Durability
Durability is a numerical score that reflects the ability of an item to last over time (with higher numbers indicating that the item can survive more wear and tear).
For the purposes of the discussion below, a "non-artifact item" is a item that is neither an Artifact nor a Relic.
When you hover your mouse over an item, an information window pops up that shows the 3 durability stats on the item, as shown in the example below.
The 3 durability statistics are defined as:
- Current Durability - the amount of durability that remains on your item at the present time. This is the first number shown in the durability statistics (the number before the slash). In the example above, the current durability is 24.
- Maximum Durability achievable with Minor Repairs (for non-artifacts) or Maximum Durability achievable with Ancient Essences (for Artifacts) - this is the highest durability that can be achieved by performing Minor repairs on non-artifacts or by using Ancient Essences on Artifacts. This is the second number shown in the durability statistics (the number after the slash). In the example above, the this number is 51.
- Maximum Durability - this is the highest durability that the item can have. This is the third number shown in the durability statistics (the number in parentheses). In the example above, the maximum durability is 68.
- For non-artifact items, this number also represents the Maximum Durability achievable with a Major Repair; however, not all Major Repairs can achieve this maximum.
- For artifact items, this number only represents the highest durability the item has ever had. Artifacts cannot undergo Major repair.
For Relics, the only durability number that matters is the first number because relics cannot be repaired; therefore, when the current durability falls to zero, the relic is no longer functional.
When you have an item equipped, and you engage in combat, the item will suffer some degree of damage over time. This damage is manifested as a decline in both the "Current Durability" and the "Maximum Durability Achievable with Minor Repairs/Ancient Essences". However, the current durability falls much faster than the "Maximum Durability Achievable with Minor Repairs/Ancient Essences". The durability of an item only declines if it is equipped and if it is used in combat (items that are not equipped suffer no durability loss).
Things that Accelerate The Durability Loss on Your Equipped Gear
Things that reduce "Current Durability" and "Maximum Durability Achievable with Minor Repairs/Ancient Essences"
- Engaging in combat with an enemy - sustaining a hit may reduce the durability of any equipped armor item. Attacking (with physical attacks or magical attacks) may reduce the durability of any item that is equipped in your hands. The durability of an item only declines if it is equipped and if it is used during combat (items that are not equipped suffer no durability loss).
- Allowing the Resurrection timer to elapse - when your avatar dies, a resurrection timer appears at the bottom of the game window. If you are resurrected by a Resurrection Ankh, Resurrection Chaos, or Resurrection spell before time runs out, then you suffer no negative effects. If you allow the "Time to Resurrect" to reach zero, you will be resurrected automatically, but all of your equipped items will suffer a 5% durability loss. See Death for details.
- Leaving a scene while dead - when you leave the scene as a ghost, you will be resurrected automatically in scene you exited to, but all of your equipped items will suffer a 5% durability loss. See Death for details.
- Equipping certain items - examples include the Cabalist Corpus Hood and the Carnal Vile Shield, which both reduce Armor Durability Effectiveness.
- Receiving a debuff from certain enemy creatures - examples of creatures that apply a debuff to durability include:
- Fire Elementals can apply the Weaken Metal (Fire) debuff with a special attack.
- Water Elementals can apply the Rust bebuff with a special attack.
- Ice Elementals can apply the Weaken Metal (Ice) bebuff with a special attack.
- Corpus always applies a -5,000% Armor Durability Effectiveness debuff when you are near him.
Things that Slow the Durability Loss on Your Equipped Gear
The rate of durability decline can be slowed by the following methods.
- Raising the Armor Preservation skill
- Raising the Weapon Preservation skill
- Obtaining the Blessing of Maintenance
- Consuming an Obsidian Potion of Preservation
- Achieving an Exceptional craft on an equip-able item
- Enchanting an item with a buff for either Armor Durability Effectiveness or Weapon Durability Effectiveness.
- Equipping a Trident or Daemon Trident - these weapons add a buff to Armor Durability Effectiveness.
Damaged Gear
When the Current Durability of an item gets low, a "Damaged" icon will appear in the upper right of the game window (the icon looks like an equip-able item within a grey circle). "Damaged" gear is still fully functional (i.e. its effects, buffs, and debuffs are still applied). The "damaged" designation is just a warning that your equipment may break soon, so that you can repair the item before it breaks.
When gear is "damaged", its durability number is yellow (whereas for un-broken and undamaged gear, the number is green).
Broken Gear
When the "Current Durability" or the "Maximum Durability Achievable with Minor Repairs/Ancient Essences" reaches zero, the item will be broken and will no longer function (i.e. weapons cannot be used to attack and will do no damage, armor will offer no protection, and any buffs/debuffs on these items will not be applied). When gear is "broken", its durability number is red (whereas for un-broken and undamaged gear, the number is green).
Repair of Non-Artifacts
If "Current Durability" is zero, the best way to restore durability and make the item function again, is to perform a Minor Repair (which will increase the "Current Durability", but not the "Maximum Durability Achievable with Minor Repairs").
If "Maximum Durability Achievable with Minor Repairs" reaches zero, a minor repair will not restore any durability, but a Major Repair will restore durability and make the item function again (a major repair will restore both "Current Durability" and "Maximum Durability Achievable with Minor Repairs").
Repair of Artifacts
See Artifact