and enables reactions. Kazuha is a top-tier support.
DPS Calculation: Numbers Don’t Lie
To calculate your Damage per Second (DPS), use:
DPS = (Attack Value × Attack Count) / Attack Cooldown
This helps quantify damage over time. But sometimes, enjoying the chaos of big numbers is simply more fun.
There you have it – a crash course in Genshin Impact damage calculation. Go experiment and unleash your inner damage dealer! Sometimes, the best damage is simply having fun.
