Maintenance for the week of April 6:
• PC/Mac: No maintenance – April 6

Do weapon upgrades increase spell damage?

neo7185
neo7185
✭✭✭
Hello Everyone, my apologies if this is a repeat, but haven't been able to find definitive answer. I think I know, but looking for confirmation.

Example: If I were running a magicka templar, dual wield swords on the dps bar, and those swords were epic/purple.

Would upgrading those swords to legendary/gold increase my spell damage? If so, how much?
  • Saint314Louis1985
    Saint314Louis1985
    ✭✭✭
    yes.

    alot if the weapons are v16
  • DRXHarbinger
    DRXHarbinger
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭
    neo7185 wrote: »
    Hello Everyone, my apologies if this is a repeat, but haven't been able to find definitive answer. I think I know, but looking for confirmation.

    Example: If I were running a magicka templar, dual wield swords on the dps bar, and those swords were epic/purple.

    Would upgrading those swords to legendary/gold increase my spell damage? If so, how much?

    About a 300 increase on golds. Massive boost.
    PC Master Race

    1001CP
    8 Flawless Toons, all Classes.
    Master Angler
    Dro-M'artha Destroyer (at last)
    Tamriel Hero
    Grand Overlord
    Every Skyshard
    Down With BOP!
  • neo7185
    neo7185
    ✭✭✭
    Thank you for the answers, just to make sure and clarify I'm not talking about a staff to spell damage or mace to weapon damage, but the specific example above.
  • DRXHarbinger
    DRXHarbinger
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭
    Yes it doesn't make a difference. DW swords boost your damage. Go into the skill line and there is a passive there that gives an extra 5% too. It says swords increase damage by 2.5% each. Doesn't matter if spell, weapon etc. All good.
    PC Master Race

    1001CP
    8 Flawless Toons, all Classes.
    Master Angler
    Dro-M'artha Destroyer (at last)
    Tamriel Hero
    Grand Overlord
    Every Skyshard
    Down With BOP!
  • neo7185
    neo7185
    ✭✭✭
    Gotcha, yea I knew about the passives and everything just wanted to be 100% on the up in general. Made the change to dual wield for a new build and the cost of tempering on console is a little ridiculous right now. Thank you everyone for the replies.
  • Concenaros
    Concenaros
    ✭✭✭
    Hey guys,

    Since this is a Magicka Q thread and I don't wanna make a new thread just for this simple question...

    Whats the advantages to Dual sword over Destruction Staff? Is it just better DPS or something? (Total Noob question, I know)

    Sorry OP in advance for posting a Q in your Thread.
    "What is your purpose here, Arisen? If you sought to live you had naught but run and hide yourself away. But then, tell me, child of man... what does it mean to live in truth? To wage war against the passing days? To pray to the unseen for a few breaths more? To raise grand cities from stone, and spawn new life in turn? Mankind has done this, yes, and more. But is the tapestry you weave truly of your own design?"
    Rhylarr - Lvl 30 - XBOX ONE - Aldmeri Dominion
    Flowki Engarson - Lvl 22 - XBOX ONE - Daggerfall Convenant
    Concenaros - Lvl 24 - XBOX ONE - Ebonheart Pact
    Targoth Gro'Urgash - Lvl 8 - XBOX ONE - Dagerfall Covenant
  • NewBlacksmurf
    NewBlacksmurf
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Concenaros wrote: »
    Hey guys,

    Since this is a Magicka Q thread and I don't wanna make a new thread just for this simple question...

    Whats the advantages to Dual sword over Destruction Staff? Is it just better DPS or something? (Total Noob question, I know)

    Sorry OP in advance for posting a Q in your Thread.

    If a player has enchants and traits ...the two in the character stat sheet apply more than one destruct staff with the those same enchants and traits
    -PC (PTS)/Xbox One: NewBlacksmurf
    ~<{[50]}>~ looks better than *501
  • waterfairy
    waterfairy
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭
    Dual wield weapons affect spell damage?
  • Concenaros
    Concenaros
    ✭✭✭
    Concenaros wrote: »
    Hey guys,

    Since this is a Magicka Q thread and I don't wanna make a new thread just for this simple question...

    Whats the advantages to Dual sword over Destruction Staff? Is it just better DPS or something? (Total Noob question, I know)

    Sorry OP in advance for posting a Q in your Thread.

