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Is Increased Damage Scaling Good or Bad? A Deep Dive

Whether increased damage scaling is “good” or “bad” depends entirely on the game you’re playing and, even more specifically, your play style within that game. There’s no universal answer. It’s a nuanced mechanic designed to achieve specific goals related to game balance, player progression, and combat dynamics. Generally, high damage scaling means your stats have a significant impact on your weapon’s damage output, rewarding investment in specific attributes. However, it also means that without proper stat allocation, your damage could be significantly lower compared to a build that focuses on scaling. Let’s delve into the details.

Understanding Damage Scaling: The Core Concepts

Damage scaling, in its simplest form, is a system where a weapon’s effectiveness increases based on a character’s attributes. Think of it as a multiplier. The higher your relevant stats (Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Faith, Arcane, etc.), the greater the bonus damage you receive from your weapon. This is why focusing on particular stats is so critical in games like Elden Ring. A weapon with excellent scaling in Strength will become devastating in the hands of a character with high Strength, but much less effective for someone who has neglected that attribute.

Attribute Scaling Grades: The ABCs of Pain

Many games, particularly those inspired by the Soulsborne genre, use a letter grading system to represent how well a weapon scales with a particular stat. The grading usually goes something like this, with “S” being the best and “E” being the worst:

S: Exceptional scaling; significant damage increase with each point in the attribute. (> 1.75)
A: Very good scaling; substantial damage increase. (1.4 – 1.75)
B: Good scaling; noticeable damage increase. (0.9 – 1.3999)
C: Moderate scaling; decent damage increase. (0.6 – 0.8999)
D: Weak scaling; minimal damage increase. (0.25 – 0.5999)
E: Poor scaling; negligible damage increase. (< 0.25)

These grades represent a multiplier applied to your stat. An “A” scaling in Strength will provide far more bonus damage than a “D” scaling. This system encourages players to specialize their characters, rewarding focused builds with higher damage output.

Raw Damage vs. Scaling: A Crucial Trade-Off

Weapons often present a choice: prioritize raw damage or invest in scaling. Weapons with high raw damage deal a significant amount of damage regardless of your stats. These are often attractive early in the game, or for builds that spread their points across multiple attributes. However, weapons with excellent scaling potential typically surpass weapons with high raw damage in the late game, as your stats increase.

The “best” choice depends on your goals. A raw damage weapon might allow you to be effective with minimal stat investment, while a scaling weapon rewards focused attribute allocation. Consider this a strategic choice that shapes your entire character build.

How Upgrades Affect Scaling

In many RPGs, weapon upgrades not only increase the base damage of a weapon but also improve its scaling values. This means that a weapon that initially has a “C” scaling in Strength might improve to a “B” or even an “A” scaling as you upgrade it. This reinforces the importance of investing in scaling weapons, as their potential grows significantly as you progress through the game.

The Benefits of High Damage Scaling

Significant Damage Output: The most obvious benefit is the potential for incredibly high damage. A properly scaled weapon, combined with optimized stats, can melt through enemies and bosses.
Character Specialization: Scaling encourages focused character builds, leading to diverse playstyles and encouraging experimentation.
Long-Term Viability: Scaling weapons typically remain effective throughout the entire game, providing a consistent source of damage as your stats grow.
Rewarding Stat Investment: Seeing your damage numbers increase significantly as you level up your stats is incredibly satisfying and provides a strong sense of progression.

The Drawbacks of High Damage Scaling

Stat Dependency: Scaling weapons are heavily reliant on having sufficient stats. Without the necessary attribute points, their damage output will be significantly lower than that of raw damage weapons.
Early Game Weakness: Scaling weapons might feel underwhelming in the early game, when your stats are low. This can make the initial hours of the game more challenging.
Vulnerability to Respecs: If you want to change your build later in the game, you might have to reallocate your stats using a respec system, which may not always be readily available.
Over-Specialization: Focusing too heavily on a single stat can make your character vulnerable in other areas. A glass cannon build might deal massive damage, but it will also be extremely fragile.

When Is High Damage Scaling “Good”?

High damage scaling is generally “good” when:

You’re willing to invest heavily in specific stats.
You enjoy creating specialized character builds.
You’re playing a game with respec options, allowing you to adjust your build later in the game.
You’re comfortable with a slower start, knowing that your weapon will become incredibly powerful as you level up.
You’re playing a game where upgrading weapons improves their scaling values.

