Receiving damage

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Receiving damage involves several steps to determine whether the damage hits, how much damage is dealt by the attacker, how much of that damage is prevented by the defender's mitigation, and what resources (e.g. life, energy shield) are ultimately lost as a result.

Order of operations

The list below displays the order of operations when an attacker attempts to damage a defender:

  1. Preventing the hit:

    These are the only defensive mechanics that prevent hits entirely. Other forms of mitigation cannot undo the hit, even if they reduce damage taken to 0.

  2. Before being Hit:
    Effects such as Defiance of DestinyDefiance of Destiny
    Paua Amulet
    Requires Level 49(20-30)% increased Mana Regeneration Rate+(60-80) to maximum Life
    +(10-40)% to Fire Resistance
    +(10-40)% to Cold Resistance
    +(10-40)% to Lightning Resistance
    Gain (10-20)% of Missing Unreserved Life before being Hit by an Enemy
    The respect of Karui warriors is hard to earn,
    but lasts a lifetime... and beyond.
    's Gain #% of Missing Unreserved Life before being Hit by an Enemy occur immediately after the defender fails to prevent the hit. (Regular when-hit or on-hit effects do not apply until after all other steps on this page.)
  3. Calculating unmitigated damage:
    1. Flat damage
      • Base damage is typically gained from a weapon/unarmed for attacks, or the skill gem for spells.
      • Added damage can be gained from various sources, such as the skill, support gems, equipment, debuffs like Poacher's MarkPoacher's MarkPhysical, Spell, Curse, Mark
        Level: (1-20)
        Cost: (16-33) Mana
        Cast Time: 0.50 sec
        Requires Level 16Curses a single enemy, lowering their physical damage reduction, and adding physical damage to all hits against them. Attacking the cursed enemy will grant life and mana, and killing them will grant a frenzy charge. You can only have one Mark at a time.Cursed enemies have a 100% chance to grant a Frenzy Charge when slain
        Cursed enemies grant (15-50) Life when Hit by Attacks
        Cursed enemies grant (8-25) Mana when Hit by Attacks
        Cursed enemies have -20% to Physical Damage Reduction
        Adds (3-30) to (4-45) Physical Damage to Hits against Cursed Enemies

        Additional Effects From 1-20% Quality:
        Cursed Enemies have a (0.25-5)% chance to grant a Frenzy Charge when Hit
        Place into an item socket of the right colour to gain this skill. Right click to remove from a socket.
        , or unique mechanics like Flame WallFlame WallSpell, AoE, Duration, Fire
        Level: (1-20)
        Cost: (4-16) Mana
        Cast Time: 0.50 sec
        Requires Level 4Create a wall of fire for a duration, which deals burning damage to everything in its area. Each enemy that enters the wall also receives a secondary burning debuff which persists for a short duration after leaving the wall. Any projectiles fired through the wall by you and allies deal added fire damage and apply the wall's secondary debuff on hit.Deals (2.1-679.9) Base Fire Damage per second
        Secondary Debuff Deals (7.2-2266.4) Base Fire Damage per second
        Base duration is (3.00-4.90) seconds
        Base secondary duration is (1.00-2.00) seconds
        Modifiers to Spell Damage apply to this Skill's Damage Over Time effect
        Wall will be (4-5.9) meters long
        Projectiles which pass through the wall deal (3-78) to (5-117) Added Fire Damage
        Maximum 3 Flame Walls at a time

