~ Does the Bow Damage nodes affect Puncture?

It will but not in the same way Shadow %Phys nodes will.

It will boost the initial hit which means it will boost the bleed also because Puncture is based on the initial hit.

However the Shadow %Phys nodes will boost the initial hit, then boost the bleed again.

So lets say you have:

1000 phys damage
For sake of math lets count Puncture as 25% of initial hit (target stationary)

So lets see:
12% bow damage:

1000 * 1.12 = 1120 initial hit
Bleed is: 1120/4 = 280 bleed/second

10% phys damage:
1000 * 1.10 = 1100 initial hit
Bleed is (1100/4) * 1.10 = 275 * 1.10 = 302.5 bleed/second

A 10% phys node will yield 8% more damage compared to 12% bow damage for the purpose of damage over time.

Because the Shadow %Phys nodes affect all the physical damage you deal it will increase both the initial hit and the bleed, unlike Bow damage which increases only the initial hit.

This becomes even more aparent on higher numbers:

Taking all shadow %Phys nodes: 77% phys damage increase, for 6 points.
Lets say a bow damage node is 14% per point, so 84% bow damage.

Again lets say a 1000 damage hit with 25% bleed:

84% bow damage:
1000 * 1.84 = 1840 initial hit
Bleed is: 1840/4 = 460 bleed/second

77% physical damage:
1000 * 1.77 = 1770 initial hit
Bleed is: 1770/4 * 1.77 = 783.225 bleed/second

Which is 70% more than the bow damage nodes would give.

That's exactly what i figured. I just wanted to check. Thank you.

Wow, that is kind of fucked up that the Shadow phys nodes boost
both the initial hit and the DOT from Puncture...as if the Bleed from
Puncture is a separate damage source from Puncture itself.

ya....im not 100% convinced that is how it works. that seems very overpowered. im not sure it can double dip like that, but im not sure. i'll wait for a confirmation anyway, before i change my skill tree haha

NVM i was too tired, figured it out, lol.

The first 5 shadow nodes are simply increased physical damage, which also includes EK for example.

Quickness also adds another 20% phys damage coupled with the 5 from Shadow start it's 77%.

From the wiki, puncture is boosted by:

Damage over Time modifiers
Damage modifiers
Physical Damage modifiers
Projectile Damage modifiers
Trap Damage modifiers if applied with the Trap support gem
Mine Damage modifiers if applied with the Remote Mine support gem
Totem Damage modifiers if applied with the Ranged Attack Totem support gem
Area Damage modifiers if applied by a secondary hit with the Melee Splash support gem


"note that some of these modifiers apply only to the DoT whereas some also apply to the initial hit"

Notice the "some ALSO apply to the initial hit", hinting that % Physical nodes boost both parts.

yes, generic modifiers to damage dealt apply to damage over time.. they in fact work twice on DoT potency, increasing both initial damage and DoT

modifiers restricted to non-DoT (= attack, spell) base damage type will affect initial hit only. (note that "with weapons" always refer to "attacks")

I hope GGG decides to change this..
I find it absurd that these phys nodes benefit Puncture twice.
It is not even about the extra damage, it is about how amazingly discrete and unintuitive this detail is.