Element Damage affix on weapon has no bearing on your skills damage.
The only situation where the weapon damage affix matters is with legacy items such as the old Triumvirate or Zunimassa's boots where it says specifically "Adds +x% to elemental damage" where if you had a black damage weapon (one that just has a +damage affix with no element), it directly increases your weapon's damage to include those elements (which, since your weapon damage is increased, your skill damage is increased as well.)
Quote from VladimeirjumpSkills are calculated weapon damage first -> skill modifier -> additional modifier (elite damage or elemental damage)The +damage affix only affects the weapon damage calculation (or weapon dps.) After that, it is irrelevant.
In short: No, it doesn't affect locust swarm.
So even if my weapon has the "black" damage bonus which just states "+100-125 damage" (without any specific element) - it still does NOT affect my Locust Swarm, neither Frenzy (barb), nor Whirlwind?
It doesn't affect it directly, but it will affect things indirectly because it is increasing your weapon damage.
The element type for the +damage on your weapon is irrelevant for nearly all skills. If i recall, it still does affect some things like being able to proc elemental exposure for a wizard, but largely its just a holdover from vanilla d3 that could be simplified into a simple +damage roll for the weapon without element modifier.
That is to say, if you had a 100 damage weapon and had +50 to poison on that weapon, your locust swarm would consider your weapon damage to be 150. If instead you had +50 arcane damage it would still treat your weapon damage as 150. And in both cases the element type applied by the skill (that is to say, what +% element gear would affect it) would depend solely on the skill/rune combo you use.
The magnitude of +damage matters enormously. The element type of +damage only matters in a few very specific scenarios (of which locust swarm would not be one).
It doesn't affect it directly, but it will affect things indirectly because it is increasing your weapon damage.
The element type for the +damage on your weapon is irrelevant for nearly all skills. If i recall, it still does affect some things like being able to proc elemental exposure for a wizard, but largely its just a holdover from vanilla d3 that could be simplified into a simple +damage roll for the weapon without element modifier.
That is to say, if you had a 100 damage weapon and had +50 to poison on that weapon, your locust swarm would consider your weapon damage to be 150. If instead you had +50 arcane damage it would still treat your weapon damage as 150. And in both cases the element type applied by the skill (that is to say, what +% element gear would affect it) would depend solely on the skill/rune combo you use.
The magnitude of +damage matters enormously. The element type of +damage only matters in a few very specific scenarios (of which locust swarm would not be one).
But, if i am understanding it right, you are claiming the opposite of what Vladimeir stated: "In short: No, it doesn't affect locust swarm."
You say that +damage (regardless of elemental type, or non-elemental) WILL increase my Locust Swarm damage?
So if Locust Swarm does 1000% weapon damage (in total), my weapon's 1000 base dmg and it's +1000 bonus (elemental or non-elemental) damage will be calculated as total 2000 damage for the Locust Swarm to multiply by 1000%?
Yes. The last bit you said is essentially correct. There are also about 20ish other stats that get involved at various stages, but as far as +damage is concerned, you've got it right.
While not intending to put words in Vladimeir's mouth, I don't think he literally meant it won't affect locust swarm in any way whatsoever. That's just silly. Of course it will.
What i think he meant is that AFTER your weapon damage has been determined (which very much depends on +damage of whatever type your weapon has) locust swarm ITSELF will not look directly at that stat anymore. That is, locust swarm will not double dip on both the weapon damage computation and some later step of the final applied damage computation.
Your locust swarm will deal the same damage if you have 1200 poison, 1200 fire, 1200 cold or etc weapon. The element type doesnt matter but the damage # does.
The only time the damage type on the wep would matter is if your auto attacking (melee) while stacking a specific element.
Wyrdward is considered one of the best rings for your templar follower. Its affix is "lighting damage has a 32% chance to stun for 1.5 seconds".
If your templar has a Thunderfury, it has +1000 lighting damage, so it will proc the ring.
On the other hand, the Eun-Jang-Do is considered one of the best follower weapon options for rifts. When the rift guardian is at 20% health (depends of the weapon roll), it is perma frozen, so it becames an easy kill. The problem is that the Eun-Jang-Do has "black" damage (no fire/cold/lighting, just +1000 damage).
Because of that, if you want that the Eun-Jang-Do procs the Wyrdward, you must reroll its damage until you get +1000 lighting damage (I watch it in a MeatHeadMikhail follower advises video, all credit for him).
Wyrdward is considered one of the best rings for your templar follower. Its affix is "lighting damage has a 32% chance to stun for 1.5 seconds".
If your templar has a Thunderfury, it has +1000 lighting damage, so it will proc the ring.
On the other hand, the Eun-Jang-Do is considered one of the best follower weapon options for rifts. When the rift guardian is at 20% health (depends of the weapon roll), it is perma frozen, so it becames an easy kill. The problem is that the Eun-Jang-Do has "black" damage (no fire/cold/lighting, just +1000 damage).
