Attribute Modifiers (Origins)

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In Dragon Age: Origins (DA:O), weapon damage isn't just a simple number. The game's final damage value depends on a number of variables, including a player's attributes and the weapon's inherent statistics. This guide aims to demystify the intricacies of these damage calculations, specifically focusing on the role of Strength (STR), Dexterity (DEX), and how the game's internal Attribute Modifiers play a part. 
* STR: Strength attribute of the player. Primarily influences damage for melee weapons.
* DEX: Dexterity attribute of the player. Often affects ranged weapons and certain melee weapon types.
* Attribute Modifiers: Internal game values that determine how much of a particular attribute (like STR or DEX) contributes to weapon damage.
* DD = Displayed damage
==Modifier Calculation:==
Every weapon in DA:O has three key modifiers: AttributeMod, Attribute0, and Attribute1. The combination of these determines how much STR and DEX contribute to the weapon's damage.
=== Modifiers: ===
* If AttributeMod = 0, STR and DEX modifiers = 0%
* If Attribute0 + Attribute1 = 0, STR and DEX modifiers = 0%
* Attribute0 and Attribute1 can only be integers.. Their maximum level is 2. If not, they are considered 0 by the game.
* For combinations 1,1,2 - 1,2,0 - 1,2,1: Both STR and DEX are equally active, meaning they both influence the damage calculation by 50% each.
* For combinations 1,1,1 - 1,0,1 - 1,1,0: STR is 100% active, meaning it fully influences the damage calculation, while DEX has no effect.
* For the combination 1,0,2: DEX is 50% active, meaning it has half the influence on the damage calculation, while STR has no effect.
* For the combination 2,0,2: DEX is 100% active, meaning it fully influences the damage calculation, while STR has no effect.
===Examples===
Through extensive in-game testing, several trends and patterns were discovered. For instance, when the combination was set to 1,1,2[Program Files]\Dragon Age\tools\Source\2DA\rules\BITM_base.xls ItemStats tab AttributeMod, Attribute0, and Attribute1 columns, the damage displayed for a Level 1 Warrior with 20 STR and 14 DEX was 14.2.
AttributeMod, Attribute0, Attribute1 - DD = Displayed Damage
Warrior STR 20, DEX 14	1,1,2 	1,2,0 	1,0,2 	1,1,2 	1,0,1 	1,1,1 	1,2,2 	1,2,1 	1,1,0 	2,1,1 	2,0,2 	1,0,4 	1,0,3
Level 1 	Level 1	Level 1	Level 1	Level 1	Level 1	Level 1	Level 1	Level 1	Level 1	Level 1	Level 1	Level 1	Level 1
DD 	14.2 	12.3 	10.9 	14.2 	12.9 	16.2 	12.3 	14.2 	16.2 	22.8 	12.3 	10.0 	9.6
Level 2 	Level 2	Level 2	Level 2	Level 2	Level 2	Level 2	Level 2	Level 2	Level 2	Level 2	Level 2	Level 2	Level 2
DD 	14.7 	12.7 	11.4 	14.7 	13.3 	16.6 	12.7 	14.7 	16.6 	23.2 	12.7 	10.4 	10.1
if +3 to STR, DD 	15.6 	12.7 	11.4 	15.6 	14.3 	18.6 	12.7 	15.6 	18.6 	27.2 	12.7 	10.4 	10.1
if +3 to DEX, DD 	15.6 	14.7 	12.4 	15.6 	13.3 	16.6 	14.7 	14.7 	16.6 	23.2 	14.7 	10.4 	10.1
== Notes ==
DA:O's weapon damage system is intricate and offers players the opportunity to optimize their characters' builds in various ways. While the game doesn't explicitly detail how these calculations work, through rigorous testing and analysis, I've managed to shed light on some of its mysteries.
# If AttributeMod = 0, STR and DEX modifiers = 0%
# If Attribute0 + Attribute1 = 0, STR and DEX modifiers = 0%
# If Attribute0 and Attribute1 can only be integers. Their maximum level is 2. If not, they are considered 0 by the game. 
# AttributeMod can be a decimal value.
# Because of the character damage bonus, every level warrior gets 0.4 points added to the damage. However, because the game has only one digit for the decimal part, sometimes final output is rounded.
# In-game, you can only see the "Strength Modifier," which is wrongly adjusted to the value of AttributeMod in BITM_base.xls ItemStats tab aka ItemStats.gda.
# From the above findings, it's evident that:
## For combinations where STR is fully active, each point in STR increases damage by roughly 0.67. (This is considered as 100% because it's the highest value you can receive while AttributeMod = 1)
## In combinations where DEX or STR is active at 50%, each point in DEX or STR increases damage by roughly 0.33.
## When both STR and DEX are equally active, both attributes seem to contribute equally to the damage.
## The AttributeMod value of 2 seems to double the effect of the active attribute on the damage.
== References ==
2. Main Source: User blog:Vesper1994/Attribute Modifiers (DA: Origins)
Category:Guides
Category:Dragon Age: Origins gameplay