Calculating damage in destiny.

Intro

All guardians have stood there in the beginning times farming glimmer or spirit bloom,
wondering why a level 10 dreg can take a hit like a level 30 goblin from the vault. Or
why 2 guns with identical attack value deal drastically different damage, with countless
deaths of dregs and trips to the gunsmith for new guns to slaughter with, i mean test, we
can now see why, and how damage is calculated. And its quite disappointing as it just
goes to show how far bungie has gone to “balance” the game.

Basics
To start with guardians damage is the white text that appears as a gun is fired at an enemy
(mob), but it can be very different to the attack value of a weapon, in some cases it can be
as little as a tenth of what the guns attack value is, this is mainly with auto rifles where
impact is traded off for rate of fire, and impact is the main focus when damage is
calculated along side the attack value. It was during a glimmer run on the exclusion zone
that i came up with an idea of how damage is calculated. What if damage is attack value
multiplied by the guns impact divided by a constant “mid point”. Also weapons stop
doing more damage once they pass a plateau level equal to the attack level divided by 15.
Also weapons do less damage to mobs under this plateau level.

The MATHS behind the BANG

If we summerise damage as Y, attack value as Z and impact as X, and the mid point as K

The equation would look like this;

Y=Z(X/M)

This was actually very close to the damage i was doing with a handcannon (fatebringer),
but was not close enough.

502=300(81/M)

If the equation is rearanged to;

M=(ZX)/Y
We can see that M changes with X, where my 300 attack fate bringer doing 502 damage
to level 20 mobs. The K values for fate bringer was 48.4063.

What if we tried this with a different weapon, say vision of confluence, at 300 attack, but
with 48 impact, the K value comes to 48.322.

And again with atheons epilogue with 300 attack but 2 impact, the k value is 9.677.

From this we can see that it is not a constant across all weapons, but what if the constant
involved was proportional to the impact, not a constant anymore but an equation
involving the impact.

If we plot the damage done by weapons with different impacts on a graph we can see the
relation ship.

but from this

graph we can
see that the
relation ship
between
damage done
and impact
quite
considerably
different. So
what if each
weapon group
has there own
relationship
between this
K value and
impact.
For auto rifles, the graph is,

If we then
plot the graph
of K to X and
add a trend
line that best
fits we can
see what type
of equation it
will be and
the over all
equation
So the equation is a linear equation, the 5.833x+35.667 is the approxamate calculation to
work out the k value.

But it dosent quite fit 100%

Y=ZX/(5.833X+35.667)

When used for the epilogue it comes to 12 damage calculted with a K of 47.333. So what
if we actually calculate the K value and the linear equation.

@2
@8
impact
DK -15.22979714 15.2
DX -6 6
M 2.538299523 2.538299523
c=k-mx 4.600820308 4.600820308
k=mX+c 9.677419355 24.90721649

Where x is impact and k is k.

From this we can see the equation should look like this

2.5383X+4.6008 @2 impact = 9.6774

This is the K value calculated for the epilogue so we know it right. But just to double
check we can do it for an 8 impact gun too as seen here

damage calculated
auto rifles attack plvl impact k at lvl
at lvl damage
epilouge 300 20 2 62 62.00268678 9.677419355
for the people 331 22.06666667 8 105 106.3240313 25.21904762
0 23.02795
eidolon ally 272 18.13333333 2 56 56.21576935 9.714285714
hard light 302 20.13333333 8 97 97.0086328 24.90721649
husk of the pit 138 9.2 2 24 28.52123592 11.5
shingen-c 178 11.86666667 8 45 57.17727364 31.64444444

But as seen the k values for the lower attack value guns are significantly different.
9.677:11.5 and 24.9072:31.6444, so there must be an offset due to the attack value.

off set
= DY/DP@2 =DY/DP@8
DY -1.822580645 -6.73722795
DP 10.8 8.266666667
= -0.168757467 -0.814987252

