Chef Archive
Thread: Pikatta (almost) useless? Test results of hit chance
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Bermag
Wed Jul 27, 2005 2:05 am
#1
I did some testing with defenses and the chance to be hit. Posted this in Pikeman forum:
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I made some test trying to find out how CoB and defense in general will affect chance to hit.
Target was my Pikeman/Doc/Swordsman which have 210 ranged defense and CoB (+250 defense). Attacker was my BH/rifleman with 315 ranged accuracy and +5 accuracy on rifle (using sac reduction pup) using ranged shot.
I shot 400 shot in each test case. Note: One thing to think about when testing. Not even 100 shot is enough to test correctly. I had a large variation when I compared 100 series of shots (for example with no COB/Pikatta it was as low as 4 misses and one was 10 misses). Might need as many as 1000 shots to get some statistical correct results.
With no CoB/ no Pikatta:24 misses out of 400 = 6 %
With no CoB / Pikatta: 31 misses out of 400 = 7.75%
With COB / no Pikatta: 71 misses out of 400 = 17.75%
With CoB / Pikatta: 73 misses out of 400 = 18.25%
The difference between using Pikatta or not when having COB active is so small that it might just be random results.
Note: When taking Pikatta I did re-equipweapon (on target) after taking food.
One thing is sure however, having CoB active made a big difference in damage taken, mostly because of damage mitigation. When I had no CoB running I had to switch and use bacta shot to not get incapped, when cob was active bacta infusion was enough to keep health up (and did not go lower than 2/3).
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Note: Pikatta was 50% (not sure if it was pre or post cu made though)
As you can see the effects of Pikatta is very low. I have heard people saying that Pikatta is more useful when you have very high defense running improved aura/imp CoB, but my test results show a different picture. The effect is actually lower when you have improved your defenses with CoB. The improvement you see with Pikatta both with and without CoB might be to small to be evidence of it working or not (might still be to few test results).
I have a theory about Pikatta. It is NOT a dodge chance (i.e. 50% Pikatta would let you dodge 50% of the time), but it was not like that pre-cu either. Pre-cu I think it actually raised your defenses with 50% (and it used the actual defenses as base, not the defense cap. I have a friend that tested that and having defenses over the cap helped a lot when using Pikatta). It mightbe like that still and my theory is that Pikatta is working on the skill defenses without taking CoB or other temporary enhancements (maybe also including attachments). It might also be that it only looks at ranged/melee and not using weapon specific defenses (Polearm defenses in this case). Knowing how development works (and especially how SOE do their work lol) it might be that devs have forget about the new defenses
If it only looks at ranged defense that would be an increase of 70 ranged defense, that fit the increase in miss rate pretty well. However, keep in mind that just a few more misses would change the % misses so it is hard to make any sure conclusions (for example 5 more misses would have increased the miss rate to 9% when using Pikatta with no CoB). When using Pikatta with CoB the increase of defense is probably to low to make any significant impact (530 defenses instead of 460).
Also, Pikatta do not increase the defenses when it comes to damage mitigation (which it should not do so that part is workign as intended).
My pretty high accuracy might affect the results and making it count for less though.
I urge everyone interested in exploring this to make your own tests with other numbers for accuracy/defenses. Keep in mind though that not only 100 shots is enough, I saw much variation when doing series of 100 shots. I think that you actually would need at least 1000 shots until you get results which are statistically significant. But there is a limit how much I am willing to test hehe. I am thinking of trying some kind of automated testing (using a macro to shoot 500 shots).
Also keep in mind when testing, keep everything else the same. Only test one variable at a time. Don't change anything else or it might affect results. If you use a sac reduction powerup then you need to use the same type of powerup for all testing. Use the same special, weapon, distance to target and posture so there are no other thing affecting test results (even if you "know" it should not affect results).
Slash_DPC
Wed Jul 27, 2005 3:50 am
#2
here's a link to another test that was done not to long ago:
http://forums.station.sony.com/swg/board/message?board.id=chef&message.id=58916
Also, I have done personal tests and yes, Pikatta Pie is, IMO, a waste of stomach fill.
http://forums.station.sony.com/swg/board/message?board.id=chef&message.id=58916
Also, I have done personal tests and yes, Pikatta Pie is, IMO, a waste of stomach fill.