Because of that, if you want that the Eun-Jang-Do procs the Wyrdward, you must reroll its damage until you get +1000 lighting damage (I watch it in a MeatHeadMikhail follower advises video, all credit for him).
TLDR
The bonus damage type does not affect damage output from your skills. But it can proc an item's legendary power regardless of the skill element.
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On my Witch Doctor i have a weapon with +1000-1250 Poison damage.
Does that affect my spells like Locust Swarm, which also do Poison damage?
I know that the "Poison skills deal 20% more damage" bonus obviously affect my poison skills.
But what about the (elemental) poison damage that is on a weapon?
If the bonus just states "+1000-1250 damage" without a specific elemental type, does it then affect my Locust Swarm's damage?
I tried reading the various wikias but they are really convoluted and sometimes even out of date...
So if anyone can please explain simply how it all works
Thank you for replying, but will a skill like Locust Swarm even benefit from +damage on the weapon?
If my weapon has 1000 average weapon damage and +1000 poison (elemental) damage - what will my Locust Swarm benefit from?
Element Damage affix on weapon has no bearing on your skills damage.
The only situation where the weapon damage affix matters is with legacy items such as the old Triumvirate or Zunimassa's boots where it says specifically "Adds +x% to elemental damage" where if you had a black damage weapon (one that just has a +damage affix with no element), it directly increases your weapon's damage to include those elements (which, since your weapon damage is increased, your skill damage is increased as well.)
Skills are calculated weapon damage first -> skill modifier -> additional modifier (elite damage or elemental damage)
The +damage affix only affects the weapon damage calculation (or weapon dps.) After that, it is irrelevant.
In short: No, it doesn't affect locust swarm.
So even if my weapon has the "black" damage bonus which just states "+100-125 damage" (without any specific element) - it still does NOT affect my Locust Swarm, neither Frenzy (barb), nor Whirlwind?
It doesn't affect it directly, but it will affect things indirectly because it is increasing your weapon damage.
The element type for the +damage on your weapon is irrelevant for nearly all skills. If i recall, it still does affect some things like being able to proc elemental exposure for a wizard, but largely its just a holdover from vanilla d3 that could be simplified into a simple +damage roll for the weapon without element modifier.
That is to say, if you had a 100 damage weapon and had +50 to poison on that weapon, your locust swarm would consider your weapon damage to be 150. If instead you had +50 arcane damage it would still treat your weapon damage as 150. And in both cases the element type applied by the skill (that is to say, what +% element gear would affect it) would depend solely on the skill/rune combo you use.
The magnitude of +damage matters enormously. The element type of +damage only matters in a few very specific scenarios (of which locust swarm would not be one).
But, if i am understanding it right, you are claiming the opposite of what Vladimeir stated: "In short: No, it doesn't affect locust swarm."
You say that +damage (regardless of elemental type, or non-elemental) WILL increase my Locust Swarm damage?
So if Locust Swarm does 1000% weapon damage (in total), my weapon's 1000 base dmg and it's +1000 bonus (elemental or non-elemental) damage will be calculated as total 2000 damage for the Locust Swarm to multiply by 1000%?
Yes. The last bit you said is essentially correct. There are also about 20ish other stats that get involved at various stages, but as far as +damage is concerned, you've got it right.
While not intending to put words in Vladimeir's mouth, I don't think he literally meant it won't affect locust swarm in any way whatsoever. That's just silly. Of course it will.
What i think he meant is that AFTER your weapon damage has been determined (which very much depends on +damage of whatever type your weapon has) locust swarm ITSELF will not look directly at that stat anymore. That is, locust swarm will not double dip on both the weapon damage computation and some later step of the final applied damage computation.
Awesome, thank you all for replying and explaining it (over and over) until i understood
If anyone wishes to add their own explanation they are still welcome.
Your locust swarm will deal the same damage if you have 1200 poison, 1200 fire, 1200 cold or etc weapon. The element type doesnt matter but the damage # does.
The only time the damage type on the wep would matter is if your auto attacking (melee) while stacking a specific element.
I just want to add a little final info.
Wyrdward is considered one of the best rings for your templar follower. Its affix is "lighting damage has a 32% chance to stun for 1.5 seconds".
If your templar has a Thunderfury, it has +1000 lighting damage, so it will proc the ring.
On the other hand, the Eun-Jang-Do is considered one of the best follower weapon options for rifts. When the rift guardian is at 20% health (depends of the weapon roll), it is perma frozen, so it becames an easy kill. The problem is that the Eun-Jang-Do has "black" damage (no fire/cold/lighting, just +1000 damage).
Because of that, if you want that the Eun-Jang-Do procs the Wyrdward, you must reroll its damage until you get +1000 lighting damage (I watch it in a MeatHeadMikhail follower advises video, all credit for him).
TLDR
The bonus damage type does not affect damage output from your skills. But it can proc an item's legendary power regardless of the skill element.