        Additional Effects From 1-20% Quality:
        +(0.05-1) Maximum Flame Walls at a time
        Place into an item socket of the right colour to gain this skill. Right click to remove from a socket.
        .
      Flat damage is scaled by base and added damage effectiveness.
    2. Damage conversion
      • Gain #% of X as extra Y modifiers add a percentage of one damage type as another damage type, for example Taste of HateTaste of Hate
        Sapphire Flask
        Lasts 8.00 Seconds
        Consumes 20 of 50 Charges on use
        +40% to Cold Resistance
        +5% to maximum Cold Resistance
        Requires Level 18(20-30)% of Fire and Lightning Damage from Hits taken as Cold Damage during Effect
        Gain (10-15)% of Physical Damage as Extra Cold Damage during effect
        30% chance to Avoid being Chilled during Effect
        30% chance to Avoid being Frozen during Effect
        A sip will freeze your lips,
        A swig will chill your heart,
        A glass will still your soul.
        Right click to drink. Can only hold charges while in belt. Refills as you kill monsters.
        's Gain #% of Physical Damage as Extra Cold Damage during effect.[2]
      • Converted to modifiers change one type of damage into another, for example #% of Cold Damage Converted to Fire Damage.[2][3]
      Conversion can be granted to enemies with items like Kaom's BindingKaom's Binding
      Heavy Belt
      Requires Level 56+(25-35) to Strength+(30-40) to Strength
      +(300-500) to Armour
      Take no Burning Damage if you've stopped taking Burning Damage Recently
      Nearby Enemies Convert 25% of their Physical Damage to Fire
      For centuries, he burned in an unending
      nightmare of lava and flame... but he endured.
      or Pyroshock ClaspPyroshock Clasp
      Leather Belt
      Requires Level 43+(25-40) to maximum Life+(30-40) to Dexterity
      +(300-500) to Evasion Rating
      (10-15)% increased Duration of Elemental Ailments on Enemies
      Enemies Ignited by you have (10-15)% of Physical Damage they deal converted to Fire
      Enemies Shocked by you have (10-15)% of Physical Damage they deal converted to Lightning
      Teach a man to burn, and you'll be warm for the rest of his life.
      , which can be useful if better mitigation is expected against the converted type.
    3. Damage multipliers
      • All increased and reduced modifiers to the same value stack additively and are applied together.
      • All more and less modifiers are independent and therefore multiplicative.
      Damage multipliers may be applied to enemies through effects like Sap, Plaguebringer, Call of the VoidCall of the Void
      Sapphire Ring
      Requires Level 16+(20-30)% to Cold Resistance+(20-30)% to Cold Resistance
      All Damage with Hits can Chill
      All Damage Taken from Hits can Chill you
      Enemies Chilled by your Hits can be Shattered as though Frozen
      Enemies Chilled by your Hits lessen their Damage dealt by half of Chill Effect
      Only when the mind is empty of ambition
      can the cold truth of existence take hold.
      , Fenumus' ShroudFenumus' Shroud
      Widowsilk Robe
      Energy Shield: (345-434)
      Movement Speed: -3%
      Requires Level 67, 187 Int+(30-40) to Intelligence
      (120-140)% increased Energy Shield
      Regenerate (80-100) Energy Shield per second
      Enemies affected by your Spider's Webs deal 10% reduced Damage
      Enemies affected by your Spider's Webs have -10% to All Resistances
      (50-70)% increased Aspect of the Spider Area of Effect
      The First of the Night was the first explorer
      It was she who first braved night's terrors and found comfort in silence and solace.
      .
    4. Critical strikes
    5. If a hit's critical strike chance exceeds the requirement (usually rolled when the skill was used), damage is multiplied by 150% by default, or 130% for monsters. Critical strike multiplier in excess of 100% may be reduced by #% reduced Extra Damage taken from Critical Strikes. For example, 60% reduced Extra Damage taken from Critical Strikes will cause a critical strike from a regular monster to deal 112% of the default hit, instead of 130%.[4]
    6. Rolling for damage:
