Types of damage...

[mikaeliby]

I have some questions on damage in ESO. So there is Physical damage, Oblivion damage, Magic damage, Flame/Frost/Shock damage. What is the difference, what is better or worse, and against what? Like, in earlier ES-games undead are more sensible to fire and Dunmer are more resiliant to fire. Is anything like that in ESO or is it all just names put on different animations?

[Lowbei]

yes. things have weaknesses and races have resistance bonuses

[mikaeliby]

So far so good. But is generally higher damage numbers always better, or is some type that is more specific to the current enemy better even though it might be much lower?

[Lowbei]

generally higher damage numbers are better yes. damage type isnt a big factor tho for the most part. im not slotting a flame staff to fight an ice atronoch if thats what you mean.

[mikaeliby]

I have not felt the need for that kind of tactics either. I´ll keep zapping and staffing with whatever is the highest :)

[Mai Selph]

There are rare situations where your damage type matters.
A good example is the Elemental Catalyst set: "Whenever you deal Flame, Shock, or Frost Damage, you apply a stack of Flame, Shock, or Frost Weakness to the enemy for 3 seconds. Each stack of an Elemental Weakness increases their Critical Damage taken by 5%."
Which means, the person running this set (typically a necro or a warden) must use weapons and skills which deal Flame, Shock and Frost damage, and maintain the three weaknesses on the enemy to increase the group's damage output.

So, damage type in itself doesn't really matter, but there are abilities and sets which require a certain kind of damage to work.

[mikaeliby]

So whatever is Oblivion damage anyway? Physical is easily understood, elemental also.

[Lowbei]

Originally posted by mikaeliby:

So whatever is Oblivion damage anyway? Physical is easily understood, elemental also.

damage that cant be shielded thru

[mikaeliby]

Ah, OK! So it goes through shields and wards, or just shields?

And what characterizes "magical damage" that is not flame/frost/shock?

[Lowbei]

Originally posted by mikaeliby:

Ah, OK! So it goes through shields and wards, or just shields?

And what characterizes "magical damage" that is not flame/frost/shock?

the term wards and shields are used interchangably. any damage shield is ignored by oblivion damage.

magical damage is elemental (flame, frost, shock) and ‘magic damage’ which is just general magic damage

[mikaeliby]

So does "magic damage" go through shields too, or does it have other effects?

[Lowbei]

Originally posted by mikaeliby:

So does "magic damage" go through shields too, or does it have other effects?

no only oblivion damage goes thru shields. magic damage has no additional effects.

[mikaeliby]

:) So it´s a pointless enchant then? I mean now I pick up a staff and it has like 1103dmg + 2444 flame enchant, or 1322 magic damage enchant. Why would anyone want that, and why do they spawn at the same level even?

Or is it all just for fun and in the end damage is damage and the highest numbers count?

[Lowbei]

Originally posted by mikaeliby:

:) So it´s a pointless enchant then? I mean now I pick up a staff and it has like 1103dmg + 2444 flame enchant, or 1322 magic damage enchant. Why would anyone want that, and why do they spawn at the same level even?

Or is it all just for fun and in the end damage is damage and the highest numbers count?

oblivion damage is extremely good in pvp because it ignores peoples damage shields

in pve you will want a spell or weapon damage enchant on for sure.

but yes, damage is damage. numbers win

[Poot]

Lowbei is slightly underselling oblivion damage's effect. Its absolute flat damage, it cannot crit, it cannot be blocked, it ignores resistances AND damage shields. its ideal in pvp for all those reasons, however the same reasons are its downfall in pve

[Percello]

Originally posted by mikaeliby:

I have some questions on damage in ESO. So there is Physical damage, Oblivion damage, Magic damage, Flame/Frost/Shock damage. What is the difference, what is better or worse, and against what? Like, in earlier ES-games undead are more sensible to fire and Dunmer are more resiliant to fire. Is anything like that in ESO or is it all just names put on different animations?

Things have resistances and things have weaknesses. The difference would be that some damage types would be more effective on certain enemies.