Diablo 4 Damage Buckets (How Damage Works)
In this deep dive, we’ll be covering how Diablo 4 damage buckets work, which will also explain how damage output in general functions.
By understanding how this works, you’ll be able to maximize your damage output by making sure that your numbers are multiplied rather than added.
This is definitely a complicated topic so do not hesitate to ask us any questions in the comments below!
Since this post was created before launch and some of the theories have been confirmed or debunked since then, make sure to check out the Editor’s Note.
Damage Buckets Overview
In Diablo 4, damage stats are divided into categories or “buckets”. By understanding how the different types of damage stats and types, you can deal more damage by multiplying stats rather than just adding them.
TLDR, the goal in Diablo 4 is to stop doing this:
And instead, do this:
In this article, we’ll help you understand how they are categorized to help you optimize your build’s damage output!
EDITOR’S NOTE
The original video by our friends at Goblin Inc was based on testing from the beta period.
Since then, although many of the concepts were confirmed to be true, some have since been adjusted after the game’s release.
Here’s another look back at the video to explain the overall concept and theory:
At the time, the theorized Damage Buckets were:
- Main Stats
- Critical Strike
- Vulnerability
- Damage Versus
- Damage While
- Damage With
- Damage From
- All Damage
However, after some post-release testing, here are more up-to-date categorizations from SnowRaven’s Spreadsheet (definitely worth a bookmark!):
- Main Stats
- [X]% Damage
- Attack Speed Bonus (doesn’t affect numbers directly but helps you cast more often)
- Critical Strike
- Additive Damage
- [+]% Damage, Damage VS = Damage To, Damage While, and Damage With
- Vulnerable Damage
SnowRaven’s new categories are understood within this formula:
Main Stat * (Big bucket of all additives) * Vuln * CritDmg * Global multipliers (aspects, passives with (x))
Updated Damage Buckets By Class
Barbarian
- Main Stat
- Strength
- [X] % Damage
- Attack Speed Bonus (doesn’t affect numbers directly but helps you cast more often)
- Critical Strike
- Critical Strike Chance
- Critical Chance vs Injured
- Critical Strike Damage
- Critical Strike Damage vs CC
- Critical Strike Damage vs Vulnerable
- Critical Strike Damage with Core
- Additive Damage
- [+]% Damage
- Damage vs Bleeding
- Damage vs CC
- Damage vs Close
- Damage vs Distant
- Damage vs Elites
- Damage vs Healthy
- Damage vs Injured
- Damage vs Knocked Down
- Damage vs Slowed
- Damage vs Stunned
- Damage while Berserking
- Damage while Fortified
- Damage while Healthy
- Damage with Axe
- Damage with Basic
- Damage with Bleeding
- Damage with Bludgeoning
- Damage with Brawling
- Damage with Core
- Damage with Dual Wielding
- Damage with Mace
- Damage with Physical
- Damage with Polearm
- Damage with Slashing
- Damage with Swapped Weapons
- Damage with Sword
- Damage with Weapon Mastery
- Vulnerable Damage
Druid
- Main Stat
- Willpower
- [X] % Damage
- Attack Speed Bonus (doesn’t affect numbers directly but helps you cast more often)
- Critical Strike
- Critical Strike Chance
- Critical Strike Chance vs Injured
- Critical Strike Damage
- Critical Strike Damage vs CC
- Critical Strike Damage vs Vulnerable
- Critical Strike Damage vs Core
- Critical Strike Damage with Earth
- Critical Strike Damage with Lightning
- Critical Strike Damage with Poison
- Critical Strike Damage with Werewolf
- Additive Damage
- [+] % Damage
- Damage vs CC
- Damage vs Close
- Damage vs Distant
- Damage vs Elites
