If you’re struggling with your damage output and feeling weak in the endgame, you’ve come to the right place. This guide is based on the insights shared by NinoMMO in his video The PROBLEM With Your Damage in Diablo 4! And How To Fix It!. Let’s dive in!
1. Understanding the Problem
As you progress in Diablo IV, you might feel that your character is getting weaker, even though you’re leveling up. The main problem lies in the way we perceive item upgrades. During leveling, we’re taught that a green number in the item comparison means that the new item is better. We also get excited when a legendary drops, assuming that legendaries and uniques are the best items in the game. This is mostly true before we reach the endgame phase. Then, things start to change.
2. The Importance of Yellow Items
In the endgame, players often feel that they rarely get an item upgrade because the item power doesn’t scale up to level 100. Often, all yellows are instantly sold and dismantled, and we only take a look at the legendaries. But here’s the first problem: in order to get more powerful, we have to start to actually look at the yellow items that drop. Not only the armor and the DPS value matters, but the other stats get much more important. This means that items that have a lower item power might actually be much better for your DPS output.
3. Understanding Damage Buckets
To understand how damage works in Diablo IV, we need to understand the concept of damage buckets. All the mods are grouped in so-called damage buckets, which are additive within the bucket but multiplicative with other buckets. This means that the more you stack stats from the same damage bucket, the less you get overall. If you already have 200% from one bucket and get an item with another 50%, the extra damage only increases by 16.67%. The diminishing returns are pretty heavy.
4. The Power of Different Damage Buckets
Let’s take an example of two weapons: one that does 100 damage per hit and one with only 90 damage. The 90 damage weapon has 50% crit damage, and 50% vulnerable damage, while the 100 damage weapon has 50% to shoot enemies, and 50% versus close enemies. Now, if you hit a vulnerable enemy with a crit, the 90 damage weapon would actually do more overall damage with crits and vulnerable damage. This is why a lower DPS weapon can be much stronger if it has the correct stats.
5. The Conclusion
The key to increasing your damage in Diablo IV is to check your yellow items and do three things:
- Try to get as many stats from different damage buckets as possible.
- Make the enemy vulnerable somehow.
- Increase your crit chance.
Also, look out for cooldown reduction, resource cost reduction, and attack speed. So, watch out for good yellow items, upgrade them, and imprint them with legendary powers to get actual good endgame items in Diablo IV.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why does my character feel weak in Diablo IV?
A: This could be due to the way you’re interpreting item stats. While leveling up, we’re taught that the green number in the item comparison means the new item is better. However, in the end game, other stats become much more important. This means that items with a lower item power might actually be better for your DPS output.
Q: What are damage buckets in Diablo IV?
A: Damage buckets are groups of mods that are additive within the bucket but multiplicative with other buckets. This means that the more you stack stats from the same damage bucket, the less you get overall due to diminishing returns.
Q: How can I increase my damage in Diablo IV?
A: To increase your damage, try to get as many stats from different damage buckets as possible, make the enemy vulnerable, and increase your crit chance. Also, look out for cooldown reduction, resource cost reduction, and attack speed. Remember to check your yellow items, upgrade them, and imprint them with legendary powers to get actual good end game items.
Q: What should I do with yellow items in Diablo IV?
A: Don’t instantly sell or dismantle yellow items. They can be very valuable in the end game. Check their stats, not just the armor and DPS value. If they have stats from different damage buckets, they might actually be much better for your DPS output than items with a higher item power.
Q: How can I make my enemy vulnerable in Diablo IV?
A: Making your enemy vulnerable can be achieved through various means, depending on your class and build. It could be through certain skills, abilities, or even gear that you use. The key is to understand your class’s mechanics and how they can be used to exploit your enemy’s weaknesses.