Damage reduction

Damage reduction or damage mitigation refers to any of three methods of reducing incoming or outgoing damage.

• Subtractive (or Absorption) reduces or prevents damage by a fixed amount.
• Percentage (or Fixed Fraction) reduces damage by a percentage of the total incoming damage.
• Threshold (or Damage Cappers) prevents the damage from exceeding a percentage of a certain threshold, almost always the target's health.

Subtractive damage reduction

Subtractive damage reduction, also known as absorption, reduces or prevents damage by a fixed amount.

Subtractive damage reduction against all damage

The following provide damage reduction against all damage:

• Skills
  • Binding rituals
    • File:Union.jpg Union
  • Enchantment spells
    • File:Life Sheath.jpg Life Sheath (elite): only the next source of damage
    • File:Mark of Protection.jpg Mark of Protection (elite): also heals the target for health equal to the amount which damage is reduced by
    • File:Reversal of Damage.jpg Reversal of Damage: only the next source of damage
    • File:Reversal of Fortune.jpg Reversal of Fortune: only the next source of damage, also heals the target for health equal to the amount which damage is reduced by
    • File:Reverse Hex.jpg Reverse Hex: only the next source of damage
    • File:Shield of Absorption.jpg Shield of Absorption
    • File:Shielding Hands.jpg Shielding Hands
    • Stoneflesh Aura
    • File:Armor of Unfeeling (PvP).jpg Armor of Unfeeling (PvP): only while activating a Binding Ritual
    • File:Armor of Sanctity.jpg Armor of Sanctity: only from foes suffering from conditions
    • File:Intimidating Aura.jpg Intimidating Aura: only from foes with less health than you
  • Shouts
    • File:Call of Protection.jpg Call of Protection: only affects your animal companions
  • Stances
    • File:Shield Stance.jpg Shield Stance
  • Skills
    • File:Defy Pain.jpg Defy Pain (elite)
• Other effects
  • File:Armor of Salvation (item effect).jpg Armor of Salvation (item effect): generated by using Armor of Salvation
  • Lightbringer title effect: only against demonic servants of Abaddon
  • File:Phase Shield (effect).jpg Phase Shield (effect): generated by activating Phase Shield (monster skill)
  • Shielding Urn Shielding Urn: generated by dropping a Shielding Urn
  • File:Shield of Saint Viktor.jpg Shield of Saint Viktor: generated by dropping a Urn of Saint Viktor
  • File:Shield of Saint Viktor.jpg Shield of Saint Viktor: generated by Celestial Summoning

Subtractive attack damage reduction

See also: Skills that prevent critical hits

• Skills
  • Attack skills
    • File:Distracting Blow.jpg Distracting Blow: your attack does not deal damage
    • File:Distracting Strike.jpg Distracting Strike: your attack does not deal damage
  • Enchantment spells
    • File:Life Bond.jpg Life Bond: redirects half of damage against target ally to the monk, redirected damage is then reduced
  • Flash enchantment spells
    • File:Grenth's Aura.jpg Grenth's Aura: on self, convert damage into life stealing.
  • Hex spells
    • File:Calculated Risk.jpg Calculated Risk: 50% chance to reduce incoming damage to 0, 50% to increase it by 10 instead.
    • File:Empathy.jpg Empathy
    • File:Siphon Strength.jpg Siphon Strength (elite)
    • File:Dulled Weapon.jpg Dulled Weapon
  • Skills
    • File:Spiritleech Aura.jpg Spiritleech Aura: on your spirits, convert damage into life stealing.
  • Stances
    • File:Balanced Stance.jpg Balanced Stance: extra damage from critical hits only
  • Weapon spells
    • File:Nightmare Weapon.jpg Nightmare Weapon: on target's 3 next attacks, convert damage into life stealing.

Subtractive damage reduction against physical damage

The following reduce all incoming physical damage:

• Runes of Absorption: -1 (minor), -2 (major), -3 (superior); these do not stack.

• Inscriptions for Shields and focus items:
  • "Run for your Life!": -1...2 while in a stance
  • "Sheltered by Faith!": -1...2 while under the effects of an enchantment
  • "Nothing to Fear": -1...3 while Hexed
  • "Luck of the Draw": -5 (11...20% chance)

• Knight's Insignia: -3 (local protection only, i.e. to the specific area protected by the armor to which it is applied)

Percentage damage reduction

Percentage damage reduction, also known as fixed fraction, lowers damage by a fixed fraction of the original damage; it stacks multiplicatively.

• Skills
  • Enchantment spells
    • File:Aura of Faith.jpg Aura of Faith (elite)
    • File:Life Barrier.jpg Life Barrier (elite)
    • Mist Form (elite)
    • File:Veil of Thorns.jpg Veil of Thorns: only spell damage
  • Shouts
    • File:"There's Nothing to Fear!".jpg "There's Nothing to Fear!"
    • File:"They're on Fire!".jpg "They're on Fire!": only against damage from burning foes
  • Stances
    • File:Mantra of Earth.jpg Mantra of Earth: only earth damage
    • File:Mantra of Flame.jpg Mantra of Flame: only fire damage
    • File:Mantra of Frost.jpg Mantra of Frost: only cold damage
    • File:Mantra of Lightning.jpg Mantra of Lightning: only lightning damage
    • File:Dark Escape.jpg Dark Escape
    • File:Smoke Powder Defense.jpg Smoke Powder Defense
  • Skills
    • Ether Prism (elite)
    • File:Armor of Unfeeling.jpg Armor of Unfeeling: only affects your spirits within earshot
• Other
  • Lieutenant's Insignia
  • File:Stone Spores.jpg Stone Spores (environment effect)

Percentage attack damage reduction

• Skills
  • Attack skills
    • File:Dual Shot.jpg Dual Shot: from self
    • File:Triple Shot.jpg Triple Shot: from self
    • File:Lyssa's Assault.jpg Lyssa's Assault: from self
    • File:Twin Moon Sweep (PvP).jpg Twin Moon Sweep (PvP): from self
  • Enchantment spells
    • File:Life Attunement.jpg Life Attunement: from allies
  • Stances
    • File:Flurry.jpg Flurry: from self
• Conditions
  • File:Weakness.jpg Weakness

Threshold damage reduction

Threshold damage reduction, also known as damage cappers, prevent all damage above a certain threshold (generally a percentage of the target's maximum health), while having no effect on damage below that threshold.

• Skills
  • Binding Rituals
    • File:Shelter.jpg Shelter
  • Enchantment spells
    • File:Protective Spirit.jpg Protective Spirit
    • File:Protective Bond.jpg Protective Bond: only attacks or spells
    • File:Shadow Form.jpg Shadow Form (elite): if your damage packet is too high
  • Item spells
    • File:Defiant Was Xinrae.jpg Defiant Was Xinrae (elite)
  • Weapon spells
    • File:Xinrae's Weapon.jpg Xinrae's Weapon (elite)

See also

• Order of damage modifiers