Learning goals
- Understand Impact.
- Understand Puncture.
- Understand Slash.
- Understand IPS weighting.
- Understand why Slash is often valued but not always the only answer.
- Learn why physical mods do not add missing IPS types the same way elemental mods add elements.
Explanation
Physical damage is often called IPS because it includes Impact, Puncture, and Slash. Most weapons have some mix of these three, while others have little or no physical damage. Impact is associated with stagger and control behavior, Puncture is associated with weakening enemy output and some critical interactions through status, and Slash is associated with Bleed status that can bypass armor damage reduction.
What should I do?
When reading IPS, check which physical type is highest, check status chance, check for forced Slash or other forced procs, and decide whether you need direct damage, status effects, control, or armor-bypassing damage.
How to avoid wasting time
Do not force Slash thinking onto every weapon. Some weapons use elements, critical damage, AoE, forced procs, Incarnon mechanics, or raw damage differently.
Common mistakes
Avoid these damage category mistakes before spending Forma, Catalysts, Rivens, or expensive mod upgrades.
- Calling all physical damage Slash.
- Ignoring Impact and Puncture effects entirely.
- Assuming Slash mods create Slash on any weapon.
- Building for Slash on weapons that cannot support it well.
- Ignoring forced Slash procs.
- Thinking IPS matters equally on every weapon.
Practical example
A weapon with high Slash weighting and good status chance may work well with Slash status thinking. A weapon with no physical damage may need elemental or special mechanics instead.
Key Takeaways
- Physical damage is not one category. Impact, Puncture, and Slash each matter differently.
Practical task
Physical weighting affects what status effects a weapon naturally applies.
- Pick one weapon with physical damage.
- Write down whether Impact, Puncture, or Slash is highest.
- Check status chance.
- Ask which physical status is most likely.
- Check whether the weapon has forced procs.
- Decide whether physical status is important for this weapon.
You can explain whether the weapon is Impact-heavy, Puncture-heavy, Slash-heavy, or mixed.