These values are different so impact must play a role again. As it is an offset of K which
is an X equation.

off set
=DY/DP@8
2 impact and 300
= DY/DP@2 impact and 331
attack
attack
DY -1.822580645 -6.73722795
DP 10.8 8.266666667
= -0.168757467 -0.814987252
DY 0.646229785
DX -6
a(m) -0.107704964
b=ax-(DY/DP) -0.046652461 -0.046652461
DY/DP=aX-b -0.168757467 -0.814987252
offset = ax-b(20-(z/15) 0 1.684306987
k+offset 9.677419355 23.22290951

From this we can then see the equation for the offset is polynomial being (-0.1077X-
0.0466525)(-p+20) where p is the attack value of the gun divided by 15.

So the end equation is;

Y=ZX/((2.5383X+4.6008)-((-0.1077X-0.04665)(20-(Z/15))))

damage calced
auto rifles attack plvl impact k at lvl
at lvl damage
epilouge 300 20 2 62 62 9.677419355
for the people 331 22.06666667 8 105 115 25.21904762
eidolon ally 272 18.13333333 2 56 54 9.714285714
hard light 302 20.13333333 8 97 97 24.90721649
husk of the pit 138 9.2 2 24 22 11.5
shingen-c 178 11.86666667 8 45 44 31.64444444

The equation is different for each weapon group but is worked out in the same manner as
shown with hand cannons. At this time there is not enough weapon data to calculate the
correct values for all the equations but using the trend line method approximate
calculations can be used for the ones that have no deffinitive calculation values.
hand Dama Calculated
Attack plvl Impact Error margin
cannons ge damage
the last 274 18.266666 68 377 380.2341827 -0.857873% 49.42175066
word 67
22.066666
the thorn 331 68 565 571.0255772 -1.066474% 39.83716814
67
18.333333
the chance 275 81 439 438.999935 0.000015% 50.74031891
33
17.133333
fate bringer 257 81 397.1136141 #DIV/0!
33
fate bringer 300 20 81 502 501.9999222 0.000015% 48.4063745
17.133333
timurs lash 257 94 446 455.9696863 -2.235356% 54.16591928
33
@68
@81
impact
-
DY 3.7769151 off set
3.7769151
=
DX -13 13 =DY/DP@81
DY/DP@68
0.2905319 0.2905319
M DY -9.584582522 2.333944405
31 31
24.873288 24.873288
c=k-mx DP 3.8 -1.666666667
11 11
44.629459 48.406374
k=mX+c = -2.522258558 -1.400366643
4 5
DY 1.121891916
DX 13
a(m) 0.086299378
b=ax-
8.39061627 8.39061627
(DY/DP)
DY/DP=aX-
-8.39061627 -1.400366643
b
offset = ax-
0 0
b(20-(z/15)
k+offset 44.6294594 48.4063745

These are the equations.

Auto rifles - Y=ZX/((2.5383X+4.6008)-((-0.1077X-0.04665)(20-(Z/15))))

Hand cannons - Y=ZX/((0.29053X+24.873288)-((0.086299X-8.39062)(20-(Z/15))))
Pulse rifles - Y=ZX/(((2.479272X)+4.897726)-((-0.026878588X-0.241521626)(20-
(Z/15))))
Scout rifles - Y= ZX/((-0.01538X+49)+(20-(Z/15))) (scout rifles look to have an offset of
1:1)
Sniper rifles - Y==ZX/(2.5416*LN(X)-2.0146)) (Due to lack of data a LN equation gives
a better approximate damage done due to the lack of a offset calculation. The k value
calculation is k = 0.17836X+1.382

Fusion rifles - Y=ZX/(0.0816X+93.907) (Again the offset equation is missing due to lack
of data as is the correct k calculation)

Shot guns - Y=ZX/(3.6073X-45.429) (Again the offset equation is missing due to lack of
data as is the correct k calculation)

Then there are 2 more modifiers;

1. Enemy level being lower than the attach level of the gun
2. Enemy level being higher than your level

For the enemy level being lower than the gun attack level, there is a decrease in damage
done, this may be due to a TTK ratio for enemies, but that seems like a very stupid design
plan for a games damage calculations. But being said this is destiny and is only a teen
rated game.

