Corpse Life Calculations for Detonate Dead

Detonate Dead is a powerful spell that has received a lot of attention in recent patches, particularly in 3.16 as an ignite build. Despite this, it remains difficult to acquire the corpse life numbers needed to accurately estimate its damage in PoB, and build guides often appear to use incorrect values that yield inflated DPS numbers.

I would like to share a compilation of what, to my understanding, are correct numbers that one can use to run PoB simulations for DD damage as a service to fellow players. Below you will find a pair of charts that compile information drawn from poedb, PoE 3.17 patch notes, and the PoE wiki.

Bolded numbers in the below corpse life value chart denote the highest bases for damage. Examining these numbers, we see that if we detonate a spectre corpse, we will do more damage than when we detonate a bone archer, until Unearth reaches level 23. In situations where the damage matters i.e. in situations where we ignite with Vaal Detonate Dead, this means that Desecrate yields more damage, but once we have a level 23 Unearth, Unearth will always yield more damage.

Hey this post is incredible, thank you !

Hey,what is about 95-100 base unearth corpse life for some ultra investment in getting highest corpse numbers (crest of desire,ashes of the stars,phan unearth)

Beatiful chart!
Thank you for the information

Would you know how the interact with Phantsmal Unearth and Ashes of the starts?
Additionally, how will it interact with the helm enchant of unearth +5 level of corpses?

Thanks!

How does this post change with the bugged Auric Champion life? When should I change to unearth, assuming I have the +5 corpse level enchant?

Its possible to get to level 100 corpse (maybe even over).
21/20 phantasm unearth = 81
Viridi with awakened empower 5 and enhance 5 = (gem lv 29) 89
Viridi corrupted with +2 projectile = (gem level 31) 90
Viridi corrupted with +2 projectile +2 aoe = (gem level 33) 91
Amulet with +1 (gem level 34) 92
Sceptre with +1 all +1 phys (gem level 36) 93
With +5 corpse level from enchant goes up to 98. Consider that and aw. enhance and ashes of the stars for +48% + 60%.

Should go 330k before the + 108%.

"

Drekalo wrote:

How does this post change with the bugged Auric Champion life? When should I change to unearth, assuming I have the +5 corpse level enchant?

Depends, Desecrate is still the better option in terms of potential damage. It has higher corpse life than Unearth in its bugged state. With Unearth, you are also investing multiple slots (Helm, Ring, and possibly Gloves) into getting a 95 corpse.

The only thing is Bone Archers will be more consistent because you always spawn them, whereas you won't always detonate the bugged Desecrate corpse.

@Gorgy - how exactly are you going from "Base Monster Life" to "Bone Archer Life"?

I did a lot of discussion and data-mining and even dialog with some GGG-devs and the calculations are the following:

Bone Archer Life = Base Monster Life (at a specific level) * Monster Variety Life Modifier (it's 1.4 for Bone Archer as of patch 3.13) * Map Area Level Life Modifier

As an example:

Lvl 84 Bone Archer Life in a Level 84 Map Area = Level 84 Monster Life * 1.4 * 2.17

which is 16265 * 1.4 * 2.17 = 49413

This matches your table.


However, for a Level 95 Bone Archer you diverged from this equation for some reason.

Lvl 95 Bone Archer Life in a Level 84 Map Area = Level 95 Monster Life * 1.4 * 2.17

which is 31220 * 1.4 * 2.17 = 94846

Not sure how you get 130191.

And to ensure 94846 life number is correct I had a GGG dev spawn a Level 95 Bone Archer in a Level 84 Map area and using debugging tools provide their life and they confirmed it is 94846.

Now, for Level 85 Map Areas (thanks to latest Passive Atlas Skill Tree) you have a higher "Map Area Level Life Modifier".

The multipliers are:
x 2.17 (level 84 - Tier 17 maps)
x 2.25 (level 85 - Tier 18 maps)
x 2.34 (level 86 - Tier 19 maps)
x 2.42 (level 87 - Tier 20 maps)
x 2.50 (level 88 - Tier 21 maps)
x 2.58 (level 89 - Tier 22 maps)
x 2.66 (level 90 - Tier 23 maps)


For some additional info:

* Bone Archer life is unaffected by an "Minion" modifiers (like increased Minion Life) since Unearth creates "Corpses" and Minions must be "alive" to be considered Minions.

* Corpses created by skills such as Unearth are considered regular monsters corpses and thus ARE affected by any map stats that would affect monsters; including "20% more Monster Life". The only exception to that is the "Wellspring of Creation" Atlas Passive Tree keystone which specifically excludes corpses.

* Since they are corpses, all "corpses you spawn" modifiers affect them as well.

the crucible league patch notes bug fix#1

> Fixed a bug where the Corpsewalker Unique Boots were always spawning level 100 corpses. The maximum level of corpses spawned is now capped by the area level, like Desecrate.

Does this mean that corpses from the boot were always level 100? If so is the corpse life you get from detonating corpses from the boot essentially gutted?

lv84 bone archer: 49413
lv95 bone archer: 94846

probably half its previous corpse life at best?