Skill Effectiveness
Originally Published by Ensign
Damage is not simply a matter of the number listed in your skill’s description or on your weapon's. Guild Wars is a game that plays out in real time and that time needs to be taken into account when considering what a character's damage output will be. Characters don’t use a skill just once to deal damage, they use a skill repeatedly, limited only by two factors. The time it takes to use a skill limits a character to only a set number of skills within a given timeframe. And, over time, the issue of sustainability comes into play. Skills cost energy to use while weapons do not. There's both a time duty and an energy duty that must be paid when using a skill repeatedly while weapons only require the time it takes to swing them. The key to maximizing your damage is to make the most of your time and your energy. The following table presents several common weapons and skills - all at maximum damage or the 12 rank in the associated attribute - and displays their burst damage, Damage Per Second, their damage over time, Damage Per Minute, and the energy and time costs a character will pay during that minute. The tables are additive so you can add the DPS from a Conjured element to the DPS for a sword to find out what damage a sword buffed by Conjure Fire will do. Or you can add the DPM from Fireball to the DPM from Immolate to find out what damage a character who's going carrying both Fireball and Immolate can pump out in any given minute.
How to read this table:
Damage per Second is 'burst' damage - it's the amount of damage you'll deal with a single attack compared to the amount of time you have to spend initiating the attack. Damage per Minute is 'sustainable' damage - it's the raw amount of damage a skill will deal if you cast it as often as it recycles. The Time Duty and Energy Duty are the amount of time and energy you have to commit to that skill, per minute, to get its maximum effect.
| Sword Skill | Damage Per Second | Damage Per Minute | Time Duty | Energy Duty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sword Attack | 18.92 | 1135 | 60 | 0 |
| Conjure Element | 9.75 | 585 | 1 | 10 |
| Warrior's Cunning (60 AL) | 3.89 | 140 | 0 | 15 |
| Warrior's Cunning (100 AL) | 6.36 | 229 | 0 | 15 |
| Judge's Insight (60 AL) | 4.37 | 235 | 6.2 | 31 |
| Judge's Insight (100 AL) | 7.84 | 422 | 6.2 | 31 |
| Power Attack | 18.75 | 281 | 15 | 56.3 |
| Galrath Slash | 24 | 180 | 7.5 | 0 |
| Final Thrust | 48 | 288 | 6 | 0 |
| Axe Skill | Damage Per Second | Damage Per Minute | Time Duty | Energy Duty |
| Axe Attack | 19.37 | 1162 | 60 | 0 |
| Conjure Element | 9.75 | 585 | 1 | 10 |
| Warrior's Cunning (60 AL) | 3.99 | 143 | 0 | 15 |
| Warrior's Cunning (100 AL) | 6.51 | 234 | 0 | 15 |
| Judge's Insight (60 AL) | 4.48 | 241 | 6.2 | 31 |
| Judge's Insight (100 AL) | 8.02 | 432 | 6.2 | 31 |
| Power Attack | 18.75 | 281 | 15 | 56.3 |
| Cleave | 12 | 180 | 15 | 0 |
| Penetrating Blow (60 AL) | 13.21 | 158 | 12 | 0 |
| Penetrating Blow (100 AL) | 26.7 | 320 | 12 | 0 |
| Hammer Skill | Damage Per Second | Damage Per Minute | Time Duty | Energy Duty |
| Hammer Attack | 21.6 | 1296 | 60 | 0 |
| Conjure Element | 7.43 | 446 | 1 | 10 |
| Warrior's Cunning (60 AL) | 4.45 | 160 | 0 | 15 |
| Warrior's Cunning (100 AL) | 7.26 | 261 | 0 | 15 |
| Judge's Insight (60 AL) | 4.99 | 352 | 6.2 | 31 |
| Judge's Insight (100 AL) | 8.95 | 632 | 6.2 | 31 |
| Power Attack | 14.29 | 214 | 15 | 42.9 |
| Mighty Blow | 13.71 | 118 | 8.6 | 0 |
| Bow Skill | Damage Per Second | Damage Per Minute | Time Duty | Energy Duty |
| Half Moon Attack | 15.07 | 904 | 60 | 0 |
| Conjure Element | 6.5 | 390 | 1 | 10 |
| Read the Wind | 7.5 | 385 | 8.6 | 21.4 |
| Penetrating Attack (60 AL) | 10.28 | 206 | 20 | 100 |
| Penetrating Attack (100 AL) | 20.78 | 416 | 20 | 100 |
| Power Shot | 17 | 255 | 15 | 75 |
| Elementalist Skill | Damage Per Second | Damage Per Minute | Time Duty | Energy Duty |
| Wand/Staff Attack | 12.63 | 758 | 60 | 0 |
| Conjure Element | 7.43 | 446 | 1 | 10 |
| Flare | 22.29 | 1337 | 60 | 171.4 |
| Fireball (One Target) | 25.07 | 434 | 17.3 | 69.2 |
| Immolate | 48 | 840 | 17.5 | 100 |
| Lightning Orb (60 AL) | 38.67 | 911 | 23.6 | 128.6 |
| Lightning Orb (100 AL) | 45.99 | 1084 | 23.6 | 128.6 |
| Lightning Strike (60 AL) | 30.38 | 532 | 17.5 | 50 |
| Lightning Strike (100 AL) | 36.13 | 632 | 17.5 | 50 |
| Obsidian Flame | 34.18 | 806 | 23.6 | 85.7 |
| Stoning | 43.43 | 760 | 17.5 | 150 |
| Ice Spear | 16 | 420 | 26.3 | 75 |
| Shard Storm | 40 | 382 | 9.5 | 54.5 |
| Water Trident | 33.14 | 870 | 26.3 | 75 |
| Monk Skill | Healing Per Second | Healing Per Minute | Time Duty | Energy Duty |
| Orison of Healing | 70.4 | 2304 | 16.4 | 109.1 |
| Word of Healing | 125.73 | 2382 | 9.5 | 63.2 |
How to read this table:
Damage per Second is 'burst' damage - it's the amount of damage you'll deal with a single attack compared to the amount of time you have to spend initiating the attack. Damage per Minute is 'sustainable' damage - it's the raw amount of damage a skill will deal if you cast it as often as it recycles. The Time Duty and Energy Duty are the amount of time and energy you have to commit to that skill, per minute, to get its maximum effect.
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