To calculate the modifier for this we can take several guns fired at enemies from level 2
to level 22, change the damage done over these changes in level as percentages then plot
them on a graph and insert a trend line.

LVL
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
DIFFERENCE
for the people 331 22.06666667 8 105 92 70
% difference 100 0 87.61904762 0 0 0 66.6666666
eidolon ally 272 18.13333333 2 56 49 46
% difference 100 0 87.5 82.14285714 0 0 0
hard light 302 20.13333333 8 96 79 69
% difference 100 0 0 0 82.29166667 71.875 0
husk of the pit 138 9.2 2 24 24 23
% difference 100 100 0 0 0 95.83333333 0
shingen-c 178 11.86666667 8 45 34
% difference 100 0 0 0 0 0 75.5555555
the last word 274 18.26666667 68 377 326
% difference 100 0 86.47214854 0 0 0 0
the thorn 331 22.06666667 68 539 471 359
% difference 100 0 87.38404453 0 0 0 66.6048237
the chance 275 18.33333333 81 439 410 358
% difference 100 0 93.39407745 81.54897494 0 0 0
fate bringer 300 20 81 502 410 358
% difference 100 0 0 0 81.67330677 71.31474104 0
timurs lash 257 17.13333333 94 446 446 396
% difference 100 100 88.78923767 0 0 0 0
average %
100 88.52642597 81.84591604 81.98248672 71.59487052 66.6357452
difference
LVL
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
DIFFERENCE

Where X is the difference in levels.

Then there is also a modifier for the enemy being a higher level than you, at 1 level
difference you do 33% less damage, 2 is 45% less and 3 levels is 52% less damage and
any thing over 4 is negated. This is a very basic what is what modifier but to make it
easier to put in to a main damage calculation it can be ploted on a graph and using excel
logic =IF( we can use it in an equation as a polynomial.
So here we have it, the end damage calculation is

Y=((ZX)/((mx+c)-((aX+B)(20-(Z/15))))(102.98e^-0.0693P)(0.065L^2-0.363L+1)

Where Y = damage done

Z=attack value
X=impact
M c a and b are constant values dependent on type of gun
P = difference in attack level to mob level as long as the mob level is lower
L=guardian to mob level as long as the mob level is higher

Conclusion

This is by far the most convoluted system and mechanics for calculating damage done i
have ever seen, and even those i have not. Why is there 4+ modifiers (ive not gone in to
range, crits, ultras/majors, blessing of light, times vengence, crowd control, explosive
rounds, or any other modifier that needs a perk or set class), i understand the mx+c and
the mob to guardian level modifiers, but the offset and the mob to gun level modifiers just
seem like forced game balancing to make a lvl 10 and a lvl 20+12light levels do the same
damage against a mob, with different weapons. Again i come back to this TTK or DPS
ratio, but it seems like a very flawed game design that falls apart when you go against
mobs of lvl22+ as a gun that stops doing more damage against lvl 22+ mobs isnt using
the same TTK ratio, as the mobs get harder but the guns stay the same, almost like an
inverse damage debuff has been negated, that is the guns should be doing more damage
past level 22’s but some one pulled the plug from that half of the equation.
The only way to rectify this is to introduce weapons that have 480+ attack value, that way
they plateau out at the current end game content, but still do the same equivalent damage
to lower level mobs, just like a level 18 with a 274 attack gun shooting at a lvl 10 mob.

Or have guns do x damage full stop, so a level 32 helping out some level 15 in a strike
can go round thug punching vex like a party popper knocking over a drunk relative at a
family wedding reception.