Damage Calculation in Child of Light

This guide explains how damage, resistances, and healing are calculated in Child of Light, feat. MATH (it's simple math, I promise), along with a new and comprehensive bestiary of enemies!

Introduction

EDIT: Expanded “Modifiers” subsection to explain how combined oculi and non-oculi modifiers affect damage.
EDIT 2: Added “Healing Formula” section.
EDIT 3: Added tweaks to “Healing Formula” section to include relevant DLC.
EDIT 4: Added “Bestiary” section and added some miscellaneous clarifying details (e.g., maximum stats, resistance modifiers, and difficulty changes).
EDITS 5 & 6: Corrected formatting inconsistencies.

Why do this?

I’ve created this guide to answer a question that’s been nagging at me for years: how is damage calculated in Child of Light? Strength, Attack Power, Speed, Magic, Spell Power, Resistances; how do all of these factors influence each other to determine the final damage output? I've never been able to find any concrete information about this online, so I finally sat down to do it myself.

Essential Information

Attacks in Child of Light deal either physical or magical damage, and only certain stats apply to each type of attack. A physical attack makes use of a character’s Strength stat, while a magical attack makes use of the Magic stat.
Aurora's Strength and Magic stats.

Attack/Spell Power varies based on the attack/spell and the attack’s/spell’s Rank, so it’s displayed in each character’s skill tree as opposed to their stat card. This number is rounded down to the nearest integer (that will be important later).
The Attack Power of Óengus's Rank 3 “Kategida Cleave.”

Damage Formulae

Caveats

- In case it isn't obvious, the resistances in the formulae are from the mob, not from the attacking character.

- For the sake of comprehensibility, the formulae take resistances as percentages rather than raw Defense/Magic Defense values, since percentages are more intuitive. For example, a Physical Resistance of 35% can be rewritten as 35/100 (i.e., 0.35), which can then be plugged into the corresponding formula with no hassle.

- Speed does not affect the amount of damage dealt in a single instance; while a faster character gets to take more turns (and so in theory deals more damage overall), that’s a sum total of multiple instances of damage, which isn’t what I’m trying to answer.

- For the same reason as stated above, I’m also ignoring “expected” damage, which would need to take each character’s Critical Hit stat into account (critical hits deal x2 damage).

Physical Damage

The formula for determining damage from a physical attack is:

Damage = (Attack Power × Strength ÷ 10) × (1 - Physical Resistance).

I’ve dubbed the “Attack Power × Strength ÷ 10” term “Pure Damage,” since it’s the total damage a character would deal before applying a mob’s resistance.

Magical Damage*

The formula for determining damage from a magical attack is:

Damage = (Spell Power × Magic ÷ 10) × (1 - Magical Resistance).

Once again, “Spell Power × Magic ÷ 10” is the character’s Pure Damage.

*Robert’s Magical Damage

For some reason, Robert’s magical attacks do not follow the above formula. Robert’s magical attacks use this formula:

Damage = (Spell Power × Magic × Strength ÷ 1000) × (1 - Physical Resistance).

Modifiers

There are two types of modifiers: oculi modifiers and non-oculi modifiers. This will be important in a moment.

Oculi that increase Attack/Spell Power modify the value displayed in the skill tree, but as mentioned previously, that value is rounded down to the nearest integer. For example, placing a Princess Stone in Aurora’s weapon slot increases her Attack Power by 40%.
A Princess Stone in Aurora's weapon slot.

The base Attack Power of Aurora’s Rank 3 “Slash” is 38, and 38 × 1.4 = 53.2. 53.2 should be used as the Attack Power value in the respective formula, even though in Aurora’s skill tree it’s rounded down to 53.
Attack Power before Princess Stone.

Attack Power after Princess Stone.

Finn’s passive skill “Rage of the Capilli” is a non-oculi modifier and does not affect his displayed Spell Power at all (but obviously does affect his magical damage output). Other non-oculi modifiers include Aurora’s “Elevate Damage” (+45% for Rank 3) and damage elixirs (+30%). “Elevate Damage” and damage elixirs do not stack.
Finn’s Rank 3 “Rage of the Capilli” skill.

Now for why the modifier types matter: if there are two modifiers of the same type present, then they are added together, not multiplied. For non-oculi modifiers, that is only relevant for Finn when he gets a damage boost from Aurora or a damage elixir.

