Talk:Heavy Caliber/@comment-188.179.15.75-20141002050259/@comment-71.48.174.237-20150710013729

So what if the additive damage increase is "only" 62% more than the modified base damage from Serration. It's also 330% more than the weapon's original base damage, as opposed to 165%. Let's do this simple math, continuing with Soma base damage as an example for simplicity: Serration = 10 x 1.65 = 16.5 additional base damage. Since Heavy Caliber adds the same base damage value, Serration + Heavy Caliber = 16.5 + 16.5 = 33 additional base damage. Total Damage: Serration = 26.5 and Serration + Heavy Caliber = 43.

Secondary damage increases (individual elemental mods and physical damage type mods) are applied to the modified base damage. Continuing the example based on Soma's damage using these mods in combination, all *subsequent* damage modifiers are based on the new base damage of 43 and *not* 26.5. What this means for an elemental build is that your +90% elemental mod damage is now a much larger increase of 38.7 from the combined base damage mods vs 23.85 from either alone. That's an increase of over 62% additional damage from *every* equipped secondary damage mod (elemental & physical damage type mods).

Simply doing the math, how many elemental damage mods does it take to far surpass the damage available from the use of Serration alone? In a simple dual element build with Serration alone: 26.5 x (0.9 + 0.9) = 26.5 x 1.8 = 47.7 elemental damage and a total damage value of 26.5 + 47.7 = 74.2. For the same elemental build using both Serration and Heavy Caliber: 43 x (0.9 + 0.9) = 43 x 1.8 = 77.4 elemental damage and a total damage value of 120.4. This, of course, invalidates the notion that stacking Heavy Caliber with Serration is not damage effective.

But "so what?" you say, seeing as the guy above says that Serration plus a single elemental mod is a higher damage increase than Serration + Heavy Caliber and no secondary damage mods. While this is true, it also misses the point entirely. Even with only one secondary damage mod installed, your total damage is higher while using Serration + Heavy Caliber than when using Serration and two secondary damage mods. Here's the math: Soma with Serration + Heavy Caliber + Cryo Rounds = 43 (base damage) x 0.9 = 43 + 38.7 = 81.7 total damage. On the other hand, Soma with Serration + Hellfire + Cryo Rounds = 26.5 x (0.9 + 0.9) = 26.5 + 47.7 = 74.2 total damage.

The other side of this coin is that your accuracy will greatly suffer with many weapon while using Heavy Caliber to magnify its damage. For weapons which depend on accurate fire, this is quite problematic. For weapons less affected by accuracy reduction, Heavy Caliber can greatly enhance the weapon's viability. It's not something you should just slap on every weapon in your arsenal and call it good. Used with care, this mod is a game changer.