Killer Trait Testing

[Byrthnoth]

Killer Effect testing:
Original Sources: (1) (2)

Assumptions (kind of):
1) Ferine Gausape +2 gives (% Intimidation Rate)/2 as a damage boost and (% Intimidation Rate)/2 as -% PDT.
* (Confirmed in Tests 0, as long as we can assume that +1 Killer effect is +1% intimidation rate)

Test 0a - Damage Baseline (Gausape On/Off):

Spoiler: show

Cactaur Damage Taken - 2 Targets - 480/500 = -4%
Gust Slash vs. Lizard - 397/379 = +4.75% (+5% probably)

Test 0b - Intimidation Baseline (2 Killer Merits):
Wamouracampa in Abyssea - Altepa - (369 Intimidates)/(3034 Attempts) = 12.2% Intimidation Rate (+/-1.2%), so probably 12% as predicted

Test 0c - Does AF3+2 head with an appropriate pet (Anna) affect Initimidation rate?:
Wamouracampa in Abyssea - Altepa - (92 Initimidates) /(745 Attempts) = 12.3% Intimidation Rate (+/-2.4%), so probably still 12%
Conclusion: People kill my Wamouracampa crowds, and AF3+2 head doesn't seem to do anything.

Test 1a - The effect of 1 Killer Effect merit:

Spoiler: show

Cactaur Damage Taken - 2 Targets - 480/500 = -4%
Gust Slash vs. Lizard - 397/379 = +4.75% (+5% probably)

Conclusion: A single Killer Effect Merit had no effect.

Test 1b - The effect of 2 Killer Effect merits:

Spoiler: show

Cactaur Damage Taken - 2 Targets - 475/500 = -5%
Gust Slash vs. Lizard - 343/324 = +~5.86% (+6% probably)

Conclusions:
* Killer effect's impact on Damage Done/Taken with Ferine Gausape +2 is calculated only in whole percentage numbers, like the effect of Fast Cast on recast timer. We see no effect for 1 Killer merit, because "11 Killer Effect" halves to 5.5 and rounds down to 5.
* If we take 2 Killer Effect Units = -1% Damage Taken and +1% Damage Dealt, then we can quantify base Killer traits at 10 Killer Effect units.
* Implications for Future Testing: To get an exact "Killer value," we need to test everything at an odd and an even Killer Merit level, or we could be off by 1.


Test 1c: Beast Killer and Plantoid Killer weirdness?

Spoiler: show

Abyssea Altepa Mandies are only taking 5% extra damage with 2 Killer merits and Ferine Gausape +2 on. 1005/958 damage = +4.9%
Abyssea Altepa Manigordos are taking 1095/1043 damage = +4.98%....
Abyssea Altepa Dhalmels are taking 1092/1040 damage = +5%
Abyssea La Theine Tigers and Rabbits only took +5% damage
Normal La Theine Rabbits only took +5% damage
Abyssea Misareaux Rabbits only took +5% damage
Abyssea Misareaux Mandies only took +5% damage
Normal Altepa Cactaurs only took +5% damage

-- Update --
Dropped all my Killer merits, now it's down to +4% damage boost.

Conclusion:
* Turns out they made Plantoid and Beast killer +8% instead of +10%. Everything else is the same.
* Alternative Hypothesis is that they made "_____ Killer II" traits. Unfortunately, I can't test things below Level 89 definitely. I know that we don't get Aquan Killer II at 90, because I deleveled my BST (took for freaking ever) and it's still a 7% bonus with 4 merits (14% intimidation rate = +10% base)

[Byrthnoth]

Test 2a - Does this Killer Bonus stack with PDT? How does it interact?

Spoiler: show

My BST's gimp PDT set: 726/1000 damage = -70/256 PDT
My BST's gimp PDT set, with -5% from 2 Merits and Ferine Gausape: 689/1000 damage

Conclusion: -80/256 PDT would give 687 damage, and -79/256 would give 691 damage. Combine this with the perfectly round numbers (475, 480) earlier, and I'd say we can conclusively say this is applied in a separate step. 726*.95 = 689.7 = 689.

