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Damage FAQ
By BugPop
res1exu4@verizon.net

More information about combat damage on my combat damage web page

http://mysite.verizon.net/res1exu4/Damage_Chart.htm

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Table of Contents/version History
================================================================================

1. Introduction
2. Basics
3. Battle Damage (The part you want)
4. Calculating STR, VIT, ATK, and DEF. (The part you won't like)

A. Z Tables
B. Legal Information
C. Contact/Donation (Gil please) information

v. 0.51 (29 SEPT 2004)
Minor corrections. Added link to my combat damage web page.

v. 0.5 (23 SEPT 2004)
I have included everything needed to determine combat damage. One will have to
come up with some values by experimentation with various mobs. I still wish to
come up with a damage curve that simulates actual accumulated data. I have a
few theories but it's not yet complete. I am hoping that in time that I will
either be able to get enough data to extract the pattern, or that someone else
will figure it out.

================================================================================
1. INTRODUCTION
================================================================================

I've been interested for some time about how stats influence the final damage
equation. I have been working on the formula for some time now and I have an
equation that accurately predicts the minimum and maximum damage using STR, VIT,
ATTACK and DEFENSE. I wanted to be able to come up with a universal damage
equation (involving DEX, AGI, ACC, and EVA as well) but that is proving to be a
challenging task.

Currently the equation is only useful for determining the minimum and maximum
values of damage. I have been working on several modifications to the equation
so that it more accurately resembles the calculated curve from the raw data. It
looks promising, but I likely need to collect more data.

I took a class called Civil and Environmental Systems Engineering recently at
the University. For part of the course we learned to use simulations to model
the behavior of a system. Using a continuous uniform distribution curves,
normal distribution curves, and/or exponential distribution curves, one can
accurately determine the behavior of a system.

It occurred to me that FFXI was utilizing various distribution curves to govern
the success and fail rates of the system. It's a simulated world governed by
simulated laws that are determined by the laws of probability. One can see it
in synthesis, combat, and even in NM spawn times.

I will be using a normal distribution curve as part of the formula for
determining min and max values. It is the use of this function that makes
easier to understand the roles of ATTACK, STR, DEFENSE, and VIT. I have
included brief instructions how to use the normal distribution curve as well as
some Z tables at the end of this FAQ. Even if you know nothing of statistics,
just follow the instructions and you will be fine.

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2. BASICS (You ought to know these)
================================================================================

STR - Every 2 points add +1 ATTACK and +1 DAMAGE INFLICTED
DEX - Affects Hit%, Critical Hit%
VIT - Every 2 points add +1 DEFENSE and -1 DAMAGE RECIEVED
AGI - Affects EVA, Ranged ACC, Block%, Parry%
INT - Increases magical attack, decreases magical damage recieved
MND - Increases magical healing, increases magical defense, believed to increase
divine magical attack.

ATTACK = 8 + STR/2 + SKILL = Affects damage output, Hit%
DEFENSE = 8 + VIT/2 + LEVEL = Affects damage received.

(Without gear, food, status effects, job abilities, or job traits.)


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3. BATTLE DAMAGE
================================================================================

DAM = the damage of your weapon

BON = Attribute Bonus = (STR-VIT)/2

CBR = Combat Ratio = DEF/ATK

SIG = Sigma = DAM/6

Zmin = Z[fpart(CBR)]

Zmax = Zmin+4

MINIMUM_DAMAGE = DAM + BON + SIG*(Zmin)

MAXIMUM_DAMAGE = DAM + BON + SIG*(Zmin+4)




*See Part A on how to calculate Z values

================================================================================
4. Calculating enemy VIT and DEFENSE (or STR, ATTACK, and WEAPON DAMAGE)
================================================================================

STEP 1 - Obtain Damage Values - Read this - Important
Decide on a mob type to concentrate on. Record the damage values and note the
critical hits and the times you only hit for half damage and be sure to record
the misses too. Avoid using any spells or abilities that would contaminate your
data. If your opponent uses an ability that affects your one of your
attributes, make note of which values are affected which values are not. Record
the experience earned after defeating the enemy so you can determine its level.

Check out http://www.geocities.com/bside_ffxi/index.html to determine the level
of your opponent.

Since attributes increase as levels go up, and attributes vary among different
jobs, use only data for a specific job and level. Try to obtain data for at
least 30 solid hits (not counting critical hits or dodged values), but more
might make you feel more comfortable with your results. 30 is a "magic number"
in the sense that it takes 30 observations to get the shape of the curve and
obtaining more will not significantly alter its form.