      The hit rolls for damage, in the range calculated by applying multipliers to the hit's minimum and maximum flat damage. If the attacker's damage is lucky, or damage against the defender is unlucky, damage rolls twice and ignores the lower value. Similarly, if the attacker's damage is unlucky, damage rolls twice and ignores the higher value. This does not affect rolls for other mechanics (e.g. crit, ailments, block, suppression).[5]
    7. Doubling/tripling damage:
      Modifiers that double or triple damage apply after other offensive damage modifiers.
  4. Cannot take damage:
    Damage is removed by modifiers that make the defender unable to take damage, such as Cannot take Reflected Physical/Elemental Damage or Proximity Shield. This step is not considered 'preventing' damage for e.g. Untiring. It should not be confused with immunity, which applies later.
  5. Damage taken as:
    Incoming damage can be shifted to another damage type.[6] It is usually done by utilizing an item which offers the #% of X Damage taken as Y modifier, for example: This is not damage conversion.[6] Damage cannot be shifted twice, exceeding 100% damage taken as will not scale damage proportionally,[7] and damage will only be affected by mitigation for its final type. For example, if incoming physical damage is taken as fire, the shifted damage will not be affected by physical damage reduction.
  6. Damage mitigation:
    1. Cannot take X damage prevents damage that wasn't already removed before the damage taken as step.
    2. Immunities prevent damage entirely, such as Shade Form or Chaos Inoculation.
    3. Damage avoidance offers a chance to prevent damage entirely, for example with Elusive or GlitterdiscGlitterdisc
      Burnished Spiked Shield
      Chance to Block: 26%
      Evasion: (136-175)
      Energy Shield: (72-110)
      Movement Speed: -3%
      Requires Level 27, 37 Dex, 37 Int+5% chance to Suppress Spell Damage(120-140)% increased Evasion and Energy Shield
      +(20-30) to maximum Energy Shield
      +(30-50) to maximum Life
      10% increased Rarity of Items found
      25% chance to Avoid Fire Damage from Hits
      You always Ignite while Burning
      Izaro's insistence on using lava
      resulted in some surprising material discoveries.
      .[8][9]
    4. Resistance mitigates elemental and chaos damage. The attacker's penetration modifies resistances used in this step.
    5. Damage reduction, not to be confused with reduced damage taken,[10] mitigates damage types it exists for. By default, 'damage reduction' is only gained from armour against physical damage, but armour can grant damage reduction against other types through mechanics like Transcendence, Unbreakable, or The Fourth VowThe Fourth Vow
      Devout Chainmail
      Armour: (755-1270)
      Energy Shield: (155-259)
      Movement Speed: -5%
      Requires Level 55, 80 Str, 80 IntPhysical Damage taken bypasses Energy Shield
      (150-250)% increased Armour and Energy Shield
      +(17-29)% to Chaos Resistance
      Regenerate 3% of Life per second
      Armour also applies to Chaos Damage taken from Hits
      Seek not to avoid the mortal pains of this world.
      In flagellation, there lies freedom from temptation.
      . Additional damage reduction is additive with damage reduction gained from armour, and can be gained from sources such as Strength body armour suffixes, Endurance charges, or Eternal DamnationEternal Damnation
      Agate Amulet
      Requires Level 52+(16-24) to Strength and Intelligence+(40-70) to maximum Mana
      +(-13-13)% to Chaos Resistance
      -5% to all maximum Resistances
      Gain additional Elemental Damage Reduction equal to half your Chaos Resistance
      Maximum Endurance, Frenzy and Power Charges is 0
      The price of immortality is isolation.
      . Damage reduction occurs after resistances[11] and is independent per damage type.[12]
  7. Modifying damage taken:
    After damage mitigation has calculated base damage taken, modifiers to damage taken are applied.[13] Flat modifiers are applied first, then the sum of all increases/reductions, and lastly all more or less multipliers independently:[14]
    Order Modifier Examples
    1 ±# X Damage taken from Y AshrendAshrend
    Buckskin Tunic
    Evasion: (316-442)
    Movement Speed: -3%
    Requires Level 17, 53 Dex(80-100)% increased Evasion Rating
    +(40-50)% to Fire Resistance
    Cannot be Ignited
    (75-150)% increased Physical Damage with Ranged Weapons
    -(60-30) Physical Damage taken from Attack Hits
    The blasted oak stands forever.

