[1.0.4] Debuffing is not that useful.

[Emaster]

Debuffing spellpower, physical power and mental power will only work if the target already has a positive value in these variables because the code only considers these value as 0 or positive.

This means if a creature has base 0 spellpower but 100 magic and get's a spellpower debuff (like Intimidated from conditioning, or from talent beckon) his spellpower will remain the same.

These debuffs would be usefull if this target had 100 spellpower and 0 magic, because the debuff would reduce this 100 to a lower number, applying the debuff.

If in this exapmple the debuff was 110 spellpower then only 100 spellpower debuff would be usefull and the rest would be "lost" because in the code the -10 would be increased to 0.

Shown in the code:

function _M:combatSpellpower(mod, add)
mod = mod or 1
add = add or 0
if self:knowTalent(self.T_ARCANE_CUNNING) then
add = add + (15 + self:getTalentLevel(self.T_ARCANE_CUNNING) * 5) * self:getCun() / 100
end
if self:knowTalent(self.T_SHADOW_CUNNING) then
add = add + (15 + self:getTalentLevel(self.T_SHADOW_CUNNING) * 5) * self:getCun() / 100
end
if self:hasEffect(self.EFF_BLOODLUST) then
add = add + self:hasEffect(self.EFF_BLOODLUST).dur
end

local am = 1
if self:attr("spellpower_reduction") then am = 1 / (1 + self:attr("spellpower_reduction")) end

local d = (self.combat_spellpower > 0 and self.combat_spellpower or 0) + add + self:getMag()
if self:attr("dazed") then d = d / 2 end
return self:rescaleCombatStats(d) * mod * am
end

[supermini]

Not sure what we are talking about here. Most spells scale off spellpower, not magic, and if something has 0 spellpower it's probably dazed, in which case, yes, trying to reduce its spellpower any further will not work.

It's like saying that trying to stun a critter that's already stunned is not that useful.

[Theyleon]

He's saying that debuffs to enemy *power stats are only affecting their base (pre-stat) value - a critter might have 5 base spell power, and then have 50 magic adding another 30 or whatever it works out to with the diminishing returns. A debuff of 20 to this critter would only reduce their spell power by 5 if I've understood what he's getting at correctly, not reducing the amount gained from its magic stat at all.

[supermini]

I didn't really get that from his post. If that's the case, then I agree.

[Emaster]

He's saying that debuffs to enemy *power stats are only affecting their base (pre-stat) value - a critter might have 5 base spell power, and then have 50 magic adding another 30 or whatever it works out to with the diminishing returns. A debuff of 20 to this critter would only reduce their spell power by 5 if I've understood what he's getting at correctly, not reducing the amount gained from its magic stat at all.

Yea, that is what's happening right now.

The power debuffs are only reducing buffs and not base stats. Meaning in some cases the debuff will not work.

[XLambda]

If this is the case, then it needs to be fixed IMHO.