Path of Exile 2 elevates the complexity of its combat mechanics, particularly in how damage is calculated and mitigated. Understanding the full order of operations for both offensive and defensive layers is critical for theorycrafting optimized characters and interpreting why you live or die in a given encounter.

This article breaks down the exact sequence that determines how much damage you deal and take from hit checks to mitigation, blocking, and final resource loss-giving you insight into the true value of modifiers, gear, Path of Exile 2 Currency, and keystones.

Step 1: Avoiding the Hit

Before anything else, the game checks whether a Hit can be avoided entirely. If the Hit is avoided, no further damage steps are processed.

Avoidance mechanics applied at this step:

·Evasion

·Dodge rolls

·Modifiers that Avoid specific Hit types (e.g., Projectile, Melee)

Example: A dodge roll or evasion roll that succeeds here stops everything else from happening.

Important Note: Some effects-like Perfidy's "Avoid Physical Damage from Hits", do not prevent the Hit itself and are handled later.

Special Triggers Before Hit:

·Defiance of Destiny triggers before you take a Hit: "Recover 10% of Missing Life before being Hit by an Enemy."

Step 2: Damage Calculation

Once a Hit is confirmed, we calculate how much base damage it will do.

2.1 Flat Damage

Base damage is calculated depending on the skill type:

Attacks use:

·Weapon damage

·Unarmed base (if no weapon)

·Shield damage (if shield skill)

·Totem skill base (not weapon-based)

Spells used:

·Damage from the Skill Gem

Added Flat Damage from gear, supports, and passives is then applied.

2.2 Damage Conversion & "Gain as Extra"

Damage can then be converted or gained as extra types:

·First, conversion from you buy POE 2 Orbs skill gems (e.g., Perfect Strike)

·Then, conversion from gear or passive tree

Rule of Thumb: If total conversion exceeds 100%, the proportions are normalized.

2.3 Damage Multipliers

·Increased or reduced values are additive

·More/Less are multiplicative

2.4 Critical Hit

If the skill crits, Critical Multiplier is applied:

·Default: +100% (i.e., 200% damage)

·Enemy modifiers (e.g., Battle-hardened) can reduce this multiplier.

2.5 Damage is Rolled

Now the damage is rolled between Min and Max:

·Lucky/Unlucky modifiers apply here, rolling twice for the best/worst result.

·Lucky and Unlucky cancel each other out if both apply.

2.6 Double/Triple Damage

·Calculated after roll.

·Triple overrides Double if both trigger.

Step 3: Damage Taken As (Shifting)

At this stage, the game checks for Damage Taken As modifiers (aka "Damage Shifting"):

· E.g., "40% of Physical Damage Taken As Fire"

·Happens before mitigation

·Removes the original damage type-so Penetration, for instance, no longer applies

Important: Damage can only be shifted once.

Step 4: Mitigation

Mitigation is where most defenses kick in:

4.1 Damage Immunities

·Chaos Inoculation, for example, negates all Chaos Damage.

4.2 Damage Avoidance (Type-specific)

· E.g., "Chance to avoid Elemental Damage from Hits"

·Still counts as a Hit, but the damage is negated.

4.3 Armor (Physical Mitigation)

·Applies to Physical Hits only

·Calculates based on Hit size

·Additional Physical Damage Reduction stacks with Armor

·Armor does not reduce Damage over time, except when explicitly stated

4.4 Non-Physical Mitigation

·Resistances (Fire, Cold, Lightning, Chaos)

·Apply to elemental types

·Cannot be penetrated below 0%, though curses and exposure can drop them into negatives

·Resistances and Damage Reduction are separate layers, both capped at 90%

Step 5: Damage Taken Modifiers

Now we apply modifiers to how much of that mitigated damage ly taken.

Order:

1. Flat Damage Taken (e.g., Ashrend)

2. Increased/Reduced Damage Taken (e.g., Shock, Wither)

3. More/Less Damage Taken (e.g., Bulwark, Dancing Mirage) - multiplicative

Step 6: Stun

After damage is finalized, the game checks if the Hit causes a Stun.

·Must exceed the target's Stun Threshold

·Player threshold = % of max Life

·Strong monsters have custom thresholds

·Physical & Melee Hits get a 50% multiplier for Heavy Stun buildup

·Note: Players cannot be "Heavily Stunned."

Step 7: Block

Next, the game rolls for Block chance:

·Passive Block (from gear/passives)

·Active Block (e.g., Raise Shield)

Block fully negates damage, but:

·The Hit still occurs

·You can still be Stunned, Shocked, Frozen, etc.

·Only Projectiles and Strikes are blockable by default.

Step 8: Final Damage Taken & Resource Loss

Now the final number is applied to the defender's resources:

Order of Application:

1. Diverted Damage (e.g., Wooden Wall)

2. Temporary Buffs (e.g., Sorcery Ward)

3. Guard Mechanics (e.g., Olroth's Resolve)

4. Energy Shield

5. Chaos Damage = double ES drain

6. DoTs like Poison/Bleed bypass ES

7. Mana (Mind Over Matter) - if applicable

8. Life

Modifiers that prevent Life Loss now apply (e.g., Grasping Wounds)

Ailment Strengths like Shock or Scorch are based on damage taken at this step.

Damage Over Time (DoT)

DoTs (e.g., Burning Ground, Poison, Bleed) do not hit and therefore skip many of the above steps, notably:

·Cannot Crit

·Cannot be blocked or dodged

Only affected by:

·Damage Taken As

·Resistances

·Damage Taken modifiers

·Recovery mechanics

Armor and Avoidance do not mitigate standard DoT unless specific modifiers allow it.

Final Thoughts: Why This Matters

Understanding this step-by-step breakdown allows you to:

·Choose defensive layers that work at different points in the chain

·Know when Avoidance is better than Mitigation

·Maximize damage output via timing Double Damage, crits, and conversions

·Build smarter around Mind Over Matter, Energy Shield, or guard mechanics

Whether you're a theorycrafter or a hardcore league runner, mastering the order of operations is essential for building resilient characters and maximizing damage efficiency in Path of Exile 2.