    Barkskin
    Persistence
    2 #% increased/reduced X Damage taken Shock
    AbyssusAbyssus
    Ezomyte Burgonet
    Armour: (692-838)Requires Level 60, 138 Str+(20-25) to all Attributes
    Adds 40 to 60 Physical Damage to Attacks
    +(100-125)% to Melee Critical Strike Multiplier
    (100-120)% increased Armour
    (40-50)% increased Physical Damage taken
    When you have slain all of your enemies,
    what is left to fear?

    VulnerabilityVulnerabilitySpell, AoE, Duration, Curse, Physical, Hex
    Level: (1-20)
    Cost: (16-33) Mana
    Cast Time: 0.50 sec
    AoE Radius: 22
    Requires Level 24Curse all targets in an area, causing them to take increased physical damage. Attacks against the cursed enemies have a chance to inflict bleeding.Base duration is (8.00-11.80) seconds
    +(0-1) metre to radius
    Cursed enemies take (15-30)% increased Physical Damage
    Attack Hits against Cursed Enemies have 25% chance to inflict Bleeding

    Additional Effects From 1-20% Quality:
    Attack Hits against Cursed Enemies have (0.5-10)% chance to Aggravate Bleeding
    Place into an item socket of the right colour to gain this skill. Right click to remove from a socket.
    3 #% more/less X Damage taken Toughness
    Fortification
    Arctic ArmourArctic ArmourSpell, Duration, Cold
    Level: (1-20)
    Reservation: 25% Mana
    Cooldown Time: 1.00 sec
    Can Store 1 Use(s)
    Cast Time: Instant
    Requires Level 16Conjures an icy barrier that chills enemies when they hit you. You drop chilled ground while moving, and take less Fire and Physical damage while stationary.Base duration is (2.50-4.40) seconds
    Buff grants (11-21)% less Physical Damage taken from Hits while stationary
    Buff grants (11-20)% less Fire Damage taken from Hits while stationary
    Chill Enemy for 0.5 seconds when Hit, reducing their Action Speed by 30%
    Buff grants Immunity to Freeze

    Additional Effects From 1-20% Quality:
    (1-20)% increased Skill Effect Duration
    Place into an item socket of the right colour to gain this skill. Right click to remove from a socket.

    Doppelgänger GuiseDoppelgänger Guise
    Sadist Garb
    Evasion: (427-491)
    Energy Shield: (93-107)
    Movement Speed: -3%
    Requires Level 68, 103 Dex, 109 IntGrants Level 20 Unhinge Skill
    (40-60)% more Critical Strike Chance while Insane
    Enemies Killed by your Hits are destroyed while Insane
    (40-30)% less Physical and Chaos Damage Taken while Sane
    Regenerate 10% Life over one second when Hit while Sane
    Within each of us exists a being of pure malice,
    held back only by the lies we tell ourselves.

    Wind Dancer
  8. Suppressing the damage:
    Spell suppression applies, usually halving spell hits and ailments.[15][16]
  9. Being stunned:
    Stun chance is rolled based on damage at this point.
  10. Blocking the damage:
    Block or spell block rolls to prevent all damage, or a percentage of damage with modifiers like Glancing Blows.[17] Block also prevents most of the attacker's on-hit effects, including triggers.[18] when you Block effects occur in this step, before damage taken (if any).[19]
  11. Final damage taken:
    Effects that count the amount of damage taken by the player, such as Cast when Damage Taken Support and Bloodnotch use the damage value at this point. The difference between this damage and the damage at the start of the 'damage mitigation' step is considered prevented damage for effects like Untiring or Divine Shield.
  12. Applying damage and losing resources:
    Damage (or a portion thereof) is taken from resources in the following order. Any remaining damage will be taken from the next resource. Some effects allow damage to bypass a resource, in which case the bypassing damage will apply directly to the next resource instead.
      From other entities or effects:
      1. Effects that change damage to take resources from other objects 'before you'.[20].
        • Each effect is multiplicative, not additive: when 20% of damage is taken from Sentinel of Radiance, The Jinxed JujuThe Jinxed Juju
          Citrine Amulet
          Requires Level 48+(16-24) to Strength and Dexterity+(30-40) to Intelligence
          +(23-31)% to Chaos Resistance
          (10-15)% increased effect of Non-Curse Auras from your Skills
          10% of Damage from Hits is taken from your Spectres' Life before you
          Burned rhoa's eye and goatman's beard do demand:
          Leave behind those lazy bones;
          Dance, ye dead, at my command!
          causes Raise SpectreRaise SpectreSpell, Minion
          Level: (1-20)
          Cost: (15-28) Mana
          Cast Time: 0.85 sec
          Requires Level 28Raises a spectral version of a defeated foe as a minion to fight for you in battle.Maximum (1-2) Raised Spectres
          Minions have +30% to all Elemental Resistances
          55% more Minion Movement Speed
          Minion Movement Speed is Capped
          Minions have (105-776) additional Accuracy Rating
          Raised Spectres are Level (28-70)

