Do barbarian masteries still multiply damage?

[Pren]

Basically, I'm trying to determine if it's worth more than a couple of points in mastery now for a frenzier.

You've got double swing, which eventually goes to 0 cost, and taunt, which can be very useful at high levels, both of which increase frenzy damage by more than mastery increases damage. If they still multiply, then the added crit rate and multiplication makes mastery still worth maxing. If not, then I see mastery being reduced to a handful of point skill, like most other passives.

What's the scoop in 1.10?

Edit: Left out that taunt was also a consideration. I've always loved taunt, but it was pretty much a 1 point skill due to the investment. With a boost to frenzy, and possible serious damage reduction (from occhi's thread), it's also a big consideration.

[Zath]

Did the damage bonus from Barbarian weapon masteries ever multiply damage? I believe they were all additive with other skills and strength/dexterity bonuses in v1.09, and the only bug was the 100% chance to score a critical hit regardless of skill level which has since been fixed. The effectiveness of weapon masteries generally depends on two factors however: how many attack skills you use (as masteries will benefit them all), and what your exisiting damage bonus is (which is multiplied by critical strike).

[Brista]

I would think of it in terms of bang per skill point if I were you

Early levels in mastery give 8% AR, 5% damage and 3% chance of critical to all other attacks, whatever skill you're using

That's pretty competitive

[Pren]

Yeah, that's why I'm wondering down the line...

I dumped 4 points into mastery, but now I think 3 or 4 is about the target number without +skills, unless you plan to use a wide range of attacks, or unless the masteries multiply. You get half your total crit value for about 1/5th of the aa cost that way.

Even if you don't spend the other 15 points on double swing/taunt, or frenzy, or whatever, you can do a LOT with 15 points.

[Zath]

Look at it this way then. Suppose that you have a modest 150 strength (usually +150% dmg), maxed Frenzy (+185% dmg), L5 mastery (+48% dmg), and the synergy bonus from the two base skill points in Taunt and Double Swing (+16% dmg), for a total of +3% damage bonus. Another level of mastery will grant you +5% damage and +1% critical strike. The effect of the later is to increase your average damage output by 0.01*(100+399+5)=5.04%, so the overall benefit is +10.04% for 1 additional level of mastery, and this trend will continue for a few more levels until diminishing returns kicks in.

On the other hand, if you invest in Taunt or Double Swing, you get +8% damage per level, which is then multiplied by your existing 12% critical strike, translating to a further 0.12*10=0.96% damage bonus, for a total of +8.96% per level.

As you can see, mastery is currently a better deal than either Taunt or Double Swing if you are only concerned about damage output. The advantages of mastery will also increase further when you play under the effect of damage enhancing auras. The best practical solution is probably an investment in both options however. Perhaps what you should consider is to raise Double Swing to L9 so the mana cost is reduced to zero, then shoot for L10 or L16 mastery with skill adders included.

[Pren]

Good post, Zath. Taking mastery to the realms of diminishing returns, then worrying about where to take taunt (which is effective at any level) and double swing does seem to be best.

My first question still stands for anybody who knows, though. At one time barbarian masteries not only gave 100% chance to crit, but also multiplied damage as opposed to adding to it. I am curious, since the first has been fixed, if the latter has been as well. Does anybody know? My computer is down, so I can't test it myself.

[Zath]

The damage bonus from mastery is most definitely not multiplicative in v1.09 or v1.10. I don't know if it ever was, so I can't tell you when it was fixed, but it is working as it should right now. There is a seperate bug in v1.10 with enhanced damage modifiers granting a multiplicative bonus if they are not on weapons though.