How do you calculate DPS?

Basic DPS = Average Damage per Hit × Attacks per Second × Crit Multiplier. The crit multiplier is: 1 + (Crit Chance × Crit Damage). For example, a build dealing 10,000 average damage at 1.5 APS with 50% crit chance and 150% crit damage has a DPS of: 10,000 × 1.5 × (1 + 0.50 × 1.50) = 26,250 DPS.

What is the difference between sheet DPS and actual DPS?

Sheet DPS is the number displayed in your character stats panel, which typically only accounts for base weapon damage and attack speed. Actual DPS includes all multipliers — crit chance, crit damage, skill multipliers, elemental damage bonuses, buffs, and enemy debuffs. In games like Diablo IV and Path of Exile, actual DPS can be 5–20x higher than sheet DPS.

Does attack speed or crit damage increase DPS more?

Both scale DPS multiplicatively, so the answer depends on your current stats. If your crit chance is below 50%, increasing crit chance typically yields more DPS per point than raw crit damage. If attack speed is already high, additional crit damage often wins. The most efficient approach is to calculate your DPS multiplier with each option and compare directly — which is exactly what this calculator does.

How does additive vs multiplicative damage stacking work?

Additive damage bonuses sum together before being applied once: 20% + 30% increased damage = 50% more damage on the base. Multiplicative bonuses each apply to the result of the previous: 1.20 × 1.30 = 1.56, or 56% more damage. Multiplicative sources are more powerful when you already have large additive bonuses stacked, and are why diminishing returns feel less severe in games that use both systems.

How is DPS calculated in Diablo IV?

Diablo IV DPS uses the formula: DPS = Weapon DPS × (1 + Additive Damage Bonuses) × Multiplicative Modifier 1 × Multiplicative Modifier 2 × Crit Multiplier × Vulnerable Multiplier. Additive sources like skill ranks and stat bonuses stack in one pool, while separate multiplier categories — overpower, vulnerable, and lucky hit — each form their own multiplicative layer.

Home / Calculators / DPS Calculator

⚔️ ARPG Essential

DPS Calculator

Calculate your damage per second to optimize builds in ARPGs and MMORPGs

🎮 Select Game

Enter Your Stats

Weapon/Skill Damage: 100

Attacks Per Second: 1.5

Critical Hit Chance: 50%

Critical Hit Damage: 150%

Total Damage Multiplier: 100%

Additional Flat Damage: 0

Your Results

Total DPS

263

Low DPS

Early game power

Base DPS (No Crits)

150

Crit Contribution

+113

43.0% of total DPS

Damage Per Hit

175

💡 TIP

Balance crit chance and crit damage for optimal DPS. Generally aim for 50%+ crit chance with 200%+ crit damage.

Popular Build DPS

Whirlwind Barb

Diablo IV

Melee

Average DPS

125,000

Lightning Sorc

Diablo IV

Ranged

Average DPS

180,000

Righteous Fire

Path of Exile

DoT

Average DPS

250,000

Frost Mage

World of Warcraft

Caster

Average DPS

45,000

Paladin

Last Epoch

Melee

Average DPS

95,000

Necromancer

Diablo IV

Summon

Average DPS

140,000

Understanding DPS

Base DPS Formula

Base DPS = Weapon Damage × Attack Speed

This is your fundamental damage output before any modifiers are applied.

Critical Hit Multiplier

Crit Multiplier = 1 + (Crit Chance × Crit Damage)

Critical hits significantly boost your damage. A 50% crit chance with 200% crit damage adds 100% more damage on average.

Total DPS

Total DPS = (Base DPS × Crit Multiplier × Damage%) + Flat Damage

Your final damage per second after applying all multipliers and bonuses from gear, skills, and buffs.