+Spelldmg Questions

[Celi]

I wanted to do some research on choosing whether to go for the +spelldmg route, or the +heroic route for equipment upgrades, and wanted to see what real dps bonus +spelldmg would give.

Did the following tests after removing all dmg focus items or items with type 3 nuke focus augs in them. As such this is not a true reflection of the bonus I would normally see from spell damage when nuking, but it does highlight an interesting finding.

85 Fickle Blaze
Base Damage 4655
Spell Damage 4777

83 Torrid Sands
Base damage 2738
Spell Damage 2808

82 Jolt of Many Rnk 3 (with 1 pet)
Base Damage 803
Spell Damage 952

81 Bolt of Molten Scorie Rnk 3
Base Damaage 6388
Spell Damage 6493

80 Fickle Pyro Rnk 2
Base Damage 3724
Spell Damage 3846

78 Scorching Sands
Base Damage 2191
Spell Damage 2191

77 Shock of Many Rnk 2
Base Damage 595
Spell Damage 595

76 Bolt of Molten Dross Rnk 3
Base Damage 5071
Spell Damage 5071

As you can see any nuke below level 80 is not getting a bonus from +spelldmg. This was also true from tests with various low level spells cast too.
So does +spelldamage only work with
1) Spell within 5 levels of the caster level?
2) Spell above level 80?

I also did a few calculations with spell damage using the published formula of
spelldmg_added = (cast_time + spelldmg_gear) * (recast / 7)

and came up with the following:

Jolt of Many Rk. III
Decrease Hitpoints by 803 x 7 : 5621
Casting Time: 0.75
Recast Time: 9
Extra dmg with 50 spell dmg = (0.75+50) *(9/7) = 65.25 per hit or 457 per cast if 7 hits
Extra dmg with 100 spell dmg = (0.75+100)*(9/7) = 129.53 per hit or 907 per cast with 7 hits
Extra dmg with 150 spell dmg = (0.75+150)*(9/7) = 193.82 per hit or 1357 per cast with 7 hits


Bolt of Molten Scoria Rk. III
Casting Time: 3.5
Recast Time: 5.75
Decrease Hitpoints by 6338
Extra dmg with 50 spell dmg = (3.5+50) *(5.75/7) = 44
Extra dmg with 100 spell dmg = (3.5+100)*(5.75/7) = 85
Extra dmg with 150 spell dmg = (3.5+150)*(5.75/7) = 126

Now what I don’t understand is why it doesn’t seem to effect RS
Rumbling Servant Rk. III
Decrease Hitpoints by 1
Casting Time: 3
Recast Time: 18
Extra dmg with 50 spell dmg = (3+50) *(5.75/7) = 136 (Doesnt Happen)
Extra dmg with 100 spell dmg = (3+100)*(18/7) = 265 (Doesnt Happen)
Extra dmg with 150 spell dmg = (3+150)*(5.75/7) = 393 (Doesnt Happen)

I always seem to hit for 2 dmg, and crit for 5 on RS. Maybe +spelldmg increase is maxed at 100% of base damage of spell? Would kind of make sense to stop abuse of low level spells with spell damage modifiers, but then it dosn’t seem to effect low level spells?

Would love to hear any insights/corrections/thoughts on this? I just want to understand it better.

[wire]

This information has been around for a long time, on the old boards anyway.

Spell damage only affects spells up to 5 levels below the caster's level. At level 85, it will work on level 80 spells but nothing lower.

Spell damage is capped at doubling the damage of a spell, which is why you won't see RS going over 2 damage without critting.

The additional damage provided by Spell Damage will crit but is not otherwise focused.

[Celi]

Thanks Wire, nice to know i was making roughly the right conclusions.

[Mindrix]

spelldmg_added = (cast_time + spelldmg_gear) * (recast / 7) is wrong.

It's Dmg_add = ((cast_time + recast) /7 ) * worn_SD

((cast_time + recast) /7 ) has a minimum of .25 .

Wire ran the old numbers to 1 SD = 10 Mana. By that, hInt would be 1 hInt = 2 SD.

If you're raiding, you need to go SD for DPS reasons. If you're grouping, balance is better.