Strength vs Power augments

[Hizoka]

I just recently returned to the game after being gone since right before F2P started. Back then Strength augments were considered pretty much equal to power augments back then... is that still the case...

 

 

My stats right now when buffed are

 

STR 2010

 

Bonus damage - 669.1

Crit chance - 29.93

Accuracy - 99.70

 

Main hand damage 1005-1174

 

granted this is pretty much my gear from when denova hard mode was the last raid in game, i know TFB can boost me a slight bit... i am just wondering if spending the cash to go to power augment would really make that big of a difference. I know i will lose the crit i have from all my strength but is it worth it for the small boost to bonus damage.

 

BTW

 

Crit raiting is 157

power is 1023

Edited March 20, 2013 by Hizoka

[LeeTone]

Always strength > power at a 1 for 1 basis.

 

Reasons:

 

• Main stat gets boosted by consular/inquisitor buff and skills (5+6% for Knights/Warriors) meaning you will get 1.11 main stat for every 1 point of main stat from your gear
  
• Main stat's crit bonus DR curve drops off very slowly and is not significant at any level of main stat currently achievable in the game
  
• The % of crit benefit you get for each point of main stat is much greater than the % of bonus damage you will receive
  
• With crit rating becoming less valuable in 2.0. It's even more improtant to be gaining crit via main stat
  

Edited March 20, 2013 by LeeTone

[Hizoka]

Always strength > power at a 1 for 1 basis.

 

Reasons:

 

• Main stat gets boosted by consular/inquisitor buff and skills (5+6% for Knights/Warriors) meaning you will get 1.11 main stat for every 1 point of main stat from your gear
  
• Main stat's crit bonus DR curve drops off very slowly and is not significant at any level of main stat currently achievable in the game
  
• The % of crit benefit you get for each point of main stat is much greater than the % of bonus damage you will receive
  
• With crit rating becoming less valuable in 2.0. It's even more improtant to be gaining crit via main stat
  

that is the same as the old mentality.

[Punchy]

Always strength > power at a 1 for 1 basis.

 

Reasons:

 

• Main stat gets boosted by consular/inquisitor buff and skills (5+6% for Knights/Warriors) meaning you will get 1.11 main stat for every 1 point of main stat from your gear
  
• Main stat's crit bonus DR curve drops off very slowly and is not significant at any level of main stat currently achievable in the game
  
• The % of crit benefit you get for each point of main stat is much greater than the % of bonus damage you will receive
  
• With crit rating becoming less valuable in 2.0. It's even more improtant to be gaining crit via main stat
  

 

The first point is not quite true. Knights/Warriors do not get +6% Strength. That is currently limited only to Guardians/Juggernauts.

 

However, the reasoning is still sound. One point of Strength > one point of Power.

[contrabandinc]

Point for point, 1 STR > 1 Power

 

Once you have hit your soft cap for crit, then it is reverse and you should go for power instead of STR.

[Punchy]

Point for point, 1 STR > 1 Power

 

Once you have hit your soft cap for crit, then it is reverse and you should go for power instead of STR.

 

No. No no no no no. More no.

 

Did I mention no?

 

Point for point, given the current theoretical maximum for Strength that is achievable in game, Strength is *always* better than Power. People look at crit as if there is a magical percentage at which you stop anything that gives crit gain and work towards something else. That's not how it works. The critical chance gain that Strength provides is on a completely different diminishing return curve than critical rating. The Strength critical chance curve is so incredibly shallow that you *cannot* reach a value for Strength where, point for point, Power becomes better in terms of damage output.

[Sprgmr]

Note, where I am (2098 STR fully buffed 1134 Power) 126 STR gives only 0.6% crit and that loss in Power losses me 2-3 bonus/Primary damage. (From changing my Augs, since I'm roughly half/half)

 

So the differences get pretty small.

[Punchy]

Note, where I am (2098 STR fully buffed 1134 Power) 126 STR gives only 0.6% crit and that loss in Power losses me 2-3 bonus/Primary damage. (From changing my Augs, since I'm roughly half/half)

 

So the differences get pretty small.

 

If you advise someone to gear against min-maxing (Power > Mainstat), then you're doing it wrong.

[Sprgmr]

I'm merely commenting. That math gets so tight. You're saying that I'd eek out a bit more with all STR Augs? I've yet to go though loads of cash experimenting with how the listed bonus/MH damage damage shows up on my skill damage numbers.

 

I don't assume to know everything, and those slight differences seem almost negligible to my untrained eye.

If you advise someone to gear against min-maxing (Power > Mainstat), then you're doing it wrong.

Edited March 26, 2013 by Sprgmr

[Punchy]

I'm merely commenting. That math gets so tight. You're saying that I'd eek out a bit more with all STR Augs? I've yet to go though loads of cash experimenting with how the listed bonus/MH damage damage shows up on my skill damage numbers.

 

I don't assume to know everything, and those slight differences seem almost negligible to my untrained eye.

 

You will eek out a bit more damage favouring Strength over Power for Augments. I wasn't calling you out for doing anything wrong - was simply stating that to advise incorrectly is well... Incorrect.

[Sprgmr]

Fair enough. I had heard (forget where from) that around 2100 there are some DR from Mainstat (hence my build).

 

You will eek out a bit more damage favouring Strength over Power for Augments. I wasn't calling you out for doing anything wrong - was simply stating that to advise incorrectly is well... Incorrect.

[SalBasss]

Fair enough. I had heard (forget where from) that around 2100 there are some DR from Mainstat (hence my build).

 

Mainstat's effect on crit is almost linear.

 

http://mmo-mechanics.com/swtor/forums/thread-364-page-5.html

 

In 2.0 this doesn't really change much - still linear, although the values are about half of what they are on Live (although they mentioned a change was coming to this):

 

http://image.noelshack.com/fichiers/2013/09/1362011240-dr-curve-2-0-swtor.png (also from mmo-mechanics)

Edited March 26, 2013 by SalBasss

[Euthyphro]

Not being a big math guy, I tested it myself with an interest in pure dps measurements by doing three 5 minute ops dummy parses for each setup - 14 power augments vs. 14 strength augments. My gear was fully min/maxed 61's with 63 hilts, and two 63 armorings, both dread guard relics (elemental and boundless), Exotech stim and Rakata attack adrenal.

 

I should note that I switched a +41 crit mod with a +41 power mod in the Strength aug build, since Strength boosted my crit rating, though I know now that the 30% soft cap is not as important as the rating itself.

 

Here's the TorParse for the six fights. The first 3 are stacking Power, the last 3 are stacking Strength.

 

Power option: 1876 average dps

1952 Strength

1103 Power

1012-1181 damage (pri)

 

Strength option: 1872 average dps

2217 Strength

892 Power

1017-1186 damage (pri)

 

In conclusion, it appears to make almost no difference. I ended up just going 7 power, 7 strength...

[SalBasss]

(snip)

In conclusion, it appears to make almost no difference. I ended up just going 7 power, 7 strength...

 

Correct. In a *true* min/max setup, strength will outperform power but it will make almost no difference, like you said.