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Damage over Time

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In computer games and wargames, Damage over Time (DoT) is a commonly used game mechanic (WP), usually used with spells. Such spells cause damage in regular increments (or at a steady rate), usually for a limited amount of time, usually a set duration. This damage can be equal at all increments, or it may build up or diminish in power while the effect remains.

DoT effects are most commonly found in computer role-playing games, but also frequently appear in other video games. By far the most common example of damage over time is the status effect (WP) "poison", which appears in nearly every CRPG that features status effects; it usually damages a target for every turn the afflicted character takes, and if it remains after battle, for every step taken on the map.

Depending on the game balance chosen by developers, DoTs may deal more or less overall damage than one hit attacks or spells. As with most spells, DoTs are known to ignore armor rating on a character, meaning the damage the spell is supposed to inflict is not reduced by a character's defensive attributes in many games (especially Wikipedia:massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs)).

Most crowd control (WP) abilities "break" when the target takes damage, so DoT spells are incompatible with them, as they will continue to break even repeated castings of mesmerize spells, roots, and the like, but not stuns or fear.

DoTs of the same type usually do not stack with each other. Wikipedia:World of Warcraft Warlocks have multiple types of DoTs; a common tactic for Warlocks is to halt enemy actions with Fear, and then stack several different DoTs on them, causing their life to drain rapidly.

While DoTs may be classed as debuffs to distinguish them from instantaneous damage spells, this and their duration is the only thing DoTs and debuffs have in common.

If a unit must continue with a certain action to maintain the effect, it is referred to as a "Channeling" action, such as a "channeling spell".

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