On average, the extra base damage (excluding skills and stats) from critical hits works out to
(CHD% * CHC%)
Thus, the optimal strategy for increasing total CHD is to increase whichever stat gives the larger gain, percentage-wise, over its previous value.
For example, consider a player with a 25% chance to crit for 60% extra damage, who must choose whether to add 10% to CHD or 5% to CHC.
Base CHD = 0.6 * 0.25 = 15% extra damage
Adding 10% CHD (an increase of 1/6 over previous CHD): 0.7 * 0.25 = 17.5% extra damage
Adding 5% CHC (an increase of 1/5 over previous CHC): 0.6 * 0.3 = 18% extra damage
Adding 5% CHC is preferable in this case.
(Bear in mind that many procs require critical hit chance to function, which sets a minimum CC that is effective required for that build to function. This varies by the build, but is generally at least 30-35% and may be considerably higher.)
simplified: 1% chance = 10% damage
Adding +20% chance or +200% damage to base:
1 + ( 5% * 50% ) = 102.5%
1 + ( 25% * 50% ) = 112.5%
1 + ( 5% * 250% ) = 112.5%
But what if you added 10% to base and 100% to damage?
1 + ( 5% * 50% ) = 102.5%
1 + ( 15% * 150% ) = 122.5%
Crit Damage can roll affixes on specific item types, being the following:
Amulet: 100%
Gloves: 50%
Ring: 50% (Each ring.)
Belt: 50% (Legendary Witching Hour only.)
Weapon: 35%
Weapon socket: 130% Flawless Royal Emerald. (Double if dual-wielding.)
Critical Hit Chance can be found on the following items:
Amulets: 1-10% CC
Gloves: 1-10% CC
Rings: 1-6% CC x2
Helmet: 1-6% CC
Bracers: 1-6% CC
Off-hand (shields, quivers, mojos, and sources): 1-10% CC
Total: 54% from these items, if all were perfect seeds.
Many skills and passive abilities also add relevant bonuses, such as (for CHC) the Barbarian passive Weapons Master will increase CHC by 10% when wielding an axe. Similarly, the Demon Hunter passive Archery adds 50% CHD when wielding a crossbow, but adds 10% CHC when wielding a hand crossbow.
Critical hit chance ("crit chance") can be found on Helmet, Amulet, Rings, Bracer, and Gloves. Use items that have crit chance, or reroll another stat into crit chance, whenever possible. Similarly, use Amulet, Ring, Gloves, and Weapon-emeralds that have crit damage. As you may have guessed, the best ammy, rings, and gloves have your main stat (Str/Dex/Int) and crit chance and crit damage, so the best amulets, rings, and gloves drop with 2 of those stats. Then you can go to the Mystic and reroll any other stat into the 3rd.
In order to be useful, any weapon needs both your main stat and a socket. You can reroll one or the other at the mystic--but not both--so weapons that drop with neither mainstat nor socket should be salvaged. Exception: Some weapons, such as Rimeheart and Furnace.
Elemental damage ("Fire skills deal 18% more damage", for example) does not increase the "Damage" number shown on your character sheet, but it multiples all damage dealt by any skill of that damage type. This super buff applies after: crit chance, crit damage, and everything else, making it a true increase to your damage. If you have elemental damage gear, it can be worth it to only use runes of that damage type, in order to get the benefit on everything you do. Bracers are an easy place to roll elemental damage. (dex/intel/str - crit hit - elemental damage + one more primary affix).
Damage to elites is another great offensive affix that, like elemental damage, does not increase your profile dps, Stone of Jordan, would likely show an overall loss in dps though it is actually very powerful.
- See more at: http://www.diablowiki.net/Critical_hit#sthash.9tZqI33d.dpuf
- Check on http://www.d3maxstats.com/ for more info on how to get the highest status for your gear
- See more at http://us.battle.net/d3/en/forum/topic/14506110543
- Critical DmgxCng: http://d3resource.com/critcalc/