Stewbacca96
Wed Jul 27, 2005 7:02 am
#3
I dunno, it may depend on your template but my Master Defender Jedi uses pikatta pie all the time, it is a huge help, very noticeable...
bazookabo
Wed Jul 27, 2005 7:59 am
#4
My Master defender also uses pikatta pie. I would never even think of giving the stuff up, I see a large increase in the number of misses, which allows me to tank Necrosis.
Higginsis
Wed Jul 27, 2005 11:07 am
#6
Almost is enough for some people. So they'll buy it. Especially in PvP as if they catch wind of the opposition eating it, they'll do the same.
Meplorium
Wed Jul 27, 2005 11:24 am
#7
Also a master defender and seeing a difference using pikatta pie. Have yet to be so bored as to do a test to see how much of a difference exactly, but it is enough that I notice when the stuff wears off. It isn't as important as aura is however. Maybe there is some jedi specific block or dodge that jedi get that non jedi don't have that this food helps? That would be an interesting test. On my 4400 defender crafter I use for surveying it did not help at all the couple times I used it. So it must be something with master defender. I don't use a lightsaber, so I don't think it is lightsaber block.
OPAHEYer
Wed Jul 27, 2005 8:46 pm
#8
Our guild also did some extensive testing, and came to the conclusion that Pikatta is very helpful to MDef, and does squat for everyone else. I still sell a lot of Pikatta though 
DrElJefeMD
Thu Jul 28, 2005 12:55 am
#9
Ditto for the MDef and even after I dropped MDef down to 444x
Regards
Dr. ElJefe MD (Retired)
Bermag
Thu Jul 28, 2005 1:39 am
#10
The other guy that posted did atest with defender and got same results. Need to do some test with my jedi as well (4420 defender). It should not make a difference if it is defender or normal profession (if not bugged which I assume it is).
When you did tests, did you use ranged or melee attacks?
I can think of some possible reasons why Pikatta is working for some people:
1) They are wrong, taking to small test sample. With only a few attacks it might look like it is working. I thought that on my first test run when I got 3-4 misses on the first 10 shot but it evened out when doing more shots.
2) Pikatta is using the wrong value, for example only improving melee defense.
3) Pikatta is using the wrong value, but it depends which profession it is. For exampel the code for Pikatta says "look at attribute number 5". But that attribute is different for different professions. For jedi it might be the correct value but for other professions like pikeman it is something else.
4) Defense is Melee defense/Ranged defense + Weapon specific defense (Polearm defense for example). But Jedi does not have a weapon specific defense. This might mess up things (actually if you are right that it works for defender, I think it works for Jedi but not for professions which have a weapon defense). For example it will use the weapon defense ONLY if you have it and use melee/ranged defense if you don't have any weapon defense.
One more thing. I took Pikatta before CoB was active. That might have an effect.
Meplorium
Fri Jul 29, 2005 12:04 am
#11
A TKA in our guild lives by pie as well. Maybe it affects innate armor or COB/Aura in some fashion.
Rogue_WEB
Tue Aug 02, 2005 11:41 am
#12
The results of my tests with pikatta pie and aircake show not a change in the hit/miss ratio, but a change in the damage that you receive.My guess is that the food acts by adding to your dodge, which is part of your defense. This is compared to the accuracy of the mob hitting you, and the differences are one thing that determines the damage done.
I use pikatta pie all the time, as I see a significant reduction in the damage done to me by a mob. Air cake does the same, but provides a smaller reduction. This reduction is stackable with the damage reduction of exo protein wafers/synthsteak.
So, take a pikatta pie for a nice 20 minute damage reduction, and supplement it with exo protein or synthsteak when you start to get hit hard.
I_Zombi
Tue Aug 02, 2005 11:58 am
#13
does anyone know the point behind threads like this? not to offend the original poster, but this would all be totally unnecessary if one of the devs could take 30 seconds out of his/her day to post a 1-sentence answer to this question. just a quick "pikatta pie is currently meant to __________ and it is (working/not working)."
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