Mekaniks — Neverwinter Compendium

Core Mechanics

Rating to Percentage

Each stat has a rating value (large numbers in thousands) that converts to a percentage. The conversion depends on your Total Item Level (TIL). The rating contribution alone is capped — you reach the total cap by combining rating with non-rating sources (companions, boons, percent items).

Rating contribution = 50 + (Rating - TIL) / 1000
Stat % total = Rating contribution + Percent Bonuses (up to total cap)

At rating = TIL50% contribution from rating

Every 1,000 rating above/below TIL±1% to rating contribution

Rating cap (90% total stats)50% — reached when rating = TIL

Rating cap (120% total stats)60% — reached when rating = TIL + 10,000

To reach total capAdd percent bonuses (companions, boons, items) — these are not rating-capped

Rule of thumb1 IL on gear ≈ 15 stat rating points

Example120k IL with 100k Deflect rating: 50 + (100k - 120k)/1k = 30% from rating

Combined Rating

Combined Rating is a single number that adds equally to ALL your core stats at once. It comes from companions, mounts, and certain gear.

Combined Rating adds its value to every core stat (Power, Defense, Crit Strike, etc.)

SourcesCompanions, mounts, insignias, companion gear

Example+2,700 CR = +2,700 to Power, Defense, Crit Strike, etc.

Why it mattersHigher CR items raise all stats, not just one

Stats Reference

Click any stat to expand details.

Bolster System

Companion Bolster

Your top 10 companions by quality contribute a bolster percentage that boosts your summoned companion's item level and enhancement power effectiveness. Max bolster is 120%.

Bolster Per Quality Tier

Common1%

Uncommon2%

Rare3.5%

Epic5%

Legendary7.5%

Mythic10%

Celestial12%

10 Celestial companions = 120% bolster (max)

What Bolster Affects

Enhancement powerScales with bolster percentage

Companion IL contributionUp to 85% of companion IL as combined rating

Player bonus powersNOT affected by bolster

Mount Bolster

Your 10 best mounts by quality contribute a bolster percentage that boosts your mount equip power and combat power effectiveness. Max bolster is 125%.

Bolster Per Quality Tier

Common1%

Uncommon2%

Rare3.5%

Epic5%

Legendary7.5%

Mythic10%

Celestial12.5%

10 Celestial mounts = 125% bolster (max)

What Bolster Affects

Equip power statsRating values scale with bolster

Combat powerMagnitude and effects scale with bolster

Insignia bonusesNOT affected by bolster

Insignia statsNOT affected by bolster

Combat Formulas

Base Damage & Base HP by Role

Base Damage and Base HP are derived from your Total Item Level (TIL) plus a role multiplier. Damage roles favor offense; HP favors defense. The multipliers are inverted between the two.

Base Damage

Base Damage = (TIL / 10) × role multiplier

DPS× 1.20

Healer× 1.10

Tank× 1.00

Example (44,632 IL DPS)4,463.2 × 1.2 = 5,355.84 base damage

Base HP

Base HP = (TIL × 10) × role multiplier

Tank× 1.20

Healer× 1.10

DPS× 1.00

Example (44,632 IL DPS)446,320 base HP (before CON, gear, buffs)

Magnitude

Every power has a magnitude number that determines how much damage or healing it does relative to your base damage. Higher magnitude = more damage.

Actual Damage = (Magnitude / 100) x Base Damage x Multipliers

Base DamageTIL / 10 (+ role bonus)

DPS Bonus+20% base damage

Healer Bonus+10% base damage

Example1,000 mag = 10x your base damage before multipliers

Damage Pipeline

Damage goes through multiple multipliers in order. Each stat multiplies the result independently.

Final Damage = Base x Power x CA x Crit x Buffs / Enemy Defense

Order of Operations

1. Base Damage(Magnitude / 100) x (TIL / 10)

2. Power Multiplierx (1 + Power %)

3. Combat Advantagex (1 + CA % - enemy Awareness %)

4. Critical StrikeIf crit: x (1 + Crit Sev % - enemy Crit Avoid %)

5. Buff/DebuffAll damage buffs/debuffs applied multiplicatively

6. Enemy Defense/ (1 + enemy Defense %)

7. Deflect CheckIf deflected: / (1 + Deflect Sev % - your Accuracy %)

Full Expected-Value Formula ▶

For theorycraft and DPS calculators. Most players don't need this — see the simplified Pipeline above. This is the canonical expected-value formula: average damage over many hits, accounting for crit chance × severity, CA uptime, deflect probability, and all the multiplicative damage-boost categories.

