Armor is a vital defensive attribute in Path of Exile's 3.21 Crucible Expansion, commonly found on equipment that you can equip and also granted by the Determination aura. To strengthen your character and defeat monsters and bosses more effortlessly, consider purchasing Path of Exile Currency to obtain or craft superior weapons, claws, or other items.

The Function of Armor

Armor provides physical damage reduction, but it's crucial to grasp how it functions. The physical damage reduction displayed on your character sheet is not directly applicable, as armor's effectiveness depends on the total damage of the hit compared to the defender's total armor value.

For example, with 10,000 armor and receiving a hit of 1,000 damage, armor will prevent 66% of the damage. However, if facing a hit of 2,000 damage with the same armor value, it will only prevent 50% of the damage.

Armor Calculation

The formula for damage reduction from armor is based on the defender's total armor (AR) and the total physical damage (damage) of the incoming hit. Armor is more effective against numerous smaller hits than against a few larger hits.

Armor vs. Non-Physical Damage

It's essential to note that by default, armor only mitigates physical damage from hits. In Path of Exile, many enemies deal multiple types of damage in a single hit. In such cases, armor only interacts with the physical damage portion of the hit.

For instance, if an enemy deals 2,000 physical damage, but 50% of it is converted to lightning damage, armor will only mitigate the 1,000 physical damage portion.

Armor vs. Damage over Time (DoT)

Armor doesn't interact with damage over time (DoT) in any way. Therefore, physical damage taken from effects like Bleeding will not be reduced, as it deals with physical damage over time.

What Is Additional Physical Damage Reduction (PDR)?

Additional PDR is a stat commonly found on gear, such as strength hybrid body armors, shields, and endurance charges, and it's provided by the Summon Chaos Golem buff. Unlike armor, this stat provides a fixed percentage of physical damage reduction that isn't affected by varying amounts of damage taken.

In other words, this modifier provides the exact amount of reduction it displays, regardless of the physical damage taken.

Armor & Additional PDR Calculation

When you have both armor and additional PDR, the calculation works as follows: First, the armor's reduction percentage is applied to the total physical damage taken from the hit. Then, any additional PDR is added to the total reduction percentage provided by armor to determine the overall damage reduction from the hit.

For example, with 25,000 armor and three endurance charges (providing 12% additional PDR), a hit of 4,000 damage will be mitigated by armor's 55.5% reduction, and the additional 12% from endurance charges will further reduce the hit's damage.

Understanding how armor and additional PDR interact is vital for crafting a sturdy and effective defensive strategy in Path of Exile's 3.21 Crucible Expansion.  Choose to Buy Path of Exile Currency on rpgstash.com to increase build efficiency, Utilize this knowledge to optimize your character's survivability and overcome the challenges that await!