When Is High Damage Scaling “Bad”?

High damage scaling is generally “bad” when:

You prefer a more versatile character build that isn’t heavily reliant on specific stats.
You want to be effective early in the game without grinding for levels.
You dislike respec systems or they are unavailable.
You struggle with optimizing your character’s stats.
The game punishes over-specialization by making you vulnerable to certain types of damage or enemies.

Damage Scaling in Different Genres

Damage scaling isn’t limited to RPGs. It appears, in various forms, across multiple genres:

Fighting Games: Damage scaling limits the damage of long combos. In these games, longer combos will have diminished returns on damage.
MOBAs: Character abilities often scale with various stats, like Ability Power or Attack Damage, encouraging players to build specific items to enhance their skills.
MMORPGs: Similar to traditional RPGs, MMORPGs heavily rely on scaling to create a sense of progression as players level up and acquire better gear.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, the “goodness” or “badness” of increased damage scaling is subjective and depends on your personal preferences and the specific game you’re playing. Understanding how scaling works allows you to make informed decisions about your character build and choose weapons that complement your playstyle. Embrace the intricacies of the system, experiment with different builds, and find what works best for you. Games are all about learning, and exploring these mechanics opens up a whole new layer of enjoyment. For those interested in further exploring the educational aspects of games and learning, visit the Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Damage Scaling

1. What exactly is damage scaling?

Damage Scaling (also known as Proration or Damage Dampening) is a mechanic that increases or limits the amount of damage a weapon deals based on character stats.

2. How does attribute scaling work in Elden Ring?

Most weapons possess scaling values, which cause the weapon’s effectiveness to increase in accordance with an associated stat, like Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Faith or Arcane.

3. What do the attribute scaling letters (S, A, B, C, D, E) mean?

The letters indicate how well a weapon scales with a particular attribute. “S” is the best, meaning the weapon gains the most damage from that stat. “E” is the worst, meaning minimal damage gain.

4. Does scaling matter in Elden Ring?

Yes, scaling is crucial in Elden Ring. It significantly impacts your damage output and defines what weapons are most effective for your build. Weapon scaling is one of the most important and least-explained mechanics in Elden Ring.

5. How does weapon scaling work?

Most weapons scale based on a specific attribute, meaning the more points you put into that attribute, the stronger the weapon becomes.

6. What is the best rating for attribute scaling in Elden Ring?

The best rating is “S,” which provides the most significant damage increase per point in the associated stat.

7. Does scaling improve with weapon upgrades in Elden Ring?

Yes, upgrading your weapon often improves its scaling values, making it even more powerful as you progress.

8. How does damage scaling work in fighting games?

In fighting games, damage scaling typically reduces the damage dealt by each hit as a combo becomes longer, preventing excessively damaging combos.

9. Does scaling improve performance?

This depends on context. In machine learning, scaling data can improve the performance of algorithms. In gaming, scaling, as discussed, improves weapon performance, when it is appropriate.

10. What does high scaling mean?

In gaming, high scaling means a weapon’s damage increases significantly as you invest points into the corresponding attribute.

11. How much does scaling matter in Elden Ring?

Weapons can scale to Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Arcane or Faith, or even any combination, with some weapons affected by multiple numbers at the same time. Weapon scaling is one of the most important mechanics in Elden Ring, as it’ll define what’s powerful and what’s weak in your hands.

12. What attribute should I focus on in Elden Ring?

Focus on the damage stat of your choice (magic, strength, faith, dex) and pick a weapon whose attack power scales with that stat.

13. Does Strength increase damage in Elden Ring?

Strength does several things in Elden Ring, it increases your physical damage output, allows you to wield heavier weapons, and increases your equipment load.

14. What does plus damage mean in Elden Ring?

For every point a player puts into either Strength or Dexterity, this “+” number will increase, meaning that the weapon will output a higher damage.

15. What is an example of scaling in Elden Ring?

Uchigatana scales primarily with the Dexterity (DEX) attribute, which increases its base damage output. However, some Uchigatanas may also have additional scaling with other attributes, such as Strength (STR) or Intelligence (INT), depending on their specific stats and upgrades.

Is increased damage scaling good or bad?