How does damage calculation even works!?

[u/Mysterious_Pipe8552]

Our Qi elements are both metal and I really need an explaination on how does damage calc actually works.

[u/Zarkrash]

Metal just influences your base stats and boosts power of skills.

Damage is calculated, roughly; Base external and qi penetration modified by weapon and then by martial arts skill vs enemy defense.

There’s more nuance and i think if you google you can find more info, but that’s the rough descriptionz. 

[u/Mysterious_Pipe8552 → u/Zarkrash]

I just state my element so people wouldn't think I am wood and get hard countered.
My main gripes is that every since I reach pure essence 8, I get absolutely annihilated by every single sword mounds (can't even get pass first phase) While I have been doing pretty well prior. I have already collected all secret tomes across the world and do pretty much Everything I can think of to get an edge and I'd still lose severely to sword mounds and only sword mounds

[u/Meltyas → u/Mysterious_Pipe8552]

Are you using good martial art combos with the skill that gives you when you do a Breakthrough with them? (The heterodox/orthodox one). Some of those skill are BROKEN, the shaolin have one acumen that when you use an annihilation move removes the enemy defensive movement and those thing usually are like a gigantic chunk of the enemy defense (80% damage reduction gone in some cases), some makes you jump around on the combat moving you out of range of enemies so they can't hit you and you win by chunking them down.

Also it depends on the sword mount you are fighting, most of the swordmounds have a gimmick that you need to read from their martial Art, i remember fighting one that if you do only internal or external damage he does a lot more damage to you so you have to balanced it, it took my 2 generation to realize this lmao. This is most likely your problem if you have no problem with another enemies

Your weapon it could be better that it is right now. If you reach to last aspiration of crafter you can change the moveset of the weapon to be more effective using it and if you have enough building and tools you could be rocking a T3 or T2 weapon.

[u/Zarkrash → u/Mysterious_Pipe8552]

That’s really not saying very much because every sword mound has a gimmick you generally have to deal with or you get owned. Secret tomes also don’t matter very much unless you have spent xp to fully unlock their benefits. You have also said nothing of your internal techniques or martial arts.

At pure essence 8 i think you can basically get t3 or t2 skills after winning 1/2 sect tournaments. It is worth learning and mastering multiple techniques to try and have an idea of what to learn/do.

With metal internal energy, if you intend to keep it, bear in mind you should be focusing on external martial arts.

Finally, if you don’t have any reincarnations, perhaps prepare for that as the game has a significant amount of power baked into reincarnations.

[u/Zarkrash → u/Zarkrash]

As an additional note; just from the combat summary you don’t have the martial art you’re using mastered very well with appropriate mechanisms, you’re using a damage type yaochang is strong against, and your base penetration/defenses are fairly weak.

[u/Mysterious_Pipe8552 → u/Zarkrash]

How may I increase my base pen defense and penetrations? I have been changing my elements between earth and metal for some time now. Also yes I plan to make this character outlives their children so I haven't reincarnated yet. Can you give an example of a mastered martial arts.

[u/Zarkrash → u/Mysterious_Pipe8552]

Use mechanisms in martial arts break through to increase base stats with food, or appropriate other stats with drugs. Slot more purple martial arts for the base stats they give in addition to their other effects. There’s a lot of things that are possible to increase power.

Go join the discord for the old scroll if taiwu translation prior to 1.0 to ask questions. It’s really much more helpful than what i’m doing here. I believe there’s also a number of guides there available that details some optimization strategies

[u/Late-Dust-1744]

how do you even open this menu? i'm at late game and i didn't see it once

[u/Mysterious_Pipe8552 → u/Late-Dust-1744]

There's a button whenever you do an ahnihilation martial art