Neverness to Everness · Combat Mechanics
Damage Formula Complete Guide
Everything that determines how much damage you deal — from ATK and skill ratios to CRIT, DEF ignore, elemental reactions, and the Break system.
The Complete Formula
NTE damage calculation appears to follow a chain of independent multipliers. Each step is applied sequentially — meaning that a buff in any layer multiplies the output of every layer before it. This is why DEF ignore is so powerful: it amplifies your final number after ATK, DMG Bonus, and CRIT have already been applied.
Each multiplier is multiplicative with every other layer but additive within its own layer. Example: +10% Cosmos DMG and +8% Universal DMG add together to +18% in Step 2 (same layer, additive). But that +18% then multiplies the output of Step 1 (different layers, multiplicative). This is why stacking many small bonuses in one layer yields diminishing returns — diversifying across layers is more efficient.
ATK — The Base Multiplier
How ATK works
Base ATK comes from your character level and the arc (weapon). Flat ATK (AtkAdd) from modules adds directly to the pool. ATK% (AtkUp) then multiplies the total ATK.
Skill ratios are expressed as a % of Total ATK. A skill with a 300% ratio deals 3× your ATK in base damage before any bonuses. At higher skill levels the ratio scales up — this is why upgrading Ultimate first matters: it directly multiplies every ratio on that skill.
Flat ATK vs ATK% — which is better?
It depends on your current ATK pool. Flat ATK is always the same absolute value. ATK% scales with your base. At high base ATK (late game, fully ascended), ATK% pulls ahead significantly.
- Early game / low base ATK: flat ATK from modules can be competitive
- Late game: ATK% on the cartridge main stat is almost always better than flat
- Either way, your element's DMG Bonus main stat (e.g. Cosmos DMG%) usually beats ATK% on the cartridge
DMG Bonus — Elemental & Universal
NTE has 7 elemental damage types plus a Universal bonus. All of these bonuses are additive within this layer before multiplying into the formula — meaning stacking the same type gives diminishing returns, while mixing types does not give extra multiplication.
DamageUpCosmosBaseDamageUpChaosBaseDamageUpPsycheBaseDamageUpNatureBaseDamageUpIncantationBaseDamageUpLakshanaBaseDamageUpPsychicallyBaseDamageUpGeneralBaseWhy Universal DMG matters
Universal DMG Bonus applies to all damage regardless of element. It adds directly into the same pool as your elemental bonus — so +8% Universal is equivalent to +8% of your element type. For off-element hits (chain skills, follow-ups), Universal DMG is the only bonus that applies.
Console Type bonus
Each character has a Console Type that grants a bonus per 3-cell module equipped (Shu3). Type III gives +8–10% of your element's DMG per Shu3 module. With 5 Shu3 modules: +40–50% elemental DMG purely from the grid layout — the single largest source of elemental DMG available. Use the Console Optimizer to find the best layout for your character.
CRIT System
CRIT Rate & CRIT DMG
CRIT Rate is the probability of landing a critical hit on any given damage instance. CRIT DMG is the multiplier applied when that instance crits.
Multi-hit skills & variance
Every damage instance rolls CRIT independently. A skill with 10 hits rolls 10 separate CRIT checks. At 60% CRIT Rate, you expect 6 crits — but it could be 4 or 8. Lower CRIT Rate = more variance per rotation.
Optimal CRIT ratio
The theoretical damage-maximizing ratio between CRIT Rate and CRIT DMG is approximately 1:2(e.g. 60% Rate / 120% DMG) assuming the standard gacha CRIT formula. In practice, consistency floors matter:
- Suggested floor: ~60% CRIT Rate for acceptable consistency on multi-hit ultimates
- From data Remora bonus: +10% CRIT Rate from team Lakshana+Cosmos — see Hathor Guide and Esper Cycles
- From data Street Boxer 4pc: +14% always + +14% conditional = 28% CRIT Rate
DEF & DEF Ignore
Enemy DEF reduces the damage you deal through a DEF Reduction Multiplier applied after the CRIT step. DEF ignore reduces the effective DEF used in this calculation — the higher your total DEF ignore, the closer the multiplier gets to 1 (full damage). Multiple DEF ignore sources stack additively.
Sources of DEF Ignore
Example stack: Lacrimosa with A8 (10%) + Lost Radiance 4pc (25%) + Daffodill A6 (15%) = 50% total DEF ignore during the Ultimate window. Combined with enemy being Broken ( Diabolos +12%), she can reach 62% effective DEF ignore — one of the highest achievable values in the game. See the Lacrimosa Team Guide for the full setup.
Esper Cycle Reactions
Esper Cycle reactions trigger when specific element combinations are active on a target. They are a multiplicative layer in the damage formula — applied after ATK, DMG Bonus, CRIT, and DEF. Most reactions can be enhanced by specific Esper passives.