Test 2b - Can the Killer Bonus pass the 50% PDT cap?

Spoiler: show

PDT set from last test, + Terra's/Eisen Grip: 507/1000 damage = -126/256 PDT
PDT set from last test, + Terra's/Eisen Grip + 2 Merits with Ferine Gausape: 481/1000 damage

Conclusions:
* Killer Bonus can pass the 50% PDT cap, as it is applied in a separate step (Floor(507*.95)=481)
* There are two Floor steps involved applied in order of PDT -> Killer effects, as 1000*.95*130/256 = 482.4, while floor(1000*130/256)=507, and floor(507*.95)=481. Applying the bonuses in the opposite order (even with flooring) results in 482 damage

[Byrthnoth]

Test 3 - How do Circle abilities interact with Killer abilities?

Spoiler: show

Abyssea - Misareaux against Clusters (BST does not get Arcana Killer), BST/BLM and WHM/DRK, 2 Killer merits:
1166 damage with or without Gausape +2
1248 damage with Circle and Gausape +2 (+>7% - weird)
1224 damage with Circle and without Gausape +2 (+<5%)
Abyssea - Vunkerl against a Peapuk, effectively gave myself Dragon Killer with Atma of the Dragon Rider, BST/BLM and WHM/DRG, 2 Killer merits:
1294 without circle or Gausape
1358 with Gausape (+<5% confirms +10 from Dragon Rider)
1453 with Gausape and Circle (+12.3% - lolwat? = 1.07 * 1.05)
1358 with Circle only (+<5% again)

Conclusions:
* Circle Abilities give +5% damage against the appropriate monster type.
* Circle Abilities also give +4 or +5 "Killer Effect" for the appropriate monster type. Betting on +5. This is why Circle + Gausape always sees a 2% boost over either individually. It is impossible to prove this at the moment, because I have no way of forcing an odd number of Killer effect with the same affinity as any of the Circle JAs. Suffice to say, it's 5 because Pets consistently parse at 5% intimidation rate.
* Killer merits appear to only enhance the traits Beastmaster already has. They don't seem do anything for traits that are added through Atma or Circles.

Test 4 - What is the potency of Killer Instinct?

Spoiler: show

No Gausape +2: 732 damage
Gausape +2: 775 damage (+6%, 2 Killer Merits)
No Gausape +2, Killer Instinct: 841 (841/732 = +15% damage straight from the JA, like how Circles are +5% damage)
Gausape +2, Killer Instinct: 950 (950/841) = +13% damage from Killer effect potency, indicating that the JA gave me 14 or 15 Killer effect.
No Gausape +2, Killer Instinct (3 Merits): 568
Gausape +2, Killer Instinct (3 Merits, 6% Base): 647/568 = +14% damage from Killer effect potency, so it's +15 Killer effect

Conclusions:
* Killer Instinct gives +15% damage against appropriate targets, similar to how Circle Abilities give +5% damage
* Killer Instinct also gives +15 Killer effect/intimidation proc rate.

[Byrthnoth]

Test 5: Random items and an Atma (Beast Killer) -

Spoiler: show

vs Beasts (5% base, essentially @0 merits)
Baseline : 1160
Gausape +2 on : 1218 = +5%
Beast King Atma : 1276 = +10% (So +10 or +11 Killer effect)
Beast Trousers : 1276 = +10% (So they're +0 or +1 Killer effect)
Tatami Shield : 1287 = +11% (So it's +2 or +3 killer effect)
Killer Shortbow : 1287 = +11% (So it's +2 or +3 Killer effect)
vs. Birds (6% base)
Gausape +2 on : (3 Merits) = +6%
Beast Trousers : (3 Merits) = +7% (So they're +1 Killer effect)
Tatami Shield and Beast Trousers : (3 Merits) = +8% (+2)
Killer Shortbow and Shield and Trousers : (3 Merits) = +9% (+2)
Killer Shortbow, Shield, Trousers, Bird Mittens : (4 Merits) = +12% (+5 or +6)
Killer Shortbow, Shield, Bird Mittens : (4 Merits) = +11% (+5)
vs. Plantoids (4% base)
Wizard Cookie : +10% damage (+12)
vs. Demons
Demon Killer from /SAM : 596/574 = +4% damage (+8 or +9)
vs. Arcana
Arcana Killer from /DRK : 793/763 = +4% damage (+8 or +9)
vs. Lizards
Impenetrable Atma : 411/374 = +10%-+5% (+10)
Panther Mask : (28 Base) 1195/1031 = +16%; (29 Base) 1206/1031 = +17% (+5)
Goblin Chocolate : (33 Base) 1252/1035 = +21%; (34 Base) 1262/1035 = +22% (+10)
Marbled Steak : (33 Base) 1231/1035 = +19%; (34 Base) 1231/1035 = +19% (+5)