For example, putting a Princess Stone in Finn’s accessory slot (+35% to Spell Power) and a Brilliant Onyx in his weapon slot (+25% to Spell Power) will together give a +60% boost to Spell Power, not +68.75% as would be expected if they were multiplied together (i.e., it’s 1 + 0.35 + 0.25 as opposed to 1.35 × 1.25).
Oculi modifiers that both affect Spell Power.

Modifiers of different types are not added together. “Rage of the Capilli” is a non-oculi modifier, so it is multiplied with whatever bonuses Finn gets from oculi.

This distinction between modifier types is really only important for Spell Power, since it isn’t possible to stack two modifiers of the same type for Attack Power. Apart from Finn, it also isn’t possible to stack two non-oculi modifiers for Spell Power.

Here’s an expanded version of the magical damage formula to show how these modifiers affect the damage of a character like Finn:

Damage = (1 + Non-Oculi Modifier + Non-Oculi Modifier) × (1 + Oculi Modifier + Oculi Modifier) × (Spell Power × Magic ÷ 10) × (1 - Magical Resistance).

That may look intimidating, so here’s that same formula but with numbers added in:
Finn’s Magic stat.

Spell Power of Finn’s Rank 3 “Lightning Strike” (without oculi modifiers).

• Non-Oculi Modifiers (0.3 from Finn’s Rank 3 “Rage of the Capilli”; 0.45 from Aurora’s Rank 3 “Elevate Damage”)
1 + 0.3 + 0.45 = 1.75

• Oculi Modifiers (0.35 from Princess Stone; 0.25 from Brilliant Onyx)
1 + 0.35 + 0.25 = 1.6

• Pure Damage
50 × 281 ÷ 10 = 1405

• Magical Resistance (assuming 35% Magical Resistance)
1 - 0.35 = 0.65

• Final Answer
1.75 × 1.6 × 1405 × 0.65 = 2557.1 → 2557 (rounded down)

Resistance Formula

Character Resistances

Character resistances are where things get tricky, since we don’t have easy access to mob stats. However, after much head-scratching, I’ve found the formula that calculates how much damage a character will take:

Damage Taken = Pure Damage × (600 - Stat) ÷ 600.

“Stat” represents Defense for physical attacks and Magic Defense for magical attacks.
Óengus’s Defense and Magic Defense stats.

Caveats

- To answer the inevitable question: no, a character cannot have a Defense/Magic Defense value higher than 600; the game will not let you increase it any more. However, a Defense value of 600 (as pictured in Óengus’s stats) does mean that character is totally immune to physical damage (however, any status ailments like Slow or Paralyze will still go through).

- On a similar note, the maximum Dodge chance is 50%; just like with Defense and Magic Defense, the game will not let you increase it any more.

- To convert a character’s Defense or Magic Defense to a percentage, just divide by 6:

Resistance as % = Stat ÷ 6.

In other words, every 6 points in Defense/Magic Defense adds another 1% to that resistance. For example, Tristis has 430 Defense, and therefore has 71.667% Physical Resistance.
Tristis’s Defense stat.

- Gen has an innate 75% Water Resistance, so incoming Water damage is multiplied by 0.25 when targeting her. Unlike some damage modifiers, no resistance modifiers are ever added together, so the only way to get 100% resistance is to use stardusts to modify the character’s Defense/Magic Defense. The longest chain of resistances a character could stack would be Gen:

Pure (Water) Damage × [1 - (Stat ÷ 600)] (Baseline) × 0.2 (Rank 3 “Defend”) × 0.25 (Gen) × 0.75 (Princess Stone in armor slot) × 0.75 (Tristis’s “Ultimate Armor”)

To put it another way, 97.1875% of the Water damage would be negated before even applying Gen’s Physical/Magical Resistance, which would be dependent on her personal Defense/Magic Defense stat.

Healing Formula

I honestly forgot about healing when I first made this guide, so here’s how healing spells are calculated.

The formula for a healing spell is: (Spell Power × Magic ÷ 10) + Base Heal.

Rubella’s Magic stat.

The “Spell Power × Magic ÷ 10” term is Pure Health instead of Pure Damage, and follows the same mechanics for calculating damage (e.g., modifiers).