E[damage] = (IL / 10) × Role Bonus
          × (Magnitude / 100)
          × (1 + PowerTotal / 100)
          × (1 + (CritChanceTotal / 100) × ((CritSeverityTotal − TargetCritAvoidanceTotal) / 100))
          × (1 + (CombatAdvantageUpTime% / 100) × ((CombatAdvantageTotal − TargetAwareness) / 100))
          × (1 + TargetDeflectChance × (1 / (TargetDeflectSev − AccuracyTotal + 100) − 1 / 100))
          × (100 / (100 + TargetDefenseTotal − ΣDefenseDebuffs))
          × (1 + (ΣDamageBonuses% + OutgoingDamage%) / 100)
          × (1 + BaseDamageBoost / 100)
          × (1 + (MagicalDamageBoost or PhysicalDamageBoost) / 100)
          × (1 + (AtWill / Encounter / DailyDamageBoost) / 100)
          × Π (1 / TargetMitigation)
          × (1 / SpecialDebuffsOnPlayer)
          × (1 + ΣTargetDebuffsIn% / 100)

Variable Glossary

IL / 10 × Role BonusBase damage. Role multiplier: DPS ×1.2, Healer ×1.1, Tank ×1.0

MagnitudePower's listed magnitude (e.g. an at-will hitting for 200 magnitude)

PowerTotalYour final Power %, after rating + percent bonuses

CritChanceTotalFinal Critical Strike % (the chance to crit)

CritSeverityTotal − TargetCritAvoidanceEffective crit severity after target's mitigation

CombatAdvantageUpTime%How often you actually have CA (positioning matters — 100% if always flanking)

CombatAdvantageTotal − TargetAwarenessEffective CA bonus after target's mitigation

TargetDeflectChanceTarget's chance to deflect your hits (PvE enemies typically 50%)

TargetDeflectSev − AccuracyTotalReduction applied on deflected hits (your Accuracy lowers it)

TargetDefenseTotal − ΣDefenseDebuffsTarget's defense after all debuffs you've stacked on it

ΣDamageBonuses% + OutgoingDamage%Sum of generic damage % bonuses (companions, boons, gear) + role-scaled outgoing

BaseDamageBoostBonus to base damage from companion bonus powers and similar sources

Magical / Physical DamageBoostDamage-type-specific bonus (one or the other, depending on power)

AtWill / Encounter / Daily BoostPower-slot-specific bonus (separate multiplier per slot type)

Π (1 / TargetMitigation)Product over multiple target mitigation effects (e.g. damage resistance auras)

SpecialDebuffsOnPlayerDebuffs that scale your outgoing damage down (dazes, etc.)

ΣTargetDebuffsIn%Sum of "incoming damage to target" debuffs you've applied

Key insights from the formula

CA Uptime mattersCombat Advantage scales by your uptime — 50% uptime halves its effective value

Categories stack multiplicativelyDamageBonuses, BaseDamage, Magical/Physical, Slot-type, Target debuffs are all separate multipliers

Within a category: additiveTwo +10% damage bonuses in the same bucket = +20%, not ×1.21

Full Expected-Value Healing Formula ▶

For theorycraft and healing calculators. Average HP restored over many casts. Simpler than the damage formula — no defense, deflect, or target mitigation, since healing isn't reduced by defensive stats. Note that healing crits are half-effective: Critical Severity is divided by 2.

E[healing] = (IL / 10) × (Magnitude / 100)
           × (1 + PowerTotal / 100)
           × (1 + (CritChanceTotal / 100) × (CritSeverityTotal / (100 × 2)))
           × (1 + OutgoingHealing% / 100)
           × (1 + TargetIncomingHealing% / 100)
           × (1 + MultiplicativeExceptions / 100)

Variable Glossary

IL / 10Base healing. Healer role bonus (×1.1) applies analogously to damage's role bonus

MagnitudeHealing power's listed magnitude (same scale as damage powers)

PowerTotalYour final Power %, after rating + percent bonuses

CritChanceTotal × (CritSev / 200)Heal crit chance × half-effective crit severity (the /2 is the healer crit penalty)

