Combat Mechanics

Damage Conversion

The conversion order, one-conversion rule, normalization above 100%, and the split to Elemental, with calculated examples.

Standard explanation

Damage conversion moves physical, fire, or another damage type into a different type. Local conversion on a skill, modifier, or transmuter occurs before global conversion from equipment and buffs, and a converted portion cannot then be converted to a further type.

Deep explanation

Local and global conversion

Kind Typical location Applies to Processing position
Local conversion The skill, a skill modifier, or a transmuter The applicable damage dealt by that skill Before global conversion. The converted type is used by that skill’s percent-damage bonuses
Global conversion Equipment and buffs Applicable damage left after local conversion After local conversion. Already converted portions are not eligible
  1. Base skill damage
  2. Skill modifiers
  3. Conversion on modifiers or a transmuter
  4. Global conversion on equipment and buffs
  5. Percent damage on equipment, auras, and passives
Each converted share when total conversion > 100% = source damage × individual conversion / total conversion
Conversion to Elemental = converted amount / 3 (equal Fire, Cold, and Lightning shares)
Converted output = not eligible for a later conversion

Calculated results

Case Calculation Result
Normalize competing conversions 100 Physical, 80% to Fire and 60% to Cold: Fire = 100 × 80 / 140 57.14 Fire, 42.86 Cold
Convert to Elemental 90 to Elemental: 90 / 3 30 Fire, 30 Cold, 30 Lightning
Local conversion followed by global conversion Of 100 Physical, the skill converts 50% to Fire; equipment converts the remaining Physical to Cold 50 Fire, 50 Cold. The 50 Fire is not converted again.

Analysis source: buildCalc/mechanics/formulas.json (official Combat Guide). The values above are formula-derived from the stated conditions, not in-game measurements.

Summary

Key point: When competing conversions from the same source damage add to more than 100%, their relative proportions are retained while the total is normalized to 100%.

Runtime order: The game applies local conversion on the skill first, then applies global conversion from equipment and buffs only to the damage that remains unconverted at that point.

Build use: When a skill has percent damage bonuses for a particular type, local conversion toward that type lets that skill use its own bonuses. Use global conversion afterward to align the remaining types with the build-wide bonuses.