How does area damage work?

What does area damage affect?

area damage is a damage that covers entire circular area (or a part of it)

"

Ludvator a écrit :

area damage is a damage that covers entire circular area (or a part of it)

So does it only affect aoe skills and supports?

you would have to be more specific because I cant say that in general.

for example, Infernal Blow has "AoE" tag thus counts as AoE skill. But its initial attack does not deal area damage (explosion does).. now when you support it with Melee Splash, the initial hit's splash damage will count as area damage, but initial hit still does not...

another example. Ball Lightning has AoE tag thus counts as AoE skill. But it does not deal area damage because it does not cover areas with damage, it zaps individual targets within the radius..

etc

"

Ludvator a écrit :

Ball Lightning has AoE tag thus counts as AoE skill. But it does not deal area damage because it does not cover areas with damage, it zaps individual targets within the radius..

etc

Ah i see so it only affects damage that hits in an area, now that i think about it just does what it says xd. Thanks

You have to read the tags on the skill gems you are using. If it says "AOE" then the Area of Effect buffs in your skill tree will give you more damage. Unless there's an exception such as Orb of Storms, area damage buffs won't affect it's damage. Check the Wiki on whatever skill you want to use, it will explain the mechanics and how you can modify it.

Wording in PoE is pretty straight forward most of the times.

If you have a spell that deals lightning damage in an AoE, then all sources of area damage, lightning damage, spell damage, elemental damage and (generic) damage, no matter where you get them, are equal and do the same thing.

There's only a couple exceptions to this, usually skills that have two parts, like Molten Strike. You have a melee part and a projectile AoE part. Melee damage only applies to the initial hit, AoE or projectile damage apply to the projectiles.