OutgoingHealing%Your outgoing healing % (caps at 120%)

TargetIncomingHealing%Receiver's incoming healing % — stacks on top of your output

MultiplicativeExceptionsCatch-all for special healing buffs (power-specific multipliers)

Key insights from the formula

Crit severity is halvedHealers gain only 50% of their Crit Severity stat — Power and Outgoing Healing scale better point-for-point

Stack Incoming Healing on tanksIt multiplies on top of your output independently of your stats

No defensive interactionHeals aren't reduced by defense/deflect/mitigation — every cast lands at full math

Power and OH are equal-priorityBoth are flat multipliers in the formula — balance them rather than stacking one

Full Expected-Value EHP Formula ▶

Effective HP — how much damage can be applied to you before you die. Structurally the mirror of the damage formula from the defender's perspective: every per-hit damage multiplier becomes a divisor, and your defensive stats (Defense, Deflect, Crit Avoidance, Awareness) shrink those divisors so EHP grows. Useful for comparing survivability across builds.

Three EHP Cases

Minimum EHPWorst case — attacker crits, has CA, you don't deflect

Average EHPExpected value over many hits (this is the formula below)

Maximum EHPBest case — every defensive proc lands, no enemy crit/CA

E[EHP] = IL × 10 × Role Bonus
       ÷ (1 + (EnemyCritChance / 100) × ((EnemyCritSev − CritAvoidance) / 100))
       ÷ (1 + (EnemyCAUpTime% / 100) × ((EnemyCATotal − Awareness) / 100))
       ÷ (1 + DeflectChance × (1 / (DeflectSev − EnemyAccuracy + 100) − 1 / 100))
       ÷ (100 / (100 + DefenseTotal − ΣDefenseDebuffsOnPlayer))
       ÷ Π (1 / Mitigation)
       ÷ (1 / SpecialDebuffsOnPlayer)

Variable Glossary

IL × 10 × Role BonusBase HP. Role multiplier: Tank ×1.2, Healer ×1.1, DPS ×1.0

EnemyCritChance / EnemyCritSevAttacker's crit chance and crit severity (your Critical Avoidance subtracts from severity)

EnemyCAUpTime%How often the enemy has CA on you (positioning by your tank/group affects this)

EnemyCATotal − AwarenessEffective enemy CA after your Awareness mitigation

DeflectChanceYour deflect % (chance to deflect a hit)

DeflectSev − EnemyAccuracyReduction applied on deflected hits (enemy's Accuracy lowers your deflect mitigation)

DefenseTotal − ΣDefenseDebuffsOnPlayerYour defense after enemy debuffs reduce it

Π (1 / Mitigation)Product over multiple personal mitigation effects (damage resistance auras, shields, etc.)

1 / SpecialDebuffsOnPlayerSpecial debuffs that scale incoming damage on you up (vulnerability marks, etc.)

Key insights from the formula

Defensive stats compoundEach defensive stat is its own divisor — Defense, Awareness, Crit Avoid, Deflect all multiply EHP independently

Awareness > Defense above 45%Bosses have ~90% CA. Each point of Awareness directly subtracts from that 90% — high impact when stacked

Crit Avoidance prevents one-shotsBoss crits scale by enemy Crit Severity (often 100%+). Crit Avoidance subtracts directly — critical for tanks

EHP isn't HPAdding flat HP raises EHP linearly; raising defensive stats raises EHP multiplicatively. Stat investment usually beats HP at scale

Diminishing Returns

Because defensive stats use division formulas, each additional point of a stat is worth slightly less than the previous one. The stat still helps, but the benefit per point decreases.

Defense Example

0% Defense0% damage reduction

50% Defense~33% damage reduction

90% Defense~47% damage reduction

120% Defense~55% damage reduction

Damage Reduction = 1 - (1 / (1 + Defense %)). Going from 0 to 50% saves more than going from 50% to 120%.

Scaling

How Scaling Works

When you enter scaled content (older dungeons, trials), your stats are adjusted down to match the content's level. Understanding scaling is key to not losing effectiveness.

Key Rules

TIL in scaled contentDoesn't matter — stats are rescaled

What mattersStat percentages, not raw ratings

Percent bonusesMore valuable (boons, companion powers, etc.)

Utility statsAP Gain and Recharge Speed bypass scaling

The Scaling Trap

Items that give high IL but low stats (like collars or combat enchantments) can actually hurt you in scaled content. They raise your TIL without adding enough rating to match, which lowers your stat percentages after scaling.