Hexed
Trigger: Anima + Incantation
Deals a follow-up hit equal to 20% of all Anima and Incantation damage the target took in the last 12s. Each follow-up is an independent instance with its own CRIT roll.
Stain
Trigger: Psyche + Lakshana
Target takes +20% Psyche and Lakshana DMG for 12s after Esper Cycle triggers. This is a multiplicative amplifier applied to all Psyche and Lakshana hits landing during the window.
Scorch
Trigger: Incantation + Chaos
Applies a 15s DoT. Enhancement: each active DoT type on the target adds +25% DoT damage taken (max +100%). Also applies one of: -20% ATK debuff, -10% Esper RES, or +10% Break Efficiency to the target (15s, no stacking same type).
Nova
Trigger: Chaos + Psyche
After a 5s delay, deals massive Mental DMG in an area. Enhancement: if the target is already Broken when Nova detonates, deals an additional 400% ATK as bonus damage.
Discord
Trigger: Nova + Scorch active simultaneously
Reduces the target's Break cap by 10% per stack (max -20%), making the enemy easier to Break. When Discord triggers on a Broken target, deals 400% ATK as additional DMG.
Remora
Trigger: Lakshana + Cosmos
Slows target movement and attack speed for 5s (extended to 12s with Enhancement). Enhancement: all team members gain +10% CRIT Rate against the Remora-affected target.
Blossom
Trigger: Cosmos + Anima
Spawns 3 Vita Buds on the field that each explode every 2s for AoE damage. Enhancement: increases maximum buds to 6.
Break & Stagger System
How Break works
Every enemy has a stability bar (Break gauge) below their HP. Skills reduce this gauge based on their Break damage value (scaled by the UnbalIntensityBase stat — Destabilization). When the gauge hits zero, the enemy enters the Broken/Staggered state — a window of massively amplified incoming damage. The multiplier value is defined in the game engine and not exported in data.
Break Efficiency
The Scorch reaction enhancement can apply a +10% Break Efficiency debuff to enemies. This multiplies how fast their gauge depletes from your attacks. Stack with Destabilization substats for faster Break rotations.
Discord — Break cap reduction
The Discord trio reaction (Chaos + Psyche + Incantation simultaneously) has a unique effect: each trigger reduces the enemy's maximum Break cap by 10%, up to a maximum of 20%.
Additionally, when Discord triggers on an already-Broken target, Lacrimosa and Daffodill deal an additional 400% ATK bonus hit — stacking on top of the Broken state damage amplifier.
Nova on Broken targets
Nova (Chaos + Psyche) similarly deals +400% ATK additional damage if the target is already Broken when the 5s detonation fires. Coordinate your Break timing to land before Nova detonates. See the Lacrimosa Team Guide for a practical example of this combo.
Practical Tips
Stat priority by role
Multiplicative stacking efficiency
- Diversify across layers: having one source of DEF ignore, one of DMG Bonus, and good CRIT multiplies better than stacking only one layer
- DMG Bonus beyond ~100% total has sharply diminishing returns vs investing in CRIT DMG or DEF ignore
- DEF ignore is extremely efficient at high enemy DEF — each % of ignore removes proportionally more damage reduction
- Reaction multipliers are free — build teams that naturally trigger reactions without dedicating equipment slots
Multi-hit skills — why they change everything
Each independent damage instance rolls CRIT separately, applies DEF reduction separately, and can trigger on-hit effects separately. A skill with 10 hits at 50% CRIT Rate on average crits 5 times. This makes multi-hit ultimates the most efficient vehicles for CRIT investment — every % of CRIT Rate and DMG benefits from n-times multiplication.
Stat categories at a glance
Base ATK comes from the character level + equipment. Flat ATK adds directly. ATK% multiplies the total ATK pool. Both feed into every skill ratio.
Universal DMG Bonus and your element's specific bonus are additive, NOT multiplicative. Example: +10% Cosmos + +8% Universal = +18% total, not 1.10 × 1.08.
Each attack independently rolls against CRIT Rate. On multi-hit skills (e.g. Hotori's 10 Time Stop hits), every single hit rolls separately — variance matters at low CRIT Rate.
Applied as (1 + CRIT DMG) multiplier on a critical hit. Base CRIT DMG value is not confirmed in game data — every % of CRIT DMG from equipment stacks additively.
DEF Ignore is a separate stat with no connection to CRIT. Sources are always explicitly described in skill/equipment text. Multiple sources (e.g. Lost Radiance + Daffodill A6) add together.
Enemies have elemental resistance that reduces incoming damage of that type. Scorch enhancement can reduce it by -10%. Some Esper passives ignore a % of RES on specific skills.