          Additional Effects From 1-20% Quality:
          Minions have +(1-20)% to all Elemental Resistances
          Place into an item socket of the right colour to gain this skill. Right click to remove from a socket.
          minions to take 10% of the remaining 80%.
      2. Effects that change damage to take from other objects 'before your life or energy shield', such as Frost ShieldFrost ShieldCritical, Spell, AoE, Duration, Cold
        Level: (1-20)
        Cost: (30-54) Mana
        Cooldown Time: 5.00 sec
        Can Store 1 Use(s)
        Cast Time: 0.50 sec
        Requires Level 34Place a Frost Shield that drains your energy shield for one second or until you run out, gaining stages while this drain occurs. The Frost Shield takes some damage from hits in place of you and allies while in its area. Enemies in the area are Chilled. You can only have one Frost Shield active at once.Base duration is 10.00 seconds
        20% of Damage dealt to you or Allies in Area with Hits by Enemies in Area is taken from Frost Shield's Life before your Life or Energy Shield
        60% of Damage dealt to you or Allies in Area with Hits by Enemies outside Area is taken from Frost Shield's Life before your Life or Energy Shield
        You gain +(0.1-0.38)% to Spell Critical Strike Chance per Stage while in Area
        Frost Shield has (190-910) maximum Life per Stage
        Maximum 4 Stages
        Gains 1 Stage every 0.3 seconds while you are losing Energy Shield
        You lose (150-730) Energy Shield per second

        Additional Effects From 1-20% Quality:
        (1-20)% increased Effect of Cold Ailments
        Place into an item socket of the right colour to gain this skill. Right click to remove from a socket.
        .[20]
      3. Buffs that intercept all damage (of a type), such as Aegises.[20]
      4. Buffs that intercept a percentage of damage, such most Guard skills.[20]
      From the defender's resources:
      1. Ward takes damage if not broken.[21]
      2. Damage is taken from energy shield before the resource that it protects (life by default, or mana if using Eldritch Battery).
        • By default, all Chaos Damage bypasses energy shield. This applies regardless if energy shield is protecting life or mana.
        • Energy shield recharge is interrupted when energy shield or the resource it is protecting is lost due to damage.[22]
        • If Eternal Youth is allocated, only directly losing life due to damage will interrupt life recharge. Delayed life loss from Petrified Blood or Progenesis does not interrupt life recharge.
      3. #% of the remaining damage is removed from mana, if granted by an effect such as Mind over Matter or The Ivory Tower.
      4. The remaining damage is removed from Life. Life does not protect any other resource. If all Life is removed, you die.
      5. Life loss can be prevented by various effects. Effects that grant #% of life loss prevented are multiplicative rather than additive.
        1. #% of Life loss from damage is prevented while affected by Progenesis and an equal amount of life loss is applied over time.
        2. #% of remaining Life loss from damage that would reduce your life below 50% while affected by Petrified Blood is prevented and a proportional amount of life loss is applied over time.
        3. If Dissolution of the Flesh is socketed, all remaining life loss is prevented and that amount is reserved as life.