Base Heal is determined by the Rank of the healing spell, and the scaling differs between different spells. This is the scaling of Base Heal for the available healing spells:

Heal (Light Aurora DLC): 0
Regenerate (Golem’s Plight DLC): 15, 30, 60
Taunt: 0, 0, 50
Heal: 20, 30, 46
Heal (All): 10, 20, 30
Counter Heal: 10, 15, 20
Antidote & Antidote (All): 0, 30, 40

Spells like “Regenerate,” “Taunt,” and “Antidote” have a Spell Power of 0, so their Pure Health is 0 and all health gained from their effects are from their Base Heal.

“Counter Heal” is a bit opaque since its Spell Power isn’t displayed in the skill tree, but I used oculi modifiers to create a system of equations so I could solve for its Spell Power and Base Heal.
Rubella’s Rank 3 “Counter Heal” spell.

Counter Heal (Spell Power): 33, 42, 53

Bestiary

Introduction

I realize that it’s difficult to apply the knowledge in this guide without knowledge of each enemy’s Physical and Magical Resistances, so I’ve complied them all here. I document a mob in the first section of the game where it appears, so there are no duplicate entries. If you have trouble finding a mob, it’s probably because it appeared in an earlier section.

The “type” of a mob includes what kind of damage it does (physical or magical), whether it’s a mob or boss, and what element it is (if applicable). I included Defense and Magic Defense values alongside percentages so you can compare them to your characters’ stats.

I didn’t calculate enemy health or Pure Damage from attacks/spells, both because those values vary depending on difficulty and also because any figures I’d come up with would be estimates at best (in other words, it’d be a ton of work for an inexact payoff). At least with resistances, I can be precise and applicable to both difficulties for a comparatively lesser amount of work.

Some of the mobs I named after unpacking some of the game’s files and reading asset names (for some reason the names were not encrypted, which is how I was able to read them), some I invented myself, and most were just a variation on one of their attacks (e.g., “Ghastly Wail” → Wailer).

- Mahthildis Forest

The area I’m defining as “Mahthildis Forest” stretches from the entrance to the Tree of Thorns on the leftmost edge to the Old Monastery on the right.

Creeper

Type: Physical Earth Mob
Defense: 210 (35%)
Magic Defense: 210 (35%)
• +50% to incoming Fire dmg

Knocker

Type: Physical Mob
Defense: 320 (53.333%)
Magic Defense: 210 (35%)

Wailer

Type: Magical Dark Mob
Defense: 400 (66.667%)
Magic Defense: 210 (35%)
• +50% to incoming Light dmg

Guardian

Type: Physical Dark Boss
Defense: 260 (43.333%)
Magic Defense: 210 (35%)
Co-boss: Blind Guardian
• +50% to incoming Light dmg

Blind Guardian

Type: Physical Dark Boss
Defense: 260 (43.333%)
Magic Defense: 210 (35%)
Co-boss: Guardian
• +50% to incoming Light dmg

Flyer (Earth)

Type: Physical Earth Mob
Defense: 210 (35%)
Magic Defense: 210 (35%)
• +50% to incoming Fire dmg

Spider (Earth)

Type: Physical Earth Mob
Defense: 210 (35%)
Magic Defense: 210 (35%)
• +50% to incoming Fire dmg

Howler

Type: Physical Mob
Defense: 210 (35%)
Magic Defense: 20 (3.333%)

Ogre

Type: Physical Boss
Defense: 100 (16.667%)
Magic Defense: 420 (70%)
Minions: 2 Howlers

- Tree of Thorns

The area I’m defining as the “Tree of Thorns” stretches from the entrance to the Mahthildis Forest on the rightmost edge to the entrance of the Capilli village well on the left. The spiders you have to fight for the “Pastoral Panic” request are Longleg Spiders.

Longleg Spider

Type: Physical Mob
Defense: 20 (3.333%)
Magic Defense: 210 (35%)

Gryphon

Type: Physical Mob
Defense: 210 (35%)
Magic Defense: 500 (83.333%)

Giant Flyer (Earth)

Type: Physical Earth Boss
Defense: 210 (35%)
Magic Defense: 210 (35%)
Minions: 1 Howler, 1 Longleg Spider
• +50% to incoming Fire dmg

- Capilli Village Well

The area I’m defining as the “Capilli Village Well” is the entire space enclosed within the well (pretty self-explanatory).