    If a player has enchants and traits ...the two in the character stat sheet apply more than one destruct staff with the those same enchants and traits

    Ah thanks for the reply. I guess that does make sense. :smile:
    "What is your purpose here, Arisen? If you sought to live you had naught but run and hide yourself away. But then, tell me, child of man... what does it mean to live in truth? To wage war against the passing days? To pray to the unseen for a few breaths more? To raise grand cities from stone, and spawn new life in turn? Mankind has done this, yes, and more. But is the tapestry you weave truly of your own design?"
    Rhylarr - Lvl 30 - XBOX ONE - Aldmeri Dominion
    Flowki Engarson - Lvl 22 - XBOX ONE - Daggerfall Convenant
    Concenaros - Lvl 24 - XBOX ONE - Ebonheart Pact
    Targoth Gro'Urgash - Lvl 8 - XBOX ONE - Dagerfall Covenant
  • UrQuan
    UrQuan
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Concenaros wrote: »
    Hey guys,

    Since this is a Magicka Q thread and I don't wanna make a new thread just for this simple question...

    Whats the advantages to Dual sword over Destruction Staff? Is it just better DPS or something? (Total Noob question, I know)

    Sorry OP in advance for posting a Q in your Thread.
    You get higher spell damage with dual wield than you do with a staff (because spell damage is based on weapon damage plus modifiers, and you have higher weapon damage), and with swords in particular there's a passive in the dual wield line that increases your damage done with swords equipped.

    So you get better DPS at the expense of some sustain (no heavy attacks that restore magicka) and not being able to use destro staff skills. Also you can only weave light attacks if you're in melee, which isn't what some magicka DPS builds want.

    Caius Drusus Imperial DK (DC)
    Bragg Ironhand Orc Temp (DC)
    Neesha Stalks-Shadows Argonian NB (EP)
    Falidir Altmer Sorcr (AD)
    J'zharka Khajiit NB (AD)
    Isabeau Runeseer Breton Sorc (DC)
    Fevassa Dunmer DK (EP)
    Manut Redguard Temp (AD)
    Tylera the Summoner Altmer Sorc (EP)
    Svari Snake-Blood Nord DK (AD)
    Ashlyn D'Elyse Breton NB (EP)
    Filindria Bosmer Temp (DC)
    Vigbjorn the Wanderer Nord Warden (EP)
    Hrokki Winterborn Breton Warden (DC)
    Basks-in-the-Sunshine Argonian Temp
    Someone stole my sweetroll
  • bigted209
    bigted209
    ✭✭✭
    Since we are on the subject, something I've always wondered..... Staves. Do they base off of spell damage or weapon damage? May be a no brainier/duh sort of question, but one that has always been in the back of my mind.
  • waterfairy
    waterfairy
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭
    UrQuan wrote: »
    You get higher spell damage with dual wield than you do with a staff (because spell damage is based on weapon damage plus modifiers, and you have higher weapon damage), and with swords in particular there's a passive in the dual wield line that increases your damage done with swords equipped.

    So you get better DPS at the expense of some sustain (no heavy attacks that restore magicka) and not being able to use destro staff skills. Also you can only weave light attacks if you're in melee, which isn't what some magicka DPS builds want.

    Wow why would spell damage feed off of weapon damage if staffs are the staple of a sorcerer? Makes no sense imo...I've always assumed it's based on magicka like weapon damage is with stamina.

    So is it higher stamina=higher weapon damage= higher spell damage?
    Edited by waterfairy on March 29, 2016 7:18PM
  • bigted209
    bigted209
    ✭✭✭
    Vigarr wrote: »
    UrQuan wrote: »
    You get higher spell damage with dual wield than you do with a staff (because spell damage is based on weapon damage plus modifiers, and you have higher weapon damage), and with swords in particular there's a passive in the dual wield line that increases your damage done with swords equipped.

    So you get better DPS at the expense of some sustain (no heavy attacks that restore magicka) and not being able to use destro staff skills. Also you can only weave light attacks if you're in melee, which isn't what some magicka DPS builds want.

    Wow why would spell damage feed off of weapon damage if staffs are the staple of a sorcerer? Makes no sense imo...I've always assumed it's based on magicka like weapon damage is with stamina.

    So is it higher stamina=higher weapon damage= higher spell damage?

    The wording of the dual wield passive is increase damage done by x%, spell damage falls in to that. That's why you see so many sorcs/magic based characters running 2 swords over a staff
  • UrQuan
    UrQuan
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Vigarr wrote: »
    UrQuan wrote: »
    You get higher spell damage with dual wield than you do with a staff (because spell damage is based on weapon damage plus modifiers, and you have higher weapon damage), and with swords in particular there's a passive in the dual wield line that increases your damage done with swords equipped.