Damage over time

Damage over Time generally follows the same principle, however this damage source doesn't hit, which means that it ignores evasion, armour, ward, and other mechanics limited to hits. Damage over time occurs at the start of each server frame, before potential hit damage, though after over-time recovery.[23]

While damaging ailments are applied by hits, they have a separate base dps calculation, starting from the flat damage of a hit. Hit-specific offensive modifiers will not apply to this calculation, nor will the defender's mitigation. This prevents debuffs like ignite from scaling twice with stats like #% increased Fire damage, or being reduced twice by fire resistance. Mitigation applies after the hit, over time, when damage is actually taken. (This includes immunities: physical immunity does not remove base damage for poison inflicted by a hit of mixed physical and chaos.)

Version history

Version Changes
0.8.3
  • Corrected calculation issue with damage reduction.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Daniel_GGG (January 2, 2014). "reflect mechanics VS evasion,blocking,acrobatics". Official Path of Exile Forums. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Mark_GGG (February 22, 2015). "Elemental To Physical Conversion". Official Path of Exile Forums. Retrieved March 18, 2016.
  3. Mark_GGG (November 27, 2013). "Avatar of Fire ~ Elemental Damage Nodes". Official Path of Exile Forum. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
  4. https://www.reddit.com/r/pathofexile/comments/48pude/comment/d0lm412/
  5. Mark_GGG (May 13, 2013 4:01 AM). "p/c new ring lori's lantern". Official Path of Exile Forums. Retrieved September 22, 2013.
  6. 6.0 6.1 Mark_GGG (September 26, 2013). "Specifics on Lightning Coil mechanics?". Official Path of Exile Forums. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
  7. https://www.reddit.com/r/pathofexile/comments/5tt9v2/why_is_there_no_item_elemental_damage_taken_as/ddpqkal/
  8. Mark_GGG (June 22, 2016). "Mechanical Questions Thread". Official Path of Exile Forums. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
  9. Mark_GGG (June 23, 2016). "Regarding Glitterdisc". Official Path of Exile Forums Private Messages. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  10. https://www.reddit.com/r/pathofexile/comments/cknbkl/how_does_physical_damage_reduction_work_exactly/evr9y8k/?context=1
  11. https://www.reddit.com/r/pathofexile/comments/gww68s/here_is_one_of_the_new_timeless_jewel_keystones/fsxqtk1/
  12. https://www.reddit.com/r/pathofexile/comments/wg8y6e/when_does_spell_suppression_happen_in_the_damage/iizzay5/?context=1
  13. https://www.reddit.com/r/pathofexile/comments/gww68s/here_is_one_of_the_new_timeless_jewel_keystones/ft1res0/?context=3
  14. Mark_GGG (May 15, 2014). "defensive mechanisms activate in which order?". Official Path of Exile Forums. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
  15. Mark_GGG (November 2nd, 2021). "Thoughts on Transcendence + Divine Shield interaction?". Path of Exile subreddit. Retrieved August 5th, 2022.
  16. Mark_GGG (August 5th, 2022). "When does Spell Suppression happen in the damage calculation". Path of Exile subreddit. Retrieved August 5th, 2022.
  17. Mark_GGG (May 24, 2019). "Utter trust in your defense unleashes ultimate potential.". Official Path of Exile Subreddit. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  18. https://www.reddit.com/r/pathofexile/comments/h0z19u/why_does_gain_1_endurance_charge_every_second_if/funpjve/
  19. https://www.reddit.com/r/pathofexile/comments/qaerbj/it_will_be_extremely_easy_to_become_immune_to/hh34gl7/?context=1
  20. 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 Community Team (May 19th, 2021). "Game Mechanics Q&A Answers". Official Path of Exile Forums. Retrieved August 6th, 2021.
  21. Mark_GGG (July 19th, 2021). "Ward as an Overlooked Defensive Mechanic - Precis of the Implications". Path of Exile subreddit. Retrieved August 3rd, 2021.
  22. https://www.reddit.com/r/pathofexile/comments/a1n53x/comment/earf9ak/
  23. https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/1676002/filter-account-type/staff/page/4#p14699897