Spider (Water)

Type: Magical Water Mob
Defense: 260 (43.333%)
Magic Defense: 210 (35%)
• -75% to incoming Water dmg
• -50% to incoming Fire dmg
• +50% to incoming Lightning dmg

Hoglin (Earth)

Type: Physical Earth Mob
Defense: 260 (43.333%)
Magic Defense: 210 (35%)
• +50% to incoming Fire dmg

Gargoyle

Type: Physical Mob
Defense: 320 (53.333%)
Magic Defense: 210 (35%)

Howler (Fire)

Type: Magical Fire Mob
Defense: 260 (43.333%)
Magic Defense: 210 (35%)
• -75% to incoming Fire dmg
• +50% to incoming Water dmg

Hydra Head (Fire)

Type: Magical Fire Boss
Defense: 320 (53.333%)
Magic Defense: 210 (35%)
Co-bosses: Hydra Head (Earth), Hydra Head (Water)
• -75% to incoming Fire dmg
• +50% to incoming Water dmg

Hydra Head (Earth)

Type: Physical Earth Boss
Defense: 320 (53.333%)
Magic Defense: 210 (35%)
Co-bosses: Hydra Head (Fire), Hydra Head (Water)
• +50% to incoming Fire dmg

Hydra Head (Water)

Type: Magical Water Boss
Defense: 320 (53.333%)
Magic Defense: 210 (35%)
Co-bosses: Hydra Head (Fire), Hydra Head (Earth)
• -75% to incoming Water dmg
• -50% to incoming Fire dmg
• +50% to incoming Lightning dmg

- Capilli Village Outskirts

The area I’m defining as the “Capilli Village Outskirts” stretches from the entrance to the Capilli village well on the right to the entrance to the Plains of Rambert on the left.

Tree Archer

Type: Physical Earth Mob
Defense: 210 (35%)
Magic Defense: 210 (35%)
• +50% to incoming Fire dmg

Treant

Type: Physical Earth Mob
Defense: 210 (35%)
Magic Defense: 210 (35%)
• +50% to incoming Fire dmg

- Windwheels

The area I’m defining as the “Windwheels” stretches from the entrance to the Plains of Rambert on the rightmost edge to the entrance to Magna on the top left.

Tosser

Type: Physical Mob
Defense: 20 (3.333%)
Magic Defense: 240 (40%)

Boulder

Type: Physical Mob
Defense: 320 (53.333%)
Magic Defense: 210 (35%)
• “Granite” reduces incoming physical dmg by 30%

Wailer (Fire)

Type: Magical Fire Mob
Defense: 320 (53.333%)
Magic Defense: 210 (35%)
• -75% to incoming Fire dmg
• +50% to incoming Water dmg

Longleg Spider (Fire)

Type: Physical Fire Mob
Defense: 210 (35%)
Magic Defense: 210 (35%)
• -75% to incoming Fire dmg
• +50% to incoming Water dmg

Giant Boulder

Type: Magical Fire Boss
Defense: 320 (53.333%)
Magic Defense: 210 (35%)
Minions: 2 Boulders (Fire)
• -75% to incoming Fire dmg
• +50% to incoming Water dmg
• “Granite” reduces incoming physical dmg by 60%

Boulder (Fire)

Type: Magical Fire Mob
Defense: 320 (53.333%)
Magic Defense: 210 (35%)
• -75% to incoming Fire dmg
• +50% to incoming Water dmg
• “Granite” reduces incoming physical dmg by 40%

- Bolmus Basement / Magna

The area I’m defining as the “Bolmus Basement / Magna” is the entire space enclosed within Magna and the basement of the Bolmus who gives the request “Bolmus Inferno” (since the latter seems to be inside of Magna as well).

