Relationship between damage and power level

[iw5000]

It was my understanding with Destiny 2, that as one's level (or more specifically, their power level) rose, they could deliver more damage to the enemies. So for example, a level 20, power level 280 character, could do more damage than say a Lv 20/140 character. So I spent a few minutes trying to test this out, and it makes no sense to me. I had a new character that was level 20, with a power of 280 with all his best Titan armor and guns equipped. I went out and shot some red-bar Veg Hobgoblins and Red/white bar Minotaur in Nessus, near the center teleport. Wanted to see what damage I could do.

Things made sense as I tested out handguns. My power level was between 243 to 261 when equipping some of these guns. A 23 hang gun did damage of 85/255(crit), and 69hg did 116/347 and a legendary 285hg (with same impact as other hand guns) did 143/428 in damage. So equipping a more powerful gun did more damage on the enemies. This held up, same stats, when I shot at a Red/white bar Minotaur. 85, 116 and 143. This so far made sense.

Next test. So what did next was reduce my power level by putting on shitty armor. My power level dropped to 139. So a drop from the 243-261 range....down to around 139/140. In theory, my power level reduced, I should have less power? No. My guns did the exact same damage on the enemies. 85, 116 and 143. So I am to take it power level has no bearing on damage being inflicted? Armor tweaking only affects how much damage one can take? This doesn't make sense as one's power level, while dependent on armor, is also dependent on your three guns equipped.

Ok, moving on to more tests.

I then put my good armor back up, going back to around 250 power. I then tried shooting two of the exact same blue auto rifles. One at a level of 194, and the other at 280. Shot some goblins. Surprisingly, both the rifles did the exact same damage of 40/111. This made no sense. I then put on the shittier armor, and like the above example, the guns shot the exact same damage of 40/111. I don't understand this.

I tried another auto rifle. This time two green AR's that had the same impact as the above blue one. Two tests with this green AR, as I had a 90 and 150 version. The results on the Vex hobgoblin? 37/104 and 40/111. The 150 version did more damage. So yet another, another baffling result.

Can anyone explain what I am seeing?

[thebb22]

If you're just running around patrolling some planet, your light level doesn't matter due to the damage scaling. If you put on that junk armor and guns during a nightfall or raid, that'd be a different story. That's why you have to be a certain power level to do those events. You essentially wouldn't do damage to anything in said nightfall if you could wear that junk armor.

Think about when you are only level 1 or something and you go shoot a minotaur with a hand cannon.  Say it takes 5 shots to kill.  As you level up, you can't just start 1-shotting said minotaur.  The enemies/damage are balanced out to your light level so that it still takes 5 shots to kill that minotaur, thus the numbers you are seeing are always going to look the same unless you are playing a mission or event with a specific required light/power level.

[hebbnh]

Basically what THebb said. Power level means nothing unless you're below the recommended power level for an activity, in which case you'll deal less damage to enemies and take more damage from them. Once you meet or exceed the recommended power level threshold, further increasing your power level will have no effect on damage dealt or taken. Worked the same way in D1.

[GodMars]

Power level is only a gating mechanic. It has no value past what is required for the activity you are engaging in.

[qupie]

Oct 9, 2017 19:30:12 GMT -5 GodMars said:

Power level is only a gating mechanic. It has no value past what is required for the activity you are engaging in.

I don't completely agree with this. There is still a difference between the 300 nightfall and the 240 nightfall, even the simple adds. But there is a threshold at which you can't get any more powerfull compared to the enemies.

It works like this (I think) so you can still play lower activities and not feel completely overpowered.

Bungie did some article in D1 on this, and they explained they wanted you to be able to use your souped out character and go help a lower level friend, without them feeling like they are worthless compared to your souped up character.

I like this in a FPS game personally. I don't want to patrol earth and be almost invulnerable.

[iw5000]

Ok.

So why do some gun that are rated higher (eg; 285 vs a 69) do 43% more damage in the open world stuff.....but then other guns rater higher do the exact same damage (my green auto rifle example)

[hebbnh]

Different gun archtypes? Shooting outside of damage falloff range?

[markopolo]

Space magic.... obz

[qupie]

Oct 10, 2017 9:17:58 GMT -5 iw5000 said:

Ok.

So why do some gun that are rated higher (eg; 285 vs a 69) do 43% more damage in the open world stuff.....but then other guns rater higher do the exact same damage (my green auto rifle example)

I think most of the open world stuff is actually above 69.

[GodMars]

Oct 10, 2017 5:24:39 GMT -5 qupie said:

I don't completely agree with this. There is still a difference between the 300 nightfall and the 240 nightfall, even the simple adds.

As I said, it’s a gating mechanic. Once you’ve reached the required threshold, anything past that has no value.

[markopolo]

Oct 10, 2017 14:42:38 GMT -5 GodMars said:

Oct 10, 2017 5:24:39 GMT -5 qupie said:

I don't completely agree with this. There is still a difference between the 300 nightfall and the 240 nightfall, even the simple adds.

As I said, it’s a gating mechanic. Once you’ve reached the required threshold, anything past that has no value.

So... if I do a 240 nightfall as a 241... there's no benefit to doing it as a 305, because I'll still kill just as fast as if I were a 240?

[hebbnh]

Yep, pretty much.

[bradman]

We are now staring into the abyss.

[GodMars]

Oct 10, 2017 15:42:21 GMT -5 markopolo said:

Oct 10, 2017 14:42:38 GMT -5 GodMars said:

As I said, it’s a gating mechanic. Once you’ve reached the required threshold, anything past that has no value.

So... if I do a 240 nightfall as a 241... there's no benefit to doing it as a 305, because I'll still kill just as fast as if I were a 240?

As I understand it, yes.

[qupie]

Oct 10, 2017 14:42:38 GMT -5 GodMars said:

Oct 10, 2017 5:24:39 GMT -5 qupie said:

I don't completely agree with this. There is still a difference between the 300 nightfall and the 240 nightfall, even the simple adds.

As I said, it’s a gating mechanic. Once you’ve reached the required threshold, anything past that has no value.

So why does it still feel much harder as a 305?

[GodMars]

Oct 11, 2017 3:43:33 GMT -5 qupie said:

Oct 10, 2017 14:42:38 GMT -5 GodMars said:

As I said, it’s a gating mechanic. Once you’ve reached the required threshold, anything past that has no value.

So why does it still feel much harder as a 305?

Because you’re doing the Prestige Nightfall?

[iw5000]

Oct 10, 2017 15:58:28 GMT -5 hebbnh said:

Yep, pretty much.