In scaled content: prioritize stat efficiency over raw item level.

Stacking Rules

Multiplicative Stacking

Most damage buffs and debuffs in Neverwinter stack multiplicatively, not additively. This means each buff multiplies the result of the previous one.

+10% and +15% = 1.10 x 1.15 = 26.5% total (not 25%)

Damage buffsMultiplicative

Damage debuffs on enemiesMultiplicative

Defense statsMultiplicative (division formula)

Same-Source Stacking

When multiple party members use the same buff, the second instance usually provides reduced benefit.

Aura equip powers (e.g. Runic Aura)Second stack = 50% effectiveness

Spined Devil + SuccubusDo NOT stack (same debuff type)

Different buff sourcesStack fully

Consumable Stacking

One buff per category, but different categories stack with each other.

Elixir1 at a time (replaces previous)

Potion / Flask1 at a time (replaces previous)

Event Food1 at a time (replaces previous)

Stronghold Food1 at a time (replaces previous)

Invocation Blessing1 at a time (replaces previous)

Overload Enchantments1 per overload slot on gear

You can run an Elixir + Potion + Event Food + SH Food + Blessing + Overloads all at once.

Ability Scores

Each ability score provides a passive bonus. Each point of the score grants 0.5% to the primary stat and 0.25% to the secondary stat (e.g. INT 18 → +9% Control Bonus, +4.5% Magical Damage).

STR — Strength

Primary (×0.5% per point)Stamina Regeneration

Secondary (×0.25% per point)Physical Damage

Best forPhysical DPS, Tanks

CON — Constitution

Primary (×0.5% per point)Maximum Hit Points

Secondary (×0.25% per point)Action Point Gain

Best forTanks, Healers

DEX — Dexterity

Primary (×0.5% per point)Critical Severity

Secondary (×0.25% per point)Movement Speed

Best forDPS

INT — Intelligence

Primary (×0.5% per point)Control Bonus

Secondary (×0.25% per point)Magical Damage

Best forMagical DPS

WIS — Wisdom

Primary (×0.5% per point)Control Resist

Secondary (×0.25% per point)Outgoing Healing

Best forHealers

CHA — Charisma

Primary (×0.5% per point)Forte

Secondary (×0.25% per point)Recharge Speed

Best forAll roles (universal value)

How to Increase Ability Scores

Sources of Ability Score Points

Character creationBase scores 8-18

Race bonus+2 or +3 depending on race

Class bonus+2 to one ability score

Levels 3, 6, 12, 14, 18, 20+2 points (you choose)

Levels 9 and 16+1 to ALL six ability scores

Total from leveling24 points (max level 20)

EquipmentGear can grant ability score bonuses

BoonsCampaign boons provide permanent bonuses

ConsumablesCampfire, Elixir of Fate, etc.

Classes & Paragons

Each class's base ability scores (before race bonuses, level-up picks, gear), paragon paths, role assignments, Forte distribution, and class resource. Forte distribution shows how Forte rating spreads across three stats — different per paragon.

Races

Each race's ability score bonuses and racial traits. Ability bonuses stack on top of your class's base scores; traits marked situational only apply in the described circumstances. Premium races are bought separately in the Zen Market.

Dungeon Guides

Video walkthroughs showing how to complete each dungeon. Click a thumbnail to play.

Stat Priorities by Role

DPS Priority

1. Power120% cap — direct damage multiplier

2. Combat Advantage120% cap — equal to Power when positioned

3. Critical Severity120% cap — crit damage multiplier

4. Critical Strike90% cap — crit chance

5. Accuracy90% cap — counters enemy Deflect Severity

Tank Priority

1. Awareness90% cap — most important above 45%

2. Defense120% cap — flat damage reduction

3. Critical Avoidance90% cap — reduces crit damage taken

4. Maximum Hit PointsNo cap — larger health pool

5. Deflect + Deflect Severity90% / 120% — chance-based mitigation

Healer Priority

1. Power120% cap — healing output multiplier

2. Outgoing Healing120% cap — match equally with Power

3. Critical Strike90% cap — crit chance, including crit-heals

4. Critical Severity120% cap — crit-heal multiplier (halved on heals)

5. Forte120% cap — feeds role resource regen + paragon-specific stats