What is DPS? Understanding Damage Per Second

In any type of videogame, the goal for players is usually the same: eliminate all opposition to secure victory. When playing a role-playing game (RPG) or multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) such as League of Legends, World of Warcraft, or Diablo III, that outcome is often achieved by eliminating the enemy team as quickly and efficiently as possible. To do this, players need to have a good understanding of how damage is dealt within the game, and one of the most important concepts to understand is Damage Per Second (DPS).

What Does DPS Stand For?

DPS is an acronym used to refer to the average damage dealt by a weapon, spell, or character in a given span of time. To calculate this value, divide the total damage that is dealt by the amount of time it took to complete that damage. The result is the amount of damage, on average, dealt by the player or weapon in one second.

How Can DPS Help a Player Succeed?

Knowing DPS can be the difference between life and death in the world’s most popular RPGs and MOBAs. Knowing the amount of damage that a character can do per second can help players make informed decisions about which items or spells to use, when to attack or flee, and how to best position themselves in a fight.

Being able to accurately calculate DPS can also be beneficial for players as they grind for loot or level up their character. As a player’s character grows in power and strength, their DPS rating should also increase, giving them an advantage in battles against lower-level opponents.

In addition to helping players assess their own strengths and weaknesses, knowing DPS can help players make comparisons with other players of similar level. Using DPS as a barometer can help players determine who has the greater damage output and therefore should be the focus of attacks during a game.

Conclusion

Overall, DPS is a powerful tool in the arsenal of any aspiring RPG or MOBA player. Not only does it help inform decisions and battles during gameplay, but it also acts as a barometer for comparing and measuring the skill of different players. Mastering this metric is key when competing in any game, as it can be the difference between victory and defeat.