Base Damage

The damage number listed on a weapon. This number is the core, and therefore most important part, of damage per hit calculations.

This number creates the 'hard' min and max damage of a single, non weapon skill, swing. No matter how much +STR or +Attack is added, or how low a level the monster is; the damage will never break its hard cap. The hard minimum is the minimum damage a swing can do, without taking into consideration Defense or Vitality. These hard caps do effect critical hits, because even a critical may not break the hard cap; it only brings the damage from the swing closer to the 'upper' part of the damage range.

Higher base damage ratings also aid in the amount of damage done per swing by being part of the damage caluclation; however it is speculated that this is primarly because the new 'average' of the damage curve is completely shifted on a new weapon.

Rangers; before the July 2005 changes, were the best example of the influance of this damage. A ranger's base damage was calculated by adding the bow's base damage with the arrow used, this combined base damage was very high and led to almost 'unnaturally' high damage per shot.

There are very easy methods to find the 'hard' max's of some weapons, generally taking a high level job with high weapon skill with a certain weapon; equiping it with a very low base damage weapon of that type, and fighting a very weak monster in comparison. The highest damage that that job will be able to obtain is the hard max.