N00b here : does bonus given by items apply to every spell or just spell in that item

Hi !


For any item which got an increase like "+20% elemental damage", or fire damage, or "add 18-36 lightning damage", spell damage..

..Does it apply only for spells which are socketed into that item ? or for all my spells ?

Figure this out would help me a loooot !

"+X% increased foo damage" is almost always a global modifier to all foo damage.
"+X-Y foo damage" is almost always flat damage added to attacks only, not spells.

Well, if so, I just got a mace which provide +45% spell damage, so... x1.45 on ALL my spells ? Seems really good so...?

But, of what depends the "almost always" ?

Thanks a lot ! and if you got some details to add, thanks again

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AlmarQvist wrote:

Well, if so, I just got a mace which provide +45% spell damage, so... x1.45 on ALL my spells ? Seems really good so...?

It does apply to all your spells, yes. However, be aware that anything that says "increased" stacks additively with anything else that says "increased". So for example, if you're using a fire spell and have (between your passive tree and gear) 100% increased spell damage, 100% increased elemental damage, and 100% increased fire damage, they alllll add together for a total of 300% increased (so 4x) damage. They don't all multiply for 8x damage. Only modifiers worded "MORE spell damage(/whatever) work that way. So the 45% increased spell damage won't actually increase your real damage by 45% unless you have nothing else increasing that damage.

"

But, of what depends the "almost always" ?

Occasionally items will explicitly add flat damage to your spells (e.g. Apep's Rage). That's the only exception.

Well ! I understand now.

Thank you so much for your so well explained answer.

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pneuma wrote:

"+X% increased foo damage" is almost always a global modifier to all foo damage.

The big fat blazing exception to this is when 'foo' is "Physical"
When you see +XX% increased physical damage, assume that it's a mod local to the item (because you're probably seeing it on a weapon)
This means, among other things, that wielding two rapiers with +170% increased physical damage on them will not make your Ethereal Knives and Shockwave Totem damage go through the roof.

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Milchut wrote:

"

pneuma wrote:

"+X% increased foo damage" is almost always a global modifier to all foo damage.

The big fat blazing exception to this is when 'foo' is "Physical"
When you see +XX% increased physical damage, assume that it's a mod local to the item (because you're probably seeing it on a weapon)
This means, among other things, that wielding two rapiers with +170% increased physical damage on them will not make your Ethereal Knives and Shockwave Totem damage go through the roof.

Yeah, I don't understand why GGG is so against the words "local" and "global" when it comes to weapons.

ex. A sword has "X% increased local physical damage" and "+X local physical damage" and "X% increased local attack speed".

ex. A pair of gloves has "X% increased global fire damage" and "+X fire damage to attacks" and "X% increased global attack speed".

ex. Apep's Rage has "20% increased global spell damage" and "30% increased global cast speed" and "+X chaos damage to spells" and "40% increased global mana cost of skills".

They even use the term "global" in a few places where they have to (Serpent Stance, most notably). I just don't buy the argument that less information is somehow helpful to new players. Understanding the numerical mechanics of this game is already too damn hard.