Flamestrike Testing

[Ultinoob]

So in this example i left out the max caster level as it seemed to confuse some people.

Druid level 27. PA so +5 caster level from here. +3 caster level twisted. This should get us to caster level 28. no season and no gear to increase caster level. Yet the caster level printed in the combat log is:
Flamestrike 32
Fire seeds 32
Produce flame 32

Thing is when i change to fire elemental but not summer seasons it does correctly increase the the caster level by 3 to 35 for those three spells.

And the same thing happens when i use summer seasons.

and when both are applied it goes to 38.

So the problem is in the "base" calculation of the caster level. For some reason it says 32 when it should say 28.

[nobodynobody1426]

With that response i wonder if you even read my post.

I am a druid in primal avatar and have twisted +3 caster levels from draconic to fire spells.
This should get my caster level to 20+6+5+3=34. EDIT: made an error here. corrected now

Firestorm in the combat log is printed as caster level 38. That makes no sense.

If there is a difference between your math and the number in the log, the number in the log wins as it's quite literally printed from the code. If you want to know what is happening you need to remove +CL components one at a time while standing in town and record the numbers in the log. Remove your twists, change your ED, come out of fire form and so forth and record the result of each change. Then remove all your gear and see if there is something giving +CL your not tracking.

Descriptions in this game are just freeform text that someone typed in and are often incorrect. Actual numbers in the log are accurate and in the case of spells the CL is the actual number that's inside the spell code, the MCL is not included and the code will use the lower of those two values which is usually the MCL.

[Ultinoob]

If there is a difference between your math and the number in the log, the number in the log wins as it's quite literally printed from the code.

Do you have any proof of that or a you just saying this because you believe it?

If you want to know what is happening you need to remove +CL components one at a time while standing in town and record the numbers in the log. Remove your twists, change your ED, come out of fire form and so forth and record the result of each change. Then remove all your gear and see if there is something giving +CL your not tracking.

I actually tried that before the servers went down, but i did not post it since i allready had two post. I remember i was in legendary dreadnaught at level 27. removed all my gear. came out of seasons and fire form and still the caster level printed in the log was 22. So there is something fishy going on with druids atleast. When the servers come up again i will see if i can do another test. I might not have time tonight.

Descriptions in this game are just freeform text that someone typed in and are often incorrect. Actual numbers in the log are accurate and in the case of spells the CL is the actual number that's inside the spell code, the MCL is not included and the code will use the lower of those two values which is usually the MCL.

I guess one way to test this thesis is to use my level 9 druid, because then he is under the max caster level for some spells like produce flame. Then compare what is written in the combat log with the actual damage numbers i get. That is a bit of work but i might do at some point.

[nobodynobody1426]

If you check my original post I did the test as a Cleric without the few enhancements that raise it's CL. That is why I typically do any major testing with as few variables as possible to prevent an unknown bug from tripping me up.

Remember caster level only shows up in the log if there is something present that modifies it, usually spell augmentation somewhere or some enhancement that is turned on. There are still lots of items and effects that are bugged in weird ways, if in doubt always take what is in the log as the value before MCL cap. I really wish they would also print the MCL in the log as it would make MCL testing easier too. The way your testing works should be to record a value, remove something, record the new value, was the change the value expected? Do this for everything, including enhancements, and eventually you get a list of actual effects. From what you said it sounds like the enhancements of druid are adding both a passive +CL/MCL and an active +CL/MCL, something to check for by removing all enhancements and seeing if the CL changes in the log. Then adding them back until you get to the first one that modifies CL and check again, then the next one and check again, keep doing that until the tree is filled back up.


Just to illustrate I'm a level 12 FVS with all core and tree enhancements standing in Lordsmarch Plaza.

(Combat): You begin to cast Holy Smite at level 15.

Holy Smite has a MCL of 10, the T5 would raise it to 13. My FVS Caster Level is 12 with +3 from the T4 enhancement giving me CL15.

About your first comment, there is a programming axiom of "the truth is in the code". The code of any system is what is actually being executed, the behavior of a system is defined by the code, not the flow charts, diagrams, PowerPoint presentations or text boxes us humans make to describe what we think the code is doing. In a fight between system documentation and system code, the code always wins because the code has already won at execute time. The numbers printed in the log are from the code calculating those numbers.

Or to put it another way "my math says I should of hit for 500 damage, the combat log says 200 damage, therefor the log must be wrong" sounds kind of ridiculous. It's far more likely that there would be a bug somewhere causing something to not be added properly, those things happen all the time and if reported the code writers might get around to fixing that bug and making reality match design.

[Ultinoob]

I agree with you on the testing method. I have some busy couple of days coming up, so i probably wont be able to do it before a week has passed.

I actually thought about making a video of it?

My plan was to test my around 9 level druid and a 29-30 level druid and then roll up a iconic and test with different enhancements. But i got 22 caster levels from combat log without gear and without twist and moved out of summer/winter season and fire/water elemental. and on my level 9 i got caster level 10. So there is something weird and it might be the enhancement three seasons herald. But until i can do some more seriuos testing. I will report back here.

[nobodynobody1426]

Ok final testing that pretty much cinches it.

Level 9 Cleric without any CL/MCL adjustments testing Flamestrike on Orcs/Kobolds in Searing Heights.

Flamestrike

CL: 9 (Cleric 9 without any modifiers)
Fire Spell Power: 141 (2.41)
Crit Multiplier: +0 (2.0)

Predicted valued at 9 CL and 141 Spell Power
6.5 Damage per CL [1D6+3] Average: 140 damage
5.5 Damage per CL [1D6+2] Average: 119 damage

Test Results:
5.3 damage per CL, Average: 117 damage

Test Data
(Combat): You hit Blood Tide Archer for 103 points of fire damage.
4.7 Damage per CL

(Combat): You hit Blood Tide Skirmisher for 103 points of fire damage.
4.7 Damage per CL

(Combat): You hit Blood Tide Skulker for 226 points of fire damage. (crit)
113 NonCrit
5.2 Damage per CL

(Combat): You hit Blood Tide Skirmisher for 226 points of fire damage. (crit)
113 NonCrit
5.2 Damage per CL

(Combat): You hit Blood Tide Archer for 241 points of fire damage. (crit)
120 NonCrit
5.5 Damage per CL

(Combat): You hit Blood Tide Skulker for 265 points of fire damage. (crit)
132 NonCrit
6.1 Damage per CL

(Combat): You hit Blood Tide Skulker for 123 points of fire damage.
5.6 Damage per CL

(Combat): You hit First Mate for 212 points of fire damage. (crit)
106 NonCrit
4.8 Damage per CL

(Combat): You hit Blood Tide Archer for 130 points of fire damage.
5.9 Damage per CL

(Combat): You hit Blood Tide Skirmisher for 137 points of fire damage.
6.3 Damage per CL

(Combat): You hit Blood Tide Skulker for 139 points of fire damage.
6.4 Damage per CL

(Combat): You hit Blood Tide Archer for 207 points of fire damage. (Crit)
103 NonCrit
4.7 Damage per CL

(Combat): You hit Blood Tide Skulker for 106 points of fire damage.
4.8 Damage per CL

(Combat): You hit Blood Tide Skulker for 221 points of fire damage. (Crit)
110 NonCrit
5.0 Damage per CL