Path of Exile 3.20 Mechanics Explained – Increased, More, Reduced and Less Modifiers Work Principle

When it comes to the game’s mechanics, there’s always going to be some confusion whether you’re new to Path of Exile or a veteran. Therefore, in this article, we’re going to talk about the mechanics of modifiers, such as Increased, More, Reduced and Less and I will also explain how do they work and interact with each other?

The interactions of these modifiers are often confused, especially by new players. But once you understand how they work, you’ll quickly realize why some modifiers and POE Currency are so valuable and also why some of them are so scarce.

Examples Of Different Modifiers

First of all, let’s take a look at some examples of these modifiers as they appear in the game.

Adrenaline is a buff that provides some powerful stats, including a 100 increased damage modifier.

The Brutality Support gem is one of many support gems that provides a more damage multiplier. In this instance, it only applies to physical damage.

The Slayer Ascendancy has a notable passive skill called Brutal Fervor. This skill provides many powerful stats, including a modifier, which grants 10 percent reduced damage taken while you are leeching.

Lastly, Eldritch Battery is a keystone, which has a downside that causes you to have 50 percent less Energy Shield Recharge Rate.

How Do These Modifiers Work?

So, how do these modifiers work exactly? Let’s take a look.

In this example, let’s say we have a skill that deals with 1000 base damage. If we have a modifier that grants 100 percent increased damage and we have no other modifiers, we now have a skill that deals with 2000 damage. It is great because we doubled our damage.

But what if we apply another modifier? It also increases our damage by 100 percent. Our skill now deals with 3000 damage. So, this time the same increase only improved our total damage by 50 percent. This is because we add together all separate instances of increased damage before the calculation takes place.

So, in this example, our skill that deals with 1000 damage is increased by a total of 200 percent so that it now deals 3000 damage. For this reason, increased damage is generally considered as being a low value stat when you buy POE Currency because of the diminishing returns that it provides.

Which Modifiers Provide More Damage?

Then, what about modifiers that provide more damage? Let’s use the same example.

We have a skill that deals with 1000 damage and a modifier that grants 100 percent more damage. If we have no other modifiers, our skill now deals with 2000 damage. Again, our total damage has doubled. But what happens when we introduce another separate modifier that also grants 100 percent more damage?

The calculation for more modifiers works differently to increased modifiers. Instead of adding the modifiers together, all unique instances of more modifiers are multiplied together before the calculation takes place.

In this example, we have two separate instances of 100 percent more damage. When multiplied together and applied with no other modifiers, our skill now deals with 4000 damage. Notice that the value increase of applying multiple more modifiers has not diminished like it did with increased modifiers due to the nature of the calculation.

For this reason, modifiers that grant more damage are generally much more valuable and, as a result, they are a lot rarer than increased damage modifiers.

Reductions are calculated at the same part of the equation as increases and less modifiers are calculated at the same part of the equation as more modifiers.

For example, if our skill deals with 1000 damage and we have a modifier that grants 100 percent increased damage and another modifier that grants 50 percent reduced damage. We add together these modifiers before the calculation takes place. If we have no other modifiers, the skill now deals with 1500 damage or a total increase of 50 percent.

Let’s use the same example for less modifiers. Our skill deals with 1000 damage and we have a modifier that grants 100 percent more damage and another separate modifier that grants 50 percent less damage.

We multiplied together the modifiers and divine orbs before the calculation takes place. And if we have no other modifiers, our skill still deals with 1000 damage after the calculation takes place. So, what about when increases and reductions are combined with more and less modifiers? Let’s take a look.

In this example, our skill deals with 1000 base damage. We have a modifier that grants 100 percent increased damage. Another modifier grants 50 percent increased damage and we also have a modifier that grants 10 percent reduced damage. Firstly, these modifiers are added together for a total of 140 percent increased damage.

We also have a modifier that grants 30 percent more damage. What’s more, we have another modifier grants 40 percent more damage and a debuff that causes us to deal 10 percent less damage. These modifiers are multiplied together and then the calculation can take place.

Our base damage is multiplied by the increase and decrease calculation and then by the more and less calculation to provide the last damage dealt. The calculation of damage dealt and damage taken in Path of Exile follows a number of other rules, which I will go into more detail and POE Currency buy in a future article. If you want to read more guides about Path of Exile to improve yourself, you can click at here.