DPS Calculator

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I stack crit chance or crit damage?

The product critChance x (critMult - 1) is what you maximize, so balance the two rather than dumping everything into one stat.

Why is my real in-game DPS lower?

Reloads, target movement, line-of-sight breaks, and damage falloff at range all reduce the theoretical ceiling. Treat the calculated value as a benchmark for comparison.

How do I compare two weapons accurately?

Run both through effective DPS with the same accuracy assumption. The higher number wins if you can realistically sustain both weapons' fire rate in your typical encounters.

What does attack interval mean?

It is 1 divided by attacks per second - the gap in seconds between each hit. Useful when a game lists a cooldown time instead of a rate.

How do I handle weapons with different damage types?

Run them separately with their own effective DPS. If a target has different resistances per type, multiply effective DPS by (1 minus resistance) before comparing.

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Estimates for informational purposes only.

Important Disclaimer: Estimates for informational purposes only.

This calculator provides estimates for informational purposes only. Results are based on assumptions and may not reflect actual outcomes. Consult qualified professionals in relevant fields before making important decisions based on these results.

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How It Works

Damage per second (DPS) is the single most-used number for comparing weapons, builds, and abilities. The naive form is just hit damage × attacks per second, but that ignores the two things that dominate real combat: critical hits and accuracy. A weapon that crits a quarter of the time for double damage is effectively far stronger than its base sheet implies.

This tool starts from base DPS, then applies an average crit factor that blends normal and critical hits into one expected number, and finally scales by accuracy so misses are accounted for. The result is the damage you actually deal over a sustained fight, which is the figure that decides whether a target dies before it kills you.

The formula: Base DPS = damage × attacks/sec. Expected crit factor = 1 + critChance × (critMult − 1). Effective DPS = damage × critFactor × attacks/sec × accuracy. Attack interval = 1 ÷ attacks/sec.

Use Cases

Effective DPS comparisons are useful across a wide range of game scenarios:

Comparing two weapons that have different base damage, attack speed, and crit stats to find the true winner in a sustained fight.

Evaluating accuracy-based weapons (shotguns, spread fire) against pinpoint ones by folding miss chance into the number.

Checking whether an attack-speed buff or a crit-damage boost gives more total output for a given build.

Validating whether a slower, harder-hitting weapon beats a faster, lighter one after crits are averaged in.

Estimating time-to-kill against a target with known health, then dividing HP by effective DPS.

Tips

Don't compare raw tooltips: A weapon with higher listed damage but slower attack speed may lose to a faster one once crits are averaged in - always run both through this tool.

Accuracy matters more than it looks: Even a small miss chance compounds fast; a 90% accurate build deals 10% less than its calculated rate, which can flip close comparisons.

True sustained DPS is lower: Reload, swap, and wind-up time reduce real DPS below the burst rate this tool shows - add an estimated downtime penalty for more realistic numbers.

Compare same-target DPS only: Area weapons hit multiple enemies, so single-target DPS undersells them - keep the comparison context consistent.

Armor and resistances are a separate step: This tool gives raw output; subtract target mitigation afterward to get actual damage delivered.

FAQ

Should I stack crit chance or crit damage?

Marginal value depends on what you already have. The product critChance × (critMult − 1) is what you maximize, so balance the two rather than dumping everything into one stat.

Why is my real in-game DPS lower?

Reloads, target movement, line-of-sight breaks, and damage falloff at range all reduce the theoretical ceiling. Treat the calculated value as a benchmark for comparison, not a guarantee.

How do I compare two weapons accurately?

Run both through effective DPS with the same accuracy assumption. The higher number wins if you can realistically sustain both weapons' fire rate and accuracy in your typical encounters.

What does "attack interval" mean?

It is 1 divided by attacks per second - the gap in seconds between each hit. Useful when a game lists a cooldown time instead of a rate; just enter 1/cooldown as your attacks-per-second value.

How do I handle weapons that do different damage types?

Run them separately with their own effective DPS. If a target has different resistances per damage type, multiply the effective DPS by (1 minus resistance) before comparing.

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