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How Do You Measure Damage per Second (DPS) in Games?

Calculate damage per second from average damage and attack rate, or measure actual output over a timed combat window. Learn what DPS leaves out.
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To measure damage per second (DPS), divide damage dealt by the time taken. For repeated attacks, calculate average damage per hit × hits per second—or divide average damage per hit by seconds per hit. DPS is an average rate, not a promise that every hit will land or that damage will be continuous.

How do you measure damage per second?

Use the formula that matches the timing information you have:

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  • Attacks per second: DPS = average damage per hit × attacks per second.
  • Seconds per attack: DPS = average damage per hit ÷ seconds per attack.
  • Observed combat: DPS = total damage dealt ÷ elapsed time in seconds.

The first two formulas are equivalent: attacks per second is the inverse of seconds per attack. Epic’s Fortnite documentation uses damage multiplied by fire rate, while the Guild Wars Wiki describes dividing mean damage by attack interval.

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Example: damage and attack interval

If an attack deals 20 damage every 0.5 seconds, its theoretical rate is 20 ÷ 0.5 = 40 DPS. Equivalently, 0.5 seconds per attack means 2 attacks per second, so 20 × 2 = 40 DPS.

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Example: measuring a combat window

If a character deals 600 damage over 15 seconds, observed DPS is 600 ÷ 15 = 40. Record the duration and conditions: a short window can be skewed by a critical hit, missed attacks, a cooldown, or time spent without a target.

How to calculate average damage per hit

Use the game’s own averaging rule when it provides one. If damage is shown as a range and no other rule is specified, a simple estimate is the midpoint: (minimum damage + maximum damage) ÷ 2. For example, a 10–20 damage range gives an estimated 15 damage per hit. Using the maximum instead would describe a high-end hit, not a typical one.

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Damage ranges, rounding, and the way a game calculates displayed damage can differ. Treat the midpoint as an estimate only when the game does not specify a different method.

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What to include for sustained DPS

A rate based only on attack damage and attack speed may describe uninterrupted firing, but not a full attack cycle. Include reloads, cooldowns, or other periods without attacks when estimating sustained output. GameDevCalculators discusses cycle-based calculations that account for reload time: Damage Per Second Formula for Games.

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For a useful comparison, state which kind of number you mean:

  • Theoretical DPS: calculated from damage and attack rate, typically assuming attacks continue uninterrupted.
  • Sustained-cycle DPS: calculated across a full cycle, including reloads or cooldown downtime.
  • Observed combat DPS: total damage actually dealt during a measured fight or test window divided by its duration.

Why DPS does not tell the whole story

Two options with the same DPS can behave differently in a fight. Compare their hit or volley size, attack interval, burst size, reload and cooldown downtime, chance to connect, and the target’s armor or resistance. Also consider overkill: a large volley can exceed a low-health target’s remaining health, wasting some damage. StarCraft II’s Liquipedia DPS reference illustrates how factors such as volley count, armor, and critical hits can affect comparisons; the Guild Wars Wiki also describes game-specific attack timing and defenses.

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For a fair weapon or ability comparison, keep the game version and assumptions the same. A tooltip or theoretical rate is not necessarily the damage the option will deliver against a particular target in an actual fight.

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Does every game measure DPS the same way?

No universal in-game testing protocol is established across games. The basic rate formulas are general, but games can differ in damage ranges, timing, rounding, critical-hit rules, defenses, reload behavior, and what their tooltips include. Use the named game’s rules for a precise calculation, and identify the target and test conditions when reporting observed DPS.

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