Conclusions:
* Beast King Atma is +10 Beast Killer
* Beast Trousers are +1 to all killer traits BST gets naturally
* Tatami Shield is +2 to all killer traits
* Killer Shortbow is +2 to all killer traits
* Wizard Cookies are +12 Plantoid Killer
* Demon Killer from /SAM is +8 Demon Killer
* Arcana Killer from /SAM is +8 Arcana Killer
* Atma of the Impenetrable is 10 Lizard Killer
* Panther Mask is +5 Lizard Killer
* Goblin Chocolate is +10 Lizard Killer
* Marbled Steak is +5 Lizard Killer
* Melaco Mittens are +5 Bird Killer

[Byrthnoth]

Test 6, Killer Trait Cap:

Spoiler: show

10 Trait + 4 Merits + 5 Panther Mask + 2 Tatami Shield + 2 Killer Shortbow + 5 Marbled Steak + 1 Beast Trousers + 10 Atma of the Impenetrable + 15 Killer Instinct = 54 Lizard Killer
No Gausape : 1031 Damage
Gausape +2, Killer Instinct, everything: 1481 Damage
1031*1.15 = 1185
1481/1185 = 1.25 (+25% when we would have predicted +27%)

Conclusion:
* Sadly, this caps at +25% Damage dealt.
* This is not "proof" per se that it caps at 50% Intimidation rate, but it probably does.

[Foldypaws]

To go along with Bryth's Killer tests, DRG appears to get Dragon Killer II @ 90 (10.3% intimidation rate over 3500+ attacks, which excludes the 8% he tested via BST pants)

Means that BST also likely has 4/6 Killer II traits itself and will get the other 2 by 99.

If mobs use the same crit rate formula we do, there also appears to be a crit rate floor @ 1%. (their crit rate *should* have been 0, as their dex was *definitely* below my agi, and I have 5/5 enemy crit down merits.)

[Byrthnoth]

If mobs use the same crit rate formula we do, there also appears to be a crit rate floor @ 1%. (their crit rate *should* have been 0, as their dex was *definitely* below my agi, and I have 5/5 enemy crit down merits.)

This crit rate floor was originally shown by Rog in a parse where he was -aga burning Attohwa, and yeah that's how it works. That's why I'm 4/5 Enemy Crit Rate!

[Foldypaws]

This crit rate floor was originally shown by Rog in a parse where he was -aga burning Attohwa, and yeah that's how it works. That's why I'm 4/5 Enemy Crit Rate!

Aha! Well, testing I hadn't seen. Not sure what I'd do with that extra merit spot anyway so I'll probably just leave mine alone. (Also, 26k attacks now, 10.24% intimidation rate)

[Byrthnoth]

He made the post in some random thread, so your test is a very nice confirmation and infinitely more citable. Also, it's awesome to know that "Killer Effect II"s do exist.

This is relevant to the magely among us.

I also added a strat to the SSR guide that makes the boss much more tame. Duoing the zone with myself 90DNC+77RDM/WHM, did Hammerblow -> Powderkeg -> GG3 (Deimos) -> Boss and left with 12 minutes to spare. I wasted at least 10 minutes, too. I don't know that I could fit turtle in there really, but I could at least leave sooner =p.

I will go through the wiki and add Killer II traits tomorrow methinks. We don't know levels for any of them, but knowing that they happen before 90 is really pretty sufficient given the time it takes to get from 75 to 90 these days and the total absence of reasons to stop along the way.