Bodkin Arrows

[Michaleo]

The Bodkin Arrows Bowmaster trait says it gives up to -10% Mitigation Bypass for Bow Attacks. I assume this means it reduces the mob's mitigation by some amount, so a particular hit would produce more net damage.

I did a few tests with and without those 5 trait points, and have been unable to detect any effect. (Combat log shows identical damage values for same skills against same mobs.) I tested some level cap landscape mobs and some t2 instance mobs and bosses, solo with no other mitigation debuffs. Although not an exhaustive test, I expected to see some difference.

Is it bugged or for some reason obsolete? If it actually does something, can someone suggest a way to observe the effect?

NOTE: I did further tests. See my later post.

[QueenArleth]

The Bodkin Arrows Bowmaster trait says it gives up to -10% Mitigation Bypass for Bow Attacks. I assume this means it reduces the mob's mitigation by some amount, so a particular hit would produce more net damage.

I did a few tests with and without those 5 trait points, and have been unable to detect any effect. (Combat log shows identical damage values for same skills against same mobs.) I tested some level cap landscape mobs and some t2 instance mobs and bosses, solo with no other mitigation debuffs. Although not an exhaustive test, I expected to see some difference.

Is it bugged or for some reason obsolete? If it actually does something, can someone suggest a way to observe the effect?

It's not bugged, it is working as intended.



The first hit is with 5/5 Bodkin Arrows, and the last hit was with the same traits and gear but Bodkin Arrows at 0/5.
I only used Camouflage and Improved Focus to guarantee critical hits, so I wouldn't have to redo on a new NPC if I didn't crit or something.
Timestamps show that this happened a few minutes ago.

[Michaleo]

After further tests, I was able to detect the effect of Bodkin Arrows. It does affect skill damage, but does not affect bleeds or ranged auto-attacks.

Doing Quick Shots on a Dale-land Moose did about 18% more damage for both crits and non-crits. I don't know what different mob's mitigations are, or how the "bypass" calculation is done, so I can't suggest a general figure. How it affects your overall damage will depend on your skill mix.

[Oelle]

After further tests, I was able to detect the effect of Bodkin Arrows. It does affect skill damage, but does not affect bleeds or ranged auto-attacks.

Doing Quick Shots on a Dale-land Moose did about 18% more damage for both crits and non-crits. I don't know what different mob's mitigations are, or how the "bypass" calculation is done, so I can't suggest a general figure. How it affects your overall damage will depend on your skill mix.

if its 18% more damage, then your target had 45% mits without and 35% with
First, from a 100 dmg shot, 55 comes through mits, afterwards 65. 65/55 is an increase of 18%

[Tatharil]

After further tests, I was able to detect the effect of Bodkin Arrows. It does affect skill damage, but does not affect bleeds or ranged auto-attacks.

Doing Quick Shots on a Dale-land Moose did about 18% more damage for both crits and non-crits. I don't know what different mob's mitigations are, or how the "bypass" calculation is done, so I can't suggest a general figure. How it affects your overall damage will depend on your skill mix.

Thank you. Your test just gave my yellow hunter 8 free traitpoints. If Bodkin Arrows don't work on bleeds, then it's wasted traitpoints for me.