- Damage vs Healthy
- Damage vs Immobilized
- Damage vs Injured
- Damage vs Poisoned
- Damage vs Slowed
- Damage vs Stunned
- Damage while Fortified
- Damage while Healthy
- Damage while Human
- Damage while Shapeshifted
- Damage while Werebear
- Damage while Werewolf
- Damage with Basic
- Damage with Companion
- Damage with Core
- Damage with Earth
- Damage with Lightning
- Damage with Physical
- Damage with Poison
- Damage with Storm
- Damage with Werebear
- Damage with Werewolf
- Vulnerable Damage
Necromancer
- Main Stat
- Intelligence
- [X] % Damage
- Attack Speed Bonus (doesn’t affect numbers directly but helps you cast more often)
- Critical Strike
- Critical Strike Chance
- Critical Strike Chance vs Injured
- Critical Strike Damage
- Critical Strike Damage vs CC
- Critical Strike Damage vs Vulnerable
- Critical Strike Damage with Blood
- Critical Strike Damage with Bone
- Critical Strike Damage with Core
- Critical Strike Damage with Shadow
- Additive Damage
- [+] % Damage
- Damage vs CC
- Damage vs Chilled
- Damage vs Close
- Damage vs Distant
- Damage vs Frozen
- Damage vs Healthy
- Damage vs Injured
- Damage vs Slowed
- Damage vs Stunned
- Damage while Healthy
- Damage while Fortified
- Damage with Basic
- Damage with Blood
- Damage with Bone
- Damage with Core
- Damage with Darkness
- Damage with Minions
- Damage with Physical
- Damage with Shadow
- Damage with Shadow DoT
- Damage with Golem
- Damage with Blood Orb
- Damage with Mages
- Damage with Warriors
- Vulnerable Damage
Rogue
- Main Stat
- Dexterity
- [X] % Damage
- Attack Speed Bonus (doesn’t affect numbers directly but helps you cast more often)
- Critical Strike
- Critical Strike Chance
- Critical Strike Chance vs Injured
- Critical Strike Damage
- Critical Strike Damage vs CC
- Critical Strike Damage vs Vulnerable
- Critical Strike Damage with Cold
- Critical Strike with Imbued
- Critical Strike with Poison
- Critical Strike with Shadow
- Additive Damage
- [+] % Damage
- Damage vs CC
- Damage vs Chilled
- Damage vs Close
- Damage vs Dazed
- Damage vs Distant
- Damage vs Elites
- Damage vs Frozen
- Damage vs Healthy
- Damage vs Injured
- Damage vs Knocked Down
- Damage vs Poison
- Damage vs Slowed
- Damage vs Stunned
- Damage vs Trapped
- Damage while Healthy
- Damage while Fortified
- Damage with Basic
- Damage with Cold
- Damage with Core
- Damage with Cutthroat
- Damage with Dual Wielding
- Damage with Imbued
- Damage with Marksman
- Damage with Poison
- Damage with Ranged
- Damage with Shadow
- Damage with Trap
- Damage from Dodging
- Vulnerable Damage
Sorcerer
- Main Stat
- Intelligence
- [X] % Damage
- Attack Speed Bonus (doesn’t affect numbers directly but helps you cast more often)
- Critical Strike
- Critical Strike Chance
- Critical Strike Chance vs Injured
- Critical Strike Damage
- Critical Strike Damage vs CC
- Critical Strike Damage vs Vulnerable
- Critical Strike Damage with Cold
- Critical Strike Damage with Core
- Critical Strike Damage with Fire
- Critical Strike Damage with Lightning
- Additive Damage
- [+] % Damage
- Damage vs CC
- Damage vs Chilled
- Damage vs Close
- Damage vs Distant
- Damage vs Elites
- Damage vs Frozen
- Damage vs Healthy
- Damage vs Immobilized
- Damage vs Injured
- Damage vs Slowed
- Damage while Healthy
- Damage with Basic
- Damage with Burning
- Damage with Conjuration
- Damage with Cold
- Damage with Core
- Damage with Crackling Energy
- Damage with Fire
- Damage with Frost
- Damage with Lightning
- Damage with Pyromancy
- Damage with Shock
- Vulnerable Damage
Thanks for reading! For more in-depth breakdowns like this, check out our other Diablo 4 deep dives.