Reaper (Fire)

Type: Magical Fire Mob
Defense: 320 (53.333%)
Magic Defense: 320 (53.333%)
• -75% to incoming Fire dmg
• +50% to incoming Water dmg

Spider (Fire)

Type: Magical Fire Mob
Defense: 210 (35%)
Magic Defense: 210 (35%)
• -75% to incoming Fire dmg
• +50% to incoming Water dmg

Hoglin

Type: Physical Mob
Defense: 210 (35%)
Magic Defense: 420 (70%)

Longleg Spider (Armored)

Type: Physical Mob
Defense: 20 (3.333%)
Magic Defense: 540 (90%)

Giant Spider

Type: Physical Boss
Defense: 420 (70%)
Magic Defense: 210 (35%)
Minions: 2 Longleg Spiders (Armored)

- Cliffs of Erin

The area I’m defining as the “Cliffs of Erin” stretches from Magna’s hand on the bottom right edge to the entrance of the Temple of the Moon at the top.

Stone Archer

Type: Physical Mob
Defense: 540 (90%)
Magic Defense: 210 (35%)

Flyer (Water)

Type: Magical Water Mob
Defense: 210 (35%)
Magic Defense: 320 (53.333%)
• -75% to incoming Water dmg
• -50% to incoming Fire dmg
• +50% to incoming Lightning dmg

Giant Gryphon

Type: Physical Boss
Defense: 210 (35%)
Magic Defense: 540 (90%)
Minions: 2 Criers

Crier

Type: Physical Dark Mob
Defense: 540 (90%)
Magic Defense: 210 (35%)
• +50% to incoming Light dmg

- Forgotten Tower

The area I’m defining as the “Forgotten Tower” is the entire space to the left of the entrance to the Piscean village. The Reapers in the Crepusculum boss fight are the only examples of a mob with the exact same design having different stats, hence why they are differentiated from the regular Reapers in the Cynbel Sea.

Corvid Guard

Type: Physical Mob
Defense: 20 (3.333%)
Magic Defense: 420 (70%)
• “Screech of Protection” reduces incoming magical dmg by 60%

Howler (Dark)

Type: Magical Dark Mob
Defense: 540 (90%)
Magic Defense: 210 (35%)
• +50% to incoming Light dmg

Crocodile Guard

Type: Physical Mob
Defense: 210 (35%)
Magic Defense: 460 (76.667%)
• “Mystic Scales” reduces incoming magical dmg by 70%

Crepusculum

Type: Physical Boss
Defense: 210 (35%)
Magic Defense: 580 (96.667%)
Minions: 2 Reapers (Crepusculum)

Reaper (Crepusculum)

Type: Magical Dark Mob
Defense: 540 (90%)
Magic Defense: 210 (35%)
• +50% to incoming Light dmg

- Piscean Village

The area I’m defining as the “Piscean Village” is bounded by the entrance to the Forgotten Tower on the left and the entrance to the Cynbel Sea on the right.

Hoglin (Dark)

Type: Magical Dark Mob
Defense: 500 (83.333%)
Magic Defense: 210 (35%)
• +50% to incoming Light dmg

Flyer (Fire)

Type: Magical Fire Mob
Defense: 320 (53.333%)
Magic Defense: 260 (43.333%)
• -75% to incoming Fire dmg
• +50% to incoming Water dmg

Spectral Horse

Type: Physical Mob
Defense: 210 (35%)
Magic Defense: 520 (86.667%)

Skeletal Crocodile

Type: Physical Mob
Defense: 210 (35%)
Magic Defense: 500 (83.333%)
• “Iron Rib Cage” reduces incoming magical dmg by 60%

Giant Ogre

Type: Physical Boss
Defense: 20 (3.333%)
Magic Defense: 460 (76.667%)
Minions: 2 Red Howlers

Red Howler

Type: Physical Mob
Defense: 420 (70%)
Magic Defense: 20 (3.333%)

- Cynbel Sea

The area I’m defining as the “Cynbel Sea” stretches from the entrance to the Piscean village at the top to the entrance of the Palace of the Sun at the leftmost edge.

