There has been a lot of people throwing around opinion as fact lately with regards to how increasing base weapon spec increases defense penetration, how it doesn't affect it and all points in between with no one providing any proof whatsoever.

Based on 3 tests of approximately 1,300 mainhand and 850 offhand swings each, one at 1+21 slash, one at 30+21 slash and one at 50+21 slash while using CS styles with all other factors being exactly the same it appears that increasing slash spec does decrease enemy defenses...a little.

When moving from composite 22 slash to 51 slash the parry rate of an infiltrator vs. an armsman moved from 41.42% to 37.21% and at composite 71 slash the parry rate was further decreased to 34.18% all while using a CS style. So that's an approximate 0.15% increase in defense penetration per extra point in slash, and it appears to be pretty linear.

In those same tests the block rate stayed at a static 60% regardless of the spec which means that either slash/thrust spec has no effect on defense penetration OR the armsman I used was geared and specced in such a way that he was so far above the 60% cap that an increasing slash spec wasn't able to budge him below the cap. If he was above the cap and increasing slash spec does decrease block rates as well then I'd contend that the same rate that applies to parry applies to block as well, so a 0.15% increase in penetration per point of base weapon IF the defender isn't above their cap.

I'd say the best you can hope for is a 0.30% decrease in defenses per extra point you put into slash/thrust above composite 51. It's up to you to decide if that's worth it compared to the sacrifices you'd have to make to DW, CS or envenom.

No tests were done to see how varying the level of CS or DW affected the penetration rate.

http://www.kragaar.com/Defense_penetration_20091012.zip for a zip file of all the individual chat logs and an Excel spreadsheet summarizing the results as well as stats and specs of the test participants.


If anyone has conflicting test evidence please feel free to present it, conflicting opinions can be kept to yourself.

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