Question about Damage

[Ragin Cajun]

I'm a little confused by damage factors on weapons and determining if one weapon is "better" than another weapon. Any ideas on how to better interpret these stats when comparing weapons (and armor as well).

Typically I swap the weapons out and look at the character sheet. But for example:

Weapon 1:
1d6 base damage
x3 critical multiplier
+2 vs Chaotic
+1 Enhancement Bonus

Weapon 2:
1d8 base
19-20 (x2) critical
1d6 Fire damage
+2 Strength

On the surface I'd take weapon 2 just for the higher damage, but not sure if the crit multiplier is better at x3 than a double chance x2.

And this is just an example of two weapons I'm currently carrying.

[fullautomatic55]

Just think of it this way: higher critical multiplier means bigger critical hits, but a greater crit range means (hopes) that you'll land more critical hits. It really depends on what type of weapon and what type of character you have though. To me, I'd rather either specialize in crits (through either weapon master or improved criticals feats) and take anything with extra crit multipliers, or really just disregard it and stick with anything that does decent consistent damage. In the weapons you gave as an example, I would definitely take the second one, if only for the greater consistent damage. Sometimes that is what you're looking for more than other conditional stuff (in my opinion anyways).

Also, just as a side note, crits in dnd video games just don't seem as worth it in general because of the amount of creatures that are immune to them. Kind of reminds me of playing like Final Fantasy or similar games where they have these special "status effects" that are meant to hinder your enemy in some way, but the only fights that you'd really ever need to do this, (the long, tough ones[read: bosses]) the enemy will be immune! A similar thing happens here, except that instead of it just being a boss, it'll be several hours of hacking through undead, constructs, etc where you won't be able to make critical hits.

[GawainBS]

The basic damage formula in D&D is: base damage (XdY) + enhancement bonus + STR mod (STR mod*1.5 if you wield the weapon in two hands).

Magic weapons (weapons with + X) penetrate certain Damage Reductions, so they increase damage indirectly.

+ STR can be very useful, since it increases both to hit & damage. Something to note if you're a twohander: if a STR bonus increases the STR mod from uneven to even, you get a bigger benefit, i.e. STR 16 (+3) and a +2 STR weapon = 18 (+4) STR, which increases the damage bonus from STR to 3*1.5 = 4 to 4*1.5 = 6.

Also, Power Attack gives a bigger return if you two-hand a weapon.

As for crits: fullautomatic55 had it right: too many critimmunes to make it worthwhile.