    So you get better DPS at the expense of some sustain (no heavy attacks that restore magicka) and not being able to use destro staff skills. Also you can only weave light attacks if you're in melee, which isn't what some magicka DPS builds want.

    Wow why would spell damage feed off of weapon damage if staffs are the staple of a sorcerer? Makes no sense imo...I've always assumed it's based on magicka like weapon damage is with stamina.

    So is it higher stamina=higher weapon damage= higher spell damage?
    No. Spell damage is based off the unmodified weapon damage you've got from your equipped weapons, and is then modified by your magicka pool and any other effects that increase/reduce your spell damage. Anything that modifies your weapon damage beyond that provided purely by the weapons you've got equipped (such as your stamina pool, etc) has no effect on your spell damage.

    The passive from the swords under the Dual Wield skill line is different because it affects your damage done, so it applies to things based on weapon damage and things based on spell damage.
    Caius Drusus Imperial DK (DC)
    Bragg Ironhand Orc Temp (DC)
    Neesha Stalks-Shadows Argonian NB (EP)
    Falidir Altmer Sorcr (AD)
    J'zharka Khajiit NB (AD)
    Isabeau Runeseer Breton Sorc (DC)
    Fevassa Dunmer DK (EP)
    Manut Redguard Temp (AD)
    Tylera the Summoner Altmer Sorc (EP)
    Svari Snake-Blood Nord DK (AD)
    Ashlyn D'Elyse Breton NB (EP)
    Filindria Bosmer Temp (DC)
    Vigbjorn the Wanderer Nord Warden (EP)
    Hrokki Winterborn Breton Warden (DC)
    Basks-in-the-Sunshine Argonian Temp
    Someone stole my sweetroll
  • Pyr0xyrecuprotite
    Pyr0xyrecuprotite
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Yes, you get a spell damage boost from upgrading your weapons, either to higher levels or higher quality, or both. The gain is not large, usually maybe +1-2% per level and/or quality level upgrade. Easiest way to see the difference is by checking the tooltip value for damage done on slotted spells, with and without the new weapons.

    Dual wield Swords help your spell damage and damage done in a few ways:
    1. You can slot TWO weapons. Every weapon that you slot provides a certain amount towards your overall spell damage. MOST weapons provide the same amount (for a specific level and quality), i.e. staves, bows and one-handed weapons all provide about the same boost to your spell damage. The exception is that Two-handed Swords, Axes and Mauls all provide about 80-85% more of a damage boost than one-handed weapons do. That said, the boost from two one-handed weapons is higher than that from a single two-hander.
    2. The "Twin-blade and bunt" passive in the dual-wield line gives you a 2.5% damage boost PER sword - this applies to spell damage too. Note that there is a similar passive for two-handed weapons which gives 2H Swords a +5% increase to your damage done. You need to have the passive enabled to get either boost, of course.
    3. With dual-wield swords, you have the possibility of one additional set item bonus, over a single slot weapon (e.g. staff or 2H weapon). If this is a Torug's pact set, you can get extra spell damage for having 2 items of the set - or there are other configurations where you can tweak your build so that you have extra magic or spell damage when you have dual wield weapons in the set, over whatever is in your other bar.

    Note that you may still prefer to slot a Destruction staff to have ranged or AOE magic DPS abilities - it's not as easy to build up ultimate if you are ranged and can't do light attacks on the boss with your shiny dual wield swords...
  • LadyNalcarya
    LadyNalcarya
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    It affects you damage values. Upgrading to golden adds 200 spell/weapon dmg.
    Here's my char with odd golden staff (I dont have set bonus on it and use it as placeholder until I have Maelstrom inferno)
    3que6u9.png

    And here's the same char with odd purple vr16 staff (defending, lol, but that's the only one I had).
    YY0ra0i.png
    Edited by LadyNalcarya on March 29, 2016 7:32PM
    Dro-m'Athra Destroyer | Divayth Fyr's Coadjutor | Voice of Reason

    PC/EU
  • waterfairy
    waterfairy
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭
    @UrQuan
    Thanks for clarifying.

    I guess it's good that I decided to use dual wield instead of 2H on my backup bar for my new templar then. I was aiming for a better dps choice as well as what suits his character best but added spell damage is a nice bonus.
Sign In or Register to comment.