Crystalline Archer

Type: Physical Water Mob
Defense: 320 (53.333%)
Magic Defense: 320 (53.333%)
• -75% to incoming Water dmg
• -50% to incoming Fire dmg
• +50% to incoming Lightning dmg

Reaper

Type: Magical Dark Mob
Defense: 320 (53.333%)
Magic Defense: 20 (3.333%)
• +50% to incoming Light dmg

Giant Hoglin

Type: Magical Dark Boss
Defense: 500 (83.333%)
Magic Defense: 210 (35%)
Minions: 2 Spectral Horses
• +50% to incoming Light dmg

Pitcher

Type: Physical Water Mob
Defense: 540 (90%)
Magic Defense: 210 (35%)
• -75% to incoming Water dmg
• -50% to incoming Fire dmg
• +50% to incoming Lightning dmg

Scalefish

Type: Physical Water Mob
Defense: 20 (3.333%)
Magic Defense: 210 (35%)
• -75% to incoming Water dmg
• -50% to incoming Fire dmg
• +50% to incoming Lightning dmg

Knocker (Earth)

Type: Physical Earth Mob
Defense: 400 (66.667%)
Magic Defense: 260 (43.333%)
+50% to incoming Fire dmg

Giant Flyer (Fire)

Type: Magical Fire Boss
Defense: 320 (53.333%)
Magic Defense: 260 (43.333%)
Minions: 2 Crystalline Archers
• -75% to incoming Fire dmg
• +50% to incoming Water dmg

Giant Pitcher

Type: Magical Water Boss
Defense: 500 (83.333%)
Magic Defense: 260 (43.333%)
Minions: Reaper, Knocker (Earth)
• -75% to incoming Water dmg
• -50% to incoming Fire dmg
• +50% to incoming Lightning dmg

- Palace of the Sun

The area I’m defining as the “Palace of the Sun” includes the entire space right of the entrance to the Cynbel Sea. I couldn’t get a good screenshot of just one of Nox’s tentacles, so both are in the provided image.

Swooper

Type: Physical Mob
Defense: 210 (35%)
Magic Defense: 500 (83.333%)

Boulder (Water)

Type: Physical Water Mob
Defense: 320 (53.333%)
Magic Defense: 210 (35%)
• -75% to incoming Water dmg
• -50% to incoming Fire dmg
• +50% to incoming Lightning dmg
• “Granite” reduces incoming physical dmg by 60%

Nox (Head)

Type: Magical Water Boss
Defense: 460 (76.667%)
Magic Defense: 260 (43.333%)
Minions: 2 Nox (Tentacles)
• -75% to incoming Water dmg
• -50% to incoming Fire dmg
• +50% to incoming Lightning dmg

Nox (Tentacle)

Type: Physical Water Mob
Defense: 210 (35%)
Magic Defense: 460 (76.667%)
• -75% to incoming Water dmg
• -50% to incoming Fire dmg
• +50% to incoming Lightning dmg

Umbra

Type: Magical Dark Boss
Defense: 320 (53.333%)
Magic Defense: 210 (35%)
Minions: 2 Owl Gryphons
• +50% to incoming Light dmg
• “Magical Mark” reduces incoming magical dmg by 20%
• “Impenetrable Scales” reduces incoming physical dmg by 20%

Owl Gryphon

Type: Magical Dark Mob
Defense: 20 (3.333%)
Magic Defense: 360 (60%)
• +50% to incoming Light dmg

Conclusion

Note on Difficulty

These formulae are applicable on both difficulties. The primary difference between Casual and Expert—besides the amount of health Igniculus restores—is enemy Health and Pure Damage, which incidental testing indicates is a 40% difference (although I did not test this extensively). Conveniently, enemy Resistances and vulnerabilities remain the same across difficulties, which means the bestiary is usable no matter the difficulty.

Raw Data

Attached here[docs.google.com] are the spreadsheets I made when deriving these formulae in a New Game+ (switch between the bottom tabs to see the different datasets).

All of the reported damage except “Icy Claws” comes from attacking/being attacked by the Creeper mob in the Mahthildis Forest (it has 35% Physical and Magical Resistance). “Icy Claws” is an attack from the Water Spiders in the Capilli village well.

A Creeper.

All of the skills, attacks, and spells of my characters are Rank 3. I could try to add some clarifying datapoints, but I decided to show the exact data I was working with: nothing more, nothing less.

I purchased some DLC in between edits, which is why the golem does not feature in this guide or in the spreadsheet, but I made sure he has no irregular formulae like Robert (I also tested his Physical and Magical Resistance formulae: they’re normal, too).

I’m not sure how useful this information is, but it’s finally satisfied my curiosity, and hopefully yours too!