If your weapon does a lot of damage, it may be useful to obtain more data.
Although you have the shape of the curve, the range of your damage values is
large. It may require more data to ensure you have found your minimum and
maximum damage value.


STEP 2 - Sort Data
Enter all the data in one column in a spreadsheet and sort it.


STEP 3 - Determine Frequency
Frequency = the number of times a value occurs in the data set.
If all you want to do is calculate the mobs VIT and DEFENSE go to step 6


STEP 4 - Determine Relative Frequency
Number of times the value occurs
Relative Frequency = ----------------------------------------
Number of observations in the data set
Relative frequency is useful when determining multiple sets of data.


--------------------------------------------------
Steps 1-4
--------------------------------------------------
ELVAAN WAR23/THF11
vs
GOBLIN MUGGER - TOUGH - 120 EXP - Level 24
--------------------------------------------------
Base stats -- STR 32, DEX 26, ATTACK 92.
Weapon Used -- Longsword +1 -- DMG 17
--------------------------------------------------
| Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 |
-------------+-----------+----------+-------------
| | Sorted | Frequency| Relative |
| Raw Data | Data | | Frequency |
|------------+-----------+----------+------------|
|15 16 m | m(46)20 | m 46 | 41.82% |
|46* m 17 | 14 20 | 14 4 | 3.64% |
|m m 17 | 14 20 | 15 2 | 1.82% |
|m 18 20 | 14 20 | 16 7 | 6.36% |
|16 19 m | 15 20 | 17 7 | 6.36% |
|m m 21 | 15 21 | 18 3 | 2.73% |
|24 20 m | 16 21 | 19 3 | 2.73% |
|14 m m | 16 21 | 20 23 | 20.91% |
|m 16 24 | 16 22 | 21 3 | 2.73% |
|m 20 m | 16 22 | 22 3 | 2.73% |
|16 m 20 | 16 22 | 23 3 | 2.73% |
|24 m m | 16 23 | 24 3 | 2.73% |
|m 20 20 | 16 23 | 25 1 | 0.91% |
|20 m m | 17 23 | 26 0 | 0.00% |
|14 25 m | 17 23 | 27 0 | 0.00% |
|20 16 20 | 17 24 | 28 0 | 0.00% |
|21 m 20 | 17 24 | 29 0 | 0.00% |
|33* m m | 17 24 | 30 0 | 0.00% |
|m 20 20 | 17 25 | 31 0 | 0.00% |
|m 20 22 | 17 33 | 32 0 | 0.00% |
|m 19 20 | 18 46 | 33* 1 | 0.91% |
|m m 17 | 18 | 34 0 | 0.00% |
|20 22 m | 18 | 35 0 | 0.00% |
|m 20 m | 19 | 36 0 | 0.00% |
|14 m m | 19 | 37 0 | 0.00% |
|18 19 m | 19 | 38 0 | 0.00% |
|17 m 20 | 20 | 39 0 | 0.00% |
|X# m m | 20 | 40 0 | 0.00% |
|120 m 20 | 20 | 41 0 | 0.00% |
| m 16 | 20 | 42 0 | 0.00% |
| 20 18 | 20 | 43 0 | 0.00% |
| 17 21 | 20 | 44 0 | 0.00% |
| 23 m | 20 | 45 0 | 0.00% |
| m 23 | 20 | 46* 1 | 0.91% |
| 17 22 | 20 | --- | |
| m 23 | 20 | 110 | |
| 20 X# | 20 | | |
| 16 120 | 20 | | |
| m | 20 | | |
| 20 | 20 | | |
| m | 20 | | |
| 24 | 20 | | |
| X | 20 | | |
| 120 | 20 | | |
| | | | |
--------------------------------------------------
*Critical Hit
#Gob killed self with Goblin Bomb



STEP 5 - Create a graphical representation of your data
Create a histogram. In Excel you can choose to do a COLUMN graph and specify
the damage values as the "Category (X) axis label" or use the XY (Scatter)
graph.

-------------------------------------------------------------------
|Histogram |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| | |
| | 42% |
| | XX |
|40% | XX |
| | XX |
| | XX |
| | XX |
| | XX |
|35% | XX |
| | XX |
| | XX |
| | XX |
| | XX |
|30% | XX |
| | XX |
| | XX |
| | XX |
| | XX |
|25% | XX |
| | XX |
| | XX |
| | XX |
| | XX 21% |