After extensive testing over 5 Advents with varying stats, Stances appear to be completely broken. While their MDM and SDM do change, their damage displayed and done does not. Simply looking at melee damage before using a stance and comparing after raising MDM with the stance shows the MDM increase, however, Damage remains the same.
Tested this today.
Character: Elf Adventurer 7 base STR augmented to 10 with one Empower enchant
Weapon: Training Blade
Min Damage 9
Max Damage 18
Victim: Unequipped Elf Wizard
0 armor defense chance
0 armor damage reduction
0 buffs/effects
Attributes Page Damage with 0% MDM applied: 9-18
Minimum hit expected result: 9
Maximum hit expected result: 18
15 rounds combat, critical hits discarded (Total attacks: 25) (Rounds 1 and 2 not included due to crossing the screen)
Attributes Page Damage with 39% MDM applied: 9-18 (display bug?)
Minimum hit expected: 12
Maximum hit expected: 25
[Combat Round 3] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 18 and the total this round is 18. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 5] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 14 and the total this round is 14. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 5] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 18 and the total this round is 32. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 6] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 18 and the total this round is 18. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 6] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 10 and the total this round is 28. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 6] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 18 and the total this round is 46. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 7] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 9 and the total this round is 9. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 8] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 9 and the total this round is 46. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 9] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 18 and the total this round is 18. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 9] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 15 and the total this round is 33. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 10] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 17 and the total this round is 17. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 10] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 17 and the total this round is 34. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 12] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 14 and the total this round is 14. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 12] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 9 and the total this round is 23. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 13] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 11 and the total this round is 11. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 13] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 13 and the total this round is 24. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 14] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 16 and the total this round is 16. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 14] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 15 and the total this round is 31. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 15] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 17 and the total this round is 17. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 15] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 14 and the total this round is 31. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 16] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 10 and the total this round is 10. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 16] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 12 and the total this round is 22. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 17] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 12 and the total this round is 12. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 18] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 18 and the total this round is 45. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 18] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 12 and the total this round is 57. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
Minimum hit experienced: 9
Maximum hit experienced: 18
[Combat Round 3] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 14 and the total this round is 14. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 3] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 13 and the total this round is 27. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 4] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 12 and the total this round is 12. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 5] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 15 and the total this round is 15. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 5] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 18 and the total this round is 33. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 5] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 13 and the total this round is 46. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 6] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 9 and the total this round is 9. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 6] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 13 and the total this round is 22. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 7] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 9 and the total this round is 9. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 8] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 11 and the total this round is 11. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 8] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 10 and the total this round is 21. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 8] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 13 and the total this round is 34. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 9] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 12 and the total this round is 12. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 9] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 16 and the total this round is 28. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 10] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 18 and the total this round is 18. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 10] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 16 and the total this round is 34. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 10] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 12 and the total this round is 46. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 11] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 10 and the total this round is 10. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 13] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 14 and the total this round is 14. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 13] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 18 and the total this round is 32. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 14] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 15 and the total this round is 15. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 15] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 11 and the total this round is 36. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 16] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 10 and the total this round is 10. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 16] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 16 and the total this round is 26. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 17] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 10 and the total this round is 10. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 17] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 11 and the total this round is 21. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 18] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 17 and the total this round is 17. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
[Combat Round 18] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 14 and the total this round is 31. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
Minimum hit experienced: 9
Maximum hit experienced: 18
Honestly, I think this deserves a look by the development team.
Without knowing the expected distribution of hits, I can't say whether I should have expected a max damage roll within 25 attacks, however, if the 39% MDM increase from Combat Stance was applied, I expected to never see a minimum hit below 12 in the second trial.
Barring any super sekrit knowledge about the melee damage calculation beyond "D = weapon damage + weapon damage * MDM" I feel like this bug appears to be confirmed.
Raw data has been preserved and I can post it on dropbox or something if desired.
Anomily suggested to me that 39% MDM from Combat Stance may in fact be a display bug because he believes it was intended to be much lower, between 9-18%.
I repeated the test with a Steel Broad Sword (damage range 12-20).
Expected result with the minimum Anomily suggested, a 9% bonus, would put a minimum 12 damage swing at 12 * 1.09 = 13.08, so I expected never to see an attack for 12 damage.
[Combat Round 3] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 12 and the total this round is 48. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
Minimum Damage: 53
Maximum Damage: 107
If I can hit for 53 on this character with Combat Stance on, that means the effective bonus of Combat Stance is below 1.886%.
This had a much higher damage range so it took a lot longer to reach an extreme on either end.
But once again
[Combat Round 22] TestingAdventure's damage for this attack is 53 and the total this round is 159. Elemental bonus damage: [F:0] [I:0] [V:0] [E:0] [A:0] [S:0].
This is great data!
Do you know if this issue also exists for Adventurer Adornment?
My only adventurer was born this morning and is level 4, so I can't test that on my own, sorry.
You could presumably repeat the experiment with an adventurer of your own vs another character. The math is easiest if your STR is close enough to 10 that enchants of Empower or Enfeeble can get it to 10, but it's not necessary. As I understand, Adventurer's Adornment is also a party buff, so you could do it with any adventurer partied with a test character plus a punching bag on the other side of the cloud.
Thanks for the report and detailed data, guys. Much appreciated.
There is something definitely off with MDM at the moment that we are looking into.
After a bit of testing, I've concluded SDM is working in the same way. The stances only add a visual (X)DM change while looking at the character, but have no actual change in the game mechanically.