Damage Formula Explained

How damage works in Palworld: the factors that affect it, how to increase damage reliably, and why results can feel inconsistent.

Last updated: 2026-01-27

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Damage in Palworld can feel inconsistent at first—sometimes you hit hard, sometimes you don’t. That’s because damage isn’t just one number; it’s the result of multiple stacked factors interacting at once.

This guide explains damage in practical terms so you can increase it reliably without needing exact formulas.

Recommended background:

The main factors that affect damage

Every hit is influenced by several layers. You usually control some of them directly, and others indirectly.

1) Base attack values

This is the starting point:

  • weapon damage
  • Pal attack stats
  • skill or ability base power

Everything else modifies this foundation.

2) Level difference

Level matters more than many players expect.

In general:

  • higher level attackers perform more consistently
  • attacking much higher-level targets often feels “weak”
  • overleveling content makes damage feel effortless

If damage suddenly drops after entering a new area, level difference is often the reason.

3) Type effectiveness

Elemental or type relationships apply multipliers:

  • strong vs weak types increase damage
  • weak vs strong types reduce damage

This effect stacks with everything else and is one of the most reliable ways to boost output.

Modifiers that stack on top

Once base damage is calculated, several modifiers are applied.

Passive skills

Passives are one of the biggest long-term damage multipliers.

Good damage passives:

  • apply consistently
  • don’t rely on rare conditions
  • stack well with your build type

If you want to optimize passives, start here:

Status effects

Some status effects:

  • increase damage taken by the target
  • reduce defenses
  • create windows where damage spikes

Even short status windows can massively increase total damage if timed well.

Critical hits (when applicable)

Critical hits introduce variance:

  • they raise burst damage
  • they make damage feel inconsistent
  • they reward aggressive or high-risk playstyles

If your damage feels “swingy,” crits are usually involved.

Why damage sometimes feels random

Most “randomness” comes from stacking effects you’re not tracking.

Common causes:

  • fighting enemies well above your level
  • hitting resistant types
  • relying on crits instead of consistent bonuses
  • ignoring passives or status effects

Once you control two or three of these at the same time, damage becomes predictable.

Reliable ways to increase damage (in order)

If you want steady improvement, prioritize these in roughly this order:

  1. Fight at appropriate levels
  2. Use favorable type matchups
  3. Apply consistent damage passives
  4. Use status effects before burst windows
  5. Upgrade weapons or skills last

This avoids the trap of upgrading gear while ignoring fundamentals.

Damage vs survivability tradeoffs

Pure damage builds often:

  • hit very hard
  • die very fast

Balanced builds:

  • deal slightly less damage
  • perform better over longer fights
  • feel more consistent overall

For most players, consistency beats peak damage.

Common mistakes

Chasing numbers instead of uptime

If you miss hits, die often, or can’t stay engaged, theoretical damage doesn’t matter.

Mixing incompatible passives

Some passives look good individually but don’t stack well together.

Ignoring enemy mechanics

Certain enemies punish reckless damage stacking. Adjusting strategy often works better than brute force.

How this ties into other systems

Damage doesn’t exist in isolation.

What’s coming next

This page will be expanded with:

  • clearer damage categories
  • example builds (safe vs burst)
  • a damage comparison tool

For now, this gives you the mental model you need to make better decisions immediately.