Metin2 Pvp Bonus Priority: Average Damage or Skill Damage?

Almost everyone gearing up for Pvp gets stuck on the same question at some point: Average Damage or Skill Damage? Both bonuses increase your damage, but they boost different hits. The right choice depends on your class, your play style and the opponents you face. This article explains how the two bonuses work and when to prioritize which one in Pvp.

What do Average Damage and Skill Damage do?

According to the official wiki, Average Damage increases the damage of normal attacks, that is, regular hits, against monsters and players. The higher your base attack value, the more damage Average Damage adds. Skill Damage, on the other hand, boosts the skill hits you deal to monsters and players.

On the official servers, as regular weapon bonuses these two can only appear on level 30, 75 and 105 weapons and on the Hawk Claw. Note that the values can also be negative: a negative value reduces that type of damage. Pvp servers may put these bonuses on different items or give them different values; the item setup on Oldschool and Newschool servers is often not the same. We explain how bonuses work in general in our bonus guide.

Where does your damage come from?

The most reliable way to decide is to know where your own damage comes from. Run a simple test:

1. Recreate a typical fight: Duel a guildmate or attack the same monster several times.
2. Note the numbers: Track the damage from your regular hits and your skills separately.
3. Work out the share: Whichever side most of your total damage comes from, that bonus gets priority.

Your attack speed directly affects this balance. When buffs such as Berserk, a Green Potion or a Potion of Attack raise your attack speed, you land more regular hits in the same time and Average Damage's share grows. Skill cooldowns, meanwhile, cap your burst damage: in short, sharp fights skills weigh more, in long fights regular hits do.

General trends by class and skill group

These aren't hard rules but general trends; your server's balance can change the outcome.

• Body Warrior: With Berserk on, their regular hits multiply, while burst damage comes from skills such as Dash and Three-Way Cut. Both bonuses are useful; balance them according to your play style.
• Weaponry Sura: Enchanted Blade raises attack value and, with a high chance on physical hits, gives back part of the damage dealt as HP. For a Sura who fights with regular hits, Average Damage feeds both damage and HP stealing. For details, see our Weaponry Sura guide.
• Blade-Fight Ninja: Since they rely on burst skills such as Ambush, Skill Damage is more decisive.
• Archery Ninja: Frequent normal shots make Average Damage valuable; if you play skill-heavy, the balance shifts.
• Black Magic Sura and Dragon Force Shaman: Most of their damage comes from magic skills, so Skill Damage comes first.

Fine-tuning for your opponent

The same bonus doesn't give the same result against every opponent:

• Resistance bonuses: If your opponent has high Average Damage Resistance, your regular hits weaken; if they have high Resistance against Skill Damage, your skills do.
• The Weaponry Sura's Fear: According to the official wiki, this skill reduces the damage taken from the opponent's normal hits. Against a Sura, a set focused on regular hits may not be as effective as you expect.
• Magic vs. physical: The damage of magic skills is also reduced by Magic Resistance, while physical skills run into defense.
• Critical hits: According to the official wikis, skills can also land critical hits, but against players crits are calculated differently than against monsters. Before deciding which set to pair crit with, watch how it works in a duel on your server; Pvp servers can change this math.

Don't forget the defensive side

Bonus priority isn't only about offense. If your server has them, Average Damage Resistance reduces the regular-hit damage you take from players and monsters, and Resistance against Skill Damage reduces skill damage. Think about where the opponents you meet most get their damage from and pick your resistance accordingly. Spending all your bonuses on offense and dropping to the first combo wastes even the best weapon.

Frequently asked questions

Is Average Damage or Skill Damage better?

There's no single right answer. If you deal most of your damage with regular hits, Average Damage gets you more; if you deal it with skills, Skill Damage does.

Can Average Damage be negative?

Yes. On the official servers, Average Damage on weapons can roll between -55% and +60%, and Skill Damage between -27% and +28%. Since a negative value lowers that type of damage, don't pick a weapon by looking only at the higher value.

Which items can have Average Damage?

On the official servers, as regular weapon bonuses these two can only appear on level 30, 75 and 105 weapons and on the Hawk Claw. Pvp servers can change this, so check your server's item guide.

How often should I review my bonuses?

Whenever you switch to a new character or weapon, and when your server gets a balance update. As